Willie Cauley-Stein aggravated an old injury to his left knee and underwent a minor procedure on Thursday.

John Calipari said the Wildcats training staff could have put a knee sleeve on Cauley-Stein’s knee and let him play.

“But as you know,” Calipari said, “that’s now how we operate here. If I err, I’m going to err on the side of the kid. Let’s just be safe.”

Calipari confirmed that the injury has bothered Cauley-Stein at times this season.

“We have been dealing with Willie (for awhile),” Calipari said. “Again, it was an injury – I hate to tell you – since junior high school. For the last couple of weeks (it has bothered him). So, it just happened to where, alright, let’s go, let’s see (what’s wrong).”