John Calipari and UK basketball remain focused despite lofty expectations

Kentucky+head+coach+John+Calipari+during+the+first+half+of+the+University+of+Kentucky+mens+basketball+game+vs.+Vanderbilt+University+during+the+SEC+Tournament+at+Bridgestone+Arena+in+Nashville%2C+Tenn.%2C+on+Friday%2C+March+15%2C+2013.+UK+lost+64-48.+Photo+by+Tessa+Lighty

Kentucky head coach John Calipari during the first half of the University of Kentucky men’s basketball game vs. Vanderbilt University during the SEC Tournament at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday, March 15, 2013. UK lost 64-48. Photo by Tessa Lighty

By Nick Gray | Sports editor

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For a fan base salivating for wins and championships every year from college basketball’s most accomplished program, expectations for UK are high each and every season.

This season is no different. The Cats are ranked No. 1 in the USA TODAY  Sports Coaches Poll. They are picked to win the SEC. And freshman forward Julius Randle is selected as the preseason SEC Player of the Year by several outlets.

But fans and UK head coach John Calipari are having another discussion that has pushed the expectations to another stratosphere.

“I’ve said before I retire, I would love to coach a team that goes 40-0,” Calipari said on Tuesday at media day. “Now, as a Democrat, you can say what I said. As a Republican, you can say what I said. But I’ll say it again. I’ve said it for eight to 10 years.  Before I retire, I would like to coach a team that goes 40-0.”

Only seven teams have gone undefeated and won the national championship since the NCAA Tournament was created in 1939.

The last team to do so was Indiana University in 1976 under then-head coach Bobby Knight, with a record of 32-0. None of the seven teams won more than 32 games, and all seven teams went unblemished before the tournament expanded to 64 and now 68 teams.

Calipari has fielded two two-loss teams over the last six years, including his University of Memphis team led by Derrick Rose in the 2007-08 season and the national championship team at UK in the 2011-12 season.

But Calipari said his team in the 2009-10 season was the most talented team he’s coached at UK.

“That first team (in the 2009-10 season) was like, whew.  It’s funny, we talk about the 2011 (season).  How did we ever get to the Final Four?” Calipari said. “I’d like this to play out a little bit and look back.  I will tell you, this team is deeper than (the 2009-10 team).  We have a couple more that we didn’t have, but you just had two guys sign max deals in the NBA.”

Calipari’s current players said they are not focused on the prospects of an undefeated season or the expectations coming from outside the locker room.

“We don’t talk about it,” freshman guard Aaron Harrison said. “Of course it’d be great to win every game and that’s what we want to do.  We think we can, but anything can happen (in basketball). If it happens that would be great, but if it doesn’t, that’s not our goal.”

Freshman forward Marcus Lee said the team hasn’t discussed it at all.

“We’ve just talked about getting better and progressing as a team and learning as much as possible,” he said.

For freshman guard Andrew Harrison, he said he isn’t worried about expectations because it comes from those who are not on the team.

“I’m pretty aware, but we can’t really compare ourselves to teams of the past. We have to be ourselves,” he said.

In order for the Cats to fulfill Calipari’s prophecy, UK will have to conquer a schedule that includes five games against the top 11 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll, including a Nov. 12 matchup with No. 2 Michigan State University in Chicago and a Dec. 28 home game against No. 3 University of Louisville.

Regardless of the program they’re playing, Calipari said he teaches his team to evaluate and put the same effort into every game throughout the year.

“(The season) is a process of us learning each time out and self-evaluating,” Calipari said.

He said players learn from playing good teams.

“We play to win every game,” he said. “But the biggest point is you’ve got to learn from every game.”

Learning is preferable, Calipari said, but winning is also ideal.

“Now, you hope you win and learn.  You hope you learn from someone else’s mistakes by watching and say, oh, we don’t want to do that.  The reality of it is it doesn’t always work out that way.”

When asked about if he thought his team had the ability to fulfill the expectations of a historic season, Calipari was not sure yet.

“We’ll be the most inexperienced team in the country, but we’re really talented.  We’ve got great size and speed and skill,” Calipari said.

“Will we be a great defensive team and rebounding team, and will we share the ball? If we do that, we have a chance to be one of the best teams in the country.”