Cats expect physical game, must play through bumps

By: LARRY VAUGHT


LEXINGTON — Just a few minutes after Kentucky lost 72-67 at South Carolina last season, then freshman guard Aaron Harrison seemed a bit overly optimistic when he said UK could still have a special season.

"It's frustrating to lose. But we know what we can do. It is going to be a great story,” said Harrison.

He turned out to be right, too, as he hit three straight clutch shots in NCAA Tournament play to help UK reach the national championship game.

Now Kentucky is returning to South Carolina for a noon game Saturday and again is a heavy favorite as it was last year when coach John Calipari was ejected in the second half and in 2010 when the Cats were No. 1 and also lost.

“He didn't say there'd be a great story. What he said is, 'We can do what we want. We can write our own story. And I think we will.' That's kind of what he said,” Calipari said. “Tat game was in March. I look back on last year and I'm amazed that we were able to pull it together. I mean, it's not a real big deal, 'cause it's here and me, but the reality of it how in the world did we swing it that fast? Because there was another game I watched that we played bad and it was March. Maybe it was Alabama at home? I mean, we stunk. Like, stunk.

"And then by two weeks later we're playing out of our minds? That means you have a good group that was just not sure of themselves. And these kids are so different. I don't care what anybody says, these kids that are 18, 19, 20 years old, their confidence half the time is shot to shot, week to week, play to play. All of the sudden they're playing good, they got great confidence. 'I can shoot it in the ocean.' Yeah? Next game you're shooting airballs.

“How about that? I mean, that's how the stuff is for these kids. It kind of flips on you real quick. You got to keep track of that and make sure you got a kind of handle on that, too."

Calipari remembers that Kentucky “didn't bow our necks until I got tossed” at South Carolina last year.

“The game's going to be physical. They come right at you. If you drive, you got three guys running. As you run at them, they're running at you. (South Carolina coach) Frank (Martin), the one thing I gotta tell you as I watch his team: It's a great concept. They'll pressure you all over the place and deny wings, and if you drive, they all race to the lane,” Calipari said about Saturday’s game.

"So they have a combination of Pack-Line, which is we're just going to have our heels on the 3-point line and let you do what you want and give you one tough shot and then when you drive you got three guys on you because everybody's in there. They'll face guard, they'll deny, and then if you drive from that way, we're all running in the lane. They're balling."

Calipari said UK has to be strong with the ball and play through bumps, something it has had problems with at times.

"Things that we normally do, they're playing against that. And it's always a hard game. I can remember 2010 going down there, having our team — you know what? We got outmuscled that game. They roughed us up and we weren't able to finish and make plays,” Calipari said. “Had a chance to try to beat them then. Had a chance last year. That's the first time (this week) I've watched the end of the game. Now, the good news with it is if I get thrown I'm not doing a press conference after. Might do it again."

Chiilled Calipari: After the loss to South Carolina last year, Calipari proclaimed he made a “tweak” that helped UK’s postseason runs. Players such as James Young said Calipari merely “chilled” after the loss and let the players play.

"I got him to un-chill is what I got him to do. So as soon as he un-chilled, we got really good,” Calipari said Thursday.

Andrew Harrison said Calipari definitely did not chill during the South Carolina game before he was ejected in the second half and assistant John Robic took over the coaching duties.

“I know he got kicked out. I’m not really sure of what he did or anything like that. It was a heated situation,” Harrison said.

Calipari did admit he has less of an edge after that.

“I hadn't been able to figure out what was the issue. When I figured out what the issue was and the two or three things I had to do as a coach, then I was comfortable. I'm still not sure offensively how we need to play at times with this group. We're going to try some new stuff today,” he said.

Ulis update: Freshman guard Tyler Ulis says icing his legs is no big deal.

“I iced every day after practice (in high school),” Ulis said.

He was wearing a large wrap on his leg Thursday before practice, but said again it was just precautionary and that he was not injured.

“It’s just wrapping it in different spots just to ... it’s tight in my legs, so just trying to do what I can to make it better,” Ulis said. “It’s just like, basically shin splits.”