Orlando Antigua previews Howard; updates Sahvir Wheeler's status

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Kentucky men’s basketball officially tips off the 2022-23 regular season on Monday night. The Wildcats have prepared for this moment through several preseason tune-ups — a four-game Bahamas tour, the Blue-White scrimmage, and a pair of exhibitions. But none of those games counted in the official record books. Monday night will. The Howard Bison come to Rupp Arena for Kentucky’s regular-season opener at 6:30 p.m. EST on the SEC Network.

To help preview the Big Blue Nation with what’s to come, Kentucky associate coach Orlando Antigua spoke with a group of reporters on Sunday afternoon. The longtime assistant to John Calipari had plenty to say about UK’s preseason matchups and what’s to come this year. He also touched on several different Wildcats and gave some minor injury reports along the way.

But first and foremost, Antigua — and the rest of the ‘Cats — are just happy to be back on the hardwood.

“It was good to see us against some different folks,” Antigua said on Sunday of the exhibitions. “I know our guys have been — obviously since the Bahamas we’re ready to start playing games and going up against someone different. I think that from the first exhibition to the second exhibition, it kinda jump-started us to say okay, we’re close now, we’re here.

“These are no longer practices, now it’s time to start getting prepared for real games and going up against opponents and getting back into the rhythm of scouting report, game preparation, all those things. It was good to also get back in front of our fans and back playing in Rupp.”

Kentucky’s introduction to the new season should provide a better challenge than what they’ve seen so far. Howard was projected to finish third in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason honors and includes a preseason First-Team (Elijah Hawkins) and Second-Team (Steve Settle III) All-MEAC player. Antigua stressed that UK isn’t looking ahead to the Nov. 15 showdown against Michigan State in Indianapolis; Howard brings plenty to worry about.

“We want to see us running, we want to see us flying around, we want to see us rotating, defending. Howard brings a different challenge to the table,” Antigua said. “They’re a really long team, they’ve got a lot of experience, they’ve been able to capitalize off the transfer portal, they bring some guys in that have played, have made great impacts on their team. They’re a team that’s picked to be in the conversation to win their conference, and again, they’re really long and athletic and they can shoot the ball.”

Throughout the offseason and into the preseason, Kentucky has stuck to a handful of key traits. The ‘Cats will want to outrun the opponent all game long once again this year. Defense should be one of this team’s strengths to go along with plenty of pieces who can step up on offense. Antigua is hoping to see those all working together with the same degree of intensity.

“What we’re trying to see is just the consistency,” Antigua added. “Consistency of effort, consistency of sacrifice and sharing, talking defensively, and running. I think that those are our strengths. We were able to do a lot of that this summer and we want to continue to show those things that we did this summer now that games are here.”

During Sunday’s press conference, Antigua also provided the media with a minor injury update on starting point guard Sahvir Wheeler. Wheeler missed Kentucky’s second exhibition after leaving the first due to an injury that isn’t thought to be too serious. Antigua wasn’t firm one way or the other but did say that Wheeler was receiving treatment and will be a game-time decision for Monday night. Reigning National Player of the Year Oscar Tshiebwe is also expected to sit out UK’s first two games due to a minor injury.

“What I know is that he’s been getting treatment, he’s been working,” Antigua said of Wheeler. “I guess it’ll be a game-time decision. Those guys are in the gym and trying to get healthy.”

Hear Antigua’s full press conference remarks below.