Kentucky VS Cleveland State: Post Game Interview With John Calipari

Kentucky – 68

Cleveland State – 61

An interview with:

COACH JOHN CALIPARI

            Q.  Can you talk about the way Andrew (Harrison) played down the stretch.

            COACH CALIPARI:  I think we showed a will to win, which is good.  We made the plays we had to make down the stretch.  We made the free throws down the stretch.

            James Young just fought like crazy and came up with balls when we were dead.  If they got those balls, we would lose.  That’s why I looked at the other guys and I say, ‘Fight like he’s fighting.’

            But I thought Andrew made the plays.  It’s nice to know we got two or three guys now we can go to if the game is in the balance.

            This is a game we needed.  The question we all have is, ‘If you can play this way, down against Michigan State, down against Cleveland State, then play the way you just played.  Why don’t you start that way?  Why won’t you say, ‘That’s going to be who we are, not just being down?’’

            I was calm.  If we lost, we lost.  That’s where it is.

            One of the things I want to say is we got to have the greatest fans, the classiest fans anywhere, where they give a standing ovation to Cleveland State as they walk off the court.  I want to know what other arena that would happen in.  They enjoy basketball.  They enjoy the challenge.

            We were down 10.  I kept saying, ‘These guys are pretty good now.’  What happens is they’re well‑coached, their scorers shoot the ball.  They run stuff to put those kids in position, and their rebounders run at the rim.  If those shooters miss, they go get it.  If one guy breaks down, they’re getting baskets.

            I thought they played well and played well enough to win the game.  We were lucky to get out.  But it’s a game we needed.  We needed, ‘Okay, are you ready to start changing?  Are you ready?  Because if you’re not, we’re going to play other people.  You’re going to get down, you’re not coming back to win.  You can either start games and play…’

            We will see.

            Q.  The way you saw Andrew play down the stretch, is that what you wanted from him?  If you were calm, you did a pretty good job of disguising it during the game.  Didn’t look too calm during the game.

            COACH CALIPARI:  I was.  I mean, I know when I wasn’t.  The main thing is, this is a process of getting this team to change how they approach the games, how they think about the games, their mentality of the games.

            The only way that can change sometimes is a crisis.  So you got to get beat and you got to lose.  Not to a Michigan State where you come back and you almost win and you think you’re okay.  All right.  You know, Cleveland State now.  They deserved to win this game.  But you guys fought the last seven minutes, down seven, and played.  So these are good experiences for a young team.

            Also we got to learn, ‘Who can we go to late?  Who is going to panic?  Who is going to be scared to death?’  The 3 that Aaron (Harrison) made in the corner kind of ended the game.  Had to do it.  Making free throws.  Who can make ’em down the stretch?  Who can make the plays?  Who’s not afraid to make plays?

            I told them after the game, ‘Don’t worry about losing; you play to win.’  That’s how I coach.  I’m never thinking that we’re losing.  My whole mentality is we’re going to win, how are we going to win.  Losing doesn’t enter my mind until the horn goes off, I look up and say, ‘Dang, they got us.’

            Q.  How much of tonight was a maturation process for a team that young?

            COACH CALIPARI:  Well, it was.  We had to do some things against the zone.  Again, they played a funky zone, a 1‑1‑3 zone.  They kind of guarded different people.  It looked at one point they went to a box‑and‑one.  Whatever they did, they took James Young away.

            Again, I may call a man‑to‑man play against a zone.  Run it, it will work.  They’re looking at me, ‘That’s a man play.’  Doesn’t matter.

            But it’s all stuff that, again, tells me we’re still growing.

            Q.  Andrew tonight not only played well down the stretch, he showed a lot of emotion, body language.  Did he kind of grow up tonight in a way?

            COACH CALIPARI:  Yeah, but these guys, when they don’t have the ball, are not in a position to play.  He and Aaron both.  So he’s catching it.  I’m screaming, ‘Drive it, drive.’  Then he drives and he makes that play.  Well, that can’t be how this is.  It’s, he catches it, he knows he’s a playmaker for us.  Get in there.

            Julius (Randle) missed some shots.  Again, we got a little confused in the zone.  But five turnovers…  A lot of rough stuff going on.  Again, the point is, if the offense created it, if a guard drives in and creates it, it’s the same.  It’s not a foul.  You don’t call it.  Hands go up, you created it, they’re saying it’s not a foul.  Okay, don’t call it then.

            But if you’re telling me that’s what Julius is, then anytime a guy leans and there’s contact, there should be no call.

            They’re coming at him with three.  He needs to pass the ball.  He’s still learning that.  If they’re bringing three at him, these other guys are so wide open, it should be easy for us.

            Right now we’re still trying to figure it out.

            Q.  When you were down 11, you called time in the second half, then it ended with James shooting a three.  Was that what you were looking for?

            COACH CALIPARI:  Again, there was a couple times we went to Randle, three straight times, then we did another play.  The reason I did the other play is because they got to be talking about that one thing, Let’s go to something different.

            No, we came out.  Maybe he didn’t have a three.  Maybe it would have been a post‑up.  Maybe it would have been something different.  But James Young, yeah, we came out and that was the set.

            Q.  How concerned are you at this point, with all the good things he does, the turnovers for Julius?  He’s got like 24 turnovers, twice as many as anybody else on the team.  How do you approach that with him?

            COACH CALIPARI:  Pass a little bit, stop turning it over, but keep getting those double‑doubles, they’re really nice (laughter).

            Q.  Coach Gary Waters debunked the age‑old philosophy or theory that you have to lose to learn.  He said he don’t believe in that.  What’s your theory on that?

            COACH CALIPARI:  I’d rather it be a close win.  But sometimes it comes to a point, you got no choice, you got to take an L.

            I think, again, close wins are better learning experiences.  I just hope they understand that you can’t start games like we’re starting ’em.  You can’t.  You got to come out of the gate ready to go, get somebody down 15‑0, not because they missed shots, but because you played the right way.  Making easy plays, giving it up early.

            We’re still not a good team.  We’re just not.  I keep telling them.  Rod came in at halftime.  We’re talking.  He said, They don’t talk to each other out on the court.  They’re all into their own thing.  When you’re into your own thing, it’s really hard to play basketball.

            But they’re young.  It’s what we’re fighting.  It’s what we’re battling.

            We just had three days, I’m telling you, I went back to old school UMass stuff that I did.  Alex (Poythress) had his heart rate up to 90% for the first time since I’ve coached him.  So we’re doing things to just make ’em work harder so they understand what it feels like, that their legs are burning.  Really, it’s supposed to do that?  Nothing’s wrong with that.

            It’s just a process.  Probably should have done that from day one.  But until you figure out your team, you just don’t know.

            Q.  You have Eastern Michigan on Wednesday, who actually beat Cleveland State.

            COACH CALIPARI:  And Robert Morris and Arlington.  They’re like 5‑0.  They’re going to play 40 minutes of zone.

            Q.  Schedule gets tough.  Have you made it clear they’re not playing Popcorn State anymore?

            COACH CALIPARI:  The good news is other than Michigan State, we kind of built them up.  Now Eastern Michigan is the next step.  When we go farther, every other team takes us to another level.

            If you have letdowns like we’ve had, again, let’s be real, Cleveland State took advantage of everything we did wrong.  They did.  Then they missed some shots.  We rebounded.  We made it a little tougher.

            How about the straight‑line drives?  Julius goes up and guards the guy, the guy goes directly from him to the basket.  I’m in the timeout, That’s your man, guard him.

            Again, we are what we are.  We’re very young.  As the game wound down, I was good one way or another.  I don’t want to lose any games.  But if we didn’t fight, then we were going to learn.

            We fought, which was a good thing.  We learned about our team.  But, again, you can’t let a team come out and have way more emotion than you, you just can’t.  This is not about who looks the coolest.  It’s not.

            All right, who wants this the most when the ball is thrown up?  That’s what we got to have.

            Q.  Is it absurd to think Julius could get a double‑double every game this year?

            COACH CALIPARI:  Yeah, it is.  But I’d like him to try to.  I’d like him to go out there and do it, if he can.  They’re trapping him.  They’re being really physical.  They’re whacking down, doing stuff.  He’s got to play through.  If three guys come, he has to pass.  You got to pass.  You’re not getting to the rim.  It has to be a quick read.  Can’t be a hold.  Just get rid of it.  We’ll get it to the other side of the court and let them guys make plays.  We can get it back to you and post you again.

            It’s all stuff we’re learning.  These guys are trying to feel their way.  I’m trying to make it as hard as I can in practice now to make the games a little bit easier.  But obviously it didn’t work.

            Q.  Marcus Lee was in the starting lineup again.  Played four minutes.  Was he not fitting in with this game?

            COACH CALIPARI:  Got scored on and didn’t rebound.  Got scored on right away, played behind a guy.  We talked to him.  You’re getting three quarters.  Willie (Cauley-Stein) is playing well.  I wanted to give Dakari (Johnson) a chance.  Dakari didn’t rebound either.  Willie made things happen.  We were trying to throw lobs to Dakari.  Fell on the floor.  One time he didn’t jump.

            You know that’s how we play.  Again, you got to have lively legs.  Willie, of the three of them today, was the best, so he played the most minutes.  He played 30 today.  There may be another time that it’s Dakari or it’s Marcus Lee.  That’s what is great about having three of them.

            Q.  Coach Waters credited the crowd for helping a young team sort of pull through when things got a little shaky.  How much credit do you give them?

            COACH CALIPARI:  Yeah, you know, it’s funny.  As I watched Cleveland State, they were so jacked up to be playing this game, having an opportunity to beat a ranked team.  I looked around, I told John (Robic), Look, they’re excited.  He said, Look around.  Wouldn’t you be excited to play in this kind of venue?  It’s 25,000 people going nuts.  This is what it is.

            But here is what our guys don’t understand.  Every team that comes in here has that same feeling.  Our guys, you just got to understand that.  If you don’t come in emotionally, mentally, you’re passionate about how you’re playing, you’re going to be down against good teams.  They’re going to come in and try to kill you, so…

            But it was a great crowd.  Again, let me say classy, classy move by our fans giving them a standing ovation because they deserved it.  They never cease to amaze me, our fans.  Yeah, they’re into basketball.  Yeah, they’re watching the tape three times, all that other stuff.  But they’re classy about what they do.

            Thanks.

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