March Is Here; So Is Kentucky
Ashton Hagans believed his coaches when they told the team the season would go by quickly.
He just didn’t understand exactly how quickly.
“They told us at the beginning of the season when we came back from the Bahamas, they told us March will be here in no time,” Hagans said. “And it’s here. So it’s like, ‘Dang, is the season really almost over?’ “
The season most certainly is not over, but the end of the regular season and the arrival of postseason play naturally prompts some reflection. A couple days without practices – though the Wildcats have still been in the gym during their “off days” – have done the same.
Looking in the mirror, the Cats can’t help but feel good.
“I’m definitely proud,” Keldon Johnson said. “Proud of me and my teammates. I think we’ve been through the ups and downs of college basketball. We’ve been in places where they thought we were the worst team and we’ve been in places where they thought we were one of the best teams in the nation. We just got out there every day and do what we do. We do what we practice every day.”
Kentucky ended the regular season fourth in both polls and a mere game away from an SEC championship. All that team success led to individual accolades, headlined by PJ Washington, Johnson, Tyler Herro and Hagans claiming SEC awards.
Washington, the sophomore who spurned the NBA to lead this team, was named All-SEC First Team by both the Associated Press and the league’s coaches. Averaging team highs in points (14.9) and rebounds (7.5), Washington has established himself as one of the best players in the country by taking his game to the next level in SEC play.
“I’m just happy to see that we got some recognition,” Washington said. “It’s definitely exciting for all of our guys.”
That’s especially true for Herro and Johnson, the two friends and roommates who split SEC Newcomer of the Year (coaches) and SEC Freshman of the Year (AP) honors. Both were also named to the All-SEC Second Team and SEC All-Freshman Team by league coaches.
“I’m honored to win the award,” Herro said. “Me and Keldon kind of split there, so it was cool for that. But I think both of us are deserving of Freshman of the Year.”
Hagans, meanwhile, took home SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year and SEC All-Defensive Team honors from league coaches.
“It’s a great accomplishment,” Hagans said. “That’s probably one of the goals that I had coming into the University of Kentucky. Just gotta keep it going from here. We got some big games coming up, a big tournament coming up that we need, so that’s really all it is.”
The Cats haven’t forgotten their true goal. The accolades are nice, but the reason why regular-season success was important is that it positions UK for the postseason. With a No. 1 seed within reach less than a week before Selection Sunday, that’s exactly what’s happened.
But first, an SEC Tournament championship will be on the line starting when second-seeded UK takes on either No. 7 Ole Miss or No. 10 Alabama at 7 p.m. ET on Friday.
“Obviously, we want to win,” Herro said. “We never want to lose any game. But we’re building for the last tournament, the NCAA Tournament, so we’re just going to keep taking each game at a time and try to improve.”
The SEC Tournament could potentially take on added importance this season, as Reid Travis is working his way back from a sprained knee. His five-game absence could end Friday.
“I don’t think we’ll miss a beat,” Johnson said. “I think we’ll be fine whenever he comes back.”
Whether Travis is in street clothes, coming off the bench for short stretches or starting, Kentucky’s approach is going to be the same. March, after all, is here.
“It’s go time,” Johnson said. “Let’s get it done. Let’s do what we do. That’s what we’re here for.”
