Kentucky basketball player says team ‘well equipped’ to make amends for losing record

Coming off the proud program’s first losing men’s basketball record since 1988-89 (and only the second since 1927), Kentucky players were asked if they sought to avenge that startling downturn this coming season.

Lance Ware’s diplomatic reply included an understatement. “There’s room for improvement,” he said Friday before adding, “so we can only go up.”

To which teammate Keion Brooks quipped, “We can’t go the other way.”

After the laughter subsided, Ware expanded on Brooks’ comment to say, “especially with the guys that were here last year. We’ve already been through that. We don’t want to go through that again. We know that feeling, and so we’re just going to try to share our knowledge and let everybody know what it was like so we move on and go past that.”

UK’s host of experienced players spoke to the media as part of a promotion of their name, image and likeness event this weekend in Rupp Arena. They spoke optimistically about a turnaround.

Shooting was one glaring area in need of the players moving on and going past after Kentucky’s third ever losing record in the Southeastern Conference (8-9). UK was not ranked among the nation’s 175 Division I programs in overall shooting (tied for 277th at 41.7 percent), three-point shooting (177th at 33.6 percent) and three-point baskets per game (255th at 6.4 per game).

Davion Mintz, whose 56 threes nearly doubled the next highest total (31 by Dontaie Allen), expects more company as a three-point maker this coming season. Two transfers with demonstrated shooting ability, Kellan Grady and CJ Fredrick, have been added to the mix.

“I’d say about seven or eight guys on our team can really shoot consistently,” said Mintz, who added that several players can shoot accurately off the dribble as well as in catch-and-shoot situations.

“We’re well equipped to shoot the ball really well this year,” Mintz said.

Kentucky also benefits from an enhanced bonding experience after the coronavirus pandemic brought about greater player isolation in last year’s preseason.

When asked to compare the bonding experience this year as compared to last year, Mintz said, “Oh, it’s completely different.”

The players last season were “pretty tight,” he said. “But this season you can already tell it’s a different feel. I noticed it immediately when I got back in.”

Players are playing pool at the Wildcat Coal Lodge. Players are roommates after being one to a room last year.

“So it’s definitely a different feel,” Mintz said.

Mintz cited bonding as a factor in another glaring Kentucky shortcoming last season.

“When it comes down to close games, we’ll be able to finish better just by, you know, the experience of common experience,” he said.

Although the Delta variant of COVID could complicate planning for the 2021-22 season, the UK players were asked about playing in front of large crowds again. Attendance was limited last season with the largest turnstile count for a home game being 2,420 (against Florida).

Grady, who transferred to UK after scoring 2,000-plus points for Davidson, gushed about the prospect of playing in front of 20,000 fans in Rupp Arena.

“It’s surreal just being here right now and looking around,” he said. “Playing in the Atlantic 10, you’re not exactly accustomed to playing in arenas like this. I’m really excited.”

Fans can impact games, which would be another way to move past last season, Grady added.

“You see how runs can be sparked by crowds,” he said. “Defensive stops can be encouraged by fans getting on their feet. It can definitely contribute and change momentum and overall play.”

Welch joins staff

Brad Calipari will not be the only new graduate assistant on Kentucky’s basketball staff this coming season. Riley Welch will also serve in that capacity, UK announced Friday.

Welch — like Calipari the son of a coach — was on the UK team the past two seasons. He graduated in May with an undergraduate degree in liberal studies. He plans to pursue a Master of Business Administration.

Welch’s duties will be similar to Calipari’s: participating in on-court activities like practices and individual workouts, plus assisting in film sessions, and planning for practices and games.

Welch appeared in 34 career games as a Division I player split between two years at Kentucky and one at UC Irvine. He also played one season at the College of the Desert where he averaged 8.2 points and 5.0 assists per game.

As a student, Welch made the Southeastern Conference Academic Honor Roll in 2021. He was a two-time Dean’s List honoree at UC Irvine.

This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 3:34 PM.