Don't tell these young Wildcats they're supposed to lose
NASHVILLE -- Kentucky starts three freshmen.
If you ever forget, John Calipari will remind you.
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| Sure, the Wildcats slip up but Coach Calipari says 'this is exactly the win I love.' (AP) |
"But the good news is that they don't know they're not supposed to win here," Calipari said. "That ain't bad either."
No, it's not, because it's at least partly what allowed the Wildcats -- otherwise known as nation's 14th-youngest team, according to the official UK game notes -- to become the first visitors this season to win at Vanderbilt's Memorial Gym despite this being a game in which they shot 35.8 percent from the field, 18.8 percent from 3-point range and 56.7 percent from the free-throw line.
They also turned the ball over 14 times.
"I love it," Calipari said after the 58-56 victory. "That is exactly the win I love."
And yet there's so many it must be difficult to choose.
The Wildcats have been sharper, more impressive, and all-around better than they were Saturday, and they'll have to be all of those things if they are to bring an eighth national championship banner to Rupp Arena. But the fact remains that this win pushed them to 26-1, ensured they'll remain No. 2 in the AP poll, and provided the elite road victory they'd previously lacked. More to the point, it all but clinched a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, a massive collapse being the only thing that could ruin it.
And do you see a collapse coming?
I don't.
Yes, the Wildcats tend to put themselves in bad spots, find themselves in situations where they ought to lose. But with exception of that one Tuesday night last month at South Carolina, they consistently make it out OK. Watching Kentucky is like watching an action movie starring Bruce Willis. Doesn't matter whether the Wildcats are in the Humphrey Coliseum or Nakatomi Plaza, they always figure out a way to escape unscathed.
Sometimes it's because of Patrick Patterson.
Other times it's because of Eric Bledsoe.
Most times ... Yippie-ki-yay, John Wall!
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No. 2 Kentucky 58, No. 2 Vanderbilt 56 SB Nation: Wildcats | Commodores |
"He just fought his way [into the lane]," Calipari said when asked to describe Wall's drive and layup that broke a 53-53 tie with 39 seconds remaining. Wall made two free throws on UK's next possession to push the lead to 57-53. Later, after Vandy had cut the lead to 57-56, Wall found himself guarding John Jenkins, who had just hit the 3-pointer to cut the lead to 57-56.
Jenkins lifted for another 3-pointer in the final seconds.
"That shot was going in," Jenkins would later insist. "It was going in for sure."
One problem: Wall.
The super freshman blocked it.
Got fouled.
Made another free throw.
And that's how we got the final 58-56 margin.
"Just a will to win," Calipari said. "Refuse to lose."
Next up for UK is Thursday's rematch with South Carolina, and it's hard to imagine the Wildcats won't be focused for that one, which means this record is moving to 27-1. Then comes next Saturday's showdown with Tennessee in Knoxville, i.e., the only place top-ranked Kansas has lost this season. But even if the Wildcats fall there, they'll still be heavy favorites in each of their remaining regular-season games, the obvious favorites to take the SEC tournament title, too.
Bottom line, they could enter Selection Sunday with just one loss, two losses is probably the most likely scenario, but it's difficult to envision more than three even if things turn bad. Thus, it appears Kentucky will be a school that goes from the 2009 NIT to a No. 1 seed in the 2010 NCAA tournament, and that's quite an accomplishment regardless of what you think of Wall as a Player of the Year candidate, Cousins as a top five pick or Calipari in general.
The Wildcats are 26-1 and rolling.
They pulled out a win at Mississippi State on Tuesday.
They pulled out a win at Vanderbilt on Saturday.
So while some have suggested their youth will be their undoing in March (or perhaps even April), Calipari suggested otherwise. He thinks the youth might actually help because his players don't believe they're ever supposed to lose, not even when they're down seven in the final three minutes (like they were at Mississippi State) or down four in the final six minutes (like they were at Vanderbilt).
"We're a young team," Cousins said. "But I don't really think that affects us in big-time situations."
At 26-1, who's arguing?
