Sports

Kentucky kids can silence critics

John Calipari goes to church every day. Whether he’s praying for forgiveness or an NCAA championship is between him and the man upstairs.

Calipari is college basketball’s lightning rod. Some see him as the next Jerry Tarkanian, a major violation waiting to happen. Others see unconventional genius in the way the Kentucky coach works the system.

Under current NBA rules, a player must be 19 to be eligible for the draft. The choices are going to college, playing overseas for a year (see: Brandon Jennings) or sitting around for a year.

Calipari’s Kentucky program is the perfect pit stop. He runs NBA offenses and defenses, he helps players maximize their individual skills and his players are available to the media after every game — just like in the NBA.

Syracuse has a great communications school, where young men dreaming of being the next Bob Costas enroll. Kentucky has a great program, one where there is no expectation a player will stay more than two years.

Kentucky’s starting five for most of the season comprises three freshmen — center Anthony Davis, forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and guard Marquise Teague — and sophomores Doron Lamb and Terrence Jones. Lamb and Jones almost surely would have come out last year if not for the NBA’s labor strife.

It is the most talented starting five in college basketball. It is why Kentucky is the team to beat in this tournament. The odds say they are 5-to-2 to win it all.

If that happens, Cal finally will get his first national championship. If not, he is poised to bring in another class of sensation freshmen. Either way, he’ll keep to his ritual of going to Mass ever day.

He has taken two other programs — UMass and Memphis — to the Final Four, and both later were stripped of their finishes for rules violations. Whatever Cal is praying for, it never hurts to have the big man in your side.

GENERATION GAP

Memphis, the No. 8 seed in the West, has emerged as a sleeper favorite after ripping through the Conference USA tourney. Josh Pastner, 34, is a hot young coach. He still gets pimples. It wouldn’t be a surprise if has Nas on his iPhone. His athletic team is averaging 74 points per game on 49-percent shooting, but rank 106th in turnover margin.

Pastner goes up against St. Louis’ Rick Majerus, 64, considered one of the best game’s best coaches. But Majerus has a history of heart problems — seven bypasses and two stents. It wouldn’t surprise if he has Neal Diamond on his tape player. His tough-nosed team allows 57 points per game and ranks 11th in turnover margin.

DR. LECTER AWARD

Southern Miss coach Larry Eustachy was last seen suffering a meltdown in the 2000 regional finals, getting ejected as his Iowa State team fell to Michigan State. Eustachy’s Golden Eagles, the No. 9 seed in the East, draw Kansas State and coach Frank Martin, whose 1,000-yard stare has obtained cult status. No fava beans please.

CABLE GUY

If you can only watch one game on Thursday, make certain to catch Wichita State-VCU, the 5-vs.-12 game in the South, in primetime on CBS. The Shockers want to get the ball to 7-foot senior center Garrett Stutz. The Rams want to speed up the national anthem and everything that follows. VCU coach Shaka Smart, who took his team to the Final Four a year ago, is the Chip Kelly of college hoops.

If you can only watch one game on Friday, check out No. 3 Georgetown against No. 14 Belmont as the late game on truTV. There’s strong sentiment for the Bruins to pull the upset. They lost to Duke by just one point, 77-76, in their season opener. Belmont, the Atlantic Sun champion, is 10th in 3-point makes (8.8 per game) on 37.8 percent. The Hoyas are first in the nation in 3-point defense (27 percent).

MR. CONGENIALITY AWARD

Loyola of Maryland coach Jimmy Patsos is a Big Fat Greek Storyteller.

THIRD-ROUND HIGHLIGHTS

No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 9 Connecticut (South): There will be so many pro scouts in Louisville, Ky., the fire marshal may have to do crowd control. These are the two most talented starting fives in college basketball. If the Huskies bring their A-game, it goes down to the buzzer.

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 10 Xavier (South): The well-mannered Blue Devils led St. John’s by 23 on Jan. 28 before the Johnnies used their athleticism to get back in the game. Xavier was involved in an ugly early-season brawl with Cincinnati. The Musketeers are hard-edged and unpolished. They are the anti-Duke.

No. 3 Florida State vs. No. 6 Cincinnati (East): The officiating crew for this game will be comprised of two basketball refs and one wrestling ref. Cincy is the toughest team in the Big East. FSU is the toughest team in the ACC. These guys think you get two points for a takedown. Maybe they will.

No. 4 Michigan vs. No. 5 Temple (Midwest): The Owls play the kind of in-your-chest, man-to-man defense that Bob Knight’s Indiana teams were know for. The Wolverines play the kind of 1-3-1 defense Temple was known for under John Chaney. During the regular season, Temple beat Duke, 78-73; Michigan lost to Duke, 83-75.