John Calipari makes odd statement on scoring barrage vs. Tennessee

On3 imageby:Sean Labar01/24/22

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John Calipari has a young, talented, nationally ranked team which is par for the course when it comes to No. 11 Kentucky basketball.

Last Saturday, Calipari’s Wildcats put on an impressive performance in a 107-79 drubbing over the No. 18 Tennessee Volunteers. In a recent press conference, the Kentucky front man was asked about his mindset as he watches his team catch fire like it did against Tennessee.

Calipari had a blunt, but odd response.

“I literally did not look at the score until I walked off at halftime,” Calipari said. “I knew we were playing well, but I didn’t even look up. I called the last timeout just based on time and when we got it to, whatever it was, 20, in the second half I looked up.”

For John Calipari, the focus isn’t lighting up opponents, but instead, he wants to ensure his team is getting better as the season progresses.

“I’m more concerned with how we play. I’m trying not to make the game a game, because if you do that, you torture yourself and your team. Are we getting better? Our history is that our teams play better at the end of the year. That’s the history. And so, is this team getting better? Are individual players getting better? That’s my focus. Winning will take care of itself. We got three road games it will be hard to win any of them. So, what if we really play well and you get beat? You’ve got to move on.”

John Calipari on how game vs. Auburn changed

All things considered, Calipari was pleased with how Kentucky finished the first half against Auburn, and it’s easy to see why.

Kentucky lost a huge contributor a mere few minutes into the contest, putting a dent in Calipari’s gameplan, as TyTy Washington went down with an apparent ankle injury.

Washington, who is averaging 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists in his freshman season at Kentucky — all while maintaining a 50.5 field-goal percentage — played just nine minutes in Saturday’s 80-71 loss, scoring four points on 2-of-4 shooting before the Wildcats were dealt a tough hand. Washington appeared to land awkwardly on Oscar Tshiebwe’s foot, forcing his ankle to twist uncomfortably, and needed the help of two trainers to walk off the court. He entered the locker room shortly thereafter and was declared out for the rest of the game. Despite his injury, Kentucky took to the locker room for halftime with a four-point lead — and for that, Calipari was pleased.

“I love how we started the game,” John Calipari said. “We were the aggressor. We were the team who was running really good stuff. Hated the end of the half. Hated it. We were in good shape.”

Calipari is certainly right about that. The Wildcats led by double digits over No. 2 Auburn at one point in the first half; their lead didn’t squander until the second half, when Kentucky’s defense allowed 51 second-half points to Auburn en route to a loss.

Despite the adversity, John Calipari once again has his team primed for a late push as February nears.