Cats Host Gamecocks in Regular Season Finale
A regular season unlike any other comes to a close for Kentucky on Saturday, as the Cats host South Carolina at Rupp Arena.
Kentucky (8-15, 7-9 SEC) has seen its 2020-21 season altered in many ways. The schedule started later than normal and included no exhibition games. The Cats have seen games canceled and postponed, including Saturday’s contest with South Carolina, which was originally scheduled for Dec. 29.
The Cats have also played in front of a limited amount of fans all season. Rather than 20,000 fans inside Rupp Arena, the number has been closer to 3,000 for home games this year.
Perhaps the oddest thing for Kentucky this season has been the win-loss record. Kentucky has not had a losing record since 1988-89 when the Cats went 13-19. Unless UK makes a big postseason run, this season will end with a record below .500.
Despite the irregularities and the struggles, the Cats have not given up on the season, according to head coach John Calipari.
 |
||
| Kentucky vs. South Carolina | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Sat., March 6 – 12 p.m. ET |
||
| Coverage | ||
|
TV: ESPN |
||
| UK | Stats | UM |
| 8-15 | Record | 6-13 |
| 7-9 | Conference Record | 4-11 |
| 69.4 | PPG | 73.7 |
| 70.3 | Opp PPG | 78.6 |
| .413 | FG% | .420 |
| .411 | Opp FG% | .460 |
| 38.0 | RPG | 36.2 |
| .322 | 3PT FG% | .315 |
| .320 | Opp 3PT FG% | .362 |
| 12.1 | APG | 13.5 |
| 6.3 | SPG | 8.8 |
| 6.1 | BPG | 3.7 |
“We’ve not been where we’ve been,” Calipari said. “But these kids have never stopped fighting. We’ve just got to understand, there’s only one path for us – fight.”
Calipari knows what his team must do to win, and it seems like a simple formula.
“Sixteen to 18 assists, 10 to 12 turnovers and we fight,” Calipari said. “If we do those things, we’ll be right there with our chances to win. Got to shoot the ball a little bit better than we have the last couple of games.”
Kentucky lost at Ole Miss on Tuesday night, 70-63. The Cats struggled from the floor and were outrebounded by the Rebels in the loss. Rebounding has been a focus during practice since Tuesday, according to freshman forward Isaiah Jackson.
“For me, I took that personally,” Jackson said. “Like this upcoming game, I’m going to go out and try to get every rebound I can.”
Kentucky has four regulars averaging double figures in scoring, led by Brandon Boston Jr. who scores 11.6 points per game. Davion Mintz scores 11 points per contest, while Keion Brooks Jr. posts 10.6 points per outing. Olivier Sarr puts up 10.5 points per game.
South Carolina enters Saturday’s game at 6-13 overall and 4-11 in SEC play. The Gamecocks have had their season pause a couple of times this season due to COVID-19 restrictions. Frank Martin’s team has lost seven of its last eight, including a 101-73 loss to Arkansas on Tuesday. While focused on the Gamecocks, Calipari knows that Saturday’s contest is also something more.
“You can paint the picture you want,” Calipari said to his team. “Our season’s going to be 0-0 after Saturday. What’s Saturday’s game? To get us ready and in the right mindset. I don’t know what’s going to happen in the game, none of us do. But I know, let’s do our best and let the score take care of itself.”
As the odd regular season comes to an end, the Cats are hoping they can end on a high note and gain some momentum for a needed run in the SEC Tournament.
Looking Ahead to the SEC Tournament
With just one game left in the regular season and Kentucky assured of playing on Thursday of the Southeastern Conference Tournament, the Wildcats will hope to build momentum vs. South Carolina heading into the postseason.
Kentucky has claimed 31 SEC Tournament titles in its history and has won six under John Calipari. In eight of 10 league championship games since Calipari’s tenure began (there was no tournament last season), the Wildcats have been one of the final two standing. Next week’s single-elimination tournament has never been more important to Kentucky in the Calipari era.
To make an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, UK will have to win four straight games — more than it has strung together at any point this season — to advance to the field of 68. Despite Kentucky’s SEC Tournament dominance, the Wildcats haven’t won four in a row to win the SEC Tournament since 1952 — in part because they have rarely needed to with securing byes.
With seven games remaining in league play this weekend, Kentucky will finish anywhere from the No. 8 seed to the No. 10 seed, ensuring it will play on Thursday for the first time since the tournament was expanded in 2013.
Kentucky is the 8 seed if …
• It wins and Mississippi State loses based on winning percentage
• In that scenario, the only opponent Kentucky would play is Mississippi State, which can fall no lower than the 9 seed based on winning percentage vs. Georgia
Kentucky is the 9 seed if …
• It wins but Mississippi State wins. Mississippi State would have a better winning percentage
• It loses but Georgia loses. UK would have a better winning percentage than Georgia
• In either of those scenarios, UK would have three possible opponents based on various scenarios: Missouri, Ole Miss and Mississippi State
Kentucky is the 10 seed if …
• It loses and Georgia wins. Georgia would have a better winning percentage
• In that scenario, UK would have four possible opponents based on various scenarios: Tennessee, Missouri, Ole Miss and Mississippi State
John and Ellen Calipari Pledge $50k for Kentucky Flood Relief
John Calipari and his wife, Ellen, pledged $50,000 in matching funds for Kentucky flood relief on Friday during a joint telethon between the American Red Cross and UK Athletics’ television partner, WLEX.
Days of rain earlier this week caused flash flooding in Eastern Kentucky. Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency.
Other coaches at UK Athletics participated in the telethon on Friday to help those reeling from the historic flooding that caused widespread damage in eastern parts of the state. At the time of this publication, the telethon was still ongoing and total funds raised were not available.
Calipari has been a servant leader and played a major part in times of need, not only in the state of Kentucky but across the country and world. In 2010, he used a telethon to raise more than $1 million for victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti. He followed that up with telethons in 2012, raising $1 million for victims of Superstorm Sandy, and in 2017, for victims of Hurricane Harvey.
In 2019, when federal workers were without pay due to a government shutdown, he, his wife and his foundation assisted workers with financial help and grocery gift cards.
His latest efforts include spearheading the creation of the John McLendon Minority Leadership Initiative, a nationwide coach-driven initiative to provide minorities a jump-start to their careers through practical experiences, opportunities to build their network and instilling the values of John McLendon: integrity, education, leadership and mentorship. Participants in the initiative will be known as MLI Future Leaders.
Calipari’s foundation, the Calipari Foundation, has worked with several key partners, including Samaritan’s Feet, 4 Paws for Ability, Team Focus, the Urban League of Lexington-Fayette County, One Parent Scholar House, and the Kentucky Banker’s Association, which facilitates a program to teach Kentucky students the importance of financial management. To these groups alone, the foundation has donated more than $1.5 million, a figure that does not include matching funds that have been contributed from individuals and corporations. Other nonprofits the foundation has supported through the years include the V Foundation, the Starkey Hearing Foundation, the Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky, the Louisville Zoo Foundation and the American Red Cross – Bluegrass Chapter.
In 2013, Calipari initiated hosting an annual alumni weekend around his basketball fantasy experience with the intent to raise money for charity. After generating $350,000 for selected organizations and charities during the inaugural game, the weekend has generated millions of dollars for charity since its inception.
