5 Things we learned about the Kentucky basketball team

5. Nick Richards is not a starter

Okay, I know, we probably didn’t need two games in the NCAA Tournament to figure this out. In fact, Nick Richards should’ve been removed from the starting lineup months ago. Honestly, aside from the first 2 minutes of the game, Calipari has all but benched Richards anyway.

Over the past two games Richards played 5 minutes (Davidson) and 8 minutes (Buffalo). The only reason Richards even received so many minutes against the Bulls was because of foul trouble for the other Kentucky bigs. Sacha Killeya-Jones, on the other hand, has played 35 minutes through the first two games, scored 10 points and pulled down 7 rebounds.

Sacha Killeya-Jones deserves the opportunity to start for this Kentucky basketball team. He’s a veteran player, kind of, and has proven his worth to this team. Killeya-Jones plays hard, has better hands than Richards, and just looks more engaged. Richards hasn’t scored in double figures in over a month.

Nick Richards seems to be a great young man, and I know that Cal is just waiting with baited breath for him to break out. I just don’t see it happening this year. Richards has received more chances than any of Calipari’s previous players, and he still has yet to make the most of his opportunities.

I genuinely feel bad for Richards. He was a highly-touted player coming out of high school. At 6’11”, 240-pounds, he looks the part of that dominant Kentucky center that Big Blue Nation is so accustomed to seeing. He’s just not that guy right now. But, you know what, Killeya-Jones was in a similar spot last season. In year two, SKJ is making the most of his opportunities, and that’s what I’m hoping for Nick Richards.