Coach Cal Pre-South Carolina Notes and Quotes

On3 imageby:Drew Franklin01/21/11

DrewFranklinKSR

Kentucky Calipari Basketball Coach Cal met with the media today after practice to discuss all things Gamecock and Sandstorm.  He did not comment on the Terrence Jones tirade from Tuesday so quit asking about it you selfish (expletive).  Just kidding.  To the notes and quotes ... -- Calipari said we won't know if the team has reset and is ready to bounce back from the loss until they take the court and start playing.  That "brutal practice" he talked about after the Alabama game never happened. -- South Carolina is a scrappy team and Calipari says if South Carolina "out-scraps" Kentucky it'll be hard for UK to win the game. South Carolina out-scrapped Kentucky last year in Columbia and they more aggressive in that win.  In order for Kentucky to avoid a repeat disappointing loss this season, they'll have to stop playing so passive and scrap back.  Scraps and scrap.  Scrappiness. -- Coach Cal called out the three veterans by saying Liggins, Miller, and Harrellson need to do more and play a bigger role at the end of close games.  That doesn't necessarily mean taking control on offense and scoring either. Calipari wants to see his senior and two juniors make big plays, whether that be blocking a shot, grabbing a rebound, taking a charge, or diving on the floor.  Right now those three guys are waiting for one of the freshmen to do something when they need to be making plays to help the team win. -- When asked why Kentucky played so well at the Yum Center but is struggling on the road in the SEC, Calipari said the team just shot the ball better in Louisville.  The shots weren't falling for some guys at Georgia and Alabama and 0-for-5 shooting to start the game can be the difference in a 2-point deficit and a 12-point deficit.  If UK comes out cold again against South Carolina, it's going to be another long night for the Wildcats.  But like we've seen in the past, if this team comes out hot, get out of the way. -- Calipari referred to Devan Downey as "the little kid who made a couple shots at the end" last year.  I remember him being a man who scored at will late in the game to put away our undefeated Cats. -- The team is still not communicating on the court like they need to be.  A couple of times in the Alabama game, the team came right out of a timeout and broke off the designed play.  One of those was late in the game after going over the play through two back-to-back timeouts. -- South Carolina is going to have a packed house with a lot of Sandstormin'. "You're either tough enough to go in there and win on the road or you're not." #Legggooo Go Cats.

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