Ladybug luck helped Kentucky (finally) finish on the right side of a close game

Especially over the last few seasons, it feels like Kentucky never wins the kind of games it won on Tuesday night. Something (even things not necessarily in UK’s control) always seems to get in the way.

It was only six days ago that the Wildcats lost in a similar fashion. LSU hit a buzzer-beating layup to down Kentucky in Baton Rogue, just seconds after Rob Dillingham hit what would have been the game-winning jumper.

Tigers fans rushed the court. It was yet another chapter in a lengthy book on how to lose a game on the final possession: the Kentucky Basketball Edition.

But the script was flipped on Tuesday night against Mississippi State. This time, it was the Bulldogs that hit the first big shot with 10 seconds on the game clock. Josh Hubbard’s deep three-pointer tied the game at 89 after UK led by six with 35 seconds to go. John Calipari elected not to call a timeout, which set up the game-winning floater right before the buzzer by freshman Reed Sheppard.

There would be no court-storming from the Mississippi State faithful, no matter how much they wanted to speak it into existence.

“It was really cool because last time there was a big crowd and they had a sellout game, it went the other way and they did rush the floor,” Sheppard said after the win. “And that was a feeling that no one on the team wants to feel again. Standing on the court, watching the crowd rush the floor. So being able to take away their fans from doing that and watch them leave when the buzzer goes off all mad and disappointed and the Kentucky fans staying and cheering, is really cool.”

For what feels like an eternity now, Kentucky seems to consistently finish on the wrong side of these SportsCenter Top 10-worthy plays. The loss to LSU wasn’t even the first time this season something like this happened to the Wildcats. Florida stunned UK at home back in late January after Walter Clayton Jr. hit a game-tying triple at the buzzer that sent the game into overtime. The Gators went on to win by three in the extra period.

The Basketball Gods rewarded Kentucky on Tuesday night though. Or was it a good luck charm encountered in the lead-up to the game?

“I would like to say it felt amazing,” Sophomore Adou Thiero said about the win. “Right after the game, I was like finally — things went our way for once. Because last week we lost to the same thing and it was good for it to be on our side this time. The hotel we were staying in, we had a whole bunch of ladybugs in there. Just right time.”

Unbeknownst to me, ladybugs are apparently a sign of good luck. Whatever hotel Kentucky was staying in must have been filled with them. Make sure to bring a few back to Lexington with you, Adou.

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