By Keith Taylor
Special to NKyTribune
INDIANAPOLIS — De’Aaron Fox has never played in the NCAA Tournament but won’t be worried about his lack of experience when Kentucky takes on Northern Kentucky Friday night.
The freshman guard has an idea of what to expect when he steps on the big stage for the first time in the South Region encounter at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and is approaching the tournament opener with confidence.
Kentucky coach John Calipari and the Wildcats open play in the NCAA Tournament against Northern Kentucky Friday night in Indianapolis (Photo by Keith Taylor)
“I’m going to approach it the same (as the regular season),” said Fox, who averaged 22 points during the team’s successful run in the Southeastern Conference Tournament last weekend in Nashville. “I won’t go in too excited. We’re not trying to change and we’re going into the tournament confident. We’re on a winning streak and we’re just going to try keep the momentum going.”
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Kentucky (29-5) takes an 11-game winning streak into the NCAA opener against the Norse, making their tournament debut. Northern Kentucky (24-10) defeated Milwaukee 59-53 in the Horizon League Tournament finals earlier this month to earn a spot in the prestigious tournament.
“They’re a team that we respect,” Kentucky senior Mychal Mulder said. “They’re in our state and it’s great to be able to play them in our first game in the tournament.”
Northern Kentucky coach John Brennan said the Norse have experienced “an outstanding year” and looking forward to playing the second-seeded Wildcats.
“We talked about all year playing our best basketball when it got to March, and I feel like we’ve done that for the most part,” Brennan said. “We’re excited to get an opportunity to play against a prestigious program like Kentucky.”
Much like its opponent, Kentucky’s senior class — Mulder, Dominique Hawkins and Derek Willis — is looking forward to making what the Wildcats hope results in a third Final Four appearance in four years. Kentucky lost to Indiana in the second round a year ago, the team’s earliest tourney exit in John Calipari’s eight seasons as coach of the Wildcats.
“(We) kind of have a little bit more sense of urgency this time of the year,” Willis said. “It’s kind of the last go-around. We just want to limit (the defensive lapses), make the most out of the games and carry on with the experience that we have.”
The senior trio enters the tournament playing their best of the season, especially Hawkins, who scored 14 points and collected four steals in Kentucky’s 82-65 rout of Arkansas in the SEC championship game.
“It’s been unbelievable,” Hawkins said. “This season has been my best season. (We have) a group of guys that actually want me to be successful (and that) is what motivates me. My teammates want me to do good for them. I’ve got the whole state of Kentucky behind me. (I’m) a Kentucky kid. Everybody’s rooting for me to do good.”
More concerned about his team’s well-being, Calipari hasn’t spent much time preparing for the Norse but knows the Wildcats can’t afford to overlook Northern Kentucky, one of three instate teams in the tourney.
“If you expect, in this tournament to try and bury somebody, it’s hard,” the Kentucky coach said. “You’re just trying to say lets play as well as we can play. Teams this year, had house money against us, not supposed to win. They’re not expected to win. We were expected to win. You’ve got to come into this (thinking) let’s worry about us. Let’s play with energy, knowing this team is good enough too beat us. Let’s be at our best and see what happens.”
Although the Wildcats are heavy favorites, Fox said they are staying on an even keel.
“We’re just trying to go in as the predator and not the prey,” Fox said.
Gametracker: Kentucky vs, Northern Kentucky, 9:30 p.m., Friday. TV/Radio: CBS, 98.1 FM WBUL.
Keith Taylor is a senior sports writer for KyForward, where he primarily covers University of Kentucky sports. Reach him at keith.taylor@kyforward.com or @keithtaylor21 on Twitter
