LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- After winning their last four games by an average of 33.8 points, the question for John Calipari’s Kentucky basketball team was basic:
Could the Wildcats continue their winning play on the road against a Top 25 opponent?
Not Tuesday night in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Down a point with 21 seconds to play, the Wildcats turned the ball over on consecutive plays and lost to No. 21 Louisiana State, 65-60, Tuesday night.
"We were careless down the stretch and it caused some turnovers," UK forward Jacob Toppin said.
This is how careless Kentucky was: In a 9-minute stretch that followed a Kellan Grady three-pointer that put Kentucky ahead, 50-41, the Wildcats went 1 for 10 with five turnovers. They also missed four of five three throws.
Of course, there was a reason for the sloppy finish.
The Wildcats had to play without one starting guard (Sahvir Wheeler) for 36 minutes and then had their other starting guard (TyTy Washington) compromised by cramps over the final nine minutes.
Kentucky guard Sahvir Wheeler (2) is assisted off the court after getting injured in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against LSU in Baton Rouge, La., Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Derick Hingle)
It showed in the final 21 seconds. First, after running nearly the length of the court to make a steal, Oscar Tshiebwe threw the ball away at midcourt, leading to a dunk that put LSU ahead, 63-60.
Then, with the Wildcats needing a 3-point field goal to tie the game, they failed to manage an attempt. Guard Davion Mintz lost the ball, setting up another easy LSU score. UK slipped to 11-3, 1-1 in the Southeastern Conference.
"We're a resilient bunch and we showed a lot of resolve and toughness," said Grady. "We fought today. You can't question our effort. We've just got to be a little bit better."
"We were a little bit down on numbers," Calipari said. "Davion did fine, but he's not a point guard ... tough loss for these kids. We had some guys who weren't ready for this moment."
Truth be told, nobody expected moments like the ones Kentucky encountered at the Maravich Assembly Center. Little was easy.
Less than four minutes into the game, UK lost Wheeler. Chasing his man down the court on defense, Wheeler was blindsided and flattened by a screen set by LSU center Efton Reid.
Wheeler is 5 feet 9 inches and 180 pounds. Reid is 7 feet, 238 pounds. Physics were not in Wheeler’s favor, especially considering he was not expecting the contact on what appeared to be a legal screen. (And no foul was assessed.)
Wheeler went down and stayed down for several minutes. Blinking his eyes, he wobbled off the floor with assistance and did not return to the bench.
"He's the engine to our car," Grady said. "He's the guy who's able to orchestrate our offense."
Five minutes later, Kentucky lost another important part for the remainder of the first half when Tshiebwe was assessed his second foul.
Toss in Grady missing all seven of his first-half field goal attempts, including six from distance, and Lance Ware going 0 for 4 from the foul line, and Kentucky was fortunate to be within 5 points (35-30) at halftime.
Credit Toppin for that. He took six shots. He made six shots, including a 12-footer from the left baseline at the halftime buzzer.
Kentucky forward Jacob Toppin (0) dunks against LSU in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in Baton Rouge, La., Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. (AP Photo/Derick Hingle)
Grady rallied in the second half, making four consecutive threes in less than five minutes. The fourth one pushed the Wildcats to a 50-41 lead. Grady was asked what changed for him in the second half.
"It's hard to go 0-for-10," he said. "I had faith a couple would drop."
But UK lost Washington to an injury several minutes after that. Kentucky made three field goals In the final 13 minutes -- a dunk by Tshiebwe, a 3-pointer by Mintz and a layup by Mintz.
Need one more example of the issues created by the missing backcourt?Â
Kentucky finished 11 assists, the fewest they've had since a season-low 9 in the Wildcats' last loss at Notre Dame.
While the SEC is as strong and difficult as it has been in years, Georgia, UK's next opponent, is not one of the teams that makes the league challenging.
The Bulldogs are ranked No. 216 in Ken Pomeroy’s computer power formula. They have already lost home games to Wofford, George Mason, East Tennessee State and Gardner Webb. The Bulldogs slipped to 5-9, losing on a buzzer-beater to Texas A&M.
The Bulldogs, and former Indiana coach Tom Crean, will visit Rupp Arena Saturday at 6 p.m.
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