Rick Pitino claims Kentucky media members 'need to learn a lesson' after previous criticisms of Wildcats

Kentucky fans and media alike were quick to criticize Mark Pope early this season after the Wildcats suffered four loss against ranked opponents. However, Kentucky was without projected lottery pick Jayden Quaintance for all of the games, while starting point guard Jaland Lowe was battling a shoulder injury.

Although Lowe is still fighting through his shoulder issues, Quaintance made his season debut in Kentucky’s 78-66 win over St. John’s on Saturday. After the game, Red Storm head coach Rick Pitino called out the Kentucky media members who tore into Pope for the Wildcats’ losses earlier this season.

“You all need to learn a little bit of a lesson as writers because you’re expecting Kentucky to be this great basketball team with all those injuries,” Pitino said. “You all need to learn a lesson because you can’t be a great basketball team without two of your best players, with no point guard, no big men.

“Everybody really exaggerates one game or two games or three games. Kentucky got blown out, and usually Kentucky doesn’t get blown out of any game, OK? But, you have to look at it when they come back, two gigantic pieces.”

Kentucky looked like a different team with Quaintance on the court Saturday. The sophomore big man tallied 10 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in just 17 minutes of action.

He had the second-best +/- of any player on the team with a +18. Jaland Lowe was the only player who had a better +/-. Lowe, who posted a ridiculous +20 in only 15 minutes, left the game in the first half after he dislocated his shoulder.

He was in the game just seven seconds before being subbed out. Lowe returned to the game in the second half and ignited Kentucky’s offense. He logged 13 points in the second half, while shooting 5-7 from the field.

Kentucky’s entire team benefitted from his presence. The Wildcats scored 53 points in the second half, compared to just 25 in the first. Rick Pitino raved about Pope’s coaching after the game.

“Mark did a brilliant thing,” Pitino said. “He came into the season thinking he had this great shooting team, and it’s obvious that it’s probably just an average shooting team, and he said, ‘I’ll change the whole mindset. We’re going to be a physical team. We’re going to be a tough team,’ and they totally changed the personality of who they are. I think that’s a brilliant move by Mark. 

“… They’re going to be a very good basketball team. They’re gonna have to keep playing smash-mouth basketball, and play like that physical team. And, I give Mark all the credit in the world because he’s a big believer in finesse, big believer in shooting the 3, and he says, ‘Look, hey, it’s not working, let’s change, man.’ So, I give him an awful lot of credit.”