If Kentucky wants a non-Power Five opponent this week, there’s one at the ready
After Kentucky lost at Louisville on Saturday and its record fell to 1-6, John Calipari was asked whether a restoration could be found in more practices or games. He answered immediately.
“Games,” he said.
The UK coach linked six straight losses to a schedule he judged too demanding.
“You’ve got to play games you can win to build confidence …,” he said. “We should have played games up front that we had a chance to win, four or five of them.”
Kentucky would not have to cast a wide net to seemingly add such a game. In fact, the opponent could be found in Louisville.
Bellarmine University, a private Catholic school in its first season in NCAA Division I, would be interested in playing Kentucky, Coach Scott Davenport said Saturday night. Conveniently, his Knights — like Kentucky — do not have a mid-week game this week.
UK was scheduled to open Southeastern Conference play on Tuesday against South Carolina. A positive COVID-19 test in the Gamecocks’ program caused a postponement. Bellarmine’s next scheduled game is Friday against Transylvania.
Bellarmine, a former Division II powerhouse, has a 1-3 record. High-profile opponents are “very important for us for credibility,” Davenport said.
Bellarmine’s original schedule called for an opening game at UCLA, then later games at Duke, Gonzaga and Mississippi State.
The coronavirus led to the cancellation of the games against UCLA, Gonzaga and Mississippi State.
The reshuffled schedule saw Bellarmine lose at Duke 76-54 and at Notre Dame 81-70 earlier this season.
Davenport said he contacted Kentucky last spring about playing a game. He said he also spoke with Western Kentucky, Northern Kentucky, Morehead State, Evansville, Dayton and Cincinnati.
When he learned that High Point would play at Eastern Kentucky this season, Davenport contacted High Point Coach Tubby Smith about scheduling a game. It could not be arranged.
“We’re going to listen to everybody,” Davenport said.
With COVID, the ground can shift quickly. Notre Dame was scheduled to play at Syracuse last Tuesday. When the game was canceled the previous weekend, Davenport contacted Notre Dame Coach Mike Brey. They agreed to a game on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, after the loss at Louisville, Jacob Toppin said that the demanding schedule has not adversely affected the players’ confidence.
“I don’t think we’ve lost any confidence …,” he said. “Our confidence, I think, is still high because we’re moving in the right direction every day in practice. We’re getting better.”
Next game
Kentucky at Mississippi State
When: 6 p.m. EST Saturday
TV: SEC Network
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1
Records: Kentucky 1-6 (0-0 SEC), Mississippi State 5-3 (0-0)
Series: Kentucky leads 98-20
Last meeting: Kentucky won 80-72 on Feb. 4, 2020, in Lexington
This story was originally published December 27, 2020 at 8:56 AM.
