Kentucky’s John Calipari Talks March Madness Loss to Oakland: ‘This One Is Painful’

Timothy Rapp@@TRappaRTFeatured Columnist IVMarch 22, 2024

Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

The 3-seeded Kentucky Wildcats were upset in stunning fashion against 14-seed Oakland on Thursday night, 80-76, as Jack Gohlke sank 10 three-pointers for the Grizzlies.

It was the sort of result that makes March Madness so fun for the neutral observer, though for the Wildcats and head coach John Calipari it was a tough pill to swallow.

“I told them after, this one… this one is painful,” he told CBS Sports’ Evan Washburn after the loss (1:00 mark). “And the reason is—there are other times you lose a game, and you know your team is what it is. But this team, I really felt, was built for this moment. Even though we were young, I knew that could catch us. But we had our chances.”

CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 @CBSSportsCBB”They shouldn’t be and our team and our season, defined by that game, but it will be. … This one is painful. … This team, I really felt was built for this moment, even though we were young.”

—Kentucky head coach John Calipari joins @EvanWashburn pic.twitter.com/CWlrvf17wr

He added that Oakland “made unbelievable shots” and “deserved to win the game.”

Much of Kentucky’s season was was defined by inconsistency, however. And the program’s performances in recent NCAA tournaments have not been pretty:

Keith Pompey @PompeyOnSixersKentucky’s lack of experience was exposed in this loss. The Wildcats young players made a lot of poor decisions.

Jeff Borzello @jeffborzelloVia @ESPNStatsInfo:Kentucky was 19-0 against 14 seeds or lower in the NCAA Tournament entering 2022.

Kentucky is 0-2 in those games since.

UK is now 1-4 in its last 5 NCAA Tournament games, matching the program’s worst-ever five-game span. Also went 1-4 from 61-64 & 70-72.

Brett McMurphy @Brett_McMurphyKentucky in NCAA Tournament: a different kind of 1-and-done for the Wildcats

Chris Vernon @ChrisVernonShowEvery Kentucky fan I know is officially done with Calipari. All of em.

Calipari may have felt like this team was built for the moment, but an inconsistent season and recent struggles in the NCAA tournament had more than a few folks around the sport doubting these Wildcats, and for good reason.

There are about 33 million reasons why Calipari isn’t going anywhere as Kentucky’s head coach, but there’s little doubt that expectations aren’t being met in Lexington.