Auburn ‘out-toughed’ Kentucky. Calipari warns next game could more of the same.
When asked how Auburn could outrebound Kentucky 42-28 and grab a whopping 17 offensive rebounds, Immanuel Quickley had a simple and succinct answer.
“They out-toughed us,” he said of Auburn’s 75-66 victory Saturday night.
There’s no immediate relief in sight, UK Coach John Calipari said.
UK plays again Tuesday against Mississippi State. The Bulldogs went into the weekend ranked first in defensive rebounding in Southeastern Conference play and second in rebounding margin (plus 8.9).
In defeating Tennessee 86-73 Saturday for its fifth straight SEC victory, Mississippi State outrebounded the Vols 36-24.
“You know what they are?” Calipari said in his postgame news conference. “They’re physical (he then chuckled). If they push us around like we got pushed around today, how it’s going to be?”
Going into Saturday, Mississippi State big man Reggie Perry averaged a double-double in league play (20.9 points and 10.7 rebounds). The rebound average ranked first among SEC players, while he trailed only Ole Miss guard Breein Tyree in scoring.
Perry scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against Tennessee.
Of Richards facing this next challenge, Calipari said, “There’s nothing I can do. It’s him.”
Then as if speaking to Richards, the UK coach said, “Why did you not jump for balls? Why did you not hit first? Why did you get outworked? Tell us why. Whatever your answer is, fix it. Because that’s what happened.
“(Auburn big man Austin Wiley) wanted it more than you. Why? What was your mindset? Were you thinking wrong? Do you have an arrogance to you? I don’t know. Whatever it is, you’ve got to change it.”
44 free throws
Calipari opened his postgame news conference by wondering if Auburn’s 44 free throws were the most shot by an opponent in his 11 seasons as UK coach.
Kansas shot 47 on Jan. 30, 2016, in a 90-84 overtime victory over Kentucky in Lawrence.
In games that went 40 minutes, North Carolina shot 45 (making 26) in an 82-77 victory over UK in Chapel Hill on Dec. 14, 2013.
Calipari credited Auburn with beating Kentucky at its own game.
“They put their heels down,” he said of Auburn’s drive-drive-drive approach. “They go. And that’s what they do. And we were trying to do the same without the same result.”
UK made 20 of 24 free throws.
‘Stuff to learn’
A familiar pattern continued in which Kentucky fails to expand a lead, then the game turns into a possession-by-possession struggle.
At Auburn, UK led 26-19 with 5:07 left in the first half. Two minutes later, the lead was down to 28-26.
In the second half, UK led 54-49 with less than nine minutes remaining. Auburn outscored UK 26-12 the rest of the way.
“We’ve had 10-point leads multiple times this year when we just give it up and do it quickly within a minute,” Calipari said. “So, we’ve got stuff to learn.”
This pattern seemed to puzzle Calipari.
“We have three point guards on the floor,” he said of Ashton Hagans, Tyrese Maxey and Quickley. “And I don’t understand when you’ve got three point guards, how do you make bad decisions.”
For the eighth time this season, and the fourth time in the last six games, UK had more turnovers than assists. At Auburn it was eight assists and 12 turnovers.
No payback
Of course, Auburn beat UK in a 2019 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight matchup.
Quickley sought a silver lining in Saturday’s loss at Auburn.
“Just like last year, we had beaten them in the regular season,” he said, “and they got us when it matters. So, hopefully, we just have to move on and keep building toward March.”
Under average
Auburn continued a pattern that catches the eye. UK, which came into the game averaging 75.4 points, scored 66.
Counting only the 40 minutes of regulation time, Auburn has held every opponent this season under its average number of points.
ESPN standings
ESPN announced that its “College GameDay” show will originate from Chapel Hill, N.C., next Saturday. The featured game will be Duke against North Carolina.
It will mark the 12th time Duke-UNC has been the featured game. That is the most in the history of the show.
It will be Duke’s 21st time playing in a “College GameDay” game. That is the most of any program. UNC will be in its 20th such game.
As for Kentucky, the game at Auburn was UK’s 19th time playing in the featured “College GameDay” matchup.
