KSR Today: Mourning After a Devastating Kentucky NCAA Tournament Loss

Every loss in the NCAA Tournament hurts. This one cuts even deeper. One of the most prolific offenses in the history of Kentucky basketball could not win a single postseason basketball game. After bowing out in the first round of the SEC Tournament, Oakland sent the Cats home after one fateful night in Pittsburgh.

This was supposed to be the NCAA Tournament where Reed Sheppard became a household name. Instead, Jack Gohlke became the guy the world is talking about Friday morning. The Oakland sharpshooter, who only took eight 2-point field goals through the entire regular season, knocked down 10 three-pointers and scored 32 points to knock off Kentucky 80-76.

It’s a tough pill to swallow for so many reasons. Let’s bathe in this filth together, shall we?

Bad Stats from the Kentucky Loss

— Kentucky is now 1-4 in its last five NCAA Tournament games. They’re also 2-5 in the SEC Tournament since the last time they won the event.

— It’s been four years since the BBN saw the Cats play in a Sweet 16. It’s only happened one other time in school history, 2006-09. Tubby Smith and Billy Gillispie did not survive it.

— In Kentucky’s last 10 postseason games (SEC & NCAA Tournament) they are 2-8. They were favorites in every single game.

— This Kentucky basketball team is the best three-point shooting team in school history at 40.9%. Antonio Reeves had the best scoring season of the John Calipari era, averaging 20.2 points per game.

— Kentucky didn’t just lose the game at the end, Oakland led for 27:55. Kentucky’s last lead was with 14:57 remaining.

Something You’ve Never Seen Before

Remember that time Perry Stevenson blocked a free throw in an SEC Tournament game? It was so ridiculous, even more so than walk-on Dwight Perry starting for Bobby Perry in an NCAA Tournament game because Tubby Smith’s staff wrote the wrong name into the starting lineup. Each of those instances was an embarrassing sign that the end was near.

Well, here’s your sign.

Still can't believe this happened. Kentucky turned the ball over in the first half by throwing a live ball out of bounds off a missed free throw by mistakenly thinking Oakland had one more attempt remaining. pic.twitter.com/RsGXfZYWce

— Kyle Boone (@kyletheboone) March 22, 2024

What John Calipari said won’t make Fans Feel Any Better

“We had some guys that didn’t play the way they had been playing all year…,” Calipari told CBS reporter Evan Washburn. “… When the game started, you had some guys not play to the level they can play.”

Calipari’s young players couldn’t handle the spotlight, according to Calipari. However, he still believes in building teams around young players.

“I’ve done this with young teams my whole career,” he said in his postgame press conference, “and it’s going to be hard for me to change that, because we’ve helped so many young people and their families that I don’t see myself just saying, okay, we’re not going to recruit freshmen.”

Postgame Reaction on the KSR YouTube Channel

If you buried your head in the sand after the loss, I can’t blame you. If you’re ready to catch up with everything you missed, allow me to share what the coaches, players and pundits were saying after the shocking NCAA Tournament loss.

— John Calipari Postgame Press Conference
— Kentucky Locker Room Reaction
— KSR Postgame Show

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.

Today’s NCAA Tournament Schedule

Some folks prefer to avoid basketball like the plague once Kentucky falls in the NCAA Tournament. I prefer to bury it with more basketball. There are 16 games on today’s slate, starting just after noon on the East Coast.

You can watch the tournament live on Prime Video. Add on your favorite channels and watch at home or at work!

Kentucky Football Pro Day

While you spend the day sulking, ten former Kentucky Wildcats will participate in drills in front of scouts at UK Pro Day. KSR will be in the house when the action begins at 11 am EST. You can stream it all on UKAthletics.com and SECN+. This year’s Pro Day participants:

TE Brenden Bates
RB Ray Davis
LB Trevin Wallace
FB Justice Dingle
OT Jeremy Flax
IOL Kenneth Horsey
RB Ramon Jefferson
QB Devin Leary
CB Dru Phillips
WR Tayvion Robinson

Sweet 16 Quarterfinals at Rupp Arena

Campbell County squeaked by Newport and Trinity got past Pulaski County to set up a few intriguing quarterfinal matchups in the KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena. Travis Perry, Trent Noah and Malachi Moreno are still chasing a state title.

11 am: Magoffin County vs. Great Crossing
1:30: Lyon County vs. Adair County
6:00: Harlan County vs. Campbell County
8:30: Trinity vs. Evangel