Tune-up or tune out? Central Michigan is the next modest Kentucky basketball opponent.
Kentucky’s game against Central Michigan on Monday night raises a question: When do tune-ups become tune outs?
Central Michigan (1-4) will be one of six UK opponents in a seven-game stretch currently with a losing record. Ohio, which had a 3-0 record going into its Nov. 19 game at Kentucky, is the exception at 5-1.
And going into the weekend, stats savant Ken Pomeroy rated Central Michigan at No. 348 among Division I teams. Five other opponents in this seven-game stretch (and yawn?) of Kentucky’s schedule had a rating in the 300s: Ohio (300), Southern (310), Robert Morris (317), Albany (338) and North Florida (341).
UK Coach John Calipari has referred to such games as tune-ups.
After Kentucky routed North Florida 86-52 Friday, Sahvir Wheeler insisted these opponents merit dutiful preparation and attention to detail.
“These are Division I teams,” the UK point guard said. “We’ve seen teams that got upset this week.”
Wheeler mentioned Iona beating “a really good Alabama team.” And Dayton beat Kansas.
Despite the modest records and ratings, Kentucky faces a formidable opponent in each game, Wheeler suggested.
“Obviously, we’re playing the team we’re playing on a given night,” he said. “But we’re playing against ourselves. We want to get better. We want to continue to mold who we are.”
Who is the team Kentucky wants to be on a consistent basis?
“We’re a team that’s going to run, that’s going to get at you and who’s going to defend,” Wheeler said. “And at some point, you’re going to wear down with the amount of speed and amount of pressure we put on your defense. That’s who we are. We’re continually trying to get better on both ends of the floor. I think we’re starting to do that.”
Whatever the win-loss records, Oscar Tshiebwe spoke of the need to match the zeal of UK opponents.
“You’ve got to be willing to fight because people are coming at us,” he said. “They’re trying to beat us. They’re trying to be on national TV. They’re trying to be on social media everywhere. ‘We beat Kentucky!’
“If you’re not willing to fight, then you’re not part of us.”
Tshiebwe said he stayed engaged when he sat on the bench during portions of Kentucky’s rout of North Florida. He said he screamed encouragement.
“We’re getting better,” he said. “That’s the important thing.”
Of course, Central Michigan’s first-year coach is former UK staffer Tony Barbee, who was an assistant coach for six seasons before his title changed to assistant to the head coach in 2020-21.
At Central Michigan, Barbee represented a change of approach. Former Chippewas coach Keno Davis used a high-scoring, five-out style. Barbee spoke of having a “defense first” system of play.
Statistics suggest the transformation remains incomplete. Going into the weekend, Central Michigan ranked 342nd in field goal defense. Opponents had made 50.2 percent of their shots. Opponents had also made only one less free throw (74) than Central Michigan had attempted (75).
Central Michigan had been outscored by an average of more than 20 points a game (84.2-63.8) and out-rebounded by an average of 14 (43.0-29.0).
Gonzaga crushed the Chippewas 51-23 on the boards. DePaul enjoyed a 46-27 advantage.
Meanwhile, Kentucky has grabbed more than twice as many rebounds as the opposition over the last three games: 50.2-24.7.
Central Michigan’s lone victory came against Eastern Illinois by a score of 62-61. The Chippewas have lost at Missouri 78-68, at DePaul 99-66, at Gonzaga 107-54 and in Las Vegas against Bellarmine 76-69.
Etc.
Dave Neal and Pat Bradley will call the UK-Central Michigan game for the telecast on SEC Network Plus.
Monday
Central Michigan at No. 10 Kentucky
When: 7 p.m.
Live video broadcast: ESPN Plus and SEC Network Plus (online only)
Radio: WLAP-AM 630, WBUL-FM 98.1
Records: Central Michigan 1-4, Kentucky 5-1
Series: Kentucky leads 2-0.
Last meeting: Kentucky won 84-52 on Dec. 29, 2008, in Lexington.
This story was originally published November 28, 2021 at 8:00 AM.
