YOU ARE HERE: Central Kentucky Home→Collections→Kentucky

UK Basketball: Coach Calipari liked defensive effort Wildcats showed

November 03, 2009|By KEITH TAYLOR

LEXINGTON — In his own words, Kentucky coach John Calipari said his team's performance in a 74-38 win over Campbellsville featured the good, the bad and the ugly.

The good was Kentucky's defensive effort against the Tigers in the first of two exhibition games for the Wildcats. The outing was a sign that Calipari has been getting his message across on the defensive end of the floor.

The Cats were indeed dominating on the defensive end, especially in the first half. The hosts limited the Tigers to 12 percent shooting from the floor and 11 points. Campbellsville connected on just three field goals in the opening half with two of those coming from long range.

"I don't think we came out with much intensity," Campbellsville's Joe Robinson said. "We came out a little shell-shocked."

"The atmosphere was new to us," Robinson's teammate, Shawn Savage, added. "Obviously, our gym is nowhere close to being this big. We just didn't shoot the ball well. We were 3-for 25 in the first half and that was the reason for our 11 points."

Campbellsville regrouped and tallied 27 points in the second half, but the gap in talent level between the teams was a factor in the outcome.

"We obviously saw a difference in levels," Campbellsville coach Keith Adkins said afterward. "If we had gone into this game and you told me that at the end of the game we had given up 74 points, I would have said, 'We'll take our chances with that.'

"We couldn't seem to make a shot when we got one and we turned it over at times when we needed to build on something. We were never able to get any momentum of any sort."

Impressed with Kentucky's frontline

Robinson came away impressed with Kentucky's frontline featuring DeMarcus Cousins, Patrick Patterson and Daniel Orton. The Cats blocked 10 shots, including four by Cousins. The hardest part for the Tigers was trying to score inside the paint. Campbellsville managed just 12 points underneath the basket.

"It was hard to get shots off in the paint," Robinson said.

How hard was it? Campbellsville's Nestor Colmenares made just two field goals on seven attempts inside the arc.

"(It was) tough — very tough," he said. "I did my best against them, but they blocked a lot of my shots. They are very good, and very big."

Robinson said Cousins' presence in the post created problems for his team during the entire contest.

"On television (last week), he looked skinny and didn't look as strong, but he was pretty strong down there," he said.

Robinson said the Wildcats deserved to be ranked near the top in the preseason rankings. The Cats are ranked No. 4 in one poll and No. 5 in another.

"Most people don't realize it, but they have just been practicing for two weeks," Robinson said. "But, they very well could be No. 4 in the country."

Savage thinks Kentucky will be in the mix for a national title as the season progresses.

"I think they're going to be competing for a national championship at the end of the year," said.

|

|

|