Going up against the No. 1 team in the country is a difficult task. It is even more difficult when you are not at full strength as Kentucky will be as they take on No. 1 Kansas on Tuesday in the Champions Classic.
In their most recent game against Texas A&M Commerce on Friday, the Wildcats were out the three big men (Aaron Bradshaw, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Ugonna Onyenso), plus Adou Thiero due to concussion protocol. In his pre-game presser today, John Calipari provided on all four of those players.
“I believe Adou will be fine. Aaron will not. Ugonna will not. And we got to hear on Z in the next couple days or he will not,” Calipari said. While he was pretty definitive and short on three of the players, he went more in-depth with Ivisic, even showing some frustration.
“The NCAA has 45 days to make a judgment from the time he gets here,” Calipari said. “There is still a couple weeks left in that. If we had gotten him in earlier, we would know. It is what it is.”
Calipari’s comments seem to be directed towards Kentucky’s admissions office which did not clear Zvonimir Ivisic for over two months. That said, if Ivisic were to get cleared at the last second, do not expect a large impact.
“He’s only practiced six days with us, maybe seven since he’s been here,” Calipari said. “He ramped up, went three days. Hurt, was out. Came back. Ramped up again and has practiced three-four days… Thought it would be nice to throw him in the game and reward him for what he has been through.”
Calipari’s full press conference can be watched here:
More must-reads: