Kentucky using St. Peter's loss as motivation: "We have a chip on our shoulder"

Much has been made about the pressure on Kentucky this week given last year’s first-round loss to St. Peter’s. Another first-round exit would be devastating, and an understandable distraction coming off a disappointing SEC Tournament. You’ll be glad to hear that the Cats are using that loss as motivation heading into tonight’s game.

“One hundred percent,” Jacob Toppin said when asked if the returning team members were “pissed off” by last year’s loss. “We have a chip on our shoulder, the guys that were here last year and we ingrained that into the newer guys so I feel like everyone is in a great mindset and ready to see what we can do tomorrow.”

Keeping Kentucky in that “great mindset” has been John Calipari’s priority this week. Yesterday, he and the players talked about how they are staying loose on and off the court. Sahvir Wheeler, who is back to fully participating in practice and says he will be available tonight, admitted that nerves might be an issue for everyone, but that’s just one more reason for the veterans to step up.

“For some guys, they’re gonna be nervous, the guys who have never been here before, but even for guys who have, just knowing what happened, last year, but it’s the experience that makes you who you are,” Wheeler said.

“There might be some nerves; there might not. I think as guys who have been through it, we’re going to keep each other loose, and that includes everybody. Keep the coaches loose, keep the managers loose, keep each other loose, keep each other free, because when we’re out there playing free and playing for each other, we’re playing some of our best basketball.”

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“The pressure is on everybody else and not us”

Toppin went further, saying that all of the adversity Kentucky has faced this season will help them tune out the noise.

“Honestly, I don’t think any of us feel any pressure because we’ve been counted out all season. Just a month ago, everybody was saying we were going to be in the NIT, so I feel like the pressure is on everybody else and not us. And I feel like we’re all in the right mindset going into this game so I’m really excited to see what we can do tomorrow.

“There’s no pressure,” Oscar Tshiebwe said. “I told them, what happened last year is none of our business. We learn; we know. Last year, we went in with so much confidence and not ready to play. They came and upset us. This year, we know it’s the final game, we’re going to lock in and we’re going to get this.”

You can’t think of the St. Peter’s loss without thinking of Oscar crumpling into tears as the buzzer sounded. When Oscar announced his return to Kentucky for a senior season, he said he was on a mission to bring the program its ninth national championship. The season hasn’t gone as all had hoped thus far, but Oscar is sharing that message with his teammates ahead of the start of the final run.

“My message to them is this is the year, the day we’ve been working to all year. Every team right now in this tournament is a good team. Every team to make this tournament has to be a good team, so we’ve got to lock in, stay focused, don’t be distracted, stay away from social media, get enough sleep, get your body rested, and come in and help us to reach our dream. This is my dream, to win a national championship.”

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