VAUGHT: Calipari "hoping" Reid Travis will be back for tournament

By LARRY VAUGHT

John Calipari was talking about the need for his team to play a complete game after the comeback win over Florida Saturday when he asked media members a question?

"Do you guys know Reid Travis is on our team? You guys do know that, right?" Calipari said.

Yes, Coach, every media member and UK fan knows that senior center Reid Travis has missed five games with a sprained knee. Kentucky is 4-1 in those games, but has not looked fluid offensively in any of them without Travis.

"But you know, now, you stick him in there, and maybe that lapse doesn't happen. So hopefully in the tournament stuff, he'll be ready," Calipari said.

"Hopefully be ready?" What has happened to everyone feeling good about Travis' return? Many thought he would play in the Senior Day game, but he still looked gimpy just walking on the court.

I asked Calipari if Travis was where he thought he would be health-wise now after suffering the injury.

"I've absolutely stayed out of it. I really haven't even talked to the doctors because these kids know their bodies, and I don't want him or anyone to think that I'm pushing him to play if he's not -- if he's not right," Calipari said.

The coach said he would ask Travis how he was feeling and the normal answer is better.

"I walk away. Here is what's good, it's not an ACL. He sprained his knee. He's going to be fine," Calipari said. "Would I like to have him on my team right now? But not at any expense of his, no.

"We'll do fine. If he plays, I'll be doing back flips. If he doesn't play, we'll just figure it out."

Back flips?

"I've done back flips before, on a trampoline maybe," the coach said.