The more things change, the more they stay the same for the Kentucky men’s basketball team.
Although the stakes have changed as postseason play begins, head coach John Calipari said his team will not play, practice or prepare any differently for this weekend’s Southeastern Conference Tournament than it did during the 29-2 regular-season.
UK will tip off its postseason Friday in the SEC Tournament in Nashville at 1 p.m. (noon CT) against the winner of Thursday’s South Carolina-Alabama matchup.
“When we go into postseason, whether it’s conference or NCAA, we do nothing different,” Calipari said. “We prepare for every team like we’ve (always) prepared. I want them comfortable. I don’t want them to feel like this is different. It’s not different. It’s exactly the same. You’re playing a bunch of weekend tournaments. The problem with this one is there are no days between. You win, you’re playing, and it’s hard. The next one, the one that’s important, you’re going to have a day in between.”
Calipari said last week that the SEC Tournament was not important to the Cats in terms of their season-long goals. He has since backed off that statement just a bit but reiterated again Tuesday that the ultimate goal is getting a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and winning the national championship.
The SEC Tournament is just another step in that process in Calipari’s mind.
“If you’re going to be in a tournament, you want to win it,” Calipari said. “But our whole thing is that it’s bigger and it’s more important than winning. We’ve got to get ourselves prepared for that next weekend and that’s what we’ll do. Basically, everything we do is based on the end (of the season). We’re trying to get ready and right, physically and emotionally, and in every way so we can go in and be our best.”
The SEC Tournament has long had a special place in the hearts of Kentucky fans. In the 1990s, the SEC Tournament was the annual stomping ground for the Cats and yearly Spring Break destination for the UK faithful (SEC officials are expecting a large pro-UK crowd in the Music City this weekend).
UK has won 25 of the 50 SEC tournaments, and, in some aspects, it’s become the ultimate springboard into spring’s glory.
Now, tournament title-less since the 2004 tourney, UK is stuck in its longest championship drought since the late ’80s.
That’s why, for as much as Calipari downplays the significance of the tournament, it means something for both the players and fans to build off the regular-season championship and win this weekend’s tournament.
“It’s a big goal,” freshman forward DeMarcus Cousins said. “It’s going to help us with our season as well. We’re trying to win every game from here on out.”
Calipari is under the notion that UK has not locked up a No. 1 seed. He believes an early loss could place some doubt with the NCAA selection committee.
As unlikely as that may seem, it provides extra motivation for the No. 2 team in the country.
“Coach Cal said we need to win two (to get a No. 1 seed) so we want to win three,” Patterson said. “We want to get the championship and bring that trophy back, another accomplishment under our belts and achievement we can look back on and say that we did that. We’re all focused on having that No. 1 spot, but if it means by us getting the SEC championship trophy, then by all means necessary we’ll do it.”
But Calipari doesn’t want to win it all at the cost of the NCAA Tournament. If sacrificing the SEC Tournament means having a healthy team that can win the national championship, Calipari seems at ease with that.
On Tuesday, he praised his team’s maturation and development this season and repeatedly reiterated that the players have come a long way. But in terms of their starting point and final stopping point, the Cats are not there yet, Calipari said.
“I want fresh legs, I want fresh minds, I want a competitive spirit,” Calipari said. “You want the players to expect to win so that when things go awry they’re OK. That takes a mature person. They don’t call a foul, ‘Oh well, we’re still winning.’ A player starts talking, ‘Oh well, we’re still winning.’ “
Calipari is hoping that final step will take place in the SEC Tournament.
“It’s going to be about us,” freshman point guard John Wall said. “It’s going to be tough because we’re freshmen and some of the upperclassmen have never really been in this situation to be in a conference tournament and the NCAA Tournament. If we get down or we get frustrated we have to stick together, because if lose one game it’s over with.”
