Kentucky "locked in" ahead of postseason rematch vs. Vanderbilt

Last week encapsulated the 2022-23 Kentucky Basketball season thus far. Just when you were ready to count the Cats out after a disappointing loss to Vanderbilt on Senior Night, they stormed back and pulled off an improbable, gutsy upset at Arkansas. Depending on how you look at it, that inconsistency is terrifying or thrilling this time of year. Kentucky associate head coach Orlando Antigua leans toward the latter, telling reporters late last night that the Cats are in a great mindset headed into postseason play.

“I think our guys are locked in. I think we’ve been really assignment-sound in terms of game plan and execution, being connected, being locked in, doing the little things that you have to do at the end of the year in order to continue playing.”

The biggest question surrounding Kentucky right now is health; thankfully, things are looking up. Antigua confirmed that Cason Wallace (ankle) and CJ Fredrick (rib) both practiced on Thursday a strong indicator that both will be available tonight vs. Vanderbilt. Wallace missed the game at Arkansas, while Fredrick played through the pain to provide valuable minutes. Antigua said the fact that the Cats were able to pull off the upset of the Razorbacks without Wallace, Sahvir Wheeler, and Fredrick in a limited capacity was huge for their March mindset.

“Even being shorthanded, a few guys down at Arkansas, we had other guys step up and that was big. That was big for the growth of this team, the maturity of this team, the fight in this team, and the mental toughness. You have to be a really tough team to do what we did at Arkansas and that’s the kind of toughness you need in postseason play.”

Tonight, the Cats will face a red-hot Vanderbilt team that’s won nine of its last ten games, including the 68-66 victory over Kentucky on Senior Night in Lexington last week. Antigua said the staff isn’t focusing on the revenge factor as much as the “win or go home” reality that the team now faces.

“Honestly, right now, the focus is — the benefit is that we did see them recently, so [our players] know the tendencies. Them having beaten us in Rupp on Senior Night, I think they’ll be locked in but we’re in postseason play. Right now, every win is important because when you lose, you go home. And going forward, this is a nice precursor before you get into the NCAA [Tournament] because it’s the same way.

“We like Nashville; we want to try to see if we can stay one more night.”

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