Kentucky basketball: Georgia bucket with 1.3 seconds may be the final dagger

Kentucky basketball falls on a final inbounds play that may be the final blow.

As the Georgia players piled on one another to celebrate a 63-62 win over Kentucky basketball for the first time in 15 games the weight of the last-second loss may just be too much to bear for the Wildcats.

Kentucky (4-9, 3-3) let a late-game lead slip away being outscored 7-0 over the final 2 minutes including PJ Horne’s bucket in the paint on an inbounds play under the basket.

There are few words to describe what unfolded as BBN held its breath hoping to just hang on.

It began with Isaiah Jackson‘s jumper with 2:02 remaining that gave Kentucky a 62-56 lead.

After that Kentucky’s only offensive possessions were a Brandon Boston miss, a Devin Askew turnover, and then a missed free-throw by Askew.

They simply wilted under the pressure as this team has done so often this year. It wasn’t for lack of effort but turnovers missed opportunities, bad decisions, and defensive breakdowns were the same script this team has followed much of the year.

The discouragement is growing not only among the fans but in the players and even coach John Calipari. He sounded visible shook talking to Tom Leach on the UK Sports Network postgame show as he is in unchartered water.

"“How many turnovers did we throw to them for breakaway layups? You have gotta be better than that. Don’t tell me you’re not better than that. You can tell my frustration and even after the game, like come on. This is getting ridiculous.”"

No one is taking the loss more than Askew it would appear from the remarks by Calipari and Keion Brooks in the post-game remarks.

There is little solace for a player who feels they let their team down and cost them the game.

Granted he did have just three free throws (3-5) to account for his points, but grabbed five rebounds, handed out four assists, two steals, and even had a blocked shot. But what will haunt him will be the five turnovers and the missed foul shot with 23 ticks left on the clock.

But the loss doesn’t rest on his shoulders and everyone had shortcomings once again. Brooks was asked what Askew is feeling and what he said to him after the game.

"“Devin is fine and Devin is going to be fine. He’s not the reason we lost. We all broke down at one point in the game. I know he is taking it hard but we’ve all been there where we single handily thought we had affected the outcome of a game. All I can say to him is I’m with you and the team is with you.”"

What may be lost in the stunner was the breakout return of Boston who has been slumping game after game. Just when you thought he had disappeared and was feeling like the weight of Rupp Arena was crushing him, the freshman erupted for 18 points and seven rebounds coming off the bench.

His shooting is still erratic (9 of 17 field goals) and he missed all three shots from behind the arc. But then the team as a whole bricked 12 of 13 threes.

Brooks was the lone Wildcat to make one, his first of the year and he tied a season-high of 12 points and three boards in 15 minutes of action after sitting much of the first half with two fouls.

Jackson proved to be his usual reliable self pumping in 12 points knocking down all six field-goal attempts to go with four rebounds and four blocked shots.

Still, the highs of this team are always dwarfed but the stat sheet that lets you down.

Olivier Sarr, despite hauling down a season-high 13 rebounds (nine defensive ones), scored just six points.

The plaguing stat that spells doom nearly every outing was turnovers. The 17 miscues led to 25 Bulldog points.

Kentucky has turned the ball over 17 or more times in six games this season, including three straight. They have lost five of those six games.

Brooks usually displays enthusiasm, but he too appeared deflated fielding the post-game questions from the media and describing the mood of the team. He said they “had the lead and we basically gave the game away. We have to continue not beating ourselves.”

That comes from a lack of experience as Brooks also alluded to when asked to compare this year’s team at this point to last year at the same time.

"“The only way you can explain the difference is personnel. Last year we had four returning players who knew what the coach wanted us to do. This year with Covid and such we haven’t been able to acclimate to each other either. Last year it was leadership by committee this year it’s just me back as the returning player and getting hurt and not playing it’s been leadership from afar.”"

This team tries and fought till the end but scoring just 62 points won’t win many ballgames.

Kentucky was held to 62 points, the seventh time this season they have been held to 63 points or fewer and are 0-7 in those games.

What’s worse is they have scored 65 points or less in regulation 10 times in a span of 12 games for the first time since January 12 through February 23, 1946.

Calipari opted for a new starting lineup of Sarr, Mintz, Allen, Askew, and Lance Ware.  While it didn’t pay huge dividends it may have jumpstarted Boston’s play.

The road now hits its roughest patch with the next six games against top 40 teams in the Kenpom rankings including Alabama next week who continues to run roughshod through the SEC. Potentially that could be all losses and the Wildcats would be staring at a nine-game losing streak.

There just are no words to describe trying to utter that phrase in the Bluegrass State.