LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A victory against Arkansas on Tuesday night would not have put the Kentucky men's basketball team back in the NCAA Tournament discussion. The Wildcats drifted too far out of that picture several weeks ago.
But it would have given the Wildcats something to talk about, especially if they had come all the way back from a 12-point second-half hole against an Arkansas team ranked as high as No. 27 by Ken Pomeroy of KenPom.com.
Kentucky gave people something to talk about, but it wasn't about ending another losing streak. It was about creating another brow-furrowing way to lose a game.
This time it was Arkansas 81, Kentucky 80 — after the Wildcats led with 12.3 seconds to play.
They allowed a 6-foot-6-inch, 175-pound Arkansas player to grab a critical rebound, fouled him, watched him make two free throws and then turned the ball over without getting a final shot.
Ouch.
"You look at this team, and I'm proud that they keep fighting," UK coach John Calipari said. "They deserve something good to happen. But nobody is going to give it to you. You have to take it."
Kentucky freshman B.J. Boston talked like a guy who thought the officials took it from his team. Boston questioned the foul called on Jacob Toppin, who appeared to hit the left hand of Arkansas forward Jalen Tate when Tate went up to score after rebounding a missed shot with 4.3 seconds to play. At 6 feet, 9 inches and 194 pounds, Toppin had 3 inches and nearly 20 pounds on Tate.
"I honestly don't think it was a foul," Boston said. "The refs gave them that game."
Arkansas also took it when Tate, a transfer from Northern Kentucky, made both free throws. Calipari set up a final play that was supposed to result in a shot by Boston, who led Kentucky with 17 points. But Davonte Davis of Arkansas stepped in front of pass from UK's Olivier Sarr.
No shot. Ball game. A four-game losing streak for the Wildcats, their second this season.
"I told the guys after the game I love how we fought," Boston said.
Kentucky's mojo this season is simply haywire. Tuesday's loss was Kentucky's 13th in 18 games, and five have been by 3 points or less.
The Wildcats lost on a night when they made 14 of 26 shots from distance. Five different Kentucky players made 3s, led by Boston, who hit 4 of 5. Five players scored in double figures. The Wildcats outrebounded Arkansas by nine. They turned the ball 11 times, well under their average
Those were all winning box score numbers.
"I was going crazy in the game," Calipari said. "I was not going to let them hang their heads. This was a breakthrough for us ... it's hard for me to be mad."
The Wildcats led by 6 midway through the first half but gave it all back to trail 36-35 at halftime. They started slowly in the second half, and the Razorbacks surged to a 60-49 lead.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Toppin and Sarr enabled Kentucky to cut the margin to 65-60. A basket by Tate followed.
Then, Kentucky really wobbled. A questionable foul call on Isaiah Jackson for reaching around Jaylin Williams resulted in two free throws — plus two more when Jackson’s reaction earned a technical foul. The Razorbacks made three of four to push the lead to 70-60.
"We finally fought in the final 5 minutes of a game," Boston said.
But the result was not different than the result against Georgia, Louisville, Notre Dame or Kansas, UK's four other one-possession losses.
Kentucky is scheduled to play Auburn on Saturday at Rupp Arena. The Wildcats lost to the Tigers, 66-59, on Jan. 16.
UK’s current schedule includes only three more home games — Auburn, Texas A&M on Feb. 23 and Florida on Feb. 27.
"I'm going to honest with you," Calipari said. "I'm not even sure who we're playing. I just know we have a game Saturday."
"We can't worry about losses," Boston said. "We take those as lessons."
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