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  • Kentucky has "Far to Go" Despite 43-point victory over Centre

    By LARRY VAUGHT

    Beating Division III Centre College by 43 points (106-63) was not nearly enough to make Kentucky coach John Calipari feel way better about his team.

    "We just have so far to go. I didn't think we passed the ball to each other in the first half. Everybody was trying to get theirs a little bit and it just looked bad," Calipari said Friday after UK's third exhibition win.

    "We just got a lot of work to do to be able to feel a comfort level on the court. I don't want to have to call stuff every time down, but I will. We played our best when we were in running in a set, which I don't want to play that way, but we'll play how we have to play.

    "I did play the zone (in the second half) just so we could look at it for a minute. But, again, gave up some 3's, but it disrupted the game, which is why you go to it."

    Calipari admired the way the outmanned Colonels were not intimidated by his more talented team.

    "They saw no fear, they were so excited to play and they just played until the horn. And when he (Centre coach Greg Mason) went to the bench that guy was excited about playing and I was disappointed that they got to the basket so many times on straight drives," Calipari said.

    "Some of them were just simple pick and rolls where we didn't talk. But we just got a long way to go. I'm not in a panic yet, I do have both feet on the panic button, but I'm not crazy yet. It's just that -- and yesterday was a probably one of the toughest practices I've had since I've been here -- trying to get their heart rates up and get them not to surrender.

    "You're fatigued, don't surrender. You're fatigued, don't let go of the rope. You're fatigued, talk more. You're fatigued, be there for each other, cover each other. That's our biggest issue. Now, I may be able to do that again maybe Saturday, Sunday, but we're off Monday and we got three games in five days and they're all going to be hard games for us. So, we got to get a little bit fresh and go from there.
"

    Kentucky will open the season in six days against Utah Valley before hosting Vermont, a veteran team picked to win its conference this season, on Nov. 12.

    Calipari wants a "random" playing team but senses his Cats will need more structure this year.

    "We probably are going to have to play in segments like for four or five segments, four or five minute segments we're playing a certain way and, okay, now let's go to this and see what's -- and then finish with what works good," Calipari said.

    "We got to see -- we're not going to be pressing the whole game, that's not what I'm doing. But we're doing that to condition, to get these guys to play up and down. So, but we're not where we want to be, we're not where we were, but we're not where we want to be. And I told them, I'm not worried about where we are right now, I just want to see that we're getting better.
"

    Freshman center Nick Richards is one of those players who needs to develop. He had 17 points -- 6-for-6 from the field, 5-for-5 at the foul line -- along with six rebounds and one blocked shot. He showed off an improved jump hook shot.

    “We definitely got what we needed out of the preseason. It shows where we are right now," Richards said. "We’re nowhere close to where we want to be. Hopefully by midseason or hopefully it clicks overnight with what type of team we should be.”
    Comments 2 Comments
    1. Edward100's Avatar
      Edward100 -
      Finally had a chance to watch the rerun of game last night,all I can say is wow,they have enough raw talent to be in the Final Four but with such a long way to go,I will be fearful of playing anyone outside of Rupp until February and predict lots of ugly wins between now and then,hopefully they will not lose their swag or confidence between now and then.

      Agreed
    1. Doc's Avatar
      Doc -
      I read this article last year
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