catmandoo
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posted 03-07-2015 11:10 PM
The players have a great attitude and are looking forward to doing more.
Willie Cauley-Stein is happy but far from satisfied with Kentucky's perfect finish in the regular season.
After top-ranked Kentucky defeated Florida 67-50 to finish the regular-season at 31-0 and 18-0 in the Southeastern Conference, Cauley-Stein reflected on the accomplishment, a feat that hasn't been done at Kentucky in more than six decades. He also emphasized the importance of moving forward despite making history in the home finale.
“We're not finished, though and it's not over,” said Cauley-Stein, who scored eight points and grabbed seven rebounds against the Gators. “It's not like the last game we have. We've got to keep on striving.”
Following win over Florida, Cauley-Stein joined his teammates at half-court to celebrate the feat, one he never saw coming two years ago after the Wildcats lost to Robert Morris in the opening round of the National Invitation Tournament. He said the “NIT thing was just bad, just bad” but said the team's winning streak that currently spans 31 games, is making up for the disappointment of his freshman campaign.
“Words can't describe it,” he said. “It's one of those things when you look back later in life, you realize you made history. Now, you're living it.”
The junior center also took jubilation in the feat after he sat out last year's Final Four and most of the team's games in the NCAA Tournament because of an injury.
“Just to see everybody have fun in the tournament and stuff was worse than losing,” Cauley-Stein said of watching the Big Dance from the sideline. “Last year I was thinking I was leaving and I ended up coming back.”
Senior day seemingly was tossed on the back burner because of the perfect finish, but Cauley-Stein enjoyed watching seniors Tod Lanter, Brian Long and Sam Malone being honored during the pre-game festivities. He said the three players helped set the tone for what transpired during the remainder of the contest and didn't mind taking a back seat to the senior trio.
“They've been through a roller-coaster, so it was just cool just to see,” he said. “It wasn't anything about a perfect season, it was about the seniors, that's what it was about. We were playing for them so they can get into the game and have their moment for the rest of their lives.”
Now that the regular-season is over and the stress of a perfect season is out of the way, Cauley-Stein said Wildcats are set for the postseason, starting with the Southeastern Conference Tournament in Nashville.
“We're not really worried about the SEC Tournament, we're playing for the fans, there,” he said. “They're going to travel, everywhere anyway, especially (in Nashville). That's really who we are playing for, the fans and everything.”
In moving past the regular-season, Cauley-Stein and the Wildcats also have to guard against the winds of March Madness. Cauley-Stein said the team's top goal is to win a national title. If Kentucky fails to cut down the nets at Lucas Oil Stadium next month, he will be disappointed.
“If we don't win the NCAA championship, we'll still feel empty,” he said.
If the road to Indy does become dusty and dry, Cauley-Stein won't feel empty about his experiences as a Wildcat. He said playing at Kentucky is “probably one of the best things you'll probably do in your life.”
“Having the fans enjoy seeing you play and enjoy learning about you as a person,” he said. “That never leaves here. You're going to always be part of that family here, so it's a great feeling.”
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[ 03-08-2015, 10:13 AM: Message edited by: catmandoo ]
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posted 03-08-2015 10:12 AM
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