Calipari might learn answer to key question when Kentucky plays Richmond on Sunday
After Kentucky imposed its will in beating Morehead State 81-45 Wednesday night, John Calipari seemingly tried to blunt runaway enthusiasm. Yes, he said, he liked how his players — who included 10 newcomers, but did not include the lone returnee of consequence, Keion Brooks — resembled an “organized team.”
But …
Calipari mentioned several areas needing improvement. Those included feeding the post more frequently and better rebounding.
He also said of future opponents, “We’re going to have to figure out, what if they have a really fast and quick point guard? Who is guarding that guy?”
A test of how well Kentucky will perform against a standout point guard figures to come Sunday against Richmond. Jacob Gilyard is a two-way threat. On offense, he is a 1,000-point scorer in his college career (1,276 points after Friday’s 82-64 victory over Morehead State) and ranked 10th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio last season. On defense, he led the nation in steals (3.19 per game, on average).
Gilyard (pronounced GIL-yerd) was the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year last season. He’s a reason a panel of coaches and media voted Richmond as the favorite to win the Atlantic 10 championship this season. He is on the watch list for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year award.
“He has the best instincts of anyone I’ve seen,” Richmond Coach Chris Mooney said of Gilyard. “Now, he’s extremely quick. He’s a great player who happens to be small. He’s not good because he’s small.”
Richmond lists Gilyard’s size as 5-foot-9 and 160 pounds. Sound familiar? That’s the exact size Kentucky listed for Tyler Ulis, who was a consensus All-American in the 2015-16 season.
“I think that’s a good comparison,” Mooney said. “Obviously, if you’re that size and you’re playing at a high level, you have some ‘extra’ as part of your game. With Jacob, the biggest thing is just his intelligence and anticipation and knowledge of what’s going on.”
Mooney said that Gilyard’s size did not cause any hesitation during the recruiting process.
“I saw him play in a game where he had 11 steals,” the Richmond coach said. “Just incredible. Magical.”
Gilyard, a native of Kansas City, has 279 career steals. The NCAA Division I record is 385, set by John Linehan of Providence (1997-2002). For perspective, the Kentucky record for career steals is 238, set by Wayne Turner (1995-1999).
Gilyard has been productive against teams from Power Five conferences. Last season he had 21 points, four assists and three steals in a 90-78 loss against Alabama and 2020 lottery pick Kira Lewis. He also had seven steals and 26 points in an overtime victory against Vanderbilt last season.
In the 2018-19 season, Gilyard had 14 points, nine assists and five steals in a victory over a Wake Forest team that included Olivier Sarr.
Gilyard had three steals against Morehead. He gambled for several more, bringing to mind Calipari’s admonitions about getting out of position by going for too many steals.
How green is the light Gilyard has for attempting steals?
“It’s pretty green,” Mooney said. “I don’t think there’s a stoplight there, to be honest with you.”
The gambles against Morehead State did not cost Richmond dearly.
“Guys being so experienced, they know how to play and rotate around if he’s not successful,” Mooney said.
Youth versus experience
Kentucky’s game against Richmond can be billed as youth versus experience.
UK started four freshmen, plus senior transfer Olivier Sarr against Morehead State on Wednesday.
Richmond, which was ranked No. 22 in Blue Ribbon Yearbook’s preseason top 25, started two seniors and two graduate students against Morehead State. All four returned from a team that posted a 24-7 record last season. Three of those starters are 1,000-point career scorers: Grant Golden (1,488), Jacob Gilyard (1,276) and Blake Francis (1,209). A fifth senior starter and fourth 1,000-point scorer, Nick Sherod (1,192), is sidelined for the season after sustaining a major injury to his right knee on Oct. 15. His hard-luck story includes missing the final 27 games of the 2018-19 season because of a torn ACL in his left knee.
The senior starter who hasn’t scored 1,000 points is forward Nathan Cayo. No novice, he has played in 96 college games and scored 767 points. He was Richmond’s leading scorer against Morehead State with 23 points.
Richmond Coach Chris Mooney accepted the youth-versus-experience storyline for Sunday. He credited Richmond’s experience as key to Friday’s victory and being able to compete with Kentucky on Sunday.
“Our experience has to show up,” he said of the game against Kentucky. “Not on the first play or second play or first half. It has to show up each and every play. Hopefully, we’re tough enough to do that and can compete here on Sunday.”
That experience will try to neutralize a Kentucky team blessed with “unbelievable length and athleticism and ability,” Mooney said.
After the game Wednesday, UK Coach John Calipari said defensive stamina would be needed against Richmond.
“If you play 15 seconds, you’re getting beat,” he said. “You’ve got to play the whole possession.”
On offense, Kentucky will need to be disciplined and efficient, Calipari said.
“Not make the 50/50 play,” he said. “It’s gotta be a 70/30 or 80/20 (play). Or don’t make it.”
Princeton style
Richmond plays a “Princeton-style” offense, which involves spreading the floor to enhance player and ball movement. Coach Chris Mooney played for Princeton (class of 1994). He noted that the Spiders averaged 75.3 points last season. “I don’t think it’s quite as deliberate as people think of the Princeton offense,” he said.
When asked if the Princeton style might be a benefit against UK’s freshmen, Mooney said, “I hope that’s the case.” But he added that Kentucky’s wealth of coaching experience could negate any advantage.
“I tend to feel it’ll be more about the players than the scheme,” Mooney said.
Quick turnaround
Richmond will be playing a second game within 48 hours on Sunday. Richmond pooh-poohed the notion that fatigue could be a problem.
“We’re playing Kentucky,” Nathan Cayo said. “I’m just excited.”
Added Coach Chris Mooney: “We’ve been trying to play games for a long time. So, we are excited. … We’re looking forward to it, and hopefully we’re up to the challenge on Sunday.”
Hog wild
Arkansas beat Mississippi Valley State 142-62 in its opening game Wednesday. The Hogs made 20 of 40 three-point shots. Eight players scored double-digit points led by Connor Vanover’s 23.
The 142 points and the 81 points in the second half were both the second-highest totals in program history.
Vanover, a 7-foot-3 sophomore from Little Rock who transferred from California to Arkansas, made four of five three-point shots.
“(Coach Eric Musselman) loves three-point shooters, and us going out and knocking them down like that really made him happy,” Vanover said.
For perspective, Mississippi Valley State had a 3-27 record last season. Going into this season, stats savant Ken Pomeroy ranked the Delta Devils last among the 357 Division I teams.
Tennis, too
The late Billy Evans was more than a celebrated basketball player for the University of Kentucky. He also was an accomplished tennis player.
Evans, who died last Sunday at age 88, played No. 1 singles for UK in 1952, 1953 and 1954. He was inducted into the UK Tennis Hall of Fame in 2014.
Evans also won the singles championship in the 1950 Kentucky high school tennis tournament. He was inducted into the USTA Kentucky Tennis Hall of Fame in 1995.
Teaming with Chuck Cooper, Evans was still winning state titles while working as a vice president for Kentucky Fried Chicken in Louisville.
Per Evans’ wish, his body was bequeathed to the UK College of Medicine.
Correction
As a high school student, Billy Evans attended The Foundation School, which was part of Berea College. The obituary on Evans incorrectly said he attended Berea High School, which was the archrival of The Foundation School.
Happy birthday
To LSU Coach Will Wade. He turned 38 on Thursday. … To Brandon Boston. He turned 19 on Saturday. … To Larry Johnson. He turned 66 on Saturday. … To Nick Richards. He turns 23 on Sunday (today). … To Jamal Mashburn. He turns 48 on Sunday (today). … To Julius Randle. He turns 26 on Sunday (today). … To UK assistant coach Joel Justus. He turns 39 on Sunday (today). … To former UK coach Joe B. Hall. He turns 92 on Monday. … To Brandon Knight. He turns 29 on Wednesday.
Sunday
Richmond at No. 10 Kentucky
When: 1 p.m.
What: Bluegrass Showcase
Where: Rupp Arena (limited spectators)
TV: ESPN
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1
Series: First meeting
This story was originally published November 28, 2020 at 9:55 AM.
