Hello HOB. Hope your Monday is going well. Kentucky HC John Calipari will be having his weekly radio call-in show tonight at 6 ET prior to the Cats starting the NCAA Tournament. I'll be following along with the show and sharing the main news and notes here in this thread for those of you who may not be able to listen to the show live. Stay tuned...
* Calipari says he stressed to the Cats today that they are capable of going on a run and what it was that each player brings to the table to help them do that. Says he has to make this fun for the players. "They have to have a ball." Why not have fun when Sister Jean picks you to win it. Cal says he'd rather have Sister Jean on his side than all the talking heads.
* Cal says they had most of the team available for practice today and had a good scrimmage. He clarifies that everyone practiced today but one who did not do the full "body-to-body stuff."
* Providence is hard-nosed, will compete, really pressure the ball. Bryce Hopkins is playing great for them. They'll show some match-up zone at times. Need to be ready to attack that.
* Once again, Cal saying he needs to get Daimion Collins on the floor.
* Cal has 56 wins in the NCAA Tourney, the most of any coach in the field, Tom Leach points out. After him, only Self and Izzo have 50+.
* Caller tells Cal he is tired of hearing all the negative stuff, that he once criticized the team whenever he could, but now supports the team completely and is behind them for a tourney run. Then he does an Rupp impression that cracks Cal up.
* Imagine us at our best, Cal says. Most of the teams in this field have been inconsistent like UK, he adds, so it's "wide open." Whoever can be their best will advance.
* In this tournament, Cal says, defense is vital. A lot of times your offense comes from defense. Two other big keys: 50/50 balls are huge, and your FT shooting. (His voice gets grim for that last one.) You can't go have an 11-22 game or you're done. Thinking about it makes it worse. The mentality has to be that you're making them all. You don't have to make them all, but you have to walk up there thinking you're making them all. You have to want to go to the line.
* Caller asks about what the matchups were like last year with Bryce Hopkins in practice... Cal says the team was different, obviously, and he's gotten better. Playing better as a 4. Using him in pick-and-pops. They're doing good stuff with him.
* Reeves has been a lot better in the high pick-and-roll than Cal originally believed he would be. It's been a nice adjustment for them because people have to come out there and guard him.
* Caller asks about why Ugonna Onyenso isn't playing more. Cal says there are just a couple of guys ahead of him. Notes that Ugonna understood this was likely going to be his role this season. It's not an issue. Cal predicts he'll be one of the best big guys in the country next year.
* On what changes he'd make against Providence and his 3-point defense... Cal says it's not really that kind of team, more similar to Arkansas. You gotta keep them out of the lane. They like to get downhill.
* Caller asks Cal about Oscar losing his cool lately... Cal says if you watch the tape, you can understand where he's coming from. They're fouling him constantly. Wants fouls called. Oscar knows he's got to avoid retaliating because he's just too important to the team. Cal notes there are some coaches he knows in the business who would have his player handle matters much harsher than Oscar has. "And some of the guys I've coached. You're not going to do that to them without them saying, 'No, no.'" Leach jokes, "How would DeMarcus Cousins handle it?" Cal deadpans, "He'd handle it very nicely. He'd telll the guy, 'Excuse me, don't push me.'"
* Caller asks Cal about what he thought when he first saw the brackets... Cal says when he saw A&M with a 7, he thought he was getting an 8. Also disappointed for Vandy. Still doesn't understand that situation. Thought Rutgers and Clemson probably should have been in. Just happy he's in. "Everyone is 0 and 0 right now... It's all about matchups now."
* Calipari says he stressed to the Cats today that they are capable of going on a run and what it was that each player brings to the table to help them do that. Says he has to make this fun for the players. "They have to have a ball." Why not have fun when Sister Jean picks you to win it. Cal says he'd rather have Sister Jean on his side than all the talking heads.
* Cal says they had most of the team available for practice today and had a good scrimmage. He clarifies that everyone practiced today but one who did not do the full "body-to-body stuff."
* Providence is hard-nosed, will compete, really pressure the ball. Bryce Hopkins is playing great for them. They'll show some match-up zone at times. Need to be ready to attack that.
* Once again, Cal saying he needs to get Daimion Collins on the floor.
* Cal has 56 wins in the NCAA Tourney, the most of any coach in the field, Tom Leach points out. After him, only Self and Izzo have 50+.
* Caller tells Cal he is tired of hearing all the negative stuff, that he once criticized the team whenever he could, but now supports the team completely and is behind them for a tourney run. Then he does an Rupp impression that cracks Cal up.
* Imagine us at our best, Cal says. Most of the teams in this field have been inconsistent like UK, he adds, so it's "wide open." Whoever can be their best will advance.
* In this tournament, Cal says, defense is vital. A lot of times your offense comes from defense. Two other big keys: 50/50 balls are huge, and your FT shooting. (His voice gets grim for that last one.) You can't go have an 11-22 game or you're done. Thinking about it makes it worse. The mentality has to be that you're making them all. You don't have to make them all, but you have to walk up there thinking you're making them all. You have to want to go to the line.
* Caller asks about what the matchups were like last year with Bryce Hopkins in practice... Cal says the team was different, obviously, and he's gotten better. Playing better as a 4. Using him in pick-and-pops. They're doing good stuff with him.
* Reeves has been a lot better in the high pick-and-roll than Cal originally believed he would be. It's been a nice adjustment for them because people have to come out there and guard him.
* Caller asks about why Ugonna Onyenso isn't playing more. Cal says there are just a couple of guys ahead of him. Notes that Ugonna understood this was likely going to be his role this season. It's not an issue. Cal predicts he'll be one of the best big guys in the country next year.
* On what changes he'd make against Providence and his 3-point defense... Cal says it's not really that kind of team, more similar to Arkansas. You gotta keep them out of the lane. They like to get downhill.
* Caller asks Cal about Oscar losing his cool lately... Cal says if you watch the tape, you can understand where he's coming from. They're fouling him constantly. Wants fouls called. Oscar knows he's got to avoid retaliating because he's just too important to the team. Cal notes there are some coaches he knows in the business who would have his player handle matters much harsher than Oscar has. "And some of the guys I've coached. You're not going to do that to them without them saying, 'No, no.'" Leach jokes, "How would DeMarcus Cousins handle it?" Cal deadpans, "He'd handle it very nicely. He'd telll the guy, 'Excuse me, don't push me.'"
* Caller asks Cal about what he thought when he first saw the brackets... Cal says when he saw A&M with a 7, he thought he was getting an 8. Also disappointed for Vandy. Still doesn't understand that situation. Thought Rutgers and Clemson probably should have been in. Just happy he's in. "Everyone is 0 and 0 right now... It's all about matchups now."
