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First Round of the NCAA Tournament
The Kentucky Wildcats were defeated by the Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the first round of the NCAA Tournament with a score of 80-76. The first half was slow, but both teams managed to score well. Jack Gohlke hit seven 3-pointers in the first half, and Kentucky played mostly well defensively outside of that. However, the Golden Grizzlies led 38-35 at the break. In the second half, it didn’t get much better, as Kentucky couldn’t stop Oakland and scored the way they have all year. Tre Mitchell, who has been dealing with injuries for the last six weeks or so, started the game with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Kentucky career
Antonio Reeves, the best scorer of the Calipari era, could have ended his Kentucky career with a 1/15 performance in a loss to the Kansas State Wildcats last season in the NCAA Tournament. He scored 27 points on 11/18 shooting, keeping the Cats in the game when they had no business keeping it close. He was the only reason Kentucky even had a chance, which is sad. Reeves disappeared when it mattered most, playing passive and letting Oakland completely take him out of the game. Reed Sheppard played passive and passed up open shots, jumped at ball fakes, and just didn’t look like himself. Oakland is the 2024 hero of March.
March disappointment
It’s hope that Sheppard takes the same route as Reeves and gives himself an opportunity to redeem himself for the March disappointment. Jack Gohlke went NUCLEAR, scoring a game-high 32 points off the bench. He had over 300 3-point attempts compared to just seven 2-point attempts, and broke the NCAA Tournament record for most deep balls against the Cats in a tournament game with seven. John Calipari had absolutely no answer for the performance, and it was a sad day for BBN. This should be John Calipari‘s last game as head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, but it probably won’t be.Oakland vs. Kentucky. Final: Oakland beats Kentucky 80-76
Kentucky basketball is preparing for the 2024–25 season, with the Wildcats looking to fill out their roster with a talented group of players. The 2024 recruiting class is ranked No. 2 nationally, and the Wildcats are expected to bring in five-star prospects like Boogie Fland, Karter Knox, Jayden Quaintance, and Billy Richmond. The team also has four stars, including big man Somto Cyril and in-state superstar Travis Perry. Oakland won both the regular season and conference tournament titles in the Horizon League this season, making them the fourth-longest-tenured active college basketball coach in his 40th season.
Where to Watch?
They drew a 14-seed opponent in the NCAA tournament, facing 3-seed Kentucky. Kentucky boasts one of the best offenses in the country, averaging 89.4 points per game and featuring NBA-level talent such as Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham. Oakland is the 2024 hero of March, winning 17 of 20 games to close the season and storming into the NCAA tournament. The game will be streamed on CBS, the NCAA March Madness Live app, and Fubo TV, which provides a free trial to select users.The Golden Grizzlies, a 14-seed team, will face off against Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The Wildcats will have the call on CBS, with play-by-play analyst and sideline reporter Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, and Evan Washburn covering the game. In summary, the Wildcats are looking to fill out their 2024–25 roster with talented players, including the talented Dillingham, Reeves, and Sheppard, who have been highly regarded in their program history. He had been keeping Kentucky above water earlier this season, but it almost felt like the young Cats outgrew the veteran.
