Kentucky's Calipari Takes It Easy On Players Ahead Of March Madness

Kentucky basketball is taking the week off. And Kentucky basketball could probably use it.

The Wildcats had a scheduled game Tuesday against Texas A&M postponed, but Coach John Calipari said there are no plans to find a replacement. Instead, Kentucky will wait until Saturday's matchup with Florida to play again.

“No game this week,” Calipari said on his weekly call-in show. “I didn’t want to add another game, shove another game in there.”

With a record of 8-13, Kentucky is far from the national championship contender status it normally enjoys. In fact, the Wildcats are seventh in the SEC. That said, they have won three straight and seem to be coming together at the right time.

This marks the second time this season Kentucky has had an SEC game postponed. The previous was a Dec. 29 date against South Carolina.

“Yeah (we could add new games), but the gauntlet that these kids have just been through, I’m not sure we don’t take a couple days and catch our breath,” Calipari said. “Then try to play both A&M and South Carolina both that last week where we get three games. Play at Mississippi, then two home games before our conference tournament. That’s what I’d like to do. These kids need a breath, come on. They’ve been through a gauntlet.”

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Sam Amico spent 15 years covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports and NBA.com, along with a few other spots, and currently runs his own basketball website on the side, FortyEightMinutes.com.