Kentucky Basketball Previews Louisville
UK ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
MEN’S BASKETBALL
UK at LOUISVILLE PREGAME MEDIA
DEC. 28, 2018
JOE CRAFT CENTER – LEXINGTON, KY.
Head Coach John Calipari
On how rivalry games are different …
“We have so many teams that play us as rivals. Obviously with this being in-state makes it unique, but they’re going to play and we’re going to play and someone’s gonna be happy and someone’s not gonna be happy. It’s just we play this – I don’t know how many times I’ve coached against them. It’s a ton, and whether it’s in that building, this building, neutral, NCAA, they’re hard games. There’s not going to be – you know – it’s not going to be as though they’re not ready to play. They’re going to be ready. They play hard, they shoot 3s, they make 3s. Good defensive team. They’ve played a heck of a schedule now. They’ve played a heck of a schedule. They beat Seton Hall; we lost to Seton Hall. So it’s going to be a hard game for us.”
On if he’s ever coached against Chris Mack …
“I know him, but I don’t think I have (coached against him). I don’t believe so. I haven’t, but he’s a terrific coach. What he did at Xavier and how he did it, the kind of kids he did it with – tough. Getting the whole culture of, ‘We’re going to play hard. We’re going to compete. We’re going to play unselfish.’ He’s done that, he’s done it now and in short order he’s got those guys playing good.”
On building upon the North Carolina game …
“I don’t know. We’re just – they had another couple good days of practice again. I just would expect that they’re gonna play how they practice, and that’s what happened with Carolina. We had great days and guys focused. The biggest thing I told them, we were willing passers. We had 24 assists on 28 baskets. Not only that, we missed another five. We could have had 29 assists. Guys missed wide-open shots, so be willing passers and our advantage – being able to post the ball – we can play through that. We can do it in transition. I just told them, historically if a team wants to play fast we’re fine. If a team wants to play slow we’re fine. We can grind it if we have to. Situations, we’re starting to get better. We’re starting to get a better feel for a situation in the game, what they need to do. Continue to hit on that, but it’s a terrific group of young people who are trying and committed to each other, and now we start playing games like this you figure out where you are at this point in the year.”
On Keldon Johnson’s 3-point shooting and if he wants him taking six or seven attempts a game …
“Well, if he has them, but I don’t want him – he’s driving and that runner he has and getting fouled and putting them in jeopardy does as well as anybody, but he makes 3s right now. It could be Tyler (Herro) making 3s. It could be Immanuel (Quickley). Our bigs have shot the ball well from the 3-point-line. We took probably two or three more than I would have liked last game that we could’ve driven the ball, gotten it in the lane, but like I told you this is one of the better 3-point-shooting teams that I’ve had. I said at the beginning of the year, we may be missing, but I pretty much have a good feel for my past teams and this team so.”
On the emotional challenge going from the UNC game to the Louisville game …
“Every game we play is someone’s Super Bowl. Every one we play, and that gives us an advantage come March because normally the teams we play have nothing to lose. The last team we played had as much to lose as we do. I hate to tell you, this team has as much to lose as we do. This is not a throwaway game now. The next game we play on the road, that team’s going to have as much to lose as we do. But we start the season where we have teams that have nothing to lose and they’re playing and making shots and fadeaways and making 15 3s and doing crazy stuff, but that’s all a part of this. And they got home for Christmas. Three days, which we do every year, but they had three days and came back and are in great spirits. If you told me it was a Wednesday and a Saturday I may say, ‘Yeah, it may affect us,’ but this was a week ago.”
On if he was joking when he said coaching would be more fun if you didn’t have to play any games …
“Yeah, I love this. I say that in a joking way because someone asked, ‘Do you enjoy practicing and teaching?’ If you’ve watched me in practice, I absolutely enjoy that part of it, but every game day I walk in, ‘It’s game day! It is game day! Let’s go!’ And my concern is do I have them in the right frame of mind? This team is becoming player-driven. I’ve been harping on it, talking about it. I’m not having to coach the emotion of it, the intensity, the focus. They’re coaching each other, and that’s when they start playing that way. Then they start looking like they’re having fun. Because it’s their team. It’s not my team. I don’t want this to be a coach-driven team; I want it to be a player-driven team where they hold each other accountable and also encourage. And my message this week is, if you create opportunities for others, you create more opportunities for yourself.”
On who the X-factor is for Louisville …
“They’re really playing together well. They’re making shots. They do what they do well. They don’t get away from what they do. Defensively, they fight like crazy, front to post, hard show, jump their five man out. They switch some. They deny some. They’re good. They’re a good team.”
On how the team bought into being willing passers against North Carolina …
“Well, it was before that. Part of it is really trying to define rolls, but other guys accepting how they have to play and having a bunch of guys who are playing for each other. It is hard when you are out there trying to play for yourself alone. When you’re out there playing for each other you always have more guys have your back. It’s hard when young guys – and all of the clutter, all of the other stuff that’s out there, they read. But, like I said, I’m pleased with the guys and let’s go play a terrific team on the road, up against it, everything against us. Let’s go see where we are. Know that it will be a hard game. The last team that went in there that was ranked, Michigan State, who was in the top 10, got beat. So, I know how good their team is.”
On what this game means and what he’d like to get out of it in preparation for conference play …
“Just keep getting better. Let’s just see if we can continue on this path. Had too many turnovers last game and some of them late in the game. Let’s get those down to 12, 11, 13 somewhere in that range we’ll be feeling pretty good. You want your team to fight like crazy like we did last game. Anybody that watched it that hit me just said, ‘That looked like one of your teams.’ Early in the season it was like, ‘That doesn’t look like a team you’ve coached.’ Basically, the intensity of play and the unwillingness to pass and create for each other – the unwillingness to talk kind of in shells – that is normal. That is not abnormal. We’re just working our way through. It’s a process. It’s day to day. Sometimes you take a step back. My whole mission has been this is a player-driven team. I do not want it to be a coach-driven team. I shouldn’t have to raise my voice for effort and intensity. If I raise my voice it’s because I’ve said the same thing three times. Short of that, I shouldn’t have to. Again, we have great kids who want to do it.”
On Reid Travis embraced finishing through contact …
“Yeah, and he’s playing above the rim, dunking balls, rebounding the ball above the rim – things that people said he couldn’t do. So yeah, and PJ (Washington), too. PJ had eight assists, made easy plays, played above the rim. But again, when you’re playing to get fouled, it’s because you don’t have the confidence you’re going to make a shot. If you’re playing to make a basket and get fouled, that’s fine. But you can’t play to get fouled because you’re not confident enough. And this team, like I said, if you get in there and work you’re going to build your confidence.”
On why Travis is playing above the rim now …
“He’s in great shape, he comes in here every day, he’s working on his legs, he’s lifting. He’s on a mission. I’ve told him. Even in practice, he’s dunking balls. We’re throwing lobs to him (and) he’s getting used to it. And again, he’s played one way for four years. Now to come back and do what he’s doing, it’s a change. But he’s coming in every day and getting better and better.”
On what was working for Nick Richards against North Carolina in his 10 minutes …
“Effort and energy. Instead of – if he runs that court and blocks shots and rebounds, the other stuff really doesn’t matter, and especially with how he’s being evaluated. And I keep telling him, do those things. But if that other stuff bogs you down, you can’t just let go of the play. He’s been great. He’s got a great attitude, a smile on his face. The guy I’ve still got to figure out where and how and how much is EJ (Montgomery). EJ went in for two minutes. Had a rebound, had a basket and contested two shots. ‘Well, why aren’t you playing him?’ Well, the guys in front of him are pretty good, too. And then Nick went in and went crazy, so now it wasn’t a game I was comfortable with him playing little at the three. I keep telling him, he’s got a great attitude about it, too. Just keep putting yourself in position and we’ll figure this out.”
On who has led this becoming a player-driven team …
“They’re all – PJ has been better. Reid has been better. You’ve got guys that are talking to each other. It’s not just leadership; it’s overall where they’re holding each other accountable, encouraging each other. It’s kind of a combination of all that stuff.”
On if this rivalry feels any different with a new coach at Louisville …
“It’s still that game. You’re playing Louisville in their building where they play well and where they’re waiting in the weeds for us. It’s going to be a hard game.”
On how he suspects Louisville might play (fast vs. slow) …
“My guess is they may press a little bit. They may start the game pressing. I think they’ll throw some of that 1-3-1 at us a little bit. And I think they’re going to fly up the court, and if they can’t, they’re going to try to – they run good stuff to get shots. And then they rebound like crazy. They run guys to the rim. I think they’ll play as fast as they can or as fast as we’ll let the game go. Like I said, I think they’re going to throw some stuff at us, which I would expect that they would.”
UK ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS
MEN’S BASKETBALL
LOUISVILLE vs. KENTUCKY PREGAME MEDIA
DEC. 28, 2018
JOE CRAFT CENTER – LEXINGTON, KY.
Kentucky Players
#22, Reid Travis, Gr., F
On his experience in playing in rivalry games at Stanford …
“It was a good experience. Having (California) there is obviously a great rivalry in the Bay Area, so every time we played them, there was an extra level of excitement and just energy in the building, you could feel it. With the alumni coming back, everybody just kind of hyped up. That was one game on the schedule every year that we had circled, that was a game we needed to win.”
On managing the emotions in a rivalry game …
“I think it’s two-fold. Obviously, you want to approach it like any other game, your preparation stays the same. But also understanding that it is a cool experience to be in a rivalry game. You take that energy, take that passion that comes with it. You don’t want to overlook the fact that it is a great experience to play in a game like that. There’s a lot of history and tradition that comes with playing in rivalry games. So, just trying to enjoy every step of the process and enjoy the game when it gets here.”
On how he has embraced the physical nature of what he’s being asked to do …
“It’s a part of it. When I’m down there, just trying to fight for the rebounds. On the defensive end, just kind of grind it out and things like that and that comes with it. Every day in practice, I’m trying to do exactly what I’m going to do in the game. So, that kind of comes with the arm scratches and things like that. Just battle, that’s the biggest thing. If I can show that I can anchor the defense from the back, just battling and making those tough plays really is going to help our team.”
On finishing at the rim with contact …
“More comfortable, just going straight up. Obviously, we’re a team that’s going to get a lot of ‘and-ones’ because we play physical, post guys are trying to lean into you and get baskets. But, just being more conscious of when you get the ball, just go straight up. If they foul you, they foul you, but just focus on making your shot. Not so much seeking out contact on the offensive end, but just being comfortable going into your shot and if the contact comes, knowing that you’re going to be able to make the basket and get the ‘and-one’ I think is the biggest shift in mindset that we have to have.”
On if he’s focused more on playing inside rather than out on the floor …
“Not really. That’s what they need me to do in some of these games. They feel like we have the advantage in the post, so if that’s what is drawn up and we need to seal guys and get easy baskets, those are high-percentage shots so we’re going to try to do that. Me, PJ (Washington), Nick (Richards), EJ (Montgomery), those are good looks for us. I do feel comfortable around there and I’ve had a lot of experience down there, so it kind of helps us be successful on the offensive end if I can get those looks.”
#25, PJ Washington, So., F
On what Coach Calipari has been emphasizing in practice …
“Just be the aggressor. Come out and be aggressive like we did last game and just build on that. Build on that and let’s get some wins piling up.”
On what advice he gives freshmen about dealing with a true road game …
“Just come out and stay focused, be together as one and work together. Come out and just stick to the game plan.”
On the rivalry …
“We already know that they’re going to come out and bring a lot of pressure. For us, we just gotta be together as one and know that they’re going to come and fight hard and we just gotta come out and fight back. As long as we do that, I feel like we have a great chance to win this game.”
On using the UNC game as a springboard …
“Obviously we really liked that game. We played great on both ends of the floor, but we’re kind of trying to forget about it a little bit and just focus on the next team and try to bring that same energy.”
