NCAA to announce preliminary top 16 seeds. Calipari likes it, and here’s why.
Although subject to significant change in the next five weeks leading up to Selection Sunday, the NCAA’s Division I Men’s Basketball Committee will announce its preliminary top 16 seeds Saturday afternoon.
Kentucky Coach John Calipari, a seemingly annual critic of NCAA Tournament seeding and bracketing, welcomed the announcement.
“It just kind of holds you accountable,” he said Friday. “That’s why I liked it being done. If you’re 13 and you win eight out of nine and you go to 22, why did that happen? You can’t do that now.
“Or, if you’re 12 and you lose (and the Selection Committee says), ‘Well, they lost but that’s different because of where they are in their league and all that,’ you can’t do that now. I like it. Put it out. Let us finish the season. Let’s see who does what and go from there.”
The announcement of the top 16 seeds at this juncture will be made at 12:30 p.m. EST on CBS. The 16 teams will be divided into the four regions: South in Houston, West in Los Angeles, Midwest in Indianapolis and East in New York.
Calipari could not resist getting in a preliminary dig at the NCAA Selection Committee, of which UK Director of Athletics Mitch Barnhart is vice chair.
“I don’t expect us to have an easy path ... ,” he said. “And I expect some other teams to have an easier path. I just expect it, so then you’re not upset.
“They may surprise me. Nah.”
3-6 record
Kentucky has lost its last four games at Tennessee, and six of nine in Calipari’s time as coach.
When asked to explain this record of success, Tennessee Coach Rick Barnes said, “I don’t know how to answer that question. I’ve said before, I don’t think there’s a better place to play basketball than Thompson-Boling Arena. Our fans are just terrific.”
Since Calipari returned to college coaching in 2000-01, Tennessee has beaten him 11 times. That’s more than any other program. Florida is second at eight.
Calipari playfully pointed out that he has won games at Tennessee. When told he had won three and lost six as UK coach, he said, “Wow. It’s not great, but it’s not 0-9. Anytime I’ve been in that building, it’s packed and it’s like a game and it’s a significant game. This one will be.”
On the road again
For a fourth straight Saturday, UK plays a road game packed with partisan fans. Tennessee follows Auburn, Texas Tech and Arkansas as challenging road sites.
UK players shrugged.
“We have a lot of tough guys on this team,” Immanuel Quickley said.
Freshman Tyrese Maxey said experience has toughened UK players.
“I feel like we’re used to it, now,” he said. “Maybe the first time, it was, like, whoa. But, now, it’s just another game.”
Who’s your daddy?
Maxey said the most memorable taunt he’s heard about at a road game came at Texas Tech. He said his father sat between the UK bench and Tech students.
His father said a fan yelled, “Tyrese! I’m your father. That’s not your father.”
To which, Maxey said his reaction was, “I was surprised. I was, like, wow. OK.”
Quickley No. 3
Quickley tied a UK record by making 14 of 14 free throws against Mississippi State on Tuesday. He hasn’t missed more than one in a game this season and ranks third nationally in free-throw percentage at 92.8 (98 of 106).
The top two are Terrell Gomez of Cal State Northridge at 94.4 percent (84 of 89) and Nathan Hoover of Wofford at 93.2 percent (69 of 74).
“My mechanics are really just put my elbow in and just shoot it,” Quickley said. “It’s more mental. Just having a clear mind…. If you can get into that mode, even on the road, you won’t be fazed by all the noise and people screaming.”
Quickley said he’s made as many as 75 in a row during the five-minute shooting period near the end of UK’s practices. He said he missed three in a row during a shoot-around prior to UK playing Utah in Las Vegas.
“Cal was like, ‘Please don’t put him on the line at the end of the game,’” Quickley said. “That was his joke for me.”
Quickley hasn’t missed more than one free throw in a game this season. That happened only twice last season: 8-for-10 against North Dakota and 0-for-2 against Seton Hall.
Let it snow
Maxey, who is from Garland, Texas, had not experienced snow until Friday.
“I had to go outside … and make a snowball,” he said.
Etc.
▪ Saturday’s game is a sellout in 21,678-seat Thompson-Boling Arena.
▪ Ian Eagle and Bill Raftery will call the game for CBS.
