Three takeaways from No. 1 Kentucky’s shocking loss to Evansville
READ MORE
An out-of-the-blue defeat: Evansville 67, No. 1 Kentucky 64
Read all of the Herald-Leader’s coverage on Kentucky.com of the Wildcats’ unexpected defeat in Rupp Arena at the hands of former UK player Walter McCarty and his Evansville Purple Aces on Tuesday night.
Expand All
Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s shocking 67-64 upset loss to Evansville:
1. Being ranked No. 1 doesn’t mean a thing
That’s all for show. Being ranked No. 1 in the AP college basketball poll for the first time since 2016 doesn’t get you a single basket, or an offensive rebound, or a steal or a defensive stop. You still have to go out and prove it on the floor. Over and over again. Game after game. Just because you knocked off No. 1-ranked Michigan State in the Champions Classic in New York on one Tuesday doesn’t mean you can’t lose to Evansville at Rupp Arena the very next Tuesday.
John Calipari’s young team wasn’t ready to play Tuesday against Walter McCarty’s Purple Aces. The lack of preparation and focus showed itself from the jump in missed shots, turnovers, lazy rotations on defense. You could tell early on that something was off in this team that beat the top-ranked Spartans by seven and Eastern Kentucky by 42 last week. And for whatever reason the Cats could never get it turned back on.
Meanwhile, Evansville’s confidence grew as the game progressed. This isn’t the same group of Purple Aces that went 11-25 in McCarty’s first season as head coach last year after his stellar career at UK and time in the NBA. Sam Cunliffe, who scored 17 points, is a transfer from Arizona State and then Kansas who sat out last year. K.J. Riley, who led the Aces with 18 points, is a senior guard. Noah Frederking, who hit some key three-pointers, is a junior. “We’ve got veteran guys,” said McCarty afterward.
Kentucky has young guys who learned a valuable lesson on Tuesday. You have to come to play. Doesn’t matter your rank, or your resume, or the name across the front of your jersey. As quickly as you rise to No. 1, you can fall back again, and that’s what happened.
2. A Big Blue tip of the hat to Walter McCarty
The Evansville native who was a major part of Rick Pitino’s 1996 national title team at Kentucky was asked where this ranked as far as his victories. “At the top,” he said, though later in the answer he did say it ranked right up there with that national title win.
The Aces played a smart, controlled game, in which the visitors spread the floor and took advantage of UK’s impatience on defense. “They spread the floor and said, ‘I can beat this dude off the dribble,’ and then they did,” said Calipari afterward, who added, “They deserved to win the game. They were the tougher team.”
Evansville out rebounded Kentucky 38-35. And afterward Calipari lamented a pair of key offensive rebounds that the visitors grabbed while UK flailed. Kentucky shot 37 percent for the game, compared to 38.3 percent for the Purple Aces. Evansville was nine of 30 from behind the three point line. Kentucky was just four of 17.
“This team is connected,” said McCarty of his guys, comparing it to the way that 1996 national title team was connected. “They love each other, they play for each other. That’s what you have to have.”
And in its first all-time meeting with Kentucky, Evansville had it Tuesday night.
3. Kentucky will be fine — if the Cats learn from the loss
“I’d rather learn from a win,” said UK guard Immanuel Quickley after the sophomore guard scored 16 points to lead the Cats. “But we will learn from this game.”
“We might look back two weeks from now and say this was the best thing that ever happened to us,” said Calipari. “Or we could look back and say what happened?”
Are the Cats the team that behind Tyrese Maxey’s 26 points took down Tom Izzo and the Spartans on the big national stage? Or are the Cats the team that lost at home to an MVC team that entered Rupp Arena as a 20-point favorite?
One thing we do know is Ashton Hagans is not the Ashton Hagans were are used to seeing, at least at his best. Bothered by a leg injury, Hagans was just 1-for-8 from the floor, including 0-for-3 from three-point range. The sophomore had two steals, but also turned the ball over four times. Calipari hinted afterward that they may have to give Hagans a rest so he can get healthy.
After all, it’s a long season. Grad transfer Nate Sestina, who was hard on himself for his play, especially on the defensive end, pointed that out afterward, saying, “It’s November 12, right? We’ve got five, six more months of college basketball. We’ll be fine.”
They’ll be fine if they learn from what happened Tuesday night. After the high of last week, then the No. 1 ranking, a good smack in the chops and return back to earth might have been just what this team needed.
This story was originally published November 12, 2019 at 10:36 PM.
