VAUGHT: Sestina injury resurrected bad memories

By LARRY VAUGHT

Kentucky fans had to be prepared for the worst when Nate Sestina hurt his shoulder in the second half against Mississippi State and didn't even hesitate when he came off the court as he ran to the dressing room.

Most assumed at best it was a dislocated shoulder and he would not return to this game or who knows when. Instead, just a few minutes later Sestina was back on the bench and almost immediately sent back into the game by coach John Calipari.

Calipari said he "didn't ask him" if he had to get his shoulder popped back into place after he left the court.

"I just said, 'Can you play?' He said, 'Yes,'" Caliapri said. "'All right. Go in.'"

Sestina explained after the game he hurt the same shoulder his freshman year at Bucknell and having to redshirt that season due to the injury is what gave him a graduate transfer year to play at UK.

"So, it kind of slipped a little bit, it felt a little goofy. Kind of brought back some bad memories," Sestina said. "It scared me more than anything. I’ll just ice it, rehab it.”

Wasn't he in pain? How did he manage to come back and play?

"I think it just scared me more than anything. It’s just really sore," Sestina said. "It’s not like anything is hurt. I’m not in any pain.

"Then I had Cal say, ‘if you’re ready to play then play,’ so I was just trying to carry some momentum and carry things, move forward and try to get a win.”