The most frustrating thing about this season hasn’t been the injuries. It hasn’t been the quotes of players who say they aren’t giving effort. It is the fact that this team could be elite and, for whatever reason, just loses focus in games.
There are 1,240 minutes of on-court time in a regular season. Kentucky is just 11 minutes away from a very different season. That is less than 1 percent (.89) of the whole season, standing between 19-12 and 22-9.
The pressure of "The Assignment" and early setbacks
Kentucky basketball’s up-and-down season started early. The Cats were under the pressure of the assignment to win number 9; they spent more than anyone in NIL (an estimated $22 million), and then they watched their point guard go down with a shoulder injury for the second year in a row. And surprise, there was no backup.
After losing to Louisville on the road and Michigan State on a neutral court, Kentucky got a matchup with a ranked North Carolina at home. With 6:09 left in the game, Kentucky was up 6. They were outscored 17-8 the rest of the way.
The mid-season slump: Missouri and Auburn
A crushing loss to Gonzaga fueled a 4-game winning streak, but that was halted by Nate Oats and Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The Cats then had a home game against Missouri to right the ship. With 4:37 to go, the Cats were cruising, up 66-58. They were outscored 15-2 over those last few moments.
Then, the injuries mounted. Jayden Quaintance was shut down with knee swelling, leaving Kentucky sitting at 9-6 (0-2) and reeling. The Cats rose again, reaching 17-10 heading to Auburn. They were down 66-60 with 3:35 to go and came all the way back to take a 3-point lead with 18 seconds left. A controversial call against Collin Chandler and a missed block-out by Brandon Garrison resulted in a 1-point loss.
A painful "what if?"
Just under 1 percent of the entire season meant the difference between 19-12 and 22-9. How would BBN feel if Kentucky were sitting there with that record heading into March Madness? I'd have to believe pretty good, considering all the injuries.
Now, of course, the injuries impacted this. You can't talk about this season without at least mentioning it. And Mark Pope seems to think it’s fatigue-related because of those injuries, but his own players are disputing that.
Andrija Jelavic thinks it’s just a "maturity" problem.
Either way, Kentucky was painfully close to a completely different season, and that is the most frustrating thing. I really think this team has the talent to do something special, but I am not sure they can come together and do it.
They have 1 month to prove me wrong.