Already this season, the Kentucky men’s basketball team has made trips to Portland, Ore., Maui, Hawaii, Chapel Hill, N.C., and Louisville on two occasions.
The Cats have played historical rivals, perennial powers and upset minded mid-majors. UK has traversed the continental and non-continental United States, taking the floor in friendly home environments, split neutral sites and hostile road venues.
You can point out that these Wildcats are young, short-handed or even inconsistent, but do not call them untested.
As Kentucky tips off regular season play in the Southeastern Conference against the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday, John Calipari may not have a wealth of veteran talent, but thanks to one of the more challenging non-conference schedules in the nation, he does have a team that has successfully navigated a series of stiff tests.
“We’re a young team and we’ve played a lot of tough games: at North Carolina, at Louisville, UConn, Washington, Notre Dame,” senior forward Josh Harrellson said. “Just having played a lot of those tough teams has gotten us prepared for SEC play. Hopefully we’re ready right now.”
The non-conference schedule has been as diverse as it has been difficult, with games against teams with differing styles and teams from all over the nation.
In fact, Kentucky is one of only four teams from the six BCS conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big East, Big Ten, Pac 10, and SEC) to have played at least one team from each of the other six major conferences. That variety figures to have prepared the team for what they will face in SEC play and beyond.
“I think that helped us,” sophomore guard Jon Hood said. “Playing Penn, a team that slows the ball down and passed it 20 times before they took a shot, and then playing other teams that just run up and down really prepares you for SEC play because there are teams that play all different styles.”
Even so, John Calipari is quick to point out that the intensity level UK will face will take a step up in conference play.
“It will be rougher and it will be higher intensity,” Calipari said. “League play comes up a notch.”
As for the notions that this is a down year for the SEC, the Wildcats aren’t buying that they will have it any easier.
“I think every team in the SEC is pretty good,” Harrellson said. “They all have good players. They may not be playing to their potential but we know against us they will. Every game is going to be a tough game no matter who we play.”
Hood agreed.
“There’s tons of talent with Mississippi State, everybody on Tennessee (and) Florida’s back,” Hood said. “I wouldn’t call it down by any means.”
UK starts off with one of the tougher tests the conference has to offer: a road game against Georgia in Stegeman Coliseum. The Bulldogs, along with Kentucky and Vanderbilt, have been the most consistent performers in the SEC so far this season, returning stars like forward Trey Thompkins and guard Travis Leslie, both juniors with futures in the NBA ahead of them.
“Georgia is one of the best teams in our league and playing like one of the best teams in our league,” Calipari said. “They haven’t lost at home and we were one of the few games they lost at home last year. Thompkins is preseason player of the year and rightfully so, and Leslie is as good of an athlete as we’ll face all season.”
Mark Fox is in his second season at Georgia, posting a 14-17 record in his first year. However, the Bulldogs were very competitive in conference play in 2010, winning five regular-season games and losing another six by four points or less.
With so much talent returning, the Bulldogs were a sleeper pick by many in the SEC. Thus far, they have not disappointed, sporting an 11-2 record with both losses coming in the Old Spice Classic to Notre Dame and Temple in close games.
This is the second consecutive season that the Bulldogs and Wildcats have opened SEC play against one another. Last year, the Bulldogs traveled to Rupp Arena and gave UK everything it could handle, with Leslie (20 points and six rebounds) and Thompkins (17 points and 13 rebounds) doing the heavy lifting in a 76-68 UK victory.
“Georgia had us at our place; they had a chance to beat us here,” Calipari said of last year’s SEC opener. “We came in acting like we got this and they had us beat.”
Just like every opponent UK will face in conference play, the Bulldogs will be motivated against the defending regular season and conference tournament champions.
“The other team is going to be so hyped they’re going to play so well and their fans are going to be so into it,” Calipari said about league road games. “You dip at all and you’re going to lose the game.”
With yet another young team, Calipari will have to make sure his team’s attention is squarely focused, but road environments that the Wildcats have already faced against rivals Louisville and North Carolina have at least given them a flavor for what to expect.
Although Calipari looks forward to seeing how his team responds in conference play, he made sure to explain that the priority for his team is preparing for a run in the NCAA Tournament.
“We never talk about (winning) the league or league tournaments,” Calipari said. “Our issue is getting better. Our issue is that games are important for seed in the NCAA Tournament. We want to win the league because it gives you a better seed, but the reality of it is that our picture is bigger than the league.”
