:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59137107/933234650.jpg.0.jpg)
Many of us woke up this morning after a long night last night and still can’t get over what transpired in Atlanta.
That sick feeling you had? Calipari is feeling it too. The Wildcats’ head coach had this message for the Big Blue Nation on Twitter this morning.
I woke up this morning feeling as sick as I did last night after that game. This is going to hurt for a while for all of us. The players took it as hard as any team I’ve had when it ends.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2018
What they accomplished this year can never be taken away. To play like they played all year – coming together, battling through adversity, continuing to work every day and representing all of us the way they did – is truly amazing.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2018
It’s hard for us to see the forest through the trees right now, but each of these kids gave everything they had, including in a game last night when we weren’t playing at our best. And we still had a chance to win!
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2018
As a coach and as a fan, all you can ask is that they give their very best and that they do it as a team. This team tried to do that all year. Losing stinks, but I’m proud of each and every one of them.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) March 23, 2018
Cal makes some good points. It was clear last night that the team was taking the loss as hard as anyone, despite what a lot of folks want to say about Kentucky’s players not caring every year. It’s clear that Calipari cares too. He wants to see these guys succeed and there’s no doubt he wanted to get back to the Final Four with this group.
However, it just wasn’t in the cards. Last night was just one of those nights where nothing seemed to be going Kentucky’s way. Guys weren’t hitting shots that they have hit on so many occasions and Kansas State shot the ball from the perimeter better than expected.
But now, it’s time to move on and begin getting into the recruiting scene to see who may join the team next year and the picture of who will return will begin to become clear in the next few weeks.
However, I have a notion that this sick feeling will be sticking around for just a little while longer.