Video courtesy of kywildcatstv
#22, Alex Poythress, Forward
On how much they are looking forward to this trip …
“We’re all looking forward to this trip. We’ve been on a little run. We’re just trying to make improvement and trying to just see where we’re at.”
On what Coach Calipari has told them about this game …
“That it’s going to be a tough road game and you gotta come prepared and ready to fight. We gotta compete because if you don’t compete and fight then it’s going to be a hard game. It’s going to be a hard game regardless, but we just gotta come in here and compete.”
On this break in SEC play …
“It’s weird. I don’t think I ever had a break like this. But it’s just what it is. You gotta get used to it and just be ready to play the game.”
On last year’s game against Kansas …
“I mean, last year’s game was an anomaly. We had a great team. It’s not going to be like that. So you just gotta throw it out.”
On whether experience against Kansas helps …
“Yeah. We know some of the personnel from playing last year and then our coaches do a great job of scouting and telling us what to do and telling us what to do and telling us their scouting report. So we’re going into the game with a pretty good idea of what they do.”
On whether he expects Kansas to have extra motivation after last year’s game …
“Yeah, I’m sure they will. I’m sure they’re going to be pumped up because they don’t want it to be like last year. They want to get that bad taste out of everybody’s mouth. We’re just trying to come in there and just be ready to play. We’re a different team from last year. Last year was different so we’re just trying to take care of business.”
On Allen Fieldhouse …
“From what I’ve seen, it’s just like playing in Rupp. I think it’s kind of smaller and kind of more on top of you, but it’s going to be a hard road game. Playing on the road is always hard, so we just gotta go in there and fight.”
On the experience of winning at Arkansas …
“It helps a lot because it shows that we’re capable of winning on the road and it just shows that we gotta come in and fight from start to finish. We gotta play 40 minutes. We can’t play 35 or 36 or something like that. You gotta play 40 straight minutes.”
On what it will take for him to be more consistent …
“Just being aggressive from the start, from the jump and just keeping it that way, maintaining that aggression level.”
On whether his mental preparation changes …
“Yeah. You gotta be more focused and just come into the game and be prepared. You gotta play 40 minutes and just be aggressive the whole entire time.”
On whether he knows any of Kansas’ players …
“Not many of them. I do remember some of them from AAU and the circuit and all that, but I can’t remember if I had that many relationships with them. But we’re just trying to be a part of our team. That’s what we’re trying to worry about. I got a relationship with all my teammates here.”
On if anything stands out about Kansas when he prepares and watches tape of them …
“They’re a great team. They have a lot of vets. They’re well coached so we’re going to have to play hard.”
On Kentucky and Kansas playing each other …
“We have to come in ready to fight. Both teams have a lot of great tradition. We just have to come in and try to fight and compete the best we can.”
On if he gets more excited for a game like this …
“I mean, you get a little geeked up for it just because of who it is. But again, we can’t get too excited or anything like that. We have to take it one game at a time and try to take this game seriously before looking on down the road.”
On Kansas not losing at home similar to Kentucky not losing at home …
“Something’s got to give. We’re going to try to take on the challenge.”
On Kansas not forgetting what happened last year …
“I guess, but we’re just trying to come in there and compete hard, play to the best of our ability. We have a great scouting report. Coach did a great job of doing that. Just trying to take care of business.”
On this being a game where older players will have to show up …
“Yeah, of course, they’re going to look for the vets, especially with it being a tough road game. You have to look toward the vets and everything to keep poise and be mature about things on the court.”
On if he likes stepping out of the conference for a big game like this …
“I like it. I enjoy it. I think it has a lot of poise and seriousness to the game, so I enjoy it”
On the key in their defensive turnaround lately …
“We’re just communicating more on defense. We’re starting to have each other’s back more and more. We’re getting more comfortable with our defensive schemes and stuff like that.”
#3, Tyler Ulis, Guard
On how he looks at a UK-Kansas game …
“It’s another game, but obviously it’s a big game because you have two big-time programs coming against each other. With the way we played against them last year, they’re going to be coming at us. So they’re going to want some get-back and we have to be prepared.”
On if the team has talked about what it might be like in Allen Fieldhouse …
“No, we really haven’t talked about it much. (Coach) Cal has only said that it’s going to be hard to win there. It’s loud in there, and so we have to be ready to play.”
On if he’s feeling good about how the team has come together since the Auburn game …
“Yeah it’s great. I’m happy for our team because guys are starting to play their roles, everybody is starting to lock in defensively, and it’s showing on the court.”
On him and Isaiah Briscoe starting to work out in the mornings …
“Me and Isaiah started it and then a lot of guys came in at the same time as us. We just started that last week after the Vandy game. Just started getting up and lifting weights a little bit, stretching and just trying to get better.”
On if that helps them bond a little bit …
“It’s so early that it really doesn’t help us bond since everybody is tired. It just helps us getting up when your body doesn’t want to get up and just trying to get better every day.”
On what made them want to get up early like that …
“Just to get better. With this team that we have, we feel like we can be great. So whatever we can do to get better, we’re going to try to do.”
On Coach Cal suggesting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist starting that a couple of years ago …
“He told us that last year that he started it. That’s been a story here, everybody knows about it. He’s a hard worker, so why not follow in his footsteps?”
On whose decision it was to do it this year …
“We just came together and felt like we wanted to lift one day and just kept on doing it. Caught a couple of more guys in and they came in and worked. Now it’s almost an everyday thing.”
On where the defensive intensity came from …
“I don’t know. Guys just bought in and everybody has been picking it up. We’ve been going at each other in practice and we’re all coming together as a team and it’s working out for us.”
On if he was like Coach Cal just waiting for the day where everybody buys in …
“Yeah, everybody was waiting for that. The team is just now coming together like I said and we’re playing so good defensively, it’s hard to score on us. We’re not really focused on offense. We’re just trying to lock down.”
On what tells him that the effort is better …
“Just everybody’s performance. You can see it on how people are talking on defense, how people move, how hard everyone is playing. When guys are calling for breaks, they’re playing hard. So it’s just a lot different team.”
On how important it is for the older guys to really show up on the court …
“Very important because we have a lot of young guys and we have to lead by example and vocally. We have to help those guys. They haven’t been in a game like this. We played Kansas last year. They may be prepared, I think everyone has prepared. But if they’re not, older guys have to step up and try to help them through it.”
On what he did to take on more leadership …
“It’s always been in me. Last year I didn’t have to do it as much. I was one of the younger guys, people knew what they were doing. I just had to follow in Andrew (Harrison)’s footsteps and just try to learn from him.”
On Derek Willis’ emergence as a rebounder …
“That just came out of nowhere. Coach Cal has been stressing it to him and he’s been coming out doing what he has to do. He had a double-double last game, he’s stretching the floor out for us and he’s helping us out a lot.”
On how much of his mid-range jumpers were because of Willis stretching the floor …
“A lot because guys usually want to ball-screen and stay with me a little longer. With Derek out there, they have to run back to him on that 3-point line. So it gives me more room to pull up.”
On his thoughts of Coach Cal saying he’s coaching this team …
“I’m just trying to be the coach on the floor, try to help guys out. When you can’t hear them and it’s such a loud arena, you have to bring the guys together and try to get them through everything that’s going on in the game.”
On if he could imagine himself as a coach someday …
“I don’t know. Right now I can only imagine playing. I love the game too much to stop playing. So I feel like I always want to play.”
#22, Alex Poythress, Forward
On how much they are looking forward to this trip …
“We’re all looking forward to this trip. We’ve been on a little run. We’re just trying to make improvement and trying to just see where we’re at.”
On what Coach Calipari has told them about this game …
“That it’s going to be a tough road game and you gotta come prepared and ready to fight. We gotta compete because if you don’t compete and fight then it’s going to be a hard game. It’s going to be a hard game regardless, but we just gotta come in here and compete.”
On this break in SEC play …
“It’s weird. I don’t think I ever had a break like this. But it’s just what it is. You gotta get used to it and just be ready to play the game.”
On last year’s game against Kansas …
“I mean, last year’s game was an anomaly. We had a great team. It’s not going to be like that. So you just gotta throw it out.”
On whether experience against Kansas helps …
“Yeah. We know some of the personnel from playing last year and then our coaches do a great job of scouting and telling us what to do and telling us what to do and telling us their scouting report. So we’re going into the game with a pretty good idea of what they do.”
On whether he expects Kansas to have extra motivation after last year’s game …
“Yeah, I’m sure they will. I’m sure they’re going to be pumped up because they don’t want it to be like last year. They want to get that bad taste out of everybody’s mouth. We’re just trying to come in there and just be ready to play. We’re a different team from last year. Last year was different so we’re just trying to take care of business.”
On Allen Fieldhouse …
“From what I’ve seen, it’s just like playing in Rupp. I think it’s kind of smaller and kind of more on top of you, but it’s going to be a hard road game. Playing on the road is always hard, so we just gotta go in there and fight.”
On the experience of winning at Arkansas …
“It helps a lot because it shows that we’re capable of winning on the road and it just shows that we gotta come in and fight from start to finish. We gotta play 40 minutes. We can’t play 35 or 36 or something like that. You gotta play 40 straight minutes.”
On what it will take for him to be more consistent …
“Just being aggressive from the start, from the jump and just keeping it that way, maintaining that aggression level.”
On whether his mental preparation changes …
“Yeah. You gotta be more focused and just come into the game and be prepared. You gotta play 40 minutes and just be aggressive the whole entire time.”
On whether he knows any of Kansas’ players …
“Not many of them. I do remember some of them from AAU and the circuit and all that, but I can’t remember if I had that many relationships with them. But we’re just trying to be a part of our team. That’s what we’re trying to worry about. I got a relationship with all my teammates here.”
On if anything stands out about Kansas when he prepares and watches tape of them …
“They’re a great team. They have a lot of vets. They’re well coached so we’re going to have to play hard.”
On Kentucky and Kansas playing each other …
“We have to come in ready to fight. Both teams have a lot of great tradition. We just have to come in and try to fight and compete the best we can.”
On if he gets more excited for a game like this …
“I mean, you get a little geeked up for it just because of who it is. But again, we can’t get too excited or anything like that. We have to take it one game at a time and try to take this game seriously before looking on down the road.”
On Kansas not losing at home similar to Kentucky not losing at home …
“Something’s got to give. We’re going to try to take on the challenge.”
On Kansas not forgetting what happened last year …
“I guess, but we’re just trying to come in there and compete hard, play to the best of our ability. We have a great scouting report. Coach did a great job of doing that. Just trying to take care of business.”
On this being a game where older players will have to show up …
“Yeah, of course, they’re going to look for the vets, especially with it being a tough road game. You have to look toward the vets and everything to keep poise and be mature about things on the court.”
On if he likes stepping out of the conference for a big game like this …
“I like it. I enjoy it. I think it has a lot of poise and seriousness to the game, so I enjoy it”
On the key in their defensive turnaround lately …
“We’re just communicating more on defense. We’re starting to have each other’s back more and more. We’re getting more comfortable with our defensive schemes and stuff like that.”
#3, Tyler Ulis, Guard
On how he looks at a UK-Kansas game …
“It’s another game, but obviously it’s a big game because you have two big-time programs coming against each other. With the way we played against them last year, they’re going to be coming at us. So they’re going to want some get-back and we have to be prepared.”
On if the team has talked about what it might be like in Allen Fieldhouse …
“No, we really haven’t talked about it much. (Coach) Cal has only said that it’s going to be hard to win there. It’s loud in there, and so we have to be ready to play.”
On if he’s feeling good about how the team has come together since the Auburn game …
“Yeah it’s great. I’m happy for our team because guys are starting to play their roles, everybody is starting to lock in defensively, and it’s showing on the court.”
On him and Isaiah Briscoe starting to work out in the mornings …
“Me and Isaiah started it and then a lot of guys came in at the same time as us. We just started that last week after the Vandy game. Just started getting up and lifting weights a little bit, stretching and just trying to get better.”
On if that helps them bond a little bit …
“It’s so early that it really doesn’t help us bond since everybody is tired. It just helps us getting up when your body doesn’t want to get up and just trying to get better every day.”
On what made them want to get up early like that …
“Just to get better. With this team that we have, we feel like we can be great. So whatever we can do to get better, we’re going to try to do.”
On Coach Cal suggesting Michael Kidd-Gilchrist starting that a couple of years ago …
“He told us that last year that he started it. That’s been a story here, everybody knows about it. He’s a hard worker, so why not follow in his footsteps?”
On whose decision it was to do it this year …
“We just came together and felt like we wanted to lift one day and just kept on doing it. Caught a couple of more guys in and they came in and worked. Now it’s almost an everyday thing.”
On where the defensive intensity came from …
“I don’t know. Guys just bought in and everybody has been picking it up. We’ve been going at each other in practice and we’re all coming together as a team and it’s working out for us.”
On if he was like Coach Cal just waiting for the day where everybody buys in …
“Yeah, everybody was waiting for that. The team is just now coming together like I said and we’re playing so good defensively, it’s hard to score on us. We’re not really focused on offense. We’re just trying to lock down.”
On what tells him that the effort is better …
“Just everybody’s performance. You can see it on how people are talking on defense, how people move, how hard everyone is playing. When guys are calling for breaks, they’re playing hard. So it’s just a lot different team.”
On how important it is for the older guys to really show up on the court …
“Very important because we have a lot of young guys and we have to lead by example and vocally. We have to help those guys. They haven’t been in a game like this. We played Kansas last year. They may be prepared, I think everyone has prepared. But if they’re not, older guys have to step up and try to help them through it.”
On what he did to take on more leadership …
“It’s always been in me. Last year I didn’t have to do it as much. I was one of the younger guys, people knew what they were doing. I just had to follow in Andrew (Harrison)’s footsteps and just try to learn from him.”
On Derek Willis’ emergence as a rebounder …
“That just came out of nowhere. Coach Cal has been stressing it to him and he’s been coming out doing what he has to do. He had a double-double last game, he’s stretching the floor out for us and he’s helping us out a lot.”
On how much of his mid-range jumpers were because of Willis stretching the floor …
“A lot because guys usually want to ball-screen and stay with me a little longer. With Derek out there, they have to run back to him on that 3-point line. So it gives me more room to pull up.”
On his thoughts of Coach Cal saying he’s coaching this team …
“I’m just trying to be the coach on the floor, try to help guys out. When you can’t hear them and it’s such a loud arena, you have to bring the guys together and try to get them through everything that’s going on in the game.”
On if he could imagine himself as a coach someday …
“I don’t know. Right now I can only imagine playing. I love the game too much to stop playing. So I feel like I always want to play.”
