LEX18.com - Lexington, KY

Posted: Nov 24, 2009 7:50 PM

Kentucky got the win over Cleveland State to advance the the finals of the Cancun Challenge, but that doesn't mean Coach Cal is happy.

"My patience is not what it should be with this kind of team.  I'm expecting them to make strides every game and we stepped back in the first half," said John Calipari.

"We've got to be better.  We've got to start making strides.  I'm worried that when we get in the SEC, if we walk on the court and think we're winning, we're not.  We're not winning."

Calipari wasn't pleased with the turnovers, 22 of them.  He also says his team is not executing the offense properly, making things more difficult than they should be.

"We're sloppy with the ball.  So Eric (Bledsoe) and John (Wall) have nine turnovers between them.  You can't play big games like that."

It's not just the SEC. There's a big game coming up on December 5th when North Carolina comes to Rupp.  There's a lot of work to do between now and then.

"We're a ways away from being a good basketball team," said Coach Cal.

Patrick Patterson left the game after what Calipari called a mild sprain in his ankle.  He opted not to put Patrick back in because Cal says the Cats were playing better without him.

To another ankle.  Eric Bledsoe's been favoring his since the beginning of the season, even missing one game.  Calipari says Bledsoe's used that as an excuse not to go hard in practice.

"Because of the injury, I've been ginger with him and he's used the ankle as a crutch.  I said, 'look man, that's over.'  He needs to practice harder.  From this point on, there are no excuses.  You're going hard in practice and that's all," Calipari said of Bledsoe.

While Calipari continues to be disappointed with the defensive effort of his team, he singled out Ramon Harris once again.  Harris finished with eight rebounds.

"Ramon had another good game.  He mixes it up, he talks, he's not afraid.  I was really, really pleased with him again."