To discard this Kentucky team from doing anything special just because of the erratic regular season would be wrong, John Calipari said Tuesday. Three days since his team’s season-saving win over Florida – season-saving in the fact that UK’s at-large NCAA Tournament hopes are now very much alive – and three days before it opens Southeastern Conference Tournament play against the winner of Arkansas-Vanderbilt, Coach Cal said the Cats can still make a special postseason run.
Look no further than his Final Four team of two years ago. That team lost six frustrating road games in the league but built momentum in the SEC Tournament and ultimately made it to the Final Four.
“This is about when we did it two years ago,” Calipari said. “Those guys made an effort to listen, to say we’re going to do what we’re asked to do, we’re going to play at another level, we’re going to take it up a notch. We’re going to really fight like heck and play to win. This group can do that same thing.”