Kentucky Basketball: Top 30 Wildcats games in John Calipari Era

Mar 23, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Andrew Harrison (5) shoots pastWichita State Shockers forward Chadrack Lufile (0) during the second half in the third round of the 2014 NCAA Men

9. Wichita State Shockers vs Kentucky Wildcats

2014 NCAA Tournament

Unfortunately, now we know how Wichita State fans feel after someone ends their perfect season. The Shockers were 35-0 leading up to the game against the Kentucky Wildcats. Many expected the Shockers to easily run over the Wildcats, but the Wildcats had other plans.

The game was down to the wire. It felt as if whomever scored last would be the winner, and that’s basically what happened. However, you have to give the Shockers credit. They weren’t given enough credit for going 35-0 to begin with. They aren’t in a Power 5 conference, so it just seemed like an easy task. It’s not. So, this game, even though they came out on the losing end of the deal, proved that they can compete with the best and going 35-0 was no fluke.

This was one of the best games I’ve ever seen in the NCAA Tournament. Both teams played with so much fight and so much heart. There was never a dull moment.

"That was tremendous. That was spectacular. That’s why March is so mad and why the NCAA tournament is the greatest event in sports. In one of the best-played first-weekend games in recent memory, Wichita State and Kentucky went toe-to-toe for 40 minutes of sublime college basketball. It felt like a Final Four matchup, only without all the problems that sometimes accompanies such games. The level of play was high, officials stayed out of the way and fans in the stands could actually see the game. And up until the moment Fred VanVleet’s game-winning attempt caromed off the rim, giving Kentucky the win, there was never a moment in Sunday’s game where it felt like one team had the upper-hand. If it was a prize fight, the teams were tied on the judges scorecards until the final knockout."

This will be one for the record books.

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