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By LARRY VAUGHT
Kentucky may not have liked the game plan Auburn had, but it was one the Cats better get used to see more of in the weeks ahead.
The Tigers used what UK coach John Calipari called a “let’s be physical game plan” and switching defenses to confound UK at times here Saturday before the Wildcats finally won 72-62. The game had a flagrant technical foul on Auburn guard Frankie Sullivan for throwing Kyle Wiltjer into the front row on a fast break and another flagrant foul on Jordan Granger for throwing a punch at Archie Goodwin that led to the Auburn player’s ejection.
Kentucky went to the foul line and made 26 shots — compared to 11 of 17 for Auburn — in a game that Calipari joked could have had way more than the 50 fouls called that were.
Bottom line: This was a perfect game to get Kentucky ready to go to Florida Tuesday to play for the Southeastern Conference lead. The older, more experience Gators are going to be every bit as physical and confusing as Auburn but they will have a raucous crowd also cheering for them.
“This kind of gets your eyes opened (for Florida). They are physical. They have tough guards. They have a good inside-outside combination. It will be a tough environment. We’ve got to battle. The game will be up and down. We’ve got to be able to gut it out,” said Kentucky freshman Willie Cauley-Stein.
Auburn’s Chris Denson said UK better get ready to see much more physical play.
“I think we bothered them with how aggressive we were. You could tell at times they didn’t like it,” Denson said. “But that’s the way teams are going to play them. Get up in them and not let them do what they want.”
Remember that Auburn coach Tony Barbee played for Calipari at Massachusetts and also coached with him. Calipari wasn’t about to bad-mouth him after the game and started his postgame press conference by praising what Auburn did. For his part, Barbee liked the way his team “competed” and basically said a rough-and-tough game was the only chances the Tigers had against more talented UK. Barbee said from his perspective, “our guys played a clean game.” Johnson said the Tigers were not trying to “flagrant foul on purpose” even though it happened twice.
Of course, Cauley-Stein did admit that a quick look at the postgame film revealed that Goodwin had pushed Granger to start that first-half altercation.
“If somebody did that to us, you would swing, too,” Cauley-Stein said. “That’s how your mindset is.”
He also did call Auburn’s play “cheap” — but also said it was nothing out of the ordinary.
“Every game will be like that. I think we handled it really well. Coach Calipari said every game we play from now on will be like that. He said last year teams tried to beat up Kentucky and it did not work,” Cauley-Stein, who had 12 points, four rebounds and one assist off the bench, said. “You just have to do what you have to do to get a win.
“They were holding your jersey coming off screens. On rebounds, they would hold you down so you could not use your athleticism. Everybody plays us like that. It’s just a killer mindset that people have against Kentucky.”
Could that be because of the notoriety of UK’s program and recruiting success?
“Yes. That’s how it is every year here. We get great talent and teams play that way to even the playing field,” Cauley-Stein said. “We are really athletic and talented, so they hold you so you cannot outrun or outjump them.”
Kentucky, though, didn’t wilt from the physical play like it did at Alabama before it started this five-game win streak. Instead, the Cats got five players in double figures and won despite going 6-for-21 from 3-point range and blocking only four shots — including just one by Nerlens Noel (and that didn’t come until the final minute). Kentucky forced just nine turnovers and Auburn hit seven of 13 3’s.
“At the end of the day, it’s awin and I’ll move on,” Calipari said.
Just don’t expect him to act excited about playing for first place at Florida.
“Are you crazy? We’ve got Florida twice. We’ve got Missouri here. We’ve got to go to Georgia. We’ve got to go to Tennessee. What? We’re just trying to get better,” Calipari said. “I’m not worried about first place, second place, fifth place. No, just get better.
“Play for us. Get out of your own self’s way so you can now not feel the weight of the world on your. That’s what we’re zeroing in on now.”
8 Responses to Auburn game plan could help Kentucky going into Florida showdown
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I don’t think a basketball game is any place for thugs, morons or criminal intentions. That is exactly how some of that game looked to me. Looks to me like the Auburn football coach should recruit some of the basketball players, and I use those 2 words loosely, for the football team. What is wrong with playing a good, honest game of basketball? The way Auburn played is an insult to the players on the court. If you can’t win without beating someone up, knocking them in the back consecutive times, pulling their jerseys and shorts, then get off the court and forget about showing up for another game. Remember last year how many times Anthony Davis was socked, kicked, knocked down and thrown and the time Cal rushed out on the court. I thought the boy was knocked out cold on that one. If you want to play like Auburn go play football. I applaud our boys for the sportsmanship they showed on the court for not sucker punching one of those idiots in the face.
My boy, Kyle scored the most points, the rock star Polson was spectacular, Cauley-Stine was stupendous and Nerlens was a monster. And did you see those free throws? Did you see that dunk by Willie? Did you just see all the great improvement this game from the last and the one before that etc. Love this game, love the Wildcats and love the fun time!
Livin’ Blue & Lovin’ It!
Cauley-Stein showed up again today. Wiltjer took the tackle on him very well. Polson is a spark plug, what else can we say about him…he’s a tough little dude.
The game was very chippy and came close to crossing the line a few times. I don’t really blame the Auburn players or coaches that much. They were over-matched physically and athletically, so they had to play hard, physical basketball. We saw it a lot last year. I blame the officials more than the opposing team. I don’t for a minute think that Barbee would intentially tell his team to play dirty. They, or any team, will play as hard and push the limit as far as the refs allow them too. The officiating has been terrible in the SEC this year and games like this are the ultimate result. They lose control, the game gets too chippy, and then they try to reign it in by taking too much control. Or they will implement their control from the beginning and take away from the game itself. Its really hard to watch sometimes. I just hope a player doesn’t get hurt in one of these melee type games. Last year’s team had to deal with it and I think it toughened them up for their tournament run. Hopefully this team will use it as a learning opportunity and it will bring out the roar in these Cats. I still think they have a lot of potiential growing to do. This is a wide open year in college basketball and i really believe that, at their peak, this team can play with about any team in the country and is capable of making a deep run. Go Cats!!!
I thought it was fine, UK just has to be ready to play against any style that comes along. I believe that its good to see and play as much as you can against a variety of gameplans. Cal probably liked it.
As far as Goodwin shoving Granger in the back, I’m not the only one that noticed Granger hooking him and grabbing at Goodwin am I?
He was pulling Archie’s shorts before Archie went for the rebound, then Archie’s forearm was used for separation…Archie should have never been called for the foul.
No you are not, I saw that too.
This is all on the refs and the utter hypocrisy of phantom fouls on three point shooters and muggings allowed in the paint. Look for there to be some serious steps taken during the off season by the coach’s rules committee and supervisors of officials to get the game back where it used to be.