Kentucky running out of chances to make March Madness, and now there’s a new hurdle
With winning the Southeastern Conference Tournament seen as Kentucky’s only chance to play in this year’s NCAA Tournament, an announcement Friday surely startled UK.
The NCAA said it would give leagues the option of giving an automatic bid to either its tournament or regular-season champion. The deadline for deciding is Feb. 26.
UK Coach John Calipari voiced confidence that the SEC will play its tournament.
“Wow, well, I think they need flexibility because there’s some leagues that just don’t want to bring their teams together,” Calipari said Friday. “. . . My guess would be for us, that we’ll have a tournament. But the powers that be will make that decision, and we’ll see.”
Saluting the Kentucky players for continuing to compete despite a historically bad record (5-13), Calipari said, “I respect these kids. I hope they’ll have that chance at the end.”
Devin Askew spoke of the UK players capitalizing on the chance to play in an SEC Tournament.
“We’re excited to try to go on this run and hopefully get a chance to win the SEC Tournament,” he said. “And then get a chance to play in March Madness.
“We’re looking forward to it. But we’re going one game at a time.”
At the least, the NCAA announcement cast doubt on Kentucky players getting that chance.
“My guess is our league will have a tournament,” Calipari said before adding, “That’s a guess, though. I don’t know that.”
He flops?
Freshman point guard Sharife Cooper became eligible in early January and he’s made a big difference. He leads Auburn in scoring (20.2 ppg) and assists (8.7 apg).
Cooper has had a knack for getting to the foul line. He leads Auburn in free throws attempted (94) and made (77) despite having played only 10 of the team’s 21 games.
When asked how UK might contain Cooper, Askew said, “Just play extra solid defense. Show my hands (so the referees do not suspect a foul). Yeah, he’s a good player, and he flops a lot. But that’s just his game. He gets away with it.”
Historical moment?
Auburn Coach Bruce Pearl likes to talk about his teams having a chance to make history. Such an opportunity will be present on Saturday.
Auburn has not beaten Kentucky in Lexington since 1988. And the Tigers have never swept a two-game series with UK. Of course, UK lost 66-59 at Auburn on Jan. 16.
“It would mean a lot,” Pearl said of such a sweep. “People typically judge you based on how you do against the best teams on the schedule. . . .
“Kentucky is playing well. They’re playing with confidence. And they’re shooting it better. That’s the scary part.”
Key month
Is there enough time for Kentucky to turn its season around dramatically, win the SEC Tournament and play in the NCAA Tournament?
Former Duke player Jim Spanarkel would not rule out that scenario playing out this season.
“I’ve always looked at it as the month of February is key,” he said. “Hopefully, you have some of the basis set up in December and January to be able to springboard off them.”
Short of winning the SEC Tournament, Kentucky must “almost show that glide path where each week they’re getting better and better,” Spanarkel said. “Yeah, they might lose a game in (the last three weeks of the regular season). But you can tell they’re playing competitive, confident basketball.
“I don’t think it’s too late for anybody to turn it around.”
Kentuckian returns
Justin Powell, a native of Prospect, Ky., and Oldham County High School, is a freshman at Auburn. He’s not expected to play in the game. After a productive start to the season (11.7 ppg, 44.2-percent shooting on three-pointers), he suffered a head injury against Texas A&M on Jan. 2. He hasn’t played since.
Pearl said he met with Powell on Friday morning. The Auburn coach saluted Powell’s competitiveness.
“The fact he’s not out there with his teammates right now, it’s depressing,” Pearl said. “He is hanging in there. He is going to recover. But, obviously, we wished he had recovered from his head injury sooner so he could be out there with his teammates.”
Etc.
Ian Eagle and Spanarkel will call the game for CBS.
The announcing team will be in a studio in New Jersey.
Spanarkel said he plans to be at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville next weekend for the CBS telecast of the Kentucky-Tennessee game.
