On the surface, a seven-point, four-rebound performance for junior center Nick Richards is nothing special, nor was his 2-7 shooting performance.
But when you factor in the circumstances, specifically the fact that his status was in question leading up to tip-off due to a left ankle sprain that kept him out of UK’s second exhibition game against Kentucky State and practice the entire week, it was nothing to scoff at.
“He was unbelievable,” John Calipari said in his pre-Eastern Kentucky press conference on Thursday afternoon. “Can I just tell you why I’m so happy? He really helped himself.