A Kentucky question

We'll see how the young Wildcats fare this week during GLOBL JAM. Plus, Xavier won't have Jerome Hunter for a while, and we premiere a new offseason feature.

Author

Mike Miller
July 12, 2023

It’s one of those rare summer days when you might actually be happy to be cooped up inside, with the air conditioner going. Between the heat in most of the U.S. and the flooding in the Northeast, I’m good at my desk. Stay safe out there everyone.

Let's get to the news.

1. Could it be a long week for Kentucky?

Keyonte George delivered a star-making performance when Baylor participated in last summer’s GLOBL JAM.

Sounds as though John Calipari isn’t getting those types of vibes from his squad for this year’s showcase in Canada, an event for players 23 and younger.

“There’s a chance we go 0-4,” Kentucky’s coach said recently. So he’s going to be focused on the big picture.

“Did we learn? Did we get better? Do we all walk away and say, ‘I’m loving this, we’re all gonna be fine’? Because we’re playing against those older teams.”

Is this the typical Lou Holtz poor-mouthing before a game, setting expectations so low that they can only be exceeded? Or does Calipari have legitimate fears about the Cats struggling, starting today against Germany (1:30 pm ET on CBS Sports Network)?

It’s a little of both.

With a roster comprised mostly of freshmen, there’s going to be a steep learning curve right off the bat. Only Antonio Reeves, Adou Thiero and Ugonna Onyenso return from last season’s squad (and Onyenso might not play after an injury last night), while freshman big Aaron Bradshaw won’t play due to a lingering injury.

That leaves some size concerns today — six German players are listed at 6-7 or taller, and there’s 7-foot Bent Leuchten, who averaged nearly 10 points a game last season at UC Irvine — while the rest of the week will test Kentucky’s defense. The Canada game on Thursday features plenty of experienced college players, while Saturday’s matchup vs. Africa will be more of the same.

If nothing else, the trip should help those of us compiling preseason Top 25 lists to better evaluate a freshman-laden roster and see if Kentucky really is worthy of a preseason ranking.

2. Xavier’s Jerome Hunter out indefinitely

Jerome Hunter’s been an essential part of Xavier basketball the past two years, and figures to play an even more significant role in 2023-24 during his super senior season.

Hopefully.

The school announced Tuesday that Hunter, a 6-8 forward, will be sidelined indefinitely due to an undisclosed medical issue.

Xavier coach Sean Miller added this re-tweet yesterday afternoon:

“We are fully committed to supporting Jerome. Nothing is more important than the health and well-being of our players. Our team and staff stand united in offering him the care and encouragement that he needs as he works his way back to playing the game that he loves.”

Hunter, who transferred to Xavier in 2021 after spending two seasons at Indiana, averaged 7.8 points and 4.4 rebounds a game in 2023.

He found his groove late in the season when he stepped into the starting lineup in place of an injured Zach Freemantle. He scored a season-high 24 points in an NCAA Tournament win against Kennesaw State, then followed it with 14 in a second-round win over Pitt.

3. Report cards arrived

The Field of 68 rolls out quite a few offseason features once the champion is crowned. Whether it’s draft profiles (and grades), coaching interviews, or in-depth discussions on hot topics (did you catch the Coaches Roundtable with Scott Drew, Wes Miller and Dana Ford a few weeks ago?), there’s always something for your college hoops fix.

The latest? Deep dives into offseason roster moves.

This series debuted on Monday night with Illinois — spoiler alert: the Illini are playing with fire without a point guard — and continued with another Big Ten team in Michigan. How would Rob Dauster and noted Wolverines fan Greg Waddell rate the moves thus far from coach Juwan Howard and staff?

Well, let’s just say it’s a good thing they already passed those strict Michigan admissions…

Is it a stretch to give Michigan a better grade than Illinois? Depends on who you ask. But it’s clear that even with a passing grade, the Wolverines still have loads of work to do if they’re to improve on last year’s 18-16 mark.

Next up in the series is St. John’s and new coach Rick Pitino. Evaluating a roster that features 10 transfers and incoming freshmen is no small feat, so make sure you don’t miss it when the video drops tonight at 8 pm ET.

After that, discussions on Gonzaga and Wisconsin round out the week, while Purdue, Duke, Arizona, Arkansas and Baylor are next week.

And here you thought there was nothing to watch after binging all those episodes of The Bear …

Top of the Hill

Steve Lutz worked as an assistant at Creighton and Purdue before getting his first head-coaching job in 2021. Now that he’s leading an historically great program in Western Kentucky, how have those lessons learned at previous stops informed his approach for the Hilltoppers? He discusses that and more with Jeff Goodman.

Links as you grab Mission: Impossible tickets.

Thanks for reading The Field of 68 Daily! If you have a news tip or feedback, email us at [email protected].