Kentucky Coach John Calipari said Monday that he does not want his players to worry about winning games in order to improve seeding nor ranking nor enhance the chances for a more favorable matchup.
“We don’t have our backs to the wall to do this and this and this,” he said. “We just have to catch fire. And it’s not shooting.”
So how does Calipari want the players to catch fire?
“Defense,” he said. “Playing together. Playing for each other. Subbing yourself because you’re tired.”

Jerry Tipton of the Lexington Herald- Leader has covered Kentucky basketball since the 1981-82 season. That time includes five coaches, five Final Fours, four athletic directors, two interim athletic directors and many memories. Before coming to Lexington, Tipton worked eight years for the Huntington (W.Va.) Herald-Dispatch. He covered Marshall’s basketball team for two seasons before coming to the Herald-Leader.
