What does history say about Kentucky’s stunning loss? You might not want to know.
Random notes:
▪ So how often does an eventual Final Four team lose a home game to a mid-major, like the loss Kentucky suffered to UNC-Wilmington last Saturday? The answer: not very often.
San Diego State, the 2023 NCAA Tournament runner-up, did lose to Saint Mary’s 68-61 on Dec. 10 last season. That was game was played in Phoenix, however. And, as a perennial NCAA Tournament team, Saint Mary’s doesn’t qualify for the “bad loss” label.
Kansas, the 2022 national champion, lost to Atlantic 10 member Dayton 74-73 on Nov. 26, 2021. That game was part of the ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando, Florida.
In fact, to find a comparable loss to the one John Calipari’s Wildcats took to the Seahawks of the Colonial Athletic Association, you have to turn the clock back to 2015.
On Dec. 20, 2014, Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans were stunned by Texas Southern 71-64 in overtime in East Lansing. Coached by former Indiana coach Mike Davis, Texas Southern entered the game 1-8 after a 40-point loss to Gonzaga. But the host Spartans went 4-for-21 from 3-point range, shot 39.3% as a team, and watched Texas Southern shoot 53.2% from the floor.
Izzo’s team recovered, however. Michigan State was 23-11 overall and 12-6 in the Big Ten heading into the NCAA Tournament. As a No. 7 seed the Big Dance, it defeated Georgia 70-63, Virginia 60-54, Oklahoma 62-58 and Rick Pitino and Louisville 76-70 in overtime before losing to Duke 81-61 in the Final Four.
As we all know, Duke went on to win the national title with a 68-63 victory over Wisconsin, who had upset a previously undefeated Kentucky 71-64 in the semifinals.
▪ Among the nonconference opponents who have beaten Kentucky since that 2014-15 season: Seton Hall (2018-19), Evansville (2019-20), Richmond (2020-21), Saint Peter’s (2021-22); UNC Wilmington (2022-23).
▪ Every game requires context, of course. The Kentucky that lost last Saturday will not be the same Kentucky a month or two from now. Aaron Bradshaw, a 7-foot-1 freshman, saw his first (limited) action on Saturday. Fellow 7-footers Ugonna Onyenso and Zvonimir Ivisic are waiting in the wings. And point guard D.J. Wagner missed the Wilmington game because of injury.
▪ Heading into Tuesday night’s college basketball action, Kentucky ranked 120th in guarding in the 2-point shot (48.1%) and 172nd guarding the 3-point shot (32.7%).
▪ According to kenpom, Kentucky ranked No. 1 in defensive efficiency that 2014-15 season. Since then, UK has rankings are 39, 7, 22, 8, 52, 35, 36 and 68 last season. UK was 64th after Monday night’s play.
▪ It was a tough weekend for SEC basketball. Besides Kentucky’s loss to UNC Wilmington, No. 21 Mississippi State lost 60-59 at home to Southern and Auburn lost 69-64 at Appalachian State.
Southern brought a 1-6 record to Starkville. And Auburn was 9-for-19 from the foul line in its loss at Boone, North Carolina. Former Morehead State star Johni Broome had 21 points and 13 rebounds for Auburn, but he was 1-for-7 from the foul line. Bruce Pearl’s team is 5-2.
▪ Bengals quarterback Jake Browning was nothing short of spectacular in Cincinnati’s 34-31 overtime win at Jacksonville on Monday night. Making just his second career start in place of the injured Joe Burrow, Browning was 32-for-37 passing for 354 yards and a touchdown with a passer rating of 115.5.
Credit to Bengals head coach Zac Taylor, offensive coordinator Brian Callahan and quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher. Given up for dead after Burrow’s season-ending injury (wrist ligament tear), the 6-6 Bengals are still alive, thanks to Browning.
Cincinnati plays Indianapolis (7-5) and Minnesota (6-6) at home the next two weeks before traveling to Pittsburgh (7-5) and Kansas City (8-4). It finishes the regular season versus Cleveland (7-5) at Paycor Stadium on Jan. 7.
▪ I understand the outrage, but the College Football Playoff committee did the right thing picking a one-loss Alabama over an unbeaten Florida State for the fourth and final spot in the national semifinals.
No one who watched Florida State’s 16-6 win over Louisville in the ACC championship game would think the Seminoles are one of the four best teams in the country. And the committee’s charge was to pick the four best teams, not the four most deserving.
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A lot went wrong for Kentucky basketball over the weekend. And one thing was made clear.
Kentucky learned a valuable lesson Saturday. Modern basketball is not enough.
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