All-American Rhyne Howard returns tonight against Kansas State after being suspended for two games. (Jeff Houchin Photo)
See if you can guess what coach might have made these statements.
— “They play extremely hard on both ends of the floor, and I love that we play team basketball. The second thing is, we’ve had a lot of opportunity to play different lineups. We’re excited about the versatility that this team brings.”
— “I think we need to be sharper in our spacing, timing, setting screens and really taking what the defense gives us, so making better decisions. Defensively, we have just talked about one-on-one defense, keeping someone in front of you, getting to help-side, as well as finishing our defense with a boxout.”
— “I challenged them after our first game. I did not like our energy defensively. I didn’t think we came out with the mindset or the energy that I was looking for …”
— “I think what we are best at right now is pushing the pace. We play up-tempo and want to try to score in transition.”
— “We have a tendency right now, although it is great we are playing up-tempo, sometimes in the half court right now we have a tendency to go 80 miles per hour so we are missing some of what the defense is giving us. So we want to be able to play fast but we also need to slow down and execute more in the half court.”
Certainly could understand why Kentucky coach John Calipari would be saying that after his team’s 1-2 start and disappointing losses to Richmond at home and then Kansas in the Championship Classic.
But it wasn’t Calipari — it was first-year UK women’s coach Kyra Elzy. Her team, though, is 2-0 going into tonight’s game at Kansas State.
The difference with the UK women is that even with All-American Rhyne Howard suspended against Murray State and Belmont, Elzy’s team still got big-time performances first from guard Chasity Patterson against Murray and then Dre’una Edwards) against Belmont. When the UK women needed a score or play, they had someone make it. Calipari’s Cats cannot say the same thing.
‘I like that we have people that are capable and willing to step up. I am extremely excited that Rhyne Howard will return to the floor in this game, so I look forward to putting her in the mix,” Elzy said.
Elza has never said what Howard did to merit the suspension but noted Wednesday that she had apologized to the staff and team.
“I commend her for that. She has been great on the bench as far as energy and coaching the other players. What we talked about yesterday is that she will take the floor but it is still team basketball and I want her to play within herself and we will continue to play as a team,” Elzy said.
“I don’t want her to feel like she has to go out and make heroic plays, I just want her to play good basketball and do the things that she does best and greatness will come out. There are other people on the floor that can help her get the job done. That is what we are focusing on is team basketball.”
No hero plays, let others help and play team basketball. That’s a great message for Howard and her teammates from Elzy but it is also a message Calipari’s Cat might want to pay attention to as well.
