Why Kentucky, John Calipari are still in 'wait and see' territory

Kentucky halted its three-game losing streak on Tuesday with a 75-63 win over Ole Miss. However, not everybody is convinced the ‘Cats have turned a new leaf. In a conversation with Andy Staples, On3 Bracketologist James Fletcher III weighed in on Kentucky’s turbulent play.

“We’re still kind of waiting to see with this Kentucky team,” Fletcher said. “Certainly, they looked better defensively against Ole Miss than they did in the previous few games, especially at home. But, I think that also kind of goes down to having varying minutes with Rob Dillingham on the floor.

“What do you do with him? He’s probably your best NBA Draft prospect. He’s definitely your best offensive weapon. But, you seem to be better with him off the floor. So how does [John] Calipari balance that long term? Because there’s gonna be games where they need that offensive firepower.”

Only one team has scored less than Ole Miss did against Kentucky in Rupp Arena this season. It was Texas A&M Commerce, which fell 81-61 to the Wildcats on Nov. 10. Thursday evening was obviously a step forward for Kentucky.

What was the difference for Kentucky?

Kentucky is allowing 78.1 opponent points per game this season, ranking No. 318 in the country. Dillingham played 19 minutes in Kentucky’s win against the Rebels, four minutes less than his season average.

However, Dillingham’s decreased minutes weren’t the difference in the contest. The game changed in the paint. Kentucky began the season without a true center. As the season progressed, the team added Aaron Bradshaw, Ugonna Onyenso and Zvonimir Ivisic.

Kentucky head coach John Calipari has struggled to discover the proper rotation for the three big men. In UK’s win over Ole Miss, the 65-year old HC simplified the front court rotations. Onyenso played 24 minutes, Bradshaw played 13 and Ivisic didn’t touch the floor.

While it wasn’t an easy decision, it paid dividends. Onyenso tallied 10 blocks in the triumph, the most in Rupp Arena history. The sophomore paint protector’s presence was palpable down low, holding Ole Miss to 37.5% shooting from the field.

Fletcher is excited to see what Kentucky can cook up in March.

“We’re still waiting to see about John Calipari, that Kentucky team and what they’re going to be when we get into March,” Fletcher said.

Kentucky will gave fans another glimpse into the future soon. On Saturday, the ‘Cats will march into Neville Arena to face off against Auburn at 6 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.