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  • VAUGHT: Calipari addresses decision not to call timeout

    Kentucky’s overtime loss to Seton Hall at Madison Square Garden was perplexing for a lot of reasons, including why UK coach John Calipari didn’t call a timeout to set up a shot after Seton Hall hit a 3-pointer to take the lead.

    The Cats had almost 10 seconds to get a shot trailing by one point — and the play Calipari designed at the end of regulation when UK had to inbound the ball under the Seton Hall basket with 1.5 seconds to play trailing by three points resulted in a miraculous half-court 3-pointer by Keldon Johnson to tie the game.

    Not only did Kentucky have a timeout left, but it had two timeouts left.

    “That last play, we talked about, if they make a shot, here’s what we’re doing on our end: Nick (Richards), you’re going to be in the middle. If they make a shot, this is how we’re doing it. Nick ran the sideline, but the issue was, I probably should have called a timeout,” Calipari said after the game.

    Calipari cannot technically call a timeout in a live ball situation. A player has to do that.

    “They’ve gotta call it anyways but again, that inexperience, not being in that situation, that’s something we haven’t worked on,” Calipari said.

    But when Richards didn’t set the screen Calipari had talked about before Seton Hall hit the go-ahead shot, he could have screamed for a player to call timeout after the play broke down. Richards ran along the sideline instead of the middle of the floor even when Calipari gave him a shove toward the middle.

    Kentucky ended up getting a desperation 3-point try from Johnson that didn’t draw iron.

    “Those of you that know me know I don’t like calling timeouts with nine or 10 or 12 seconds to go,” Cal said. “You’re better off doing it like we did which was drive it down and Keldon (Johnson) makes a three verses a scramble defense. And that’s what we tried to do with nine seconds to go. Instead my man went down there and didn’t run a screen, but again, we’re just an inexperienced team.”

    Calipari’s decision was no surprise. He’s had the same philosophy since he got to Kentucky. His belief is that he has to let players learn to make their own decisions. However, he then sometimes contradicts himself when he talks about the team’s inexperience.

    Would Kentucky have won if UK had called a timeout? Who knows? But as much as Calipari dislikes calling a timeout in that situation, with freshman guards he probably would have been better served to call a timeout and my guess today is that he knows it.
    Comments 8 Comments
    1. Doc's Avatar
      Doc -
      Quote Originally Posted by ETWNAPPEL View Post
      Thru Richards under the bus.

      Cals off his game
      No, he THREW him under the bus. Pushed him from behind while tripping just as the bus was passing.

      Of course when you bench a guy, it tends to mess up his confidence. When you don't try to fix the issues because you lack the ability to hide them (HIS explanation), what does he expect. This isn't Robby Benson in "One on One".
    1. Doc's Avatar
      Doc -
      Quote Originally Posted by bigsky View Post
      Frankly, “Richards blew the play” is exactly why you call time out. when doesn ‘t he blow the play?

      Yep. Again, Cal bitches about inexperience then doesn't make sure they understand. Hey, if you have a Jr and Sr laden team then maybe you let the players go on instinct, win or lose. I'd be fine with that. But don't bitch and moan about inexperience then set them up to fail because that is exactly what he did.
    1. Doc's Avatar
      Doc -
      Quote Originally Posted by KeithKSR View Post
      If Hagans and PJ don’t each go 1-2 at the line at the end of OT we are up four and not 2 in the final minute and the Cale three doesn’t give SH the lead.

      The one point loss is not totally a bad thing. There isn’t one player that Cal can’t go to and point out one small thing they could have done, and had nothing to do with making a shot, to change the outcome of the game.

      You got the balls to imply any blame on PJ. That takes some real stones! The ONLY reason we had any chance was PJ, who went 11-12 from the line. But the one he missed somehow taints his performance. And out final play wes to Keldon, who was 4 of 9 for 10 pts. Give me the guy who poured in 29 pts every time.
    1. Darrell KSR's Avatar
      Darrell KSR -
      Down 1 is probably the one time, with this team, I pretty much would always call a timeout *in this instance.*

      The reason is two points wins the game, even 1 point ties it. The 3-pointer is unnecessary, of course (even though it might be the best shot available in a given circumstance).

      Especially yesterday, I'd trust PJ to knock down 1-2 FTs, and likely to make them both and win the game if fouled, and he was money yesterday anyway both from the field and from the FT line--and with Seton Hall bigs out, it made even more sense. As good of an offensive rebounding team as we are, there's a good chance that a ball dumped inside to PJ would give rise to an offensive rebound if he misses, particularly if he takes the shot with 3-4 seconds remaining to give UK two bites at the apple.

      I don't feel the same compulsion to call timeout if we're down 2, if we're down 3, or if we're tied. Those are just different to me, for different reasons.

      Again, I'm not going to microfocus on this one play. The bigger issue is the whole game, and how we are virtual equals to an unranked Seton Hall team.
    1. ukpumacat's Avatar
      ukpumacat -
      Cal doesn’t like to call TO’s because he sucks ass drawing up inbounds plays. The players become the goat or the hero either way.
    1. CitizenBBN's Avatar
      CitizenBBN -
      Quote Originally Posted by ukpumacat View Post
      Cal doesn’t like to call TO’s because he sucks ass drawing up inbounds plays. The players become the goat or the hero either way.
      Not a bad viewpoint. He's either bad at it or refuses to do it.
    1. KeithKSR's Avatar
      KeithKSR -
      Quote Originally Posted by Doc View Post
      You got the balls to imply any blame on PJ. That takes some real stones! The ONLY reason we had any chance was PJ, who went 11-12 from the line. But the one he missed somehow taints his performance. And out final play wes to Keldon, who was 4 of 9 for 10 pts. Give me the guy who poured in 29 pts every time.
      PJ had a great game, but the point was in a one point loss you can look at a lot of ways you could have won the game.
    1. kingcat's Avatar
      kingcat -
      Glaring coaching mistake period. We are behind by one, a poor shooting team and one of the best rebounding teams in the country.
      There was adequate time to get two good shots at a two pointer for the win or possibly free throws.
      You dont set up a screen for a desperation three (unless you dont actually know the score)

      Cal is hiding under the bus he shoved Richards under with this grade school coaching argument. Geesh! ..I know he is our guy at UK but lets just call it like it is.
      Cal's mind is elsewhere.