‘They did it for each other.’ UK’s all-for-one approach includes getting booster shots.
Tuesday marked something of a return to abnormal for Kentucky basketball. John Calipari did his news conference previewing Wednesday’s game against Western Kentucky via video chat. He said postgame news conferences will also be done that way.
“We’re trying to mitigate what we can,” he said.
The video news conferences will continued for another week or two, Calipari said.
Although there was some reluctance, all UK players have taken the booster shot of the vaccine for the coronavirus, Calipari said.
“It’s just knowing it’s about being a great teammate,” the UK coach said. “There were many of them who didn’t want to do it. But they did it for each other.”
If taking the booster shot increased the chances of continuing to play, the UK players were willing to step forward, Lance Ware said.
“We don’t want COVID or the new variants to be able to stop us from playing . . . ,” he said. “Everybody wants to play. Nobody wants to have games canceled. Nobody wants a repeat of the last two years. And I feel if this is what we have to do — get a booster shot — (the UK players are willing) even if we have to start having (precautionary) protocols.”
The UK players were largely confined to their rooms when not in the gym last season, Calipari has said. So far this season, they are mingling with each other off the court, Ware said.
“If we need to be in our rooms to be able to play games as a safety precaution, that’s what we’ll do.”
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Schedule maker
Western Kentucky Coach Rick Stansbury described the process leading to the UK-Western Kentucky game beginning Monday morning.
“We were in the office preparing for Austin Peay,” he said. “And we saw the Louisville-Kentucky game had gotten canceled. Immediately, our wheels started turning.
“So, we just thought it’d be a great opportunity for us considering what happened in our state, what happened in our community” with devastation caused by tornadoes this month.
Western Kentucky alerted Austin Peay of a possible cancellation of their Wednesday game in Clarksville, Tenn. Zach Greenwell, WKU’s senior associate athletic director for communications, contacted UK.
Stansbury said that Calipari should be credited with making the game possible.
“I know Cal and Kentucky didn’t have to do this,” Stansbury said in a statement released by Western Kentucky. “But it speaks volumes about their willingness to help the state of Kentucky.”
‘Zero factor’
With the game being set on Monday, the question arose of how relatively little preparation time will impact play.
“It’s a zero factor,” Stansbury said. “Think of it: in the SEC Tournament, you go back to back to back. You get less than 24 hours (to prepare). So, it’s a zero factor for both teams. Not a big deal at all.”
Stansbury cited a factor that might lessen the impact of less time to prepare.
“We’re playing a little more zone than normal,” he said. “When you’re playing zone, there’s a little less preparation.”
WKU fans believe
Stansbury likened Western Kentucky fans to UK fans. Each fan group supports a program that has a history of success. Each fan group expects future success.
“Like Kentucky people, (WKU fans) think every game we play we have a chance,” he said. “That’s a good thing, which I’ve never run from that. . . . When we go up to Rupp Arena, our people believe you’re supposed to win. You can quote me on that.”
Stansbury acknowledged that the history of success and expectation of further success is greater at UK.
“(Kentucky) can play the Boston Celtics, your people believe you’re supposed to win,” he said.
Reason to believe
In the last five seasons, Western Kentucky has an 11-8 record against schools from the so-called Power Five conferences. That includes 4-1 against SEC teams.
The Hilltoppers beat Ole Miss 71-48 in Atlanta on Dec. 11. In earlier seasons, WKU beat Arkansas twice and Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
“We’re the only team to go into Alabama and win last year,” Stansbury said of the 73-71 victory on Dec. 19, 2020.
Alabama beat Kentucky twice — 85-65 in Rupp Arena and 70-59 in Tuscaloosa — en route to winning the SEC regular-season championship.
Annual game?
Stansbury downplayed the possibility of Western Kentucky playing UK annually.
“Being realistic about it, I don’t think it’ll be a yearly thing,” he said before saluting Calipari for agreeing to play Wednesday. “People want us to play Kentucky every year, and we’d love to.
“Kentucky doesn’t have much to gain by playing us. They’re supposed to beat us. So, I get it not wanting to play us.”
Etc.
Karl Ravech and Chris Spatola will call the game for ESPN.
