During the first truly shocking disappointment of the crazy March of 2022, a Kentucky Forest Cat the team on which many track and field players and national observers have pegged for a Final Four appearance (minimum) have dropped to the 15th seed Saint Peter’s Peacocks 85-79 overtime on Thursdays in Indianapolis.
In ESPN’s 54-man team, 37 had the Wildcats make it to the Final Four, with the pick of Kentucky picks to win the show’s ninth national title. For now, the 2022 NCAA tournament won’t have one of its perennial green bloodlines, raising bigger questions than what is currently considered a wide-open East region and raising big questions worth price of the season for head coach John Calipari and his program.
With historic loss now in the books, ESPN’s team of Myron Medcalf, Jeff Borzello, John Gasaway and Joe Lunardi pondered the reasons and implications of the loss in Kentucky, predicting the Peacocks could how far and what the Wild Cats will look like for the 2022-23 college basketball season. Follow this link for Number of NCAA tournament tipsand go here to check your March Madness frame.
What engulfed Kentucky in its loss to Saint Peter’s?
The Wildcats lost the battle off the perimeter. Kentucky’s sentinels gave very few insults throughout the game: TyTy Washington Jr. shoot 2 to 10, Kellan Grady was 1 to 9 (although the shot almost helped Kentucky win the regulation) and the Peacocks’ decision to go the area at key moments was thwarted Sahvir Wheeler from going downhill and creating plays for yourself and your teammates. Offense too often turns to pitching to Oscar Tshiebwe and hope for the best – and while Tshiebwe has been the nation’s best player this season, he’s not trying very hard to create his own attack in the low position. As a team, Kentucky shot 4 to 15 from 3. Meanwhile, Saint Peter’s hit nine 3-pointers and shot 53% from behind the arc. Doug Edert and Daryl Banks III played very confidently and was able to hit the Kentucky defense.
Despite all of that, Kentucky still had plenty of chances to win, but the nail in the coffin was the extra-time free throw. The Wildcats shot 1 to 6 from the stripes in extra time, unable to extend their lead after going up to 4 points in the opening minutes. Saint Peter’s, on the other hand, made 18 of the 21 free throws – nine in extra time. – Jeff Borzello
What were the historical implications of the loss of Kentucky? Where does this rank on a list of disappointments for Wildcats fans?
This tops the list for shocking upsets. John Calipari had previously been perfect in the 64th round as the Kentucky head coach. The Wildcats lost early in 2004 as the No. 1 seed, but that was against UAB in the 32nd round. Christian Laettner’s shot to put Duke past Great Britain in the Elite Eight in 1992 was legendary, but lost one 1st seed like Blue Devil is not exactly the same as falling to 15th seed Saint Peter’s. Of course, Kentucky fans have their heartbreaking stories, but the Wildcats have generally performed well in regards to their seed during the Calipari era. To lose to the Peacocks must be placed very close to the top because of disappointing surprises in the UK’s NCAA tournament history. – John Gasaway
What does this mean for the East Region? Who is the favorite now?
Huh! I never thought we would even have to consider this after the first round. But I’ll give Baylor a call, with full acknowledgment that Purdue and UCLA can feel confident about their respective chances to emerge from the region and make it to the Finals. I also think that people who sleep in this area are much more interesting now. Murray State-San Francisco and Saint Mary’s winners could not be counted in that conversation.
Kentucky is unique. It has the most dominant force in the sport with Tshiebwe, Wood Award winner, in the paint. At best, Kentucky is a rebound attack monster that can turn those second chances into the key opportunities for the SEC’s most effective attack. I think the rest of the region is rife with flawed teams, so Baylor’s record in returning to Round 4 of the Finals – the Bears scored 139 points out of 100 in Thursday’s Norfolk State win – has just increased . I think a lot. – Myron Medcalf
What is the ceiling for Saint Peter’s? Can the Peacocks win another game?
First, they needed an opponent, a striker emerging from the Murray State-San Francisco portion of the East. But that’s for tomorrow. Today is about Saint Peter’s, currently looking to be the third number 15 to ever make it to the Sweet 16.
Why not? Are the Peacocks the weaker one than Oral Roberts? ORU went back to the same trick… last year! And the Golden Eagles had to beat Florida in the second round. The Peacocks won’t be facing a physically overwhelming team, and they certainly won’t be scared off after going up against a much stronger 2nd seed than ORU did against Ohio State (not to mention all of it). Big Blue Ethnic!).
I will give Saint Peter’s at least one of the four opportunities to advance. Maybe even one in three chances depending if the opponent is San Francisco and central Dons Yauhen Massalski Still out with a recurring knee injury. – Joe Lunardi
Who will Kentucky come back to? What will the Wildcats look like next year?
With the portal and an extra year of qualifying due to COVID, it’s virtually impossible to say what teams will be like in a month, let alone seven. But Washington is likely a lottery pick and Tshiebwe will be enlisted if he leaves this season, so let’s assume they both leave. Davion Mintz and Grady are seniors, so they’re gone too. The big question is Shaedon Sharpe, said to be the #1 prospect in the class of 2022, who graduated early and enrolled in Lexington for the second semester. He would be a top 10 pick if he did eventually leave, but he looks like he’s flying legally. One possible tentative lineup, without Sharpe, would include the returning Wheeler, Keion Brooks Jr.five-star rookie Casey Wallace and Chris Livingston – with Jacob Toppin or return a potential customer five stars Daimion Collins. Most likely, Calipari will go back to the transfer portal and find at least two or three players to reload and execute again. – Borzello
