March Madness is known for unexpected upsets, and last Thursday was no exception. The most shocking of all came when the Oakland Golden Grizzlies upset the Kentucky Wildcats 80-76. The Wildcats had been among the favorites to make a deep NCAA Tournament run.
Despite coming into the tournament as a No. 3 seed, John Calipari’s squad once again took an early exit, this time to No. 14-seeded Oakland. The loss continues a negative trend for Kentucky, who now has made three straight exits in either the first or second round.
A season ago, Kentucky was eliminated in the second round. The year prior, they left the tournament after the first round. Kentucky hasn’t advanced past the Sweet 16 since 2019, when the team lost in the Elite Eight. They are now over a decade removed from their most recent national championship win, with an Anthony Davis-led squad in 2012.
Oakland reserve guard Jack Gohlke proved a tough cover for Kentucky in this game. Gohlke recorded 32 points and two rebounds for the Golden Grizzlies. Oakland’s Trey Townsend also hurt Kentucky, recording a double-double with 17 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in the upset. DQ Cole added 12 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
Even with the loss, Kentucky still saw four players reach double-digit scoring. Antonio Reeves went off for the Wildcats, recording 27 points, three rebounds and one assist. Tre Mitchell nabbed a double-double with 14 points, 13 rebounds and two assists. Justin Edwards and Rob Dillingham each added ten points, though it ultimately wasn’t enough.
Michael Hickey/Getty Images
Now, Kentucky has returned home from another disappointing tournament appearance. This comes after the Wildcats also were knocked out of their first game of the SEC Tournament, falling to the Texas A&M Aggies 97-87. They came into the conference tournament with a No. 2 seed while Texas A&M had just a No. 7 seed. Still, the Wildcats took an immediate exit, and Auburn ultimately won the SEC title.
After finishing the regular season with a 24-8 record and a No. 12 AP Top 25 ranking, the Wildcats left their success in the regular season. This loss is once again a reminder that the Wildcats seem to be past their glory days. While they still win a lot of regular season games, they have struggled to put it together in the postseason.
The Wildcats last won the conference championship for four straight years from 2015-2018, but have not claimed it since. They also haven’t won an SEC regular season title since 2020. As you’ll recall, there was no SEC Tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fans were once again disheartened after the loss, with several sharing their reactions on social media. Twitter/X had some of the best. Take a look:
Q- What time does Kentucky Basketball play again?
A- November.
— Jeff Jarnigan (@JeffJarnigan) March 22, 2024
The Kentucky basketball program is a shell of its former self. It pains me to admit that but it’s just the reality.
It needs to get fixed no matter what it takes. #BBN
— Chris Bailey🌪️🌩️ (@Kentuckyweather) March 22, 2024
A change is needed. I love having all the five star players. Maybe there isn’t a better option yet but it doesn’t matter. THIS IS KENTUCKY. This has been RIDICULOUS. What happened to the gold standard. What happened to winning when it matters. I miss the Kentucky basketball…
— Bush Hamdan Offensive Coordinator (parody) (@BushHamdan_UK) March 22, 2024
It’s a terrible night but I will remind fans that Kentucky will be on the mountain top again. This program is bigger than any coach. Rupp, Hall, Pitino, Smith and Calipari all share a part of the greatest program in college basketball. It’s time to add the next name.
— Big Blue Express (@bigbluexpress) March 22, 2024
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.