By Keith Taylor
Special to NKyTribune
As John Calipari predicted, Kentucky’s path back to the Final Four won’t be easy. A potential second-round matchup against Indiana and a regional semifinal contest against North Carolina awaits the Wildcats.
“We got the toughest path,” Calipari said. “ … I told (Indiana coach) Tom (Crean) three weeks ago that we would be playing them. I said, ‘West Virginia, you, and my prediction was Kansas (as a top seed). He’ll tell you.”
However, before Calipari’s squad can even think about the Hoosiers or even the Tar Heels, Kentucky must get by first-round opponent Stony Brook in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament Thursday at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. Tipoff is set for 9:40 p.m. and will be televised on CBS.
Although potential matchups with No. 5 seed Indiana and top-seeded North Carolina are intriguing, the Wildcats aren’t looking ahead. Kentucky senior Alex Poythress said the team is thinking about the present and not the bracket.
“We gotta focus on Stony Brook first and then figure out who we gotta play next after that,” Poythress said.
The Seawolves (26-6) will be making their first appearance in the Big Dance after missing a pair of close calls in the conference tournament championship during the past five years. A year ago, Stony Brook lost to Albany in the America East Conference finals, but claimed the league’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament with an 80-74 win over Vermont last week.
Although a newcomer to the big stage, Kentucky forward Marcus Lee said the Seawolves are well-known in the collegiate basketball circles.
“I’ve definitely heard of them,” Lee said. “I’ve watched some of their games. They’re a great team. We’re just excited to play them.”
The Seawolves feature a veteran cast, led by senior forward Jameel Warney, who scored a school-record 43 points in the conference tournament finals. Warney is two-time America East Conference Player of the Year and is averaging 19.8 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.
“He’s the best player to ever wear a Stony Brook jersey,” Stony Brook coach Steve Pikiell said.
Calipari caught a glimpse of Warney and the Seawolves recently and came away impressed with the America East program.
“They’re good,” the Kentucky coach said. “They’ve got a big kid that had (43) points in a game against Vermont and like I said, I just happened to be laying there and I watched some of the game. But this is how it is. It’s every year the same.”
Despite the seed and placement which prevented the Wildcats from returning to Louisville for the regional semifinals, the Wildcats aren’t concerned about the first-round matchup or what looms on the horizon.
“I don’t think they’re worried about it,” Calipari said. “They’re so happy, they don’t care. They’re hungry. They’re like, ‘I don’t care who we play, let’s play.’”
Poythress agreed with his coach and said the Wildcats can’t be consumed about what happens behind the scenes.
“I don’t know how that stuff works,” Poythress said. “I really don’t know. The RPI, BPI, I don’t know who makes that stuff up, but it is what it is at this point. You can’t change anything about it. So we just gotta throw up the ball and hoop.”
Once the tournament begins, Lee said the Wildcats will focus on enjoying the ride.
“This is kinda the moment where (coach Calipari) always stresses to have fun,” Lee said. “This is kinda the moment people start stressing over the little things or what might happen. When we stress on having fun it kind of drains all that out.”
Keith Taylor is a columnist and senior sports writer who covers University of Kentucky athletics for KyForward.com