Keion Brooks Jr. couldn't get by Alabama's defense Tuesday (Vicky Graff Photo)
Is Kentucky the team the soundly throated Florida for its third straight SEC win a week ago or the team that got pounded by 20 points at home by Alabama Tuesday? Kentucky coach John Calipari, and UK fans, will find out Saturday afternoon when the Cats play at Auburn (1-4 SEC).
“You know what, this team has made strides so they showed what they can be, but they’ve also shown now what they can be,” Calipari said after the Alabama loss. “You come and fight and execute and do this together.
“How about this one? We had about four or five, maybe six or seven, wide-open shots that we threw the ball out like that for no reason. All you had to do was throw it in their pocket, the guy gets a shot. We throw it here (way away from the player). What that means is I am not worried about him, I’m only worried about myself. I’m not thinking about that shooter, putting it in the pocket so he can get that thing off.”
Calipari says no one suffers more from UK’s inefficiencies to make simple, concise passes than Olivier Sarr.
“We didn’t get it to Olivier. He was wide open. We showed him at halftime five clips where the guy’s got him on his back. Either we don’t throw it or he’s in a dogfight to keep the guy behind him, and we throw it away from him,” Calipari said.
“Can’t go get it. He’s in a dogfight. He’s fighting, fighting. You throw the ball over there because you’re afraid you’ll throw it away. I mean, it was a mess, but…”
It was worse than a mess. It was an embarrassment for a team picked in the top 10 before the season started.
Alabama’s physical play staggered UK not only on the boards but in forcing 19 turnovers.
“Nineteen turnovers. You know where most of them were? The hardest play we could make, we made. How about you just throw it to that guy right beside you because I got to do something crazy because I look really bad right now, I’m going to make a hard play,” Calipari said.
“We reverted. I’m not sure I’ll even watch this tape, to be honest with you. Move on to the next one.”
Can Kentucky revert back to “good” Kentucky at Auburn?
We’ll see.
