Cal: Big men like Cousins take beatings

Kentucky Coach John Calipari softened his criticism of the rough play inflicted on his freshman big man, DeMarcus Cousins.
Speaking on a SEC coaches’ teleconference, Calipari said he had not formally complained to the league office. After UK beat LSU on Saturday, Calipari questioned the fairness of referees checking the monitor to judge Cousins’ actions while not calling the fouls committed on the UK big man.
“I’m just trying to keep the kid’s emotions in check,” Calipari said when asked if he’d protested to the league office.
After noting that big men get fouled a lot because they’re big, Calipari said, “You have to accept it.”
Earlier in the teleconference, LSU Coach Trent Johnson complimented Kentucky for being “very nasty, very competitive in a good sense.”
Johnson noted that UK players controlled their emotions well.
“Their whole team is very physical and very aggressive, but in a good way,” the LSU coach said.
Calipari mildly protested. He noted how UK is among the nation’s leaders in not fouling.