In the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, a double-digit seed has defeated Kentucky for the second time in three years.
In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky has lost to a double-digit seed for the second time in three years.
No. 14 seed Oakland surprised the No. 3 seed Wildcats with a 32-point shooting spree led by senior player Jack Gohlke, who went viral with his 10-point, 3-point shooting performance.
Kentucky is accustomed to the limitations of March Madness. Although head coach John Calipari has no problem bringing in elite players each season, those standout freshman have a track record of underperforming on the biggest stage in college basketball. Head coach John Calipari was the first to acknowledge that the 2024 NCAA Tournament was the same as before.
“We occasionally made some really bad decisions today. When you examine, “Where did the mistakes come from?” with a very young team “They were rookies,” Calipari said to the press following the defeat.
The comment is harsh, yet it’s not incorrect. Rob Dillingham and freshman Reed Sheppard of Kentucky are predicted to be among the top-10 picks in the NBA Draft in 2024. It also features Justin Edwards and D.J. Wagner, two additional first-year NBA prospects.
Edwards upheld his end of the bargain in the loss, but the same can’t be said for the other three. How did Oakland’s upset over Kentucky affect the Wildcat freshmen’s draft stock? The Sporting News takes a closer look below.
