Cats keen on increasing intensity
January 6, 2012
Let Darius Miller try to explain why UK hasn’t pieced together consistent effort on a full-game, game-to-game basis.
“I honestly don’t know,” Miller said. “It’s something we have to get figured out before it’s too late.”
It’s not too late now, by any means. The only part of the schedule that’s passed is the non-conference portion.
But it is January. It is conference play.
Still, head coach John Calipari knows it will still take some (more) time for the team to realize their potential. He said he wished it could have happened by December, but for most teams it happens around mid-February.
“What brings anxiety and what wears you out, is my timetable is different than theirs,” Calipari said. “And what happens is, we’re going by their timetable.”
Calipari stressed that his team’s record doesn’t matter as much as improving every game, and the quickest way to improving is playing with more intensity, more often.
Its opponents will. Whether the Cats will be able to raise their level of play by choice — finding it within themselves — or by force — like last year’s team did from repeated losses — is yet to be seen.
The Cats vow it will happen, one way or another.
“We’re going to have to play hard for every game from now on,” Miller said. “There can’t be any games where we lack in intensity, lack in effort.”
Said Terrence Jones, “You really got to come to play and prove you’re the best team every night.”
Miller and Jones understand why it works that way. They’ve played in the league before. To attempt catching the freshmen up to speed, Calipari showed the team a tape of last year’s SEC games, hoping to demonstrate the increased physicality.
If nothing else, the rookies are aware.
“They understand, this is the hard part right now,” Calipari said.
Anthony Davis on Tuesday sounded like he was already prepared. He’s averaging 12.7 points and 10.6 rebounds per game and has been complimented for his improved toughness, but knows the competition is about to increase.
“I’m not really familiar with SEC play, but it’s physical,” Davis said. “Especially at my position. They’re bigger, stronger.”
He’s supposed to be better, as are the rest of the Cats, the heavy favorite to win the league. Will it happen? It will largely depend on how UK handles the road — two seasons ago, UK went 14-2. One season ago, UK went 10-6. All eight losses were on the road.
So far, UK is 0-1 on the road, with the loss coming at Indiana.
But the road games aren’t yet on the schedule. And even if they were, Calipari is focusing on just one thing: improving.
“Because if this team gets better,” Calipari said, “we’ll be where we want to be when this ends up.”
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