Calipari on parity in college basketball: 70 teams capable of reaching Final Four
In this expect-the-unexpected college basketball season, it’s anything but lonely at the top.
“There’s just so much parity right now …,” Kentucky Coach John Calipari said on a Southeastern Conference coaches teleconference Thursday.
Calipari made his point by speculating on the number of teams that are legitimate contenders to advance to the Final Four and/or win the 2020 NCAA Tournament.
In a normal year, Calipari said that there are usually about eight teams that can win the national championship and 20 that can advance to the Final Four.
Referencing a phone conversation he had, Calipari said he told those on the line, ‘“I tell you right now, there may be 25 teams that can win the national championship. There may be 60 or 70 teams that can get to a Final Four.’”
Opinion was divided on whether this weekend’s Big 12/SEC Challenge can help separate contenders from pretenders.
Florida Coach Mike White said the Challenge was “a big potential opportunity” in this process.
“It gives this league, and conversely the Big 12, opportunities against quality opponents,” he said. “The SEC gets a chance to improve how our numbers look, our computer numbers.”
Florida plays No. 1 Baylor on Saturday.
When asked if the No. 1-ranked team coming to Gainesville was creating a buzz, White said with a chuckle, “I wouldn’t know, man.
“I’m locked in on hoping we don’t turn the ball over, figuring out how we defend our glass and really getting clean looks in the half-court. They defend at such a high level.”
Tennessee Coach Rick Barnes downplayed the importance of the Challenge in building an NCAA Tournament resume.
“I don’t think it matters,” he said. “Every game is a weighted game. … It’s about winning basketball games.”
Tennessee plays at Kansas, which will be scrambling its rotation after suspensions related to player emotions boiled over at the end of the Jayhawks’ victory over in-state rival Kansas State earlier in the week.
Barnes said that Kansas Coach Bill Self was well-experienced to deal with this problem.
Without naming names, Calipari said that there might be one league that’s clearly the best (the Big Ten?). He put the SEC in with another league or two in “that next wave” of conferences.
“My guess is we’ll get anywhere from six to eight in (the NCAA Tournament),” Calipari said of the SEC. “And, you know, a couple teams are going to have to do some things. But that’s every year for all the leagues.”
‘True’ test
Playing in hostile environments with home fans thirsting for a statement victory is business as usual for Kentucky. The game at Arkansas last week fit that description.
But Calipari suggested Texas Tech might be a challenging “true” road game even for UK.
“That will be one of the best environments we’ll play in,” Calipari said of Tech’s United Supermarkets Arena.
‘Most improved’
Georgia Coach Tom Crean said he happened to come across Nick Richards after Kentucky beat the Bulldogs on Tuesday. Richards scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the game.
“I congratulated him and said, ‘You’re the most improved player in the league,’” Crean said. “It wasn’t like he wasn’t already pretty good. But, I think, right now, there’s a poise, there’s a patience he has in his game. He’s letting the game come to him.
“He’s moving very, very well defensively, covering a lot of ground. His short-space quickness is really showing up.”
Juzang not afraid
When asked about Johnny Juzang’s emergence as a contributor off the bench, Calipari cited the freshman’s courage.
“He’s not afraid to do what he thinks he’s capable of doing,” the UK coach said. “The issue had been he hadn’t made a jump shot since November. And can you get minutes out there? Well, you’ve got to make some shots.
“The kid has a nose for the ball. He seems to be in the right place.”
Of course, Juzang’s playing time is impacted by UK’s backcourt trio of Ashton Hagans, Immanuel Quickley and Tyrese Maxey.
“If those guys struggle or (have) foul trouble, I’m not afraid to put Johnny in there,” Calipari said.
Hagans, Quickley and Maxey are averaging 33.4, 30.6 and 32.8 minutes, respectively.
When asked if he was concerned about wearing them down, Calipari said, “Not so worried because they’re in good shape.”
Big 12/SEC Challenge schedule
All games Saturday
Noon: Iowa State at No. 16 Auburn (ESPNU)
Noon: Missouri at No. 14 West Virginia (ESPN)
2 p.m.: LSU at Texas (ESPN)
2 p.m.: Mississippi State at Oklahoma (ESPN2)
4 p.m.: Oklahoma State at Texas A&M (ESPNU)
4 p.m.: Tennessee at No. 3 Kansas (ESPN)
4 p.m.: TCU at Arkansas (ESPN2)
6 p.m.: Kansas State at Alabama (ESPN2)
6 p.m.: No. 15 Kentucky at No. 18 Texas Tech (ESPN)
8 p.m.: No. 1 Baylor at Florida (ESPN)
