Wildcat Blue Nation
Fansided

BBN can officially panic after Kentucky basketball’s loss to Aggies

By Drew Koch

LEXINGTON, KY - FEBRUARY 06: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to his team against the Tennessee Volunteers during the game at Rupp Arena on February 6, 2018 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY - FEBRUARY 06: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives instructions to his team against the Tennessee Volunteers during the game at Rupp Arena on February 6, 2018 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Kentucky basketball team played their worst game of the season and suffered their third straight defeat. The Wildcats lost on the road to Texas A&M 85-74.

On his 59th birthday, John Calipari was asked by sideline reporter Kris Budden at halftime how he expects his team to come out in the second half. Cal’s response, “We’ll see.” Well, we saw alright. We saw the Kentucky basketball team get run out of the gym in the second half against Texas A&M. The Cats lost 85-74. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Wildcats in scoring with 19 points.

First Half

The Kentucky basketball team got off to a horrendous start from the field. The Cats started 3-of-14 from the floor. After DJ Hogg knocked down a shot from beyond the arc, the Aggies owned a 12-8 lead over the Wildcats before the second TV timeout.

Midway through the half, a Kevin Knox three-pointer, tip in by Jarred Vanderbilt and layup by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander helped the Cats go on an 8-0 run. That gave Kentucky a 18-14 lead. Texas A&M quickly stormed back and knotted the game at 18.

Brad Calipari saw some action in the first half after Quade Green doinked a corner three-pointer off the side of the backboard. A wrap around pass by Knox to Nick Richards led to a dunk and 22-20 lead for the Cats. Texas A&M wouldn’t back down. An offensive putback, followed by an alley oop allowed and putback dunk put the Aggies up by 4.

The Cats pulled to within one point when Shai knocked down a triple to give UK a two-point lead. On the Wildcats’ next possession, the Kentucky swung the ball around the perimeter allowing Green to hit a wide open jumper. The Kentucky basketball team took a 30-26 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Second Half

Green started the second half for Hamidou Diallo. Texas A&M scored two quick buckets to tie the game before Knox hit a baseline jumper to give Kentucky a 32-30. But a quick jumper by the Aggies and a thunderous dunk by Robert Williams put Texas A&M up by 2.

The Aggies knocked down three straight triples, went on a 17-2 run and took an 11-point lead. The Cats had 5 turnovers in the first five minutes of the second half and the Aggies had as many points in the first 8 minutes of the second half as they did in the first 20 minutes of the game. With 12:00 left, the Aggies led the Kentucky basketball team 53-38.

With their sixth three-pointer of the half, Texas A&M took a 61-39 lead. An 11-3 run helped Kentucky creep back after Green hit a jumper, making the score 64-50. The 14-point margin was as close as the Cats would get until under one minute. Diallo free throw cut the lead to 11.

Knox hit a three-pointer with 54 seconds left to cut A&M’s lead all the way down to 8. Wenyen Gabriel fouled out late in the game after being whistled for a Flagrant 1 foul. After a couple fouls late in an effort to extend the game only prolonged the agony.

Home/Kentucky basketball