Kentucky falls short in March Madness vs. Kansas State: CBB world reacts
The Kentucky Wildcats got bounced from March Madness in a loss to Kansas State that had college basketball people buzzing on Twitter.
The up-and-down season of the 2022-23 Kentucky Wildcats has come to an unceremonious end. After a mid-season revival that had some thinking a Final Four run was possible, Kentucky went out and lost 75-69 to 3-seed Kansas State in the East Region, ending the Wildcats’ season one game shy of a trip to the Sweet 16.
Kentucky built a 17-9 lead with nine minutes left in the first half before foul trouble forced head coach John Calipari to go with an unorthodox lineup. Kansas State took full advantage, ending the half on a 20-7 run that gave them the lead.
Jerome Tang’s team withstood an early surge from Kentucky and rallied to end the Wildcats’ season, making them the latest blue blood to exit March Madness early. The college basketball world had plenty to say about the demise of the Wildcats.
College basketball world reacts to Kentucky’s loss in March Madness
Kentucky men's basketball's past five seasons:
— The Athletic CBB (@TheAthleticCBB) March 19, 2023
2022-23: Lost in second round
2021-22: Lost in first round
2020-21: Missed tournament
2019-20: N/A
2018-19: Lost in regional final pic.twitter.com/GeL08WEEHZ
Kansas, Duke and Kentucky all eliminated in the first weekend.
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) March 19, 2023
North Carolina didn't even make the tournament.
Goodbye, blue bloods.
John Calipari and Kentucky in last 3 years.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) March 19, 2023
2021: 9-16 and did not make NCAA tourney
2022: lost in first round to No. 15 St. Peter’s
2023: lost in second round to a Kansas State team picked last in Big 12 https://t.co/xYGqhaOyRW
Game turned when Jerome Tang and the Kansas State staff figured out how to involve Oscar in side ball-screens in 2nd half as opposed to trying to get him in high ball-screens. Once that happened, Kentucky couldn't stop them. Harder to help Oscar on the side. Harder to pre-switch
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) March 19, 2023
FINAL: Kansas State 75, Kentucky 69.
— Gary Parrish (@GaryParrishCBS) March 19, 2023
What.
A.
Game.
Markquis Nowell finished with 27 points, 9 assists and 3 steals. After being picked last in the Big 12 preseason poll, Jerome Tang is in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament in his first season as a head coach.
How Kentucky fans feel after not making the Sweet 16 since 2019 pic.twitter.com/t6g33wSZ8v
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 19, 2023
So uh....this Reeves-Fredrick-Livingston-Ware-Oscar lineup that was out there for Kentucky during this big Kansas State run?
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) March 19, 2023
Per Pivot Analysis, this lineup has played a total of one singular minute together this season.
Kentucky is who we thought they were
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) March 19, 2023
This early exit will undoubtedly raise the temperature around Calipari’s job status since most Kentucky fans feel that he has underachieved since winning the national championship in 2012. It is fair to wonder whether Calipari is adapting quickly enough to the changes to the sport, notably NIL and the more excessive use of the transfer portal to build rosters instead of one-and-done freshmen, but a season that saw the Wildcats begin in the pre-season Top 5 is now over.
The opposite holds true for Kansas State, which was picked to finish dead last in the Big 12’s preseason polls and is now headed to New York for the Sweet 16 under first-year coach Tang. The Wildcats will await the winner of the Michigan State-Marquette matchup on Thursday night.
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