Wildcats look to build on 2-0 start
in Connecticut tournament this weekend

With its trip to Madison Square Garden and New York City behind it, the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team is looking to build on its 2-0 start to the season this weekend in Connecticut.

The Wildcats will play Penn State on Saturday at noon before playing either Old Dominion or South Florida Sunday at noon as part of the Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament in Ucasville, Conn.

“I had no idea how we would play against Kansas,” said UK head coach John Calipari in a teleconference Thursday. “I was right in what I thought, and we came out the same way versus Marist. We need to understand that every opponent is a worthy opponent, especially because they are playing us and playing out of their minds.”

Calipari and his team did not return to Lexington following the Tuesday game in New York. On Friday they will tour the ESPN campus in Bristol, Conn., and will practice at the ESPN facilities.

“The issue became that it is a Saturday afternoon game, which means we would do a two in the morning or three in the morning flight, get back at five and leave to get back up here either Thursday night or miss class on Friday and that is why we stayed,” Calipari said. “We didn’t want to put them through that kind of travel.”

Calipari said he liked some of what he saw in UK’s 75-65 win over No. 12 Kansas, but there is still plenty for the Wildcats to work on.

“I want it to be easy, but I walked off the floor after the Kansas game and said ‘well this will be another grind,’” he said.

UK turned the ball over 12 times in the first half against Kansas but settled down with just seven turnovers in the second half. Freshman point guard Marquis Teague turned the ball over six times in the first half, but did not record a turnover in the second half.

“He has done everything a guard I have brought into (Madison Square) Garden has done,” Calipari said. “You know it is like all of a sudden you forget about what you have to do for the team, and you start to do your own thing.”

Calipari said his team still shows the signs of needing more practice time and its youth, but he was impressed with one aspect of the Kansas game.

“I like our will to win.”