After No. 4 Kentucky suffered an 82-80 loss at Tennessee on Tuesday, its first SEC loss since Feb. 2016, the Wildcats are going back back to the drawing board.
"I'm not getting through to some guys," Calipari said. "And I told them after, 'You'll continue to lose.' I've done this 30 years, you cannot do this stuff that they're doing and win basketball games. I don't want to call guys out but I could go down the line and say, 'Here's what I'm asking you to do and you refuse to do it.'"
Kentucky largely has been able to mask defensive issues with a prolific offense. But the defense has been susceptible to late-game failures -- and Tennessee also game-planned perfectly.
In Kentucky's 73-70 loss to Louisville, Rick Pitino's team played smart by driving and staying away from 3-pointers. That recipe not only prevents wasted possessions, but also keeps Kentucky out of transition. And it worked.
Tennessee gave up only 9 points in transition shot 53.3 percent in the second half while shooting only 10 3-pointers, making five.
"We're all freshman," Calipari said. "We may need to lose a few games in a row. Then have them come to my office in mass and say 'Coach, we surrender, tell us what you want us to do.' Because we know we can't win now, but we think we can. We thought we were playing out in Vegas playing Houston Stars, but we're not.'"
