FAYETTEVILLE – Kentucky has long been the SEC’s flagship of basketball, with eight national championships and 49 conference titles.
But moving to the start of the SEC game this week, the UK flag should be flown at half-mast, considering that Kentucky hasn’t won a game in over a month.
Since the Wildcats opened the season with an 81-45 victory over Morehead (Ky.) State on November 25, they have lost six consecutive matches to Richmond by 76-64 at home; for Kansas 62-55 and Georgia Tech 79-62 in Indianapolis and Atlanta, respectively; to Notre Dame 64-63 at home; to North Carolina 75-63 in Cleveland; and in Louisville 62-59.
It is the first 1-6 match for the Wildcats since the 1926-27 season, when they finished 3-13.
“I can’t even get my dogs to sit with me right now,” Kentucky coach John Calipari said on Monday. “But let’s get ready for the next one, get ready to play the best we can.
“Get ready to perform better. Continue to fight, defend and recover and see where you are going.”
Wildcats need to wait a little longer for the SEC to open. They were supposed to play in South Carolina tonight, but the game was postponed because Gamecocks don’t have enough players available due to positive covid-19 tests and contact tracking.
The Kentucky SEC’s first game will now be in the state of Mississippi on Saturday.
“I’m not concerned about Kentucky’s success this year,” said Mississippi coach Ben Howland, whose Bulldogs play in Georgia on Wednesday night. “They will succeed. We just hope that when we face them, we will have a chance to beat them.
“[Calipari] he’s a tremendous trainer. They have players. They are young and started with a very difficult schedule. “
South Carolina coach Frank Martin agreed that Calipari will have the Wildcats reversed.
“This year should make everyone understand that none of us are immune from tough times,” said Martin. “Whether winning or losing games. Whether our family is affected, ourselves are affected.
“I think Cal has shown throughout his career – which has been a long one – that he tends to get along with his team. I have no doubt, as they continue to advance, that his team will do what it always does, which is to play the your best basketball at the end of the year. “
The Kentucky squad gained momentum when striker Cam’Ron Fletcher was welcomed back after Calipari pulled him away from the team, in the coach’s words, “to reflect and do a conscience check to get his priorities straight.”
Calipari said he had a connection with Fletcher; his mother, Tamika Fletcher; and Tony Irons, his coach at St. Louis Vashon High School, to clear the air.
“”I said [Cam’Ron Fletcher] what were the expectations, “said Calipari.” I said to him, ‘You can’t play a minute this year. How are you going to deal with this? What if you don’t play? ‘
“I wanted everyone to hear this so that we understand that this is for the long term. This is to make you change. I think the boy feels bad, but he needed a wake-up call. He came in and hugged said, ‘Coach , I’m saying, I’m a different guy ‘.
“He’s not a bad boy or anything. The team is happy that he’s back. Now let’s go ahead. It’s a sign on the screen.”
Two freshmen 6-7, Brandon Boston and Terrence Clarke, are leading Kentucky. Boston averaged 14.0 points and 6.4 rebounds, and Clarke averaged 10.7 points.
Olivier Sarr, a 7-0 senior graduate transfer from Wake Forrest, has an average of 9.1 points and 5.0 rebounds – below his average of 13.7 and 9.0 with the Demonic Deacons.
The Wildcats have 111 turnovers compared to 75 assists and are shooting 41.4% off the field, including 25.0% on three points.
“Obviously, we are fighting,” said Calipari. “There are unhappy people here, including me, and there are many happy people across the country.”
Calipari said he is not mad at his players.
“They are fighting, they are defending, they are recovering,” he said. “We overturned too much. We are working on it. We missed a lot of shots. Our execution in the attack needs to improve. We have time to continue working on it.”
While the team chosen to beat the SEC in a pre-season media poll is at the bottom of the non-conference rating, it is uncertain whether the pre-season player of the conference of the year – Florida junior striker Keyontae Johnson – will play again this season after passing out on the court during the Gators game in the state of Florida on December 12.
The good news is that Johnson returned to the team to observe training after being released from the hospital on December 22.
“Keyontae is back with us and doing well,” said Florida coach Mike White. “He’s in a good mood. He’s helping us to train.”
White said Johnson had some fun whistling to correct his teammates during practice.
“We are incredibly grateful to everyone really across the country and around the world who prayed for him and his family during these two traumatic weeks,” said White, who also thanked the medical team who treated Johnson.
White said it will be up to Johnson and his family, along with medical professionals, to decide when and if he will be ready to play basketball again.
The Gators are preparing to play at Vanderbilt on Wednesday night in their first game since losing 81-73 at Florida State. Florida resumed training on Sunday, White said, after a 15-day break from the team’s activities.
“Our guys needed to get away from it,” said White. “Now we are excited to be back with each other, we are excited to be back with Keyontae, and we are living one day at a time.
“We are really rusty. Our conditioning is nowhere near where it needs to be right now to be really competitive in this league. But our guys are ready to move on. Don’t go past Keyontae Johnson, but move on with him. Play for each other. , play for Keyontae. These guys want to play basketball. “
The most important SEC game this week is No. 7 Tennessee (6-0), which will receive No. 12 Missouri (6-0) on Wednesday night, in a dispute between the only two qualified teams from the conference.
Missouri has the SEC’s most impressive track record so far, with a victory over No. 17 Illinois at home, over No. 21 Oregon in Omaha, Nebraska, and the State of Wichita.
Tigers are led by guards Xavier Pinson (14.3 points per game), Mark Smith (13.8) and Dru Smith (13.2). Mitchell Smith, a senior striker for Van Buren, averages 5.3 points and 5.7 rebounds off the bench.
“I just think that, above all, we are healthy,” said coach Cuonzo Martin, whose Tigers have been hit hard by injuries in recent seasons. “Without wanting to make excuses, but we took some painful lessons, we learned from them and here we are as a team.”
Freshman LSU guard Cameron Thomas averages 22.8 points to lead the SEC in scoring for the Tigers game against Texas A&M tonight.
“We felt that when we recruited him, he would receive more than 20 per game for us,” said LSU coach Will Wade. “He is as talented and top scorer as I have ever been.”
Tigers’ second-year striker Trendon Watford averages 19.4 points and junior guard Javonte Smart averages 15.8 points. Watford and Smart are also the first and second of the team, with 24 and 19 assists, respectively.
“Javonte and Trendon are getting a lot more assistance just by passing [Thomas] the ball, ”said Wade. – He’s a catch-up guy. He’s a great weapon. “
Kentucky is usually led by renowned freshmen who become chosen in the first round of the NBA Draft. The Wildcats don’t seem like a full list of high-draft choices this season, but Calipari said the SEC’s start of the game represents a new beginning.
“I haven’t lost faith in the team,” he said. “I wish we had won a few games. It is a sort of vulture luck. Nothing will die. We can’t kill anything.
“Now we have to finish a game and it won’t get any easier. We are in a difficult league. It will be difficult. Nobody is going to give us a game, and nobody feels bad for us, we have to get one. So that’s the mentality. “
Calipari will coach the thousandth game in college in the state of Mississippi. He has a record of 776-223, including 331-83 in 12 seasons in Kentucky.
“It’s not where I want to be,” said Calipari of having 1-6. “I’m not used to being here. Am I ready for this challenge? Yes, I’m ready. Come on.
“I think the good news is that not only do I want to leave 2020, but the whole country wants to leave 2020. So, let’s start again.”