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Chris Livingston and Cason Wallace Stepping Up for Kentucky, Staff Says “They’re Not Freshmen Anymore”

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2 years ago

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© Jordan Prather-USA TODAY Sports

Kentucky’s 2022 recruiting class consisted of two McDonald’s All-Americans, Chris Livingston and Cason Wallace. While Cason Wallace has proved himself as one of the best all-around freshmen in the country, Chris Livingston has not enjoyed the same level of success, that is until recently.

Through the first 21 games of the season, Livingston was plagued with inconsistency and was relegated to playing an average of just sixteen minutes per game. In that span, his play did not make a case for more playing time either, averaging just 5.3 points on 2.7 rebounds on 39.7 percent shooting.

With Sahvir Wheeler and CJ Fredrick both injured, that leash has been extended and Livingston has built his own confidence. This has culminated in back-to-back double-doubles for Livingston, playing his best basketball of the season.

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These injuries have also forced Cason Wallace to step up and assume the point guard role. Aided by one of the best to ever don a Kentucky uniform, Tyler Ulis, Wallace has performed well. In the last three games – all quad-one victories – Wallace has averaged 7.7 assists, including a season-high 11 assists against Mississippi State.

As typical with a lot of freshmen in the Calipari era, Livingston and Wallace have proved to be two of Kentucky’s biggest difference makers. As proof, Wallace has won three SEC Freshman of the Week awards, and Livingston just won it this week.

The Kentucky basketball coaches have seen what the two can do and they feel confident that they can lean on those two for extended minutes, as they have been, in the future as the SEC and NCAA Tournament approaches.

“Both of those guys have really stepped up and into their roles,” K.T. Tucker said in a press conference earlier this week. “They aren’t freshmen anymore, I consider them now sophomores, they are doing good and like you say, they’re both playing a lot of minutes, especially Cason (Wallace), but Chris (Livingston) is really come along with both ends of the court [he is] doing really well.”

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Come SEC and NCAA Tournament time, Kentucky will need their roster fully healthy if they want to make a deep postseason run, and Turner agrees that the emergence of the freshman is going to be highly beneficial. “It’s gonna help us down the line, when we add CJ (Fredrick) and Sahvir (Wheeler) back,” Turner said.

Kentucky fans will find out soon as there are only three games left in the season before the SEC Tournament begins with Kentucky having a 19-9 record, and No. 3 in the SEC at 10-5 in conference play.

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball Players Say They Think About Winning National Championship “Every Second”

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3 days ago

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November 18, 2024

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Kentucky basketball players celebrate after their big over Duke.
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The expectations at Kentucky are the highest of any school in the country, and there is good reason why. The winningest college program ever. Eight national titles, under five different coaches. Seventeen Final Four appearances. You get it, a lot of success.

Fans want the players to have those same expectations. Despite not having the elite talent or preseason hype of great Kentucky teams past, this year’s team still has their eyes set on doing something “people will remember forever”, winning a national championship.

Asked on social media, if hanging banner #9 was all the players thought about “every second”, Ansley Almonor had a response.

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“We do.”

It takes a lot to win a national championship, including some luck, but this team is certainly going to be loved for their desire to live out their dream of playing at Kentucky and their unselfishness. Those two things can take them a long way this season .

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Men's Basketball

Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart Seemingly Takes Shot at John Calipari, “Anybody Can Recruit”

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5 days ago

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November 16, 2024

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Mitch Barnhart sitting next to basketball coach John Calipari.
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John Calipari and Kentucky Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart had their differences over fifteen years, but success can hide a lot of things. Not that they hated each other, but they each had vastly different personalities. As that success weaned towards the end of Calipari’s tenure, those issues started to be noticed publically.

If you need evidence of that, despite their efforts to dispute it, there is the infamous press conference where Barnhart talked about “entitled” coaches, shortly after Calipari publicly called for a new practice facility. Then, there were multiple times when Calipari expressed that the administration was not on the same page and that he was facing “headwinds”.

That said, Calipari is now at Arkansas, but those differences and some disdain remain. During an interview on the Kentucky Football pregame show, Barnhart seemingly took a shot at Calipari when asked about Mark Pope’s recruiting philosophy and prioritizing fit.

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“I tell people all the time, ‘Anybody can recruit, not everybody can evaluate,’” Barnhart said. “You can recruit. You can be phenomenal at bringing people to your program. But if it does not fit you, it’s really not helpful.”

Of course, Calipari is one of the best, if not the best, recruiters in college basketball history. At times, he prioritized talent and athleticism over fit.

Quite the coincidence.

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ESPN’s Jay Williams Gives Message to Kentucky Fans, “You’re Not Going to Like It…”

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6 days ago

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November 15, 2024

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ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Williams gives a message to Kentucky fans after the Wildcats win over Duke. "You won't like it."
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Back in April, opposing fanbases like Duke, told Kentucky fans to “cope with Pope” following the hire of Mark Pope and the corresponding initial shock. On Tuesday, those same fanbases had to watch as Mark Pope outcoached Jon Scheyer and Duke in the final minutes of the Champion’s Classic to get his first marque win in just his third game at Kentucky.

Of course, shortly after the game, Duke fans began to rationalize the loss by highlighting their team’s youth. While true, it sounded like an echo chamber of what Kentucky fans said for years under John Calipari. One notable example was former Blue Devil Jay Williams.

At halftime, while Duke was leading 46-37, Williams called this year’s Duke team the most talented since the 2001 team that he was a part of at halftime. To his credit, he complimented Kentucky on the comeback victory, specifically on their offense and maturity, but then 36 hours later he posted a message to Kentucky fans on social media.

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“Let me put you on to something,” Williams started. “Whether you like it or not, networks are going to sell Cooper Flagg. He’s going to be the number one pick in the draft. You’re going to talk about whether he won the or whether he lost the game, regardless of the outcome.”

“You’re not going to like it. There should be more kudos to Mark Pope and Kentucky,” Williams continued. “Regardless of whether you won the game or not, they’re still going to sell Cooper Flagg because he is selling the sport. Sorry.”

William’s statement is true. That said, it comes off as ‘sour grapes’ about losing. Cooper Flagg is a great talent and will likely be the first pick in the NBA Draft, but most Kentucky fans would say they would much rather have the win than the marketing.

Futhermore, Kentucky and its ‘brand’ has raised the level of multiple players and coaches, and will continue to do so. A deeper impact than Cooper Flagg will have on Duke in just one season.

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