John Calipari Finds Vindication in Kentucky's Conquering of No. 5 Tennessee
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — John Calipari would never admit it, but Kentucky's 63-56 road-win over No. 5 Tennessee on Saturday served as vindication for the Hall of Fame head coach.
The Wildcats entered Thompson-Boling Arena just four days after succumbing to one of the worst losses of the Calipari era, falling 71-68 to the struggling South Carolina Gamecocks in Lexington. It was the straw that broke the camels back in the eyes of many, including a bulk of Big Blue Nation.
With rumors of Calipari leaving Kentucky to head down south to Texas swirling, a 10-6 record, injuries and hiccups galore, the brink had been met in a hurry. Kentucky was a team on the outside looking in at the NCAA Tournament, with no real reason to believe that the hole was capable of being dug out of.
That was until the battered and bruised Cats overcame a top-five opponent, who played in front of a rambunctious Rocky Top crowd that was also celebrating the jersey retirement of one of the program's most-beloved players. Tennessee was a 10.5-point favorite and held every ounce of momentum in the building.
Kentucky was without starting point guard Sahvir Wheeler and essential forward Daimion Collins. Starting guard Cason Wallace was fighting through a bad back while veteran forward Jacob Toppin was returning from a shoulder injury after being labeled "questionable" just 24 hours prior.
The Volunteers were considered the top defense in the nation, while the Wildcats' offense couldn't get past the measly Gamecocks one game ago.
In other words, the deck was stacked high against Kentucky. Calipari, too.
It seemed officially when the headlines came in Wednesday morning. The ol' Calipari finally lost his fastball. His marriage with UK needed to come to an end.
"Kentucky is atrocious" by yours truly.
Consider the adversity overcame, just a few long days later. That same washed skipper then came into his postgame press conference after the Cats' big win in vintage form, flaunting his feathers like a peacock, tossing out all the greatest hits while patching a couple of holes he made along the way.
After taking the punches, Calipari stood tall, finding reassurance for sticking with his team, regardless of what anyone told him.
"It's no easy road," he said. "I told you I haven't lost any faith in these guys. I've done this a long time. All you that are shooting arrows and bullets, I got bazooka holes in my body. They go right through. They don't even hit skin. So it is what it is. You could be mad, happy, sad. I've got a good team."
Kentucky held Tennessee to 56 points, tied for the Volunteers' lowest mark of the season. Calipari believed in his team's defense, even after multiple poor efforts in SEC play.
"We're just trying to patch it together," he said. "But here's what happened today. We defended and fought like my teams normally do. We haven't been that to this point. They made a commitment to each other that they would fight this game. And it was between them."
Accompanied with Kentucky's renewal of solid defense was an addition of intensity and toughness that had being missing for the first half of the regular season. Even undermanned against a long and sizable Tennessee team, the Wildcats rose to the occasion and fought for every point.
Something that could be attributed to that is an extra element of UK staying locked in. How was that achieved? Well, Calipari played dad and took the player's phones on Friday night. He's always been one to preach annoying the clutter, but he made sure that his players would do it this weekend:
Postgame, Toppin and Antonio Reeves had a laugh with one-another, knowing that after a win as big as Saturday's, they probably weren't getting those phones on the night before games anytime soon for the rest of the season.
"All I told them is 'we're getting after this tomorrow. You go and have a great night's sleep and you're not looking at anything,'" Calipari said. "I just want to be here for this group. Help them write their own story, not the other stories. Try to keep them feeding the positive. Forget about the negative. I got a couple of guys I know are looking at the Internet and I want to strangle 'em."
Calipari isn't taking in any media about the team on his phone, either. He says he's never listened to the noise and that he never will...unless you're talking about an Alaskan wilderness survival show, of course.
"I don't listen. Believe me. I don't read. I don't listen. I watch Alaska shows. You know the one I'm on right now — "The Waltons," anybody watching The Waltons? It's the greatest show. It's 50 years old, but I watch The Waltons. I mean I don't pay attention," he said.
Betwixt rambling about his favorite shows and apologizing to his wife, Calipari also threw in a nod to University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto, who had been with the team as it prepared for a huge game amidst a tumultuous portion of the season.
And who could forget a soft toss for Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart? What shattered relationship were we talking about 48 hours ago? Swaggy Cal has no clue.
"Dr. Capilouto was with us. He was in the shoot-around with us. He was in the meals with us. I was so happy he wanted to come, and I wanted him absolutely emerged in this so he could see what we're trying to do and how we're trying to do it," Calipari said. "These players did that for themselves and the fans that have stood by them. I'm saying I'm happy for Dr. Capilouto. Mitch (Barnhart), Dr. (Lee) Todd, the guys that brought me here. I'm happy for them."
Blame was tossed every which way around Lexington. Kentucky basketball was on the fritz and there didn't seem like a clear-cut way for the bulk of issues to get fixed in any satisfactory amount of time. But, winning tends to cures all ailments.
And just because Calipari says he doesn't read or listen to anything, doesn't mean he doesn't know that people are raving about the program's supposed downfall. He had a nice jab to throw in for those people, too:
"I was trying to put it all on my shoulders. But I know when you're in Kentucky — this isn't for everybody. It's not for every coach ... but again, you don't know who's on social media. My guess too is a lot of fans from other programs hoping we die, and they shut that TV off today, they are so mad."
Does one win fix all of Kentucky's issues that have previously persisted for over two months? Of course not. But it does show the Wildcats that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, no matter how dark it appeared coming into Saturday. Even Calipari admitted that there was tinge of doubt creeping in before that major win:
"I had a foot on the panic button. I didn't have two feet on it though," he joked.
It's a massive step in the right direction for Kentucky basketball's season, Calipari's tenure as Kentucky head coach, the mindset of the players and so much more. The next step can be taken this Tuesday, when the Wildcats return home to take on the Georgia Bulldogs.
All the Cats and Calipari will do is take things one step at a time...and maybe watch a couple more episodes of "The Waltons."
"This is a war. We won one," he said.
MORE ON THE WIN IN KNOXVILLE HERE.
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