Trap game? Kentucky says Mississippi State’s too good for that label

Kentucky associate coach Orlando Antigua brought a surprising twist to the Zoom teleconference previewing Tuesday night’s game against Mississippi State: an opening statement before taking questions.

“This game could be looked at as a trap game,” he said.

Kentucky lost at No. 2 — now No. 1 — Auburn on Saturday. UK plays at No. 5 Kansas on Saturday.

“You can forget about this kind of game,” Antigua said of playing Mississippi State. “And it’s something we’re not doing.”

Later on the Zoom teleconference, Jacob Toppin voiced surprise that it could be considered a trap game.

“I don’t know why you’d consider it a trap game,” he said. “They’re a very good team. I don’t know their record (13-5 overall, 4-2 in the Southeastern Conference), but they have been winning games. They’re very physical. I don’t think it’s a trap game at all. We’ve got to go out there and fight for 40 minutes. And that’s what we’re going to do.”

Antigua called for fans to attend the game and lend their support.

Recalling the atmosphere for UK’s rout of Tennessee in its last home game, Antigua noted “how much our players appreciated the energy in the building. … We want to make sure we have that same kind of energy, that same kind of support.”

Opponents gained similar vocal support in the last two games: at Texas A&M and at Auburn.

“Auburn was very loud,” Toppin said. “They were into the game. …

“But I know the BBN is going to be there. BBN has always been there for us. We appreciate all the fans that come to the games. And they definitely help us a lot whether they believe it or not. The fans, when they’re engaged in the game, it gives us energy. It gives us life.”

360

Toppin made UK’s first fast-break points at Auburn memorable. He punctuated a solo fast break by turning 360 degrees before dunking the ball.

“There was no thought,” he said when asked the mental preparation for the dunk. “I could dunk the ball very well. I can jump very high. Doing that 360 dunk was like doing the regular one-handed dunk for someone else.”

Toppin said it wasn’t the first time he’s twirled completely around in air before dunking. His first points as a college player came on such a dunk for Rhode Island as a freshman, he said.

“If I’m in the mood to do something different on a fast break, I will,” he said.

Masked man

When the Zoom session ended, Antigua put on a protective face mask before moving away from the microphone.

Antigua has also stood out by wearing a mask at games. He said he was required to wear a mask through Monday.

“Close contact with someone who tested positive,” he said was the reason. “All of us are vaccinated and boosted. We’re just following the rules the CDC has, and the SEC has and the university has.”

Smith sidelined

Mississippi State Coach Ben Howland might have had a be-careful-what-you-wish-for moment last weekend.

During the SEC Network telecast of State’s game at Florida last week, analyst Mark Wise said Howland had told big man Tolu Smith to tone down his workouts. Howland felt that Smith was “in the gym too much,” Wise said.

A coach believing a player is in the gym too much? A coach’s usual remedy for any basketball problem is to get into the gym more.

Howland said he had never before told a player to reduce time in the gym. But the State coach said that Smith had been on the court for more than two hours before a scheduled practice that lasted two and one-half hours.

“That takes your legs away,” Howland said. “It takes your focus away from what we’re trying to do as a team.

“I can’t blame him. He’s missed so much this year.”

Smith’s absences began last season when he missed State’s final three games because of an illness. Then he missed the first four games of this season because of offseason foot surgery. Then after returning, he missed another four games because he broke a toe in a game against Minnesota. Then after playing in the SEC opener against Arkansas, he missed the next two games because of illness.

Then after returning, Smith sprained his left knee against Ole Miss on Saturday. State lists his condition as week-to-week.

Smith, who led the SEC in rebounding last season (8.5 per game), is State’s second-leading scorer (13.1 points) and leading rebounder (6.6). He might be sidelined two to three-plus weeks, Howland said.

When asked how Smith was holding up mentally, Howland said, “Thankfully, he has a really good family, a very supportive mom and dad that are really good in terms of helping him remain positive. …

“Tolu is a very godly young kid. He’s very prayerful. So, he’s strong mentally.”

Etc.

Karl Ravech, Jimmy Dykes and sideline reporter Marty Smith will call the game for ESPN.

A one-time Kentucky basketball commitment will face the Wildcats on Tuesday night

When can Shaedon Sharpe play? Kentucky coach offers another update on the star recruit.

The next wave of big-time Kentucky basketball recruiting targets is coming into focus