John Calipari Says He Is Only Going to Play The Players 'That Really Want to Do This'

It’s February, which means March and the college basketball postseason is just on the horizon. For a Kentucky team that has lost three of their last five games, time is running out to fix their issues, highlighted by their poor defense.

With the size and athleticism they possess, this team is capable of playing at least solid defense, but it comes down to effort. Following Kentucky’s loss to Tennessee on Saturday, Rob Dillingham said just that. “I feel like we didn’t fight as hard as we could,” he said. “If we really want to win, we’ll dig in and learn from the film. If we don’t we’re just going to keep playing like it’s a joke.”

In response, the Wildcats made sure to leave no doubt in their game against Vanderbilt, winning in dominating fashion on Tuesday night, 109-77. Offensively this team showed just how explosive they are, with analytically, their best offensive game of the season. On defense, while 77 is above Vanderbilt’s season average, Kentucky allowed 1.069 points per possession, which is an improvement over recent games.

“I’m playing the guys that really want to do this,” Calipari said after the win. “In another week or two, we are going to have eleven guys, and they all can play. I’d rather have that than four guys.”

Tre Mitchell and DJ Wagner both sat out with injuries against Vanderbilt, but Kentucky is expected to have a full roster soon. When they do, it will be the first time this season, and with plenty of options available, Calipari is not going to play those not giving full effort.