by On Tuesday, the UK Men’s Basketball Team spoke with the media about their upcoming game against Louisville. Derek Willis (N. Arapaho/Pawnee/Creek) talked about the freshmen playing their first road game, how to address opponents picking on individual defensive matchups and bring targeted by opponents.
On whether they approach this game the same …
“We take the same approach to every game. We always have a routine of stuff we want to get done, so we look at it in that sense. But I think just personally it means a lot more to me.”
On the freshmen playing their first road game …
“We’re playing a top-10 team in their own place and we did just come off a great win, so just want to keep that rolling into it and hope for the best.”
On what it took to win at U of L two years ago …
“Just bring energy and bring the fight to them. Don’t get punched in the mouth first, basically. If we do that then—just want to get it rolling early, start penetrating, getting fouls and all that. If we do that, then I think we’ll be fine.”
On Tyler Ulis’ performance in that game …
“Oh yeah. I forgot about that actually. He just plays incredibly hard, plays with a lot of energy, does so much on the court and it just happens when you’re playing. But yeah, it was a pretty iconic moment (when Ulis bled in the game). I still see the little pictures around here of it.”
On whether they have a player like Ulis who can do that …
“I feel like we kind of have to have that. Definitely in practice with the stuff we’re doing. We’re being a lot more physical with each other. Rebounding drills, we do every day now. Defensive stuff. Just a learning process of trying to get where we need to be.”
On whether this is the most physical regular-season game of the year …
“It just depends. There’s teams where—I think usually in the beginning of the season we play like—Michigan State, I feel like they were a physical team. I think just being a rivalry in general it’s going to be one of those games where it’s high intensity. You almost have to play physical and want to fight somebody if you want to have any chance of winning.”
On how to address opponents picking on individual defensive matchups …
“Just gotta develop defensive confidence then. Getting it done in practice translates to on the court. I feel like once that happens, then collectively our team can be defensively sound I think that’ll just put us over the top and separate us from even the (best) of college basketball because our players are so much more talented than all the teams I feel like we’ll play against this year.”
On whether Calipari is talking about the four spot when he says that …
“Yeah, definitely. I agree with him. I think that’s the weak point. I feel like everybody else gets it done. Bam (Adebayo) can switch off onto guards, so I feel like with me personally if we can lock up on that four position then it’ll kind of put us forward even more.”
On whether he feels like he’s being targeted by opponents …
“Yeah, I feel like that could be a thing. Because I feel like if the opposing team has any chance to win, it’s going to be making 3s or getting fouled. And I feel like that’s the best opportunity, is to attack someone they feel like they can score on.”
On whether he’s surprised they haven’t been better defensively …
“Yeah. I just think we need to focus more. I know personally myself I just need to get back to where I was. I know I can play defense. It’s a confidence thing, so getting it done in practice and just having it translate onto the court.”
On whether he was one of the people who hugged Malik Monk postgame …
“Yeah. Yeah, I was. Yeah.”
On how that unfolded and whether Cal told him to do it …
“Yeah, pretty much. And I knew it too. Coming out of the game, I knew I didn’t—or at least personally I didn’t feel like I really contributed last game. I was up there and gave him a hug because he did have a hell of a game. That was crazy. I looked up at halftime, he had like 30. I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ I knew has was going to have like a 50-point game.”
On what that’s like to watch and whether he’s seen a game like that …
“Honestly I haven’t, aside from maybe like Jamal (Murray) last year, something I can vividly remember. But it was just nuts. I didn’t even realize it was happening. Half the time Malik has games like that—like even in the 20-point games I don’t know he has that many points. I don’t know. Just the best thing you can do is get him the ball and just let him do his thing. He was on fire.”
On whether he can sense when someone is going to have a game like that …
“It’s like one of those weird sixth-sense things you kind of have with basketball. I don’t know. It’s just like an instinct and everybody collectively kind of—when you kind of get that feeling, you try and get them the ball a little bit more. They take a bad shot here and there and you’re OK with it. Everybody wants Malik to take shots. He’s shooting great right now. He has all the confidence in the world offensively and defensively. I think he’s probably been our most consistent player, one of them this year, easily.”
