‘It’s been a roller coaster.’ Davion Mintz savors achieving 1,000-point milestone.
Before Kentucky’s game against Georgia on Saturday, Davion Mintz was presented a ceremonial basketball in recognition of having reached scoring 1,000 points in his college career. His 16 at LSU increased his career total to 1,014.
After scoring another 19 in the Cats’ 92-77 victory over Georgia, Mintz held the ball as he answered reporters’ questions on a Zoom teleconference.
“I’m so proud of myself,” Mintz said. “I’m hugging it like this because I know I’ve got to give it to my dad. So, I’m trying to put my energy into it right now. I know it’s not going to be mine in a few minutes.”
In the last two games, Mintz made 11 of 22 shots (eight of 15 from three-point range) and scored 35 points.
In the last eight games he played prior to this two-game breakout, he made 18 of 53 shots (five of 29 from three-point range) and totaled 55 points. During that time, he missed three games because of an illness.
“It’s been a roller coaster for me,” he said. “This means so much to me. It wasn’t really my identity to be a scorer at Creighton, especially playing limited minutes my freshman and sophomore years.”
Mintz said the possibility of reaching the 1,000-point mark contributed to his decision to play another college season. Hence, he brought the commemorative basketball to the teleconference. He said he appreciated the encouragement he received from teammates.
“Just to sit here and hold it, it means so much to me,” he said.
‘Precious present’
UK Coach John Calipari could have borrowed a term one of his predecessors liked to use. In advising player to concentrate on the here and now, former UK coach Rick Pitino said the important thing was “the precious present.”
Calipari suggested this advice would help Oscar Tshiebwe. Calipari said his star big man “drifted away” at LSU when he tried to dribble the ball up the court. This was an indication of a player thinking of the future.
“What I told him today at shootaround was don’t worry about two months from now,” Calipari said. “That will screw you up. Worry about how you’ve been playing. … Stay in the moment.”
Along the same lines, Calipari said he’s trying to get Keion Brooks to smile more and not feel the “weight of the world,” presumably meaning long-term ambitions.
“You can’t play basketball that way,” Calipari said. “You’ve got to just go play.”
Georgia history
Tom Crean’s record in SEC games fell to 14-42 in four-plus seasons as Georgia coach.
On the plus side, Georgia has had more league wins in each successive season: 2-16 in 2018-19, 5-13 in 2019-20 and 7-11 in 2020-21.
Beginning with 2017, every SEC school but one has had a team playing in at least one NCAA Tournament.
The exception is Georgia. The Bulldogs last played in a NCAA Tournament in 2015, losing to eventual East Region champion Michigan State 70-63 in the first round.
Georgia’s last NCAA Tournament victory came in 2002. The 85-68 first-round victory over Murray State was subsequently vacated. Georgia’s last NCAA Tournament victory not vacated came in 1996. Tubby Smith-coached Georgia beat Clemson and Purdue before losing to Syracuse in a Sweet 16 game.
Looking ahead
Vanderbilt students will not be allowed to attend when Kentucky plays the Commodores in Memorial Gym on Tuesday.
As part of the school’s Commodores Care quarantine period, students will not be allowed to attend athletics events until at least Jan. 24. That means no students attending Vandy’s home games against South Carolina on Saturday, UK on Tuesday and Tennessee on Jan. 18.
The general public is allowed to attend Vandy games as long as they present proof of vaccination or a negative test for the coronavirus.
Vandy students are only allowed to leave their residences to attend class, get food or supplies, seek medical attention, exercise outdoors or perform essential work.
Vandy implemented a similar restriction last winter when only family members could attend home basketball games.
Proposal
Georgia player Noah Baumann, a grad transfer from Southern Cal, proposed to his longtime girlfriend Mackenzie Moore on Nov. 14. He proposed at the intramural fields on campus.
The two have known each other since the seventh grade, Georgia said in its media notes.
Moore played softball for Miami (Ohio).
Baumann scored 14 points against Kentucky.
Rise to occasion
Georgia sophomore guard Kario Oquendo has gained a reputation for rising to the occasion.
He averaged 13.5 points and made 55.4 percent of his shots playing for Florida Southwestern State College last season. But against four ranked teams in the National Junior College Athletic Association, he averaged 22.0 points and made 63.6 percent of his shots.
That pattern continued this season. Oquendo went into Saturday’s game averaging 12.2 points and having made 47.8 percent of his shots.
But against then-No. 18 Memphis on Dec. 1, he made nine of 13 shots and scored 24 points.
Oquendo led Georgia with 22 points against UK. He came into the game averaging 12.2 points.
This story was originally published January 9, 2022 at 12:01 AM.
