Kentucky stepped on the court as a no.3 seed prepared to defeat their no.14 opponent. The game began as a narrative of confidence swiftly unraveled into an upsetting turnout as the Wildcats succumbed to a stinging defeat at the hands of Oakland. The scoreboard displayed an 80-76 upset. In the beginning half, the blue and white engaged in a close battle to keep up with Oakland intensity.
Photo Cred: WLKY
Rob Dillingham emerged to make a difference with his timely three point jumper with under four minutes left to play propelling his team to capture their first lead of the half. Despite their efforts to keep up, Kentucky’s lead, was quickly shut down by the Grizzlies competitive offense. Dillingham’s free throws toward the end of the first half narrowed the gap. It was Gohlkes and Watts who together contributed 5 points, putting them at the top as the halftime buzzer went off.
Going into the second half with Oakland on top, Kentucky rallied with determination to take control of the court. Their hopes were met with formidable resistance from Gohlkes, whose impressive three pointers kept the Wildcats fighting. Oakland’s success marked their first victory in the round of 64. Gohlkes led the Grizzlies with 10 three pointers for his remarkable 32 point game.
Photo Cred: USA Today
Although Kentucky tasted defeat, Reeves had tallying 27 points and six rebounds, and Mitchell added 14 points. Throughout the contest, the Blue and White worked to validate their legacy as they strived to match and surpass their opponents prowess on the court. This loss will led to questions about the if Coach Cal should still be UK’s coach.
