Kentucky balancing 'a lot of juice' left to give while also appreciating 'blessing' of first Sweet 16 since 2019

It’s no secret just how dark the cloud was hanging over Kentucky basketball regarding recent postseason success, the program failing to make the Sweet 16 since 2019 with five consecutive seasons of a canceled tournament in 2020, missing it entirely in 2021 and two one-and-done exits in 2022 and 2024 with a Round of 32 loss sandwiched between there in 2023. Fans were not just impatient, they were over it completely.

That’s what made Milwaukee so special for Big Blue Nation, watching Mark Pope assemble a roster of transfer portal pieces from all over the country and lead that group to the second weekend on his first try in Lexington. It started with a 19-point win over No. 14 seed Troy, followed by a nine-point win over No. 6 seed Illinois. A No. 3 seed played like a No. 3 seed, and now, the Wildcats will keep on dancing in Indianapolis.

What’s it like to get the winningest program in the history of college basketball back where it belongs in the Sweet 16?

“Man, it’s super special. There’s nothing like it. Growing up just watching Kentucky and how successful they’ve been, it’s kind of crazy to be able to be here, you know?” Andrew Carr said. “I never would have thought it. To be wearing Kentucky (across my chest) and representing (the state), now moving on to the Sweet 16? It’s surreal, for sure.”

“This is a dream come true, man. Kentucky basketball, they’re used to winning. They have a winning tradition,” Lamont Butler added. “For me to help continue that, me and this team, this coaching staff, to help continue that? It’s just a blessing. We’re excited.”

They wanted to do it for the fans, obviously, but for themselves, too. For many of them, this is the deepest postseason run of their careers, too.

“I know BBN has been itching for this one for a little while now. It’s not just for BBN, it’s for us too, you know? I’ve never been to the Sweet 16, most of us have never been to the Sweet 16 before,” Ansley Almonor told KSR. “We’re just happy that we were able to reach this round, be able to make it and have an opportunity to go to the Elite Eight next week. It’s just great.”

“It feels strange because never in my career have I ever played this far in March. I feel like it’s like that for a lot of the guys. We’re just excited and ready to get back to work, be ready for next week,” Amari Williams added. “We knew that (postseason drought) coming in, even for Coach Pope. That just meant a lot. Being able to give that kind of a gift to those guys and just keep on going, we’re thankful to be able to do that.”

For Koby Brea, he thinks back to where he was two seasons ago at this time, stuck in a wheelchair after getting rods inserted in both lower legs to address stress fractures in his tibias. That announcement came on March 27, 2023.

On March 28, 2025, he will be taking the floor against Tennessee in the Sweet 16 with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line.

“Oh, man. It’s even crazier to think how it was two years ago. A lot of people don’t know, but I was in a wheelchair for two months rehabbing while coming back from stress fractures,” Brea said. “To be here now, it’s God’s plan. It’s a blessing. It’s unbelievable what He does in such a short amount of time.

“Just the fact that I’m able to wear this jersey right here saying ‘Kentucky’ and be next to all these great players and play in this environment, just to have a game like that and win and keep moving on to the Sweet 16, it’s a blessing.”

The prize isn’t the Sweet 16, though. It’s certainly an accomplishment and gets the second-weekend monkey off the program’s back, but banners aren’t hung for regional semifinal appearances. They’re still two wins away from getting back to the Final Four, four wins away from No. 9.

That’s the balance for the Wildcats right now.

“I would say it’s a little bit of a relief, but we still have — I still feel like there’s a lot of juice that we’re ready to give this week,” Collin Chandler said. “I think we’re just excited for what lies ahead this next week.”