The bad news: Kentucky lost to Tennessee in the semifinals of the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament. The good news: The exit gave the Cats an extra day to fix things before the NCAA Tournament. And there are things to fix.
John Calipari and his players put a positive spin on Saturday’s 69-62 loss to the Volunteers. Junior forward Keion Brooks said the Cats were “still in great spirits.” Center Oscar Tshiebwe called it an “off day.” Calipari said he told the team, “We’re good. Let’s go home.”
Facts are facts, however. After steamrolling Tennessee 107-79 at Rupp Arena in January, Kentucky ended up losing two of three to its border rival. After shooting an other-worldly 67.9 percent against the Vols in Lexington, UK shot 34.3 percent in Knoxville and 34.4 percent in Tampa, Fla., against the Vols.
