John Calipari on Jacob Toppin's status vs. Florida: "I don't know."

On3 image — Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics

Will Jacob Toppin play when the Kentucky Wildcats take on the Florida Gators on Saturday? Your guess is as good as John Calipari’s.

During his pregame press conference, Toppin said he wasn’t sure whether or not Toppin would be able to give it a go against the Gators.

“I haven’t seen him yet, so I don’t know,” Calipari said.

It was the same answer he gave during his call-in radio show on Wednesday, adding that Toppin had suffered a sprained ankle. His status, though, remained up in the air.

“I have not seen him today, but it’s an ankle sprain,” Calipari said Wednesday. “We were off today. … The last time this happened, they carried him off in a stretcher and he was back in the second half, so who knows. … I’m not sure how bad he’s hurt or not.”

Toppin suffered the injury late in the first half of Kentucky’s win at South Carolina, rolling his left ankle while battling for a defensive rebound. After being helped off the floor and taken to the locker room, Kentucky quickly ruled him out the remainder of the game. Prior to the injury, Toppin finished with 10 points (4-5 FG) and three rebounds in six first-half minutes for the Wildcats, including a stretch of eight straight points in just 94 seconds.

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What does it mean for the rest of the team if Toppin has to sit out vs. Florida? More opportunities for the players fighting for minutes at the bottom of the rotation.

“It gives another guy an opportunity,” Calipari said Friday. “One guy’s misery is another guy’s opportunity. Whether it’s Bryce (Hopkins), whether it’s Daimion (Collins), whether it’s Lance (Ware), you know? Maybe I’ll end up having to play Keion (Brooks) more minutes.”

Ideally, players will start subbing themselves in and out of games to avoid fatigue issues and potential injuries. After all, the healthiest teams win at the end of the year.

“My biggest thing for this whole team is, ‘You’ve got to sub yourself,'” Calipari said. “‘Take yourself out of games. This isn’t eighth grade, just take yourself out. And if you do, tell me when you’re ready to go back. Then you go back in.’

“… Fresh minds and fresh legs win at the end of the year. Fresh minds and fresh legs win.”