Kentucky’s first game of the season on an opponent’s court — and first since 2019-20 with a full house of fans rooting against your team — took Davion Mintz back to his freshman season for Creighton.
He wasn’t playing much. Then he took the court in the final minutes of a blowout victory at archrival Nebraska.
Mintz could not resist punctuating a meaningless fast-break with an emphatic dunk. Nebraska fans did not approve.
“When I was going through the tunnel, they were throwing stuff,” he remembered Friday. “The student section was throwing paper balls. I had to travel with security guards out to our bus.
“I was, like, dang, this is real. But I loved it. Being the villain, it was cool.”
After seven straight so-called “tune-up games,” Kentucky players hope to have a cool experience at Notre Dame on Saturday night.
Kellan Grady acknowledged that a number of Kentucky fans have made no secret of having tune-up fatigue.
“We’re not tired of them,” Grady said before adding, “but we’re excited for tomorrow’s game. First road game. New type of challenge playing a Power Five school. . . . Just naturally there’s excitement and challenge in that.”
Going into this weekend, stats savant Ken Pomeroy had Notre Dame at No. 51 in his rankings. The ranking for the seven opponents Kentucky just finished playing at home had an average of 276.4.
The NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) had a similar, but not quite as dramatic, contrast: Notre Dame at No. 165, UK’s seven home opponents averaging 282.7.
To put that in perspective, Pomeroy had Kennesaw State at No. 276. South Florida was No. 283 in the NET.
Eleven of the 14 SEC teams — including Kentucky at No. 39 — had a better NET ranking than Notre Dame. So did Murray State (61) and Morehead State (89).
Furthermore, the Irish have an 0-3 record in Quad 1 games.
As for Kentucky, the loss to Duke in the opener accounts for UK’s 0-1 record in Quad 1 games. UK is 1-0 in its Quad 3 game (presumably against Ohio) and 6-0 in Quad 4 games.
But UK players spoke of Notre Dame, which has a 3-4 record, as a compelling opponent.
“We’re super excited,” Mintz said. “That’s why you come to a school like Kentucky: to play in games like this. And we’re going to feel the hate. As a competitor, that’s what I look forward to.”
Not that beating Robert Morris, Mount St. Mary’s, etc., etc., lacked value, Mintz added.
“We were looking to build and get better,” he said. “But it’s hard to say our focus wasn’t on an upcoming huge road game because it was.”
Notre Dame will be playing its first home game since Nov. 16. The game will include an introduction of the new football coach, Marcus Freeman, and a halftime ceremony adding LaPhonso Ellis to the arena’s Ring of Honor.
UK Coach John Calipari all but shrugged. He said this will be the typical environment for Kentucky on the opponent’s court.
“Winning on the road really has significance (for UK teams) because you’re playing against their best,” he said. The opponent will be “most excited” and “most engaged.
“They’re laser-focused.”
The tune-up games had value, Calipari said. “Building some continuity. Building some confidence. Building some individual players up to where they understand now you’ve got to take it to another level.”
Of the labor it took to beat Southern on Tuesday, Calipari said of the Jaguars, “They played harder. And that’s a good lesson. If (opponents) play harder, anybody can beat you.”
Assessing the UK team at this still-early juncture of the season, Calipari said freshman Bryce Hopkins must become more consistent.
“We need Bryce (in order) to be that next-level team,” the UK coach said. “Because he gives us a physical presence. . . . But he’s got to come every day.”
Lance Ware was “unbelievable” in Thursday’s activities despite playing only two-plus minutes against Southern, Calipari said. “When his opportunity comes, he’s going to be ready because he’s not listening to people trying to blame other people.”
Of course, no matter the number of tune-up games, the more immediate concern is Notre Dame.
“I think good teams win those games and great teams take care of all those teams the way they should,” Grady said of the past seven games. “I think for the most part we did that. And we’re on a good pace to become a great team."
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