WILDCATS

UK-UGA Glance | Izzo vs. Cal? Cal vs. clutter

Kyle Tucker

Louisville

NO. 1 KENTUCKY (29-0, 16-0 SEC)

AT GEORGIA (19-9, 10-6 SEC)

Game time: 9 p.m.

Site: Stegeman Coliseum (10,523), Athens, Ga.

Favorite: Kentucky by 9

Series: UK leads 118-26. Last meeting: Kentucky won 69-58 on Feb. 3 in Lexington

Television: ESPN (Brad Nessler, Jay Bilas, Shannon Spake)

Radio: WHAS-AM 840 (Tom Leach, Mike Pratt)

GEORGIA

Pos. Player Ht. Cl. Rb. Pts.

G-J.J. Frazier 5-10 So. 3.4* 10.0

G-Kenny Gaines 6-3 Jr. 3.6 11.7

G-Charles Mann 6-5 Jr. 3.6* 11.3

F-Nemanja Djurisic 6-8 Sr. 5.0 11.1

F-Marcus Thornton 6-8 Sr. 7.2 12.3

* assists per game

Key reserves – Juwan Parker, G, 6-4, So., 5.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg; Yante Maten, F, 6-8, Fr., 4.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg; Cameron Forte, F, 6-7, Jr., 3.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg.

KENTUCKY

Pos.Player Ht. Cl. Rb. Pts.

G-Andrew Harrison 6-6 So. 4.0* 8.7

G-Aaron Harrison 6-6 So. 2.4 11.1

F-Trey Lyles 6-10 Fr. 5.0 8.3

F-Karl-Anthony Towns 6-11 Fr. 6.5 9.3

C-Willie Cauley-Stein 7-0 Jr. 6.4 9.1

* assists per game

Key reserves – Devin Booker, G, 6-5, Fr., 11.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg, 1.3 apg; Dakari Johnson, C, 7-0, So., 7.1 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.8 bpg; Tyler Ulis, G, 5-9, Fr., 5.7 ppg, 3.6 apg; Marcus Lee, F, 6-9, So., 2.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg.

STORY LINES

1. Tom Izzo doesn't hate UK. Just Twitter. A minor controversy erupted on social media when snippets of the Michigan State coach's quotes from the Big Ten teleconference, about Kentucky's bid to become the first undefeated team since Indiana in 1976, hit the Internet. The most buzzed-about bit: "I'm not sure I'm crazy about the way everything's worked out. I don't know what it's going to do for college basketball and everything like that."

Many presumed that was a shot at one-and-dones, which John Calipari has utilized more than any other coach in the country. But there was much more to Izzo's complete answer – most of it complimentary. "I think John's done a helluva job," he said. "He's withstood the pressure, he's dealt with young guys. I think that's been great." Izzo wasn't sure how these Cats' competition stacks up against Indiana's 39 years ago, but "if you can go undefeated in '76, 2015 or 3012, it's still an incredible accomplishment."

There was a twinge of envy in Izzo's remarks. If one player isn't giving ideal effort, "he's got another guy there that's also on the NBA roster. Most of us don't have that, so you have to put up with it a little bit more maybe," Izzo said. Even so: "If he goes undefeated, incredible accomplishment, no matter if he's got 12 McDonald's All-Americans instead of 10 or he's got 12 pros, first round picks. It's still difficult to do that, especially with young guys."

For his part, Calipari hadn't heard Izzo's comments when he appeared on the SEC teleconference Monday morning but didn't seem bothered by even the less-than-glowing parts. "Tom and I are friends," he said. "He and I will talk. I haven't talked to him in a couple weeks, but he's a good man and somebody that I consider a friend."

Calipari attempted to call Izzo after the flap, and Izzo returned the call but missed him as the Wildcats were traveling to Georgia. That's according to Izzo, who called this reporter – who grabbed the salacious snippet from Twitter and asked Calipari about it – on Monday evening to clarify that there was no disparaging intent. The two coaches are still pals, "and now you know why I hate Twitter," Izzo said.

2. Cats continue combatting the clutter. As the Izzo flap illustrates, the closer Kentucky gets to making history, the more noise there will be from the outside. Calipari has been busy trying to nip it in the bud before it has a chance to affect the players. "I talked to them about it yesterday a little bit and just said, 'You've got to stay the course, and that's the one thing that can break us down.' "

It isn't just increased media hype and scrutiny. Calipari knows the wrong message from people close to his players can erode the chemistry and unselfishness that has so far made this team of future pros so successful. "You should shoot more. You should play more. Why is he going to him and not you?" Calipari said. "That's the stuff they've got to be mature enough to deal with. Now, they've been great (but) I'll tell you that as we keep winding it down, there will be more.

"I could put my head in the sand and act like they're not talking to anybody and they're not looking at the Internet and they're not looking at social media and they don't have girlfriends, they don't have their AAU coaches, high school coaches. (But) I just told them last game: Just play."

– Kyle Tucker