Kentucky disappoints pair of lifelong fans
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A father and son, wearing Kentucky T-shirts, boarded the hotel shuttle.
They are both die-hard, lifetime fans of Wildcat basketball, although they openly admit they disagree on John Calipari.
The dad, probably mid 50s has been ready for a change in the head coaching office for five or six years. The son, probably early 20s, doesn’t really remember Rick Pitino so he feels Calipari is all he knows.
This was Wednesday night, long before the second-seeded Wildcats would lose to seventh-seed Texas A&M on Friday.
That was Kentucky’s opening game, while A&M had beaten Ole Miss on Thursday night.
In the shuttle van the conversation was pleasant and when asked if they come to the SEC Tournament every year the dad laughed softly.
“Not only is this my first SEC Tournament it will be the first time I’ve seen them play in person,” he said. “It was a surprise Christmas present from my wife for my son and me.’
It was hard not to think about the dad, who lives so far into Eastern Kentucky he’s almost in West Virginia, and feel a little sad for him.
Life time dream, No. 1 on the bucket list, dashed by a team that lost twice to Arkansas but scored 18 points off 14 Wildcat turnovers to win 97-87.
It was an odd tournament in that No. 1-seeded Tennessee scored only 56 points in its first game Friday and gave up 73 to ninth-seed Mississippi State, which had advanced by beating LSU on Thursday.
Then No. 3 seed Alabama struggled with threes against No. 6 seed Florida and lost 10288 on Friday.
It was the first time since 1983 the top three seeded teams lost their first game.
What was left for Saturday’s semifinals was No. 9 seed Mississippi State playing its third game in three days and losing to No. 4 seed Auburn, which had a double bye and destroyed South Carolina 86-55.
The Bulldogs gave the Tigers all they wanted for 40 minutes before finally falling 73-66.
Auburn Coach Bruce Pearl used 10 players Saturday and only Jaylin Williams logged more than 30 minutes. Everyone else was less than that so there is no doubt the Tigers should have the freshest legs today when they take on Florida.
Auburn drew the long straw with those top seeds losing, as everyone else was playing their third game Saturday and Auburn just its second.
Florida was all out for 40 minutes as the Aggies refused to lose for 39 minutes.
A&M led at the half and for more than 27 minutes but the Gators made 16 of 29 field goals in the final 20 minutes, including 8 of 15 from threepoint range.
It was a physical, punishing game and 49 fouls were called which led to a total of 67 free throws.
How much gas the Gators will have this afternoon is anyone’s guess, but probably not enough in the second half of what will be their fourth game in four days.
The Aggies played their way into the NCAA Tournament and will be the eighth team dancing from the SEC. That should be second only to the Big 12, which is expected to get nine in with Houston being the No. 1 overall seed in March Madness.
Tennessee probably played its way out of a No. 1 seed with its loss to Mississippi State. That was the Volunteers’ second consecutive loss as they fell to Kentucky in their regular-season finale.
That was the Wildcats fifth consecutive win. Hope and expectations were soaring as it appeared they had peaked at the right time.
Instead, they disappointed the Big Blue Nation and ruined a surprise trip for a lifetime fan whose dream wasn’t destroyed, but it may be forgotten instead of remembered.