QUICK TAKES: Gonzaga 89, Kentucky 85
Gonzaga's Graham Ike scored over Kentucky center/forward Zvonimir Ivisic for two of his game-high 23 points in the Bulldogs' 89-85 win over the Wildcats on Saturday at Rupp Arena. (Jeff Drummond/Cats Illustrated)
Jeff Drummond • CatsIllustrated
Managing Editor Edit
@JDrumUK
In our regular postgame feature, the Cats Illustrated staff offers its first impressions from Kentucky's 89-85 loss to Gonzaga on Saturday at Rupp Arena...
JUSTIN ROWLAND:
Just a brutal loss for this team. It's almost impossible for me to fathom a team with this many potential pros losing three straight games at Rupp Arena. Sure, guys have been out. But they have a lot of guys. This team has too many parts not to have more answers. At least some answers. They're not tough enough, not strong enough. Given all the home losses, you can't feel good about how this season ends.
JEFF DRUMMOND:
There was a time when it felt like huge-font, national headline news if Kentucky ever lost a game at Rupp Arena. As I type this today, the Cats are riding an unprecedented three-game home losing streak, something I thought I'd never see in my lifetime. The scary part after this latest setback is how many difficult games UK still has remaining with a 16-7 overall record. This team is in serious danger of playing its way onto the NCAA Tournament bubble over the next two or three weeks. Every team they face from here on out knows it can bully the younger, weaker, and physically ailing Cats. The staff has to come up with some solutions in a hurry, or a once-promising season is spiraling down the drain.
TRAVIS GRAF:
The wheels have officially fallen off of a season that started off as a very promising one. Mark Few and Gonzaga did whatever they wanted on offense without resistance or counters from Kentucky. After being one of the top teams in the country at one point, the Cats now fall in line as a borderline bubble team more than anything at the moment. Kentucky digs themselves big holes every game, so it may be time to change the starting lineup. The fan base isn’t happy with losses in general, and they for sure won’t tolerate three straight home losses.
DAVID SISK:
For several weeks I felt like I was on an island. I kept hearing from many who know basketball, and are in the basketball media that Kentucky’s offense was good enough to overcome any defensive deficiencies. Just outscore the opponent. They were playing so well through the first half of the season that I was honestly second-guessing my philosophy that defense wins championships. I even called coaching friends to see if I was a dinosaur. We are seeing now that you can’t win if you can’t get stops. Kentucky shot 60%, and 43% from three in the second half, and still lost. I thought this team could be like the Washington Huskies football squad this year. The defense only had to be good enough because of a prolific offense. Instead, they look more like USC. One turnover, one drive without a touchdown, and they are cooked, because the defense simply can’t get off the field until the other team is handing the ball to the official in their end zone.
