Kentucky basketball is currently scrimmaging against Transylvania
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(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)[/caption]
After spending the entire weekend searching for a new opponent to add to the schedule this week, the Kentucky basketball program ultimately decided it could not find a fit in time. Hoping to replace the team's conference-opener against South Carolina, which was postponed due to COVID-19, the team looked at two prominent options: Detroit Mercy and Hartford.
When those talks fell through, UK head coach John Calipari decided it wasn't worth it to fit in another game on such short notice.
“It was (on the table)," Calipari said Monday. "There were two teams in the MTE (multi-team event) that we had that didn’t play: Detroit, and their league would not let them play; and Hartford, who was in the MTE, and we thought about it.
"... We were going back and forth, I said, "Do we really want to prepare for another team when we’re concerned about our team?" There are things we've got to get better, we've got to execute. ... It's not going to happen."
Another team rumored to be in play was Bellarmine, who joined the Atlantic Sun Conference in June of 2019 and officially transitioned to the Division I level this year. According to KSR's own Matt Jones, Bellarmine was seen as a top replacement option back on Dec. 23, though NCAA rules reportedly limited that possibility due to the program not being on UK's original schedule. Because the South Carolina game is postponed and expected to be played at a later date, along with UK filling out a full 27-game schedule with a multi-team event to start the year, Detroit Mercy and Hartford were the only schools available for Kentucky to play this week.
With those options falling through for one reason or another, along with Bellarmine being off the table, UK's opportunities for tune-up games heading into conference play this weekend against Mississippi State are off the table, right?
Well, not exactly.
According to Kyle Tucker of The Athletic, Kentucky is scrimmaging against Transylvania "at this very moment," giving the team one final opportunity to take on a new opponent and receive a morale boost before heading down to Starkville on Saturday.
"Kentucky did not add a game this week, but it is scrimmaging against in-town Division III Transylvania at this very moment," Tucker reported. "Chance to work on that offensive execution Calipari talked a ton about yesterday."
https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_ATH/status/1344045115703234563?s=20
The matchup may not count for a win (or loss, for that matter) on Kentucky's record, but it's at least something.
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)[/caption]
After spending the entire weekend searching for a new opponent to add to the schedule this week, the Kentucky basketball program ultimately decided it could not find a fit in time. Hoping to replace the team's conference-opener against South Carolina, which was postponed due to COVID-19, the team looked at two prominent options: Detroit Mercy and Hartford.
When those talks fell through, UK head coach John Calipari decided it wasn't worth it to fit in another game on such short notice.
“It was (on the table)," Calipari said Monday. "There were two teams in the MTE (multi-team event) that we had that didn’t play: Detroit, and their league would not let them play; and Hartford, who was in the MTE, and we thought about it.
"... We were going back and forth, I said, "Do we really want to prepare for another team when we’re concerned about our team?" There are things we've got to get better, we've got to execute. ... It's not going to happen."
Another team rumored to be in play was Bellarmine, who joined the Atlantic Sun Conference in June of 2019 and officially transitioned to the Division I level this year. According to KSR's own Matt Jones, Bellarmine was seen as a top replacement option back on Dec. 23, though NCAA rules reportedly limited that possibility due to the program not being on UK's original schedule. Because the South Carolina game is postponed and expected to be played at a later date, along with UK filling out a full 27-game schedule with a multi-team event to start the year, Detroit Mercy and Hartford were the only schools available for Kentucky to play this week.
With those options falling through for one reason or another, along with Bellarmine being off the table, UK's opportunities for tune-up games heading into conference play this weekend against Mississippi State are off the table, right?
Well, not exactly.
According to Kyle Tucker of The Athletic, Kentucky is scrimmaging against Transylvania "at this very moment," giving the team one final opportunity to take on a new opponent and receive a morale boost before heading down to Starkville on Saturday.
"Kentucky did not add a game this week, but it is scrimmaging against in-town Division III Transylvania at this very moment," Tucker reported. "Chance to work on that offensive execution Calipari talked a ton about yesterday."
https://twitter.com/KyleTucker_ATH/status/1344045115703234563?s=20
The matchup may not count for a win (or loss, for that matter) on Kentucky's record, but it's at least something.
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