Nick Richards has made incredible strides this season, but on Saturday, he learned a very hard lesson: Kentucky can’t afford for him to take a night off any more.
Against Auburn, Richards had only seven points and seven rebounds, his worst game since Kentucky lost to Ohio State on Dec. 21. Today, UK Associate Head Coach Kenny Payne spoke at length about Richards’ bad day, which exposed just how crucial he is to this team’s success.
“We’re not going to win if Nick Richards isn’t playing well,” Payne said. “Him and Ashton, very similar. They have such a major impact to this program, to this team, to their teammates.