Sullivan | Poythress injury a challenge for UK

The bad news was officially confirmed at 7:38:31 a.m. -- the digital age is nothing if not precise -- and it arrived in the form of an e-mail.

"Alex Poythress Out for the Season," it said, in text underlined for emphasis. And if Kentucky basketball fans were not already aware of the fragility of chasing championships, here was another hard reminder.

Top-ranked and 10-0, the Wildcats are still loaded, and yet somewhat less overwhelming than they were before. When Poythress tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Thursday's practice, John Calipari lost his most athletic player.

"This is a big blow to our team," Calipari said. "No one will be able to replace Alex and what he did for this team. I go back to last year's NCAA Tournament. Without Alex, we don't win those games. No one will be able to replace him, but now everybody has to do a little bit more as we try to circle the wagons."

On first blush, Calipari's statement seemed slightly overstated, a case of emotion overwhelming calculation. Though Poythress has started 37 games during his UK career, his potential has generally exceeded his production. He has totaled 44 points in his eight games this season, never reaching double figures, and he did so little to impress Calipari in starting Wednesday's game against Columbia that he was allotted only 15 minutes of playing time.

"There were times Alex stopped today," Calipari complained afterward. "Like he had no (energy). ... The only thing I'm asking is play with a high motor, really play with energy, clap, be enthusiastic, play. If you don't choose to, then let someone else play."

There have been times this season when Poythress' place in UK's starting lineup appeared to be based more on seniority than performance, and there were long stretches Wednesday night when freshman Trey Lyles appeared to be the better option.

Yet much as a coach is obliged to manage his team in the moment, Calipari was correct to credit Poythress for his contributions to the Wildcats last spring. Poythress made all nine of his field-goal attempts in UK's consecutive tournament victories over Louisville, Michigan and Wisconsin, he contributed several pivotal plays in the national semifinal, and he demonstrated the kind of hang time typically associated with NFL punters.

"He's the most athletic player in the country," UK center Dakari Johnson said Friday. "He makes plays that regular people can't make. We're just going to have to step up -- everybody's going to have to step up."

ACL injuries are serious stuff for elite athletes. Though the New England Patriots' Logan Mankins played the entire 2011 season with a torn ACL, the physical demands on a pulling guard in pro football are far different than those of a skywalking basketball forward. Poythress' game is all about sudden burst and soaring elevation -- his theme song should be "Defying Gravity" from Wicked -- and an injury that slows his speed and inhibits him vertically limits the 6-foot-8 junior almost as much as would a broken leg.

"We were competing against each other, scrimmaging, and it was kind of just a freak accident," Johnson recalled. "It just happened. At first we didn't think it was too bad, but then coach texted us later and had a meeting with us where he told us the news."

What it all means for Poythress will be surgery, rehabilitation and a more complex decision about when to turn pro. What it will mean for his teammates is to be determined. Calipari may choose to continue his two-platoon system or he might tighten his substitution pattern to reflect the loss of one of his more experienced players.

"I'll watch and get a feel for it," Calipari said. "I also don't want to throw guys to the wolves. I don't want to do that to them. That's not fair. But we'll figure it out. ...

"Some of this is going to be just throwing them (out there). At some point, 'Alright, let's try this lineup and see how they work.' And I've got to be willing to do it. I told you there's going to be some ups and downs; we'll probably get dinged some. I hope not Saturday (against North Carolina), but it could be Saturday."

It could be, too, that UK will be better off with a shorter bench. If losing Poythress causes Calipari to give his starters more minutes, it might lead to more cohesive play on the offensive end of the floor and fewer complaints from the likes of Dick Vitale.

Last month, the ESPN analyst predicted Calipari would ultimately drop his two-platoon approach and asserted that UK "will not win (the NCAA) title playing 10 guys."

As of Friday afternoon, Calipari's position on the platoon system was uncommitted. Also, undefeated.

Tim Sullivan can be reached at (502) 582-4650, by email at tsullivan@courier-journal.com, and on Twitter @TimSullivan714