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Posted by catmandoo (Member # 1284) on 10-24-2019, 09:05 PM:

John Calipari appreciates discussing the players who returned to Kentucky instead of focusing on who left.

That’s understandable considering the second-ranked Wildcats have experience in the backcourt and inside, which helps offset their annual roster changeover.

Four regulars, including starting point guard Ashton Hagans, return from a 30-7 team (15-3 Southeastern Conference) that lost in overtime to SEC rival Auburn in the Elite Eight. Despite the change of pace for Calipari’s program to be discussing veterans, the coach warns that putting things together might take more work this season.

But Calipari is optimistic about the Wildcats’ long-term prospects of pursuing a ninth national championship.

“Some of the best teams I’ve coached weren’t full rosters,” the 11th-year coach said earlier this month.

“Part of it is going to be in the games (where) we’ve got to get them to understand we’re going to have to take it up a notch. The main thing for me will be how do we rebound and how tough are we physically?”

Having Hagans and Immanuel Quickley in the backcourt and Nick Richards and EJ Montgomery in the middle will help answer some of those questions.

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