BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- John Calipari appears to have a new obsession related to his No. 1 Kentucky basketball team: Recreating Alabama's dominant football victory over LSU at the BCS Championship Game.

Speaking Monday at The Birmingham Tip-Off Club via video conference, Calipari said he mentions Alabama's performance in timeouts to his team. He also called Nick Saban the day after the Crimson Tide won the national title.

"I was blown away by their flawless play -- blown away," Calipari said. "And I said to him, 'You may be the best at what we do in any sport. In that environment, all the talking, all the jabbering, all the tickets, all that's going on, you got your team to focus like that and play flawless. And then with two minutes to go there's a penalty and you throw off your headgear!'"

Calipari said he told Saban the best part was how Alabama handled its first loss to LSU.

"I said, 'Coach, you know you didn't lose to LSU. Your kicker missed some kicks, but you didn't lose the game,'" Calipari said. "'And instead of attacking the kickers, who you were going to need, you went and said, you know what guys, we're going to have another opportunity, let's be ready.'"

Calipari, who is searching for his first national title, has referenced Alabama in the Kentucky media since the BCS Championship Game. His players hear it, too.

"I'll bring up Alabama in a timeout: 'Are we playing like Alabama?'" Calipari said. "I was so inspired to watch that game. I was like, wow."

Samford Athletics Director Martin Newton, who used to be Kentucky's director of basketball operations, conducted the interview by Skype with Calipari. Newton didn't miss an opportunity to prod Calipari about bringing Kentucky to the Pete Hanna Center on Samford's campus in 2013.

Samford and Kentucky have a three-year contract that will bring the Wildcats to Birmingham in 2013. It hasn't been decided yet whether the game will be at Samford or the BJCC Arena, which has a much larger capacity.

"It's nice for you to mention that, but we're going to play in that big building downtown," Calipari said.

Newton said he is "persistent" and will continue to try to bring the marquee game to Samford.

E-mail: jsolomon@bhamnews.com

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