“It’s a long season,” Kentucky remains optimistic, citing Kansas 2022 turn-around

One fan’s “that is going to be a protracted season” is one other Wildcat’s purpose to be optimistic. Regardless of the tough circumstances surrounding Kentucky’s 26-point loss at Alabama, Sahvir Wheeler just isn’t smashing the panic button. After the sport he was requested if the group feels a way of urgency to right its issues.

“It’s a protracted season, it’s a protracted season. It’s a protracted season within the SEC and this was the third recreation in SEC play. It’s a protracted season,” Wheeler repeated. “Let’s say we win out, solely misplaced two league video games, are you continue to going to ask me that query on the finish of the 12 months? Most likely not. It’s a protracted 12 months.

“If we lose one other recreation, that’s solely three video games. In the event you’re 15-3, 14-3, that’s nonetheless a very good season. It’s a protracted season. You simply gotta take a look at the movie and proceed to get higher.”

It appeared like Kentucky was beginning to get higher and discover a good successful formulation. After an embarrassingly acquainted loss at Missouri, Kentucky put it on Louisville and performed effectively for half-hour earlier than closing out LSU within the last seconds at Rupp Area. That optimistic momentum got here to a screeching halt in Tuscaloosa.

“It’s basketball, you gotta go on the market and play. After each recreation there’s a brand new alternative towards a brand new opponent. You’ll be able to’t actually journey that from the final recreation and count on it to return over to the subsequent,” mentioned the UK level guard. “You gotta put in the identical preparation. You continue to gotta go on the market and play and execute. We didn’t try this at the moment and we bought popped.”

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Calipari Utilizing Kansas as Instance of Dramatic Flip-Round

John Calipari instructed his gamers after the loss, “We gotta regroup.” He additionally reminded them what occurred in faculty basketball final 12 months. Sahvir Wheeler, Oscar Tshiebwe, Jacob Toppin and plenty of different contributors on this 12 months’s group helped the Wildcats dismantle Kansas 80-62 on their residence courtroom. Two months later they have been slicing down the nets within the Superdome.

“I can keep in mind going to Kansas, doing what we did and so they gained a Nationwide Title. It’s a protracted season. Let’s be taught from this and let’s get this proper,” mentioned John Calipari. “We gotta begin enjoying higher away from residence. We simply need to.”

The Large Blue Nation was demoralized by the loss. The gamers can not let it infect them or their play will proceed to quickly deteriorate.

“I’ve been by faculty for 3 years. I misplaced large video games. It occurs,” mentioned Antonio Reeves, who cored 20 factors towards Alabama. “Actually, you simply gotta determine it out, preserve your head and preserve shifting. That’s the one option to go.”