John Calipari praises Dennis Gates coaching in year one

Kentucky took it on the chin in their first game against Missouri in the Dennis Gates era. The new Tigers coach had his team running circles around John Calipari’s club, splashing threes and scoring in bunches on the fast break. To the common eye, Gates was a seasoned professional and made Coach Cal look like the rookie. Heck of a job Wednesday night by Gates and a great job all year long with a team he pieced together on the fly after taking over the job this spring.

That’s why the Kentucky head coach was so complimentary in his postgame presser. He praised the young first-year SEC coach for his team’s hot start to the year and for having them better prepared than his ‘Cats.

Here were those comments:

John Calipari praises Missouri’s Dennis Gates

“He’s done a great job. What he’s done is…he’s put in a formula that…this is how they will succeed. The way they’re playing, we need to steal some baskets. So we’re going to fly it ahead. And in the first half, they got 10 transition points on us. You know, we had our share too. But that’s one of the things he’s doing. And then they’re being aggressive with the press and cutting into your time in the half-court. And he’s okay if you’re getting shots off. So, you know, if someone makes them, they’ll probably play different.”

Gates also sprinkled in some zone against Kentucky, but Cal said they were ready for that as Missouri’s gone with zone defense on occasion so far this season.

“The zone, we knew and we had worked on, because he has done it most games, where at some point he just goes zone. And we’re playing it.”

Calipari then moved on to discuss his team’s need to fight more. He credited one guy for fighting, but said he had to take a few aside after tonight’s game and have a heart-to-heart.

“Lance fought like heck. I mean, like I said, I still like the group. I like the locker room. You know, we’re a work in progress and there’s things we gotta do that we’re not doing. I grabbed a couple guys afterwards by themselves with me…and asked, ‘you know, are you okay?’ And, ‘you know I love you — you got to play better.’ But losing stinks. Can’t stand it.”

Not great times for UK Basketball. Meanwhile, Missouri continues to be one of the great surprises of the 2022-23 college hoops season.