Calipari hopes season’s setbacks set up Kentucky for postseason success
Although Kentucky bookended the regular season with blowouts, John Calipari cited the difficulty between those routs as a key for his team’s chances to make a splash in the Southeastern Conference and, if all goes well, NCAA tournaments.
“We have gone through the war and we have been scarred,” the UK coach said after Saturday’s 92-64 victory over South Carolina. “But it prepares us.”
Kentucky had a losing SEC record (8-9) for only the third time. The teams in 1966-67 and 1988-89 finished 8-10 in the league.
But Calipari suggested this season was a similar journey for much more highly successful earlier Kentucky teams.
“They went through the same war as those teams went through,” he said of the current Cats. “The only difference is about four of them or five of them that we could have won, those teams won. We happened to drop.”
In Calipari’s first 11 seasons as UK coach, his teams averaged 30 victories and seven defeats. Kentucky will take a 9-15 record into this year’s SEC Tournament.
That dramatic difference extends well beyond four or five games.
“Part of that is starting 1-6,” Calipari said. “Hard to build confidence when you’re 1-6.”
Kentucky is widely perceived as needing to win the SEC Tournament to play in the NCAA Tournament.
When asked what importance the players put on getting a NCAA Tournament bid, Davion Mintz said, “It means everything.”
Allen update
Dontaie Allen’s 10 minutes marked the most he has played in exactly a month. He played 19 minutes against Tennessee on Feb. 6.
He missed all four of his shots (all three-pointers). That made him two of 15 from three-point range in his last nine games.
“Poor Dontaie,” Calipari said. “And I love him. He and I talked individually. There’s so much on him.”
Allen starred for Pendleton County High School and is a fan favorite.
“Anytime you’re trying to get a kid to do more than he is, it’s not fair to kids,” Calipari said. “I told him, I’m playing you. I don’t care if you miss shots … because there may be a game coming up when he needs to go in and bang a couple threes because we’re dying.”
Foul trouble
Isaiah Jackson posted a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Maybe more significantly, he committed only two fouls in 26-plus minutes. He had fouled out of three of his last six games, and was called for four fouls in two others.
When asked about the foul trouble, he said, “I thought it was going to be over in high school. And I’m still doing it. I’m still trying to figure out what I’ve got to do to stay out of foul trouble.”
Calipari has advised not acting on every impulse to block a shot, Jackson said. “Coach is telling me to let certain things go.”
Boston to return?
Brandon Boston has not been immune to the ups and downs of a freshman season. At Ole Miss on Tuesday, he made one of nine shots (one of six on threes). That made him three of 15 from beyond the arc in the last three games.
Against South Carolina, Boston’s six three-point baskets and 21 points were season highs.
Calipari said he sticks with Boston because of the player’s work ethic. The UK coach cited Immanuel Quickley and PJ Washington as examples of players who blossomed as sophomores after so-so freshman seasons.
That prompted a question about whether Boston returning next season. Calipari made himself sound like a bystander in the go-pro decisions. He said he spends “three minutes” speaking to players about it.
“I like when kids go through the process because teams are not going to lie to them,” Calipari said. “They’re going to tell them the truth.”
Fletcher plays
Cam’Ron Fletcher had not played in the last six games, nor in 15 of the last 16. The exception was one scoreless minute at Missouri.
Fletcher played almost six minutes, scored two points and grabbed two rebounds. Those were his first points since UK played Richmond on Nov. 29 and first rebounds since UK played Kansas on Dec. 1.
Fletcher’s unhappiness about playing time led Calipari to ask the player to step away in order to think about putting the team first.
“I brought it up to the team four or five different times,” Calipari said. “How’s his attitude, guys? And they all clapped.
“It’s been a total transformation.”
Victory totals
By defeating South Carolina, Kentucky increased its all-time victory total to 2,327. Kansas is second with 2,321 victories.
Kentucky begins play in the SEC Tournament on Thursday. The Cats could play as many as four games in Nashville.
Kansas could play as many as three games in the Big 12 Tournament, which is next week in Kansas City.
