By LARRY VAUGHT
LEXINGTON  Kentucky may not have learned a lesson in Maui, but it apparently learned a way to get inspired during halftime.
The Wildcats vowed they would not have another listless performance like the one they had in the Maui Invitational title game when they lost 84-67 to Connecticut. Yet at halftime here Tuesday they led Boston University only 40-33.
The second half, well that was a far different story. The passing was sharper, the effort better and the shot selection outstanding. Kentucky went on a 12-0 spurt to open the half and a 28-5 run in the first seven minutes to bury the Terriers 91-57 and set up showdowns ahead with North Carolina Saturday and then Notre Dame next week.
“All I can say is that must have been one heck of a halftime speech,†Boston coach Patrick Chambers said. “I am going to have to ask him for a copy of that. We played pretty hard for 20 minutes, then their talent, strength … We were hoping to hang. That spurt in the first five minutes was just crushing, absolutely crushing.â€Â
Freshmen Terrence Jones, who had another solid game with 18 points and 10 rebounds despite going over 13 minutes in one first-half stretch without a point, said UK coach John Calipari didn’t say that much at halftime.
“Coach Cal told us all we did, and didn’t do (in the first half),†Jones said. “We put it on ourselves to try and play harder for him.â€Â
The team wore black socks in honor of Calipari’s mother, who passed away Sunday. However, what made the biggest impact at halftime was what the Wildcats heard in the Boston locker room.
“We were upset, Coach was upset. We heard the other team talking and screaming like they were up 20 points at halftime when we were up seven,†Lamb, who had 13 points and five assists, said. “They were banging on lockers and everything. We all got upset. We got a 30-point lead, which is what Coach said to go do. They were in there banging on lockers like they were going to beat us. Coach Cal told us we were 30 points better than them and we wanted to prove him right.â€Â
Jones readily admitted the Cats heard the Terriers’ halftime celebration.
“We didn’t like it, either,†he said.
Boston probably didn’t like seeing Kentucky going 8-for-9 from 3-point range to open the second half or the defensive pressure it increased. The Cats moved the ball, ran the court and maybe for a few minutes did put a smile on Calipari’s face.
Assistant coach John Robic did Calipari’s postgame press conference. He said the halftime message was to go back and do the things the Cats had worked on the past few days after losing to Connecticut in the Maui Invitational.
“We still didn’t really communicate very well (in the first half, and we did a much better job of that in the second half,†Robic said. “I thought defensively we picked it up. We shared the ball, made the right plays in the second half, and that’s something that we stress also. And you can see that by the 21 assists. That was something that we really worked on.
“We were a little leery going into it because we thought we were a little selfish in the last game, that we would pass up shots. But we were happy with the distribution and the shots we took tonight.â€Â
Jones thought Robic’s worry about passing up shots was accurate and that players did that in the first half.
“I think we were more nervous about playing selfish. We passed up a lot of shots in the first half,†Jones said. “I just felt like everybody was trying too hard not to be selfish. Nobody played excited until the second half and then we played the kind of basketball we can.
“The second half everybody played hard, drove, passed and knocked down open shots. That is the team we can be all year. That is how we play our best. Everybody was involved and having fun. That’s what our team should be about.â€Â
9 Responses to Boston’s halftime celebration inspires Cats second-half explosion
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It was a different team in the second half. After watching the first half I thought it was going to be the same kind of game they played against UConn. I didn’t feel like the defense or the shot selection was what it should have been. It just seemed like they weren’t sure what to do when. However, the second half was a whole different story. Congrats to Josh for his double-double.
Go Cats! Neuter Thamel!
They appeared to be tentative in the first half as if they weren’t quite sure what to do. Then in the second half something seem to click and all you can say is WOW! Same thing Linda said.
All week I was anticipating this game. I thought UK would come out and show that UConn was a fluke. I thought they would show a re-dedication and energy that was totally missing in that game. What occurred was the exact opposite. They looked uninspired and tired. Players were just sitting and staring on the bench, whenever the camera went to them. The players in the game were making some bad decisions and not executing, especially on the defensive end. DeMarcus got his usual two early fouls and was on the bench. Or maybe it was Darius. It’s hard to tell the difference when he is looking like the Ghost-of-Boogies-Past by fouling so much, so early, EVERY GAME. Even TJ was being very un-TJ-ish. The only person that seemed to be in the flow of the game was Josh. I, like TJ, thought that the team was trying WAY too hard not to be selfish. I never thought they were in any danger from Boston, but the lackluster play had me worried about the future, against the opponents that they are getting ready to face. And the half-sleepwalking attitude had me totally confounded.
Then halftime came.
Switch flipped. Eyes opened. Spring entered step and……BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HERE WAS THE TEAM I WAS EXPECTING TO SEE!!!
Like Linda and oldkentucky, all I can say is WOW!!!
What an unbelievable transformation. That first half team might have struggled to win ANY of the next 3 games. Hell, it probably would have struggled to keep the final, losing deficit under 20. But that second half team just may have the capability to WIN those games by double digits.
A tremendous effort, on a VERY difficult night. It was great to see those kids wearing the black, to commemorate Mrs. Calipari. This team and the UK family has suffered numerous, devastating losses this year, with the passings of Mrs. Krebs, Mr. Vargas and Mrs. Calipari. It’s awesome to see them all pulling together.
BRING ON UNC!!!!
GO BIG BLUE!!!!
My Mom commented at halftime that we shouldn’t have counted the Boston U team out. I noted that it wasn’t so much that they were playing great as UK was just phoning it in. Whatever the reason, I’m glad they got fired up in the second half. Perhaps we should have someone tease them before games to get them on their toes!
thats pretty funny. evidently during the Uconn half, Uconn must have been quite and somber and didn’t say anything at all
Last night’s game was indeed a tale of two halves.
In the first half, the Cats managed 40 points on 36 possessions, 1.111 points per possession [Fair, but not good much less outstanding] and on defense, the Cats allowed 33 points on 35 possessions, 0.943 points per possession [worrisome at best].
In the second half, the Cats put up 51 points on just 32 possessions, 1.594 points per possession, which is an outstanding performance against any opponent just offering token defense, and the defense limited Boston to only 24 points on 32 possessions, 0.740 points per possession, which is a suffocating performance.
First half NGE: 0.168 points per possession
Second half NGE: 0.844 points per possession
A tale of two halves!!!
Now, if this team has learned about the value of playing every minute the way they played the last 20 minutes last night, then this team has taken a big step forward. We will find out the answer to this riddle on Saturday afternoon because I believe that North Carolina will be at the top of their game, whatever that means, to protect their home court, to avenge their loss to the Cats last year, and to avoid dropping to 4-4, and completely out of the national discussion for the rest of this season.
It will be a war, and our young Cats must be prepared to engage from the opening tip, without getting into foul trouble [Darius Miller]
Cal needs to get a tape of a team celebrating and play it at half time every game. Do it so they think it is coming from the other locker room. Put the spark and the fear in them!
Linda, if that is the plan on Saturday, halftime will be too late.
It was a terrific second half. If they play that well, they will win Saturday at North Carolina