Calipari hopes Wheeler, Fredrick will be back for Tennessee game
Kentucky was able to beat Mississippi State without Sahvir Wheeler and CJ Fredrick tonight — which is huge — but the Cats really need the two guards back heading into the final stretch of the season. After the 71-68 victory over the Bulldogs, John Calipari said he hopes that Wheeler (ankle) and Fredrick (rib) will be able to return for the Tennessee game on Saturday. Both guards were out vs. Georgia on Saturday, with Wheeler also missing the game vs. Arkansas the previous Tuesday.
“I hope Saturday. [They] haven’t practiced so and we’re not — we won’t go with a live practice tomorrow. And then Friday, you know, we’ll have to see.”
Fredrick cracked a rib colliding with a cameraman during the Florida game on Feb. 4, and after trying to play through the injury vs. Arkansas, couldn’t give it a go on the road vs. Georgia. As for Wheeler, he twisted his ankle in practice on Monday of last week. Kentucky has played just 13 games at full strength this season, which Calipari brought up after the game.
“We make no excuses,” Calipari said. “I mean, no one’s reporting so we might as well not talk about it, that we’re playing injured. And we’ve had guys out, one game in the league we had two starters, Cason [Wallace] and Jacob [Toppin] out. Well, Cason played like seven, eight minutes, but he was hurt the whole time. But then I didn’t play him anymore.”
Toppin rolls ankle, Wallace cramps up vs. Mississippi State
Wallace and Toppin both dealt with their own minor health issues vs. Mississippi State. Wallace checked himself out of the game with what appeared to be cramps early in the second half and came in a few minutes later. Toppin rolled his ankle in the first half but was able to return. He played the rest of the game and finished with 16 points on 7-9 from the field, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. He told reporters afterward it’s no big deal.
“I kind of rolled my ankle. I tried to do a one-dribble, pull-up to the left and I kind of rolled my ankle but I’m fine. It happens. I just knew I had to keep playing. I’ll get treatment tomorrow and I’ll be fine.”
Cason Wallace dishes career-high 11 assists to 1 turnover
Even with cramps, lingering back issues, and no Wheeler or Fredrick to spell him, Wallace led the Cats to victory. He still struggled to score, going 1-13 from the field and 2-2 from the line for four points but had a career-high 11 assists to only one turnover and two steals in 38 minutes. His 11 assists are second-most by a Kentucky freshman in a true road game behind Dirk Minnifield’s 13 dimes at Mississippi State on Jan. 23, 1980. Coming into tonight, Wallace was one of only two freshmen in the nation averaging at least 12 points, 3 rebounds. 3.5 assists and 1.9 steals per game.
That said, getting Wheeler and/or Fredrick back would go a long way toward keeping Wallace fresh. It’s only a matter of time before his shots start falling, hopefully, at the times Kentucky needs them the most.
“We’ve got to get healthy,” Calipari said. “Without CJ and Sahvir, we’re on fumes a little bit at the end of a game because I’m playing guys too many minutes. But I called a timeout at one point with what 12:08. You understand I did that to get the — We just had to get a break for Cason or I had to take him out and I didn’t want to take him out.”
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