Maybe there were two replacement teams in Kentucky's victory over North Carolina last Saturday. If so, UK Coach John Calipari would hope there's only one when the Wildcats play Western Kentucky on Wednesday night.
The robust UK team that routed North Carolina bore little resemblance to the middling UK team that lost at Notre Dame the previous weekend.
"They imposed their will, and that's who we are here," UK Coach John Calipari said Tuesday. "They had a swagger. That's who we are here.
"But now you have to verify it by doing it again."
That the verification must come against Western Kentucky, which is substituting for archrival Louisville, presents a challenge.
"Kentucky-Louisville is like a Duke-Carolina or Celtics-Lakers type rivalry," UK guard Kellan Grady said. "But, ultimately, we're here to play games and look forward to playing good opponents."
Grady then made a telling argument to make the case that Western Kentucky qualifies.
"Western just beat Louisville this past weekend," he said. "So, we're not taking this game for granted. We'll be just as ready to play against Western as if we were playing against Louisville. We're excited for the challenge."
Western Kentucky (8-4) would seem to have the components to compete with the twin pillars of Kentucky's team: big man/relentless rebounder Oscar Tshiebwe and point guard/floor leader Sahvir Wheeler.
In Jamarion Sharp, WKU has a 7-foot-5 (yes, 7-5 with a a 7-7 wingspan) big man who leads Division I in blocks with an average of 4.83 per game.
"In the games I watched, he was like Casper," said Calipari, meaning the friendly (UK hopes) ghost of cartoon fame. "He's like the ghost that's in there. When you start driving, he's in there."
Western Kentucky Coach Rick Stansbury said Sharp has plenty of room to grow in terms of development. Sharp did not start much as a high school player in Hopkinsville.
"Wasn't much of a recruiting war . . . ," Stansbury said. "It was all potential."
Sharp attended junior college, where he blocked 121 shots in 33 games, before moving on to Western Kentucky.
Stansbury paid Sharp perhaps the ultimate compliment by comparing him favorably with Jarvis Varnado, who played for the coach at Mississippi State and still holds the NCAA Division I record for career blocks.
If Sharp presents an unusual challenge, Stansbury suggested the same was true of Tshiebwe, who leads Division I in rebound average (14.2 per game) and offensive rebound average (5.9 per game) while also being tied for second in double-doubles with eight.
"Oscar is a different animal," the Western Kentucky coach said in saluting Tshiebwe. "I see it's totally two different guys. ... No one has seemed to slow Oscar down yet."
Western Kentucky point guard Dayvion McKnight, a native of Shelbyville, figures to be matched up with Wheeler.
"I wouldn't trade him for any point guard I've ever had," Stansbury said. "That's a big statement. His temperature never changes. His effort and attitude never changes. He's not affected by scoring points. Scoring 20 or two, his effort's the same. He's a facilitator first. But he can really go score that basketball. And he's one of the best defenders on the court every night, and the toughest guy on the court most nights."
McKnight is averaging 14.1 points and has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 77-to-47.
Calipari said that McKnight is the player "who stirs the drink" for the Hilltoppers.
Again, Stansbury saw Kentucky as challenging one of his team's leaders.
"I think Wheeler's a terrific point guard . . . ," the Western Kentucky coach said. "He's as good as there is getting in the lane. We'll try our best to try to keep him out of there some. But that's easier said than done."
During Tuesday's video teleconference, Calipari was asked about the likelihood of finding a date for Kentucky to play Louisville. That remains clouded.
When asked where the UK-U of L game will be played should it not happen until next year, Calipari said, "It should be played here." He added that the UK-U of L football series proceeded in that fashion.
Should the coronavirus pandemic continue to cause postponements and/or cancellations, Calipari spoke confidently of finding replacement teams.
"I have enough friends that if we have games canceled, that we could fill them with other teams and against good opponents," the UK coach said.
Wednesday
Western Kentucky at No. 20 Kentucky
When: 6 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Records: Western Kentucky 8-4, Kentucky 8-2
Series: Kentucky leads 4-2.
Last meeting: Kentucky won 81-66 on March 15, 2012, in the NCAA Tournament in Louisville.
