Calipari needs to ‘figure some stuff out’ to address UK’s late-game misadventures
A two-game lead with four games to go suggests that Kentucky will be kings of the Southeastern Conference for a 49th time. But the way Saturday’s victory over Florida concluded again suggested that the Wildcats are also addicted to late-game drama.
UK led by six points inside the final minute against Florida. What followed were three straight turnovers. Ashton Hagans prevented a fourth straight by calling timeout when he could not inbound the ball.
“The baseline out of bounds is on me,” UK Coach John Calipari said. “So, we’ve got to come up with some stuff.. I’ve used that for 30 years. It ain’t working with this group. …
“If I’m playing us, I’m putting a man on the ball and I’m pressing. So, now, let me coach a little bit and figure some stuff out.”
Calipari said UK players are not physically clearing space to receive an inbounds pass. He also questioned the players’ confidence level in such situations.
Calipari also saw a back-to-basics option: Simply inbounds the ball high to Nick Richards.
“If that’s what he wants to do, I don’t have a problem with that,” Richards said.
It was the 21st time in 27 games that Kentucky led by seven or fewer points inside the final seven minutes, and the 14th time the difference was three points or less inside the final six minutes.
Although coaches have noted the team’s small margin for error, Richards did not sound alarmed that Kentucky narrowly escaped defeat again.
Added Richards, “Honestly, I don’t think it’s a worry. Obviously, we’re not in the biggest part of the year yet (which is) March, when it all counts.
“We’re going to learn from our mistakes and keep getting better at it.”
Second thoughts
Calipari acknowledged second thoughts about playing Ashton Hagans. Hagans’ status was in doubt when he left the LSU game in the second half after seemingly hurting a hip in a collision with an LSU player.
“It was dangerous what I did with Ashton because if he got hit on that spot, he’s probably out three games,” Calipari said. “Not real smart. But he said, ‘I can do this. I’ll play.’”
Despite not starting either half, Hagans played two seconds short of 34 minutes. He came into the game averaging 33.2 minutes.
More turnovers
Hagans had six turnovers. That was the fourth game this season he has had six turnovers. His career-high is the seven he had against Auburn in the Elite Eight game last March.
Hagans has had 13 turnovers in the last three games. His assist-to-turnover ratio in the last nine is 40-to-36.
“Come on, come on,” Calipari said. “And the one at the end where he is dribbling (among) two or three guys, what are you doing?
“So, (UK has) got to clean some stuff up.”
Boo
More than a few fans in Rupp Arena booed several times Kerry Blackshear Jr. touched the ball. Blackshear, who is from Orlando, chose to transfer from Virginia Tech to Florida rather than Kentucky.
“It was cool,” he said when asked about the booing. “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.”
Blackshear added that UK has a “great fan base. So, I was excited to play here.”
Pick Quick?
Before the game, UK played its “Pick Nick” video promoting Nick Richards as an All-American candidate on the Rupp Arena video screens.
What about a “Pick Quick” video promoting Immanuel Quickley?
“I’m for it,” Richards said. “I’m pretty sure the Big Blue Nation is for it, too.”
Home stretch
On his radio show Wednesday night, Calipari seemed to try to brace UK fans for possible disappointment in the final stretch of the regular season.
“We could lose some games now to the finish …,” he said. “Five games (remaining). We may have people in this state go nuts if we’re 3-2. I just wouldn’t be one of them. I just don’t want to go 0-5.”
Noted numbers cruncher Ken Pomeroy favored UK in four of the final five games of the regular season. He gave UK a 66-percent chance of beating Florida. He also favored UK at Texas A&M (74 percent) and Auburn (68 percent) next week.
In the final week, Pomeroy gave UK a 75-percent chance of beating Tennessee, then only a 42-percent chance to win at Florida.
This story was originally published February 22, 2020 at 11:22 PM.
