Calipari blames Wisconsin loss on allegiance to Harrison twins
John Calipari says his loyalty to Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison may have cost Kentucky a shot at the 2015 national championship.
While reflecting on Kentucky's loss to Wisconsin in the national semifinals of the NCAA tournament in April, Calipari told Josh Peter of USA TODAY Sports that leaving the struggling twins on the court late in the game may have led to the Wildcats' only loss of the season.
"Now you may say, 'Why didn't you have Tyler (Ulis) and Devin (Booker) in at the end of the Wisconsin game? You probably would have won,'" Calipari said. "Because I was being loyal to those other two who led us to a championship game a year ago and they deserve to be on that court. That's why I did it. I knew who was playing well and who was struggling.
"You think I wasn't sitting there watching?"
After catching heat from those thinking he was pinning the loss on the Harrisons, Calipari attempted to clarify his remarks Monday on Twitter:
Let me make this clear: The twins dragged us to a Final 4 in 2014 & led us to 38 straight wins & a Final 4 in 2015. I LOVED coaching them.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) September 28, 2015
It never entered my mind to sub those two in that game or any other game late.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) September 28, 2015
Those two had come through for two years in critical moments. My loyalty was based on results.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) September 28, 2015
Following the NCAA tournament, the Harrisons were two of six Wildcats to declare for the 2015 NBA Draft.
Andrew was selected in the second round by the Phoenix Suns before being traded to the Memphis Grizzles, while Aaron went undrafted but parlayed an impressive showing in summer league into a contract with the Charlotte Hornets.
As for Calipari, another stellar freshman class has the Wildcats positioned to contend for a championship again in 2015-16.