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For the second time in as many weeks, the Kentucky Wildcats fall to the Vanderbilt Commodores, 80-73.
Kentucky started off hot, but quickly flamed out, as the Wildcats’ defense was virtually non-existent after a 14-4 lead to start the game.
Vanderbilt scored at will on a Kentucky team that looked, basically, as if they had done zero prep work or film study from last week’s game.
It was yet another inconsistent offensive night, with the team struggling at the free-throw line in crucial stretches, as well as going 6-25 from behind the arc.
Kentucky now heads to Selection Sunday with zero momentum after their best win of the season at Arkansas, and so continues the strangest season in Kentucky basketball history. Two steps forward, two steps backward and there’s been little, to no improvement all season long.
Just a stagnant game all around.
Here’s what Twitter had to say.
Final. pic.twitter.com/uO9p8jr4yg
— Kentucky Men’s Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) March 11, 2023
Every time you think this Kentucky team has figured it out, they take a step back.
— Shawn Smith (@gbbcountry) March 11, 2023
All year Calipari excused the poor play by pointing to March
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) March 11, 2023
And it starts with a loss to Vandy in the QF of the SEC Tourney
Hopefully the NCAA is better
Ain’t the Kentucky Invitational anymore https://t.co/3y3Zs8hUzI
— morrisoncrying (@morrisoncrying) March 11, 2023
If Stackhouse looks back one day on a great coaching career he'll probably point to these two wins against Kentucky as the turning point
— Justin Rowland (@RowlandRIVALS) March 11, 2023
Basically the same game as in Rupp
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) March 11, 2023
Vandy spread us out, we couldn’t guard them and we didn’t make enough plays to overcome it
Kentucky made no adjustments to the game plan in the last week
Football, Senior Night, SEC Tournament... is Vanderbilt our dad right now
— Drew Franklin (@DrewFranklinKSR) March 11, 2023
They lost to Vandy too. https://t.co/tdc2Tnr6UG
— (@TheA1God) March 11, 2023
Kentucky didn't deserve to win tonight.
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) March 11, 2023
Losing in the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament is a disappointment, but try to make the best of it.
Get rested, get healthy, and prepare for the NCAA Tournament.
For just the 6th time this season, Kentucky men's basketball loses a game while winning the rebounding battle.
— Cameron Drummond (@cdrummond97) March 11, 2023
UK out-rebounded Vandy, 43-26, tonight.
UK is now 21-6 this season when winning the rebounding battle.
Oscar Tshiebwe's entire postseason win total in his college career is an SEC quarterfinal win last year over Vanderbilt. That is just an unthinkable thing to me.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) March 11, 2023
John Calipari was sure to give the officials a *sarcastic-filled* round of applause to show his appreciation for their job tonight...#BBN pic.twitter.com/6iW2DbWVwx
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) March 11, 2023
our coaches showed their asses this off season just to get owned by Vanderbilt.
— KG (@__NotKG) March 11, 2023
hollywood couldn’t write a better script.
Judging by my replies, Little House on the Prairie is about to be trending
— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) March 11, 2023
Stackhouse bringing up st. peters on set rn
— Anna Maria Tarullo (@tarullotweets) March 11, 2023
Hopefully I’m wrong but it’s tough to have any optimism going into next week.
— PELS YEAR. BBN (@pelsyear) March 11, 2023
This team is just limited in so many areas
Like, watch Oscar on these (only from the first 30 minutes of the game). Yeah, the ball-screen defense is bad. But watch Milora-Brown just seal him off in help. Or watch how ineffectual he is in even when he does rotate toward the rim. Vandy just attacked him relentlessly. pic.twitter.com/PBKFqrXhlE
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) March 11, 2023
Same story different day pic.twitter.com/TwfE71xd5g
— Barstool Kentucky (@BarstoolUK) March 11, 2023
.@KentuckyMBB is 1-4 in their last 5 SEC Tournament games played, their worst record in any 5-game span in the SEC Tournament in school history
— Corey Price (@coreyp08) March 11, 2023
Dating back to the end of the 2018-19 season (Kentucky's last NCAA Tournament win), Kentucky is 1-4 in postseason play. 1-3 in the league tournament and 0-1 in the NCAA Tournament. Brutal stretch for the program.
— Shawn Smith (@gbbcountry) March 11, 2023
On par with the season, Kentucky loses when most think they're going to win.
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) March 11, 2023
Multiple players have said that this team plays best with their backs against the wall. Based on tonight's reactions, that will be the case again.
Hope they take that mentality into the NCAA Tournament
‘Like’ our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. And as always, Go Cats!!!
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