Ejection can lead to elation? Calipari doesn’t disagree with that notion
As Kentucky sought to jump-start its season, John Calipari suggested his ejection at Arkansas did just that last season. He acknowledged wondering if his ejection at Mississippi State on Saturday could reap the same benefit.
“When I walked off, I said, this is either going to be a good thing or a bad thing,” he said after UK defeated State 78-73 in double overtime.
His ejection came with 9:04 remaining in the second half. That left him with plenty of time to ponder as the 50-minute thrill ride of a game evolved.
Of the pacing he did in the UK locker room, Calipari said, “I probably put in three miles in there watching it on ESPN on my phone.”
Kentucky went on an immediate 10-0 run after the referees tossed Calipari. In this, the UK coach saw evidence of the player empowerment he so often espouses.
“Now, I’m saying this could turn into the same thing,” he said in reference to last season’s game at Arkansas.
Seeking further evidence of his players caring about the team, Calipari said he tried to make himself as inconspicuous as possible when they returned to the locker room after the game.
“I snuck into the back of the locker room in a far corner …,” he said. “Because I just wanted to enjoy that celebration. … I wanted to enjoy it. And I wanted to remember why I do what I do.
“And they were doing it without me, which is even better. They don’t need me.”
Relief?
By snapping only the fourth six-game losing streak in the proud program’s history, Kentucky got a much-needed victory, said Calipari, who added, “We just needed to win to get going.”
It validated the fresh-start mind game that Calipari had been preaching. “Now, to start the season off, we’re 1-0.”
But Calipari didn’t agree with the suggestion that the victory came as relief.
“If winning becomes, ahh, it’s just a relief, you can’t do what I’m doing, and you can’t do what these kids are doing,” he said. “Winning is an unbelievable joy. Losing stinks. I hate it.”
Calipari said his mission is to “get individual players to understand what it means to be one heartbeat. Get individual players to understand what you need to do to elevate your game.”
The aim is “joy” and “fun” in that context, he said.
“I’m telling you, this is about joy, not a relief,” he added. “For me, anyway.”
Thumbs up
Lance Ware’s 13 rebounds rated a thumbs up from Calipari.
“I went and hugged him after (the game),” the UK coach said. “I pulled him out and I said, your fight was unbelievable. The way you went after balls. The way you were physical. His execution is on point on offense and defense.”
Olivier Sarr also rated a thumbs up.
“I told him before the game, I believe in you,” Calipari said. “Go get 10 rebounds. You’re going to see how the stuff starts changing for you.”
Earlier in the news conference, Calipari hit on the same theme. “All we talked about was 10 rebounds, 10 rebounds,” he said. “He got 14 and made a big three. … He showed what he is.”
Thanks to Transy
Calipari said he tweeted thanks to Transylvania Coach Brian Lane after the game. Kentucky played a scrimmage game against Transy on Tuesday. “And told him to tell his team thank you,” the UK coach said.
Dontaie Allen, whose 23 points and seven three-pointers propelled Kentucky to victory at Mississippi State, said the scrimmage helped.
“A lot of guys just got really comfortable,” he said.
1,000
It was the 1,000th game in Calipari’s head coaching career. The victory over State was his 776th. That moved him out of tie for third place with Dean Smith for the third most victories for any coach in his first 1,000 games.
The top two victory totals in a coach’s first 1,000 games belong to Adolph Rupp (824) and Roy Williams (790).
Streaking
The victory was Kentucky’s 15th straight against Mississippi State. That equaled the program’s longest active winning streak against a SEC opponent. UK has beaten Georgia 14 straight times.
Calipari also improved his record in SEC openers to 10-2. That is about on par for Kentucky. In the last 50 years, UK’s record in SEC openers was 41-9.
