Calipari says he’ll pull every lever, maybe even Terrence Clarke, to win SEC opener
While Kentucky is perceived to need to beat four Southeastern Conference teams in four days to play in the NCAA Tournament, John Calipari used a baseball analogy to explain why that’s not the focus he wants from his players.
He put Thursday’s second-round game against Mississippi State in the SEC Tournament in the context of a do-or-die one-game playoff to simply advance.
“There will be no pitchers left,” Calipari said during a teleconference Wednesday. “I’m using every pitcher I can. The knuckle-baller. The curve-baller. The fast (ball) pitcher. The middle reliever. The last-pitch (closer).”
Kentucky’s approach will be to “leave nothing on the table,” Calipari said.
That may include playing freshman Terrence Clarke, who has been sidelined by a leg injury since logging 16 scoreless minutes against Louisville on Dec. 26.
A five-star prospect averaging 10.7 points at the time of the shutdown, Clarke has been eased back into practice, Calipari said. Individual drills. Then some scrimmaging. Clarke did not limp, which was a Rubicon Calipari said he would not cross.
With nothing left on the table the team being the guiding principle going forward, Clarke playing is a possible option.
“I won’t change the rotation of what we’re doing,” Calipari said. “But there may be a point I say, let’s give him a shot. Let’s see how he’s doing.”
Calipari balked when asked a hypothetical question about where he’d place UK winning four games in four days on his Hall of Fame resume’.
If we can win tomorrow at 11 (Central Time), if we can win that game, I’m going to be dancing,” Calipari said. “Just that game. Forget about four. Let’s just worry about the first game.”
Jackson fouls
Caliapri used a golf analogy to explain how he addresses shot-blocker Isaiah Jackson’s propensity to get in foul trouble.
“You can’t tell a golfer, don’t hook. Now don’t hook it, don’t hook it because he’s going to hook it,” Calipari said. “You also can’t tell a player don’t foul, don’t foul, don’t foul. Because you end up fouling.”
Calipari said he advised Jackson to try to deny an entry pass, not reach in pick-and-roll defense and concede a basket at times.
“We need you on the court,” Calipari said as if speaking to Jackson.
‘Devastating’
When asked about the cancellation of the SEC and NCAA tournaments last year, Calipari said, “It was devastating.”
After noting that Kentucky won the Southeastern Conference regular-season title, he added, “We’re one of the best teams in the country with a chance to win the national title. Then it was all jerked away from these kids.”
Select company
If Kentucky beats Mississippi State, the next opponent will be regular-season champion Alabama. The league’s coaches voted Tide forward Herb Jones this season’s SEC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
Jones became only the third player to be voted SEC and Defensive Player of the Year.
The other two: UK’s Anthony Davis in 2011-12 and Tyler Ulis in 2015-16.
Overtime?
Of course, Kentucky’s 78-73 victory at Mississippi State in early January was a double-overtime game.
And the last two UK-Mississippi State games in the SEC Tournament went to overtime. Kentucky won 75-74 in 2010 in Nashville. Mississippi State won 84-82 in 2007 in Atlanta.
In all, the programs have played seven previous times in the SEC Tournament. Kentucky won five of those games.
Still hurts
For Western Kentucky Coach Rick Stansbury, the game in the 2010 SEC Tournament still hurts.
That was the game in which John Wall committed a violation by breaching the lane while UK teammate DeMarcus Cousins intentionally missed a free throw late in regulation.
With the referees not calling the violation, UK scrambled to rebound the miss. The possession resulted in a layup by Cousins that sent the game into overtime.
After the game, Stansbury, then the Mississippi State coach, complained about what he termed an officiating bias favoring Kentucky. The SEC fined him $30,000.
When asked this week if that loss still stung, Stansbury said, “I don’t think you ever get over it.”
Congrats to Morehead
Calipari congratulated Morehead State for winning the OVC Tournament. The Eagles are coached by former UK staffer Preston Spradlin. Another former UK staffer, Dominic Lombardi, is an assistant coach.
Calipari said he spoke to Spradlin as the UK team rode a bus to Nashville on Tuesday.
“Really bright basketball guy,” Calipari said of Spradlin.
During the conversation, Spradlin spoke of the “unbelievable work” Lombardi had done, Calipari said.
Etc.
Karl Ravech, Jimmy Dykes and sideline reporter Marty Smith will call the game for the SEC Network.
