Undefeated Kentucky Gets a Beat Down by Wisconsin

I turned the television on well into the first half, and the very first image that I saw reminded me so much of something far into the past, that there was this undeniable sense of deja vu.

There was John Calipari, biting a towel.

That was exactly what Jerry Tarkanian did when his undefeated UNLV Runnin' Rebels were the dominant, undefeated team in the Final Four, looking to secure their place in history as the greatest college basketball team ever. UNLV was historically dominant that season, not only going unbeaten, but obliterating their opponents in historic fashion, game after game.

And then, they ran into Duke in their first Final Four game, and it was a very different story. Duke wanted revenge from getting beaten in the previous year's Final Four, and they kept up with UNLV. In fact, they looked downright comfortable, and the game stayed close. Duke not only had a chance, they were seemingly in command.

There was Tarkanian on the sidelines, biting his towel nervously, as the game ran away from UNLV's control. Uncharacteristically, they were not playing as well as they usually did, and that was putting their dream season, and their perfect record, in jeopardy.

Duke managed to hold off and win, ending UNLV's dreams of the perfect season, and instead of being remembered for fulfilling the dream and securing their status as best ever, UNLV is now remembered for that crushing loss, as well as for the sanctions placed on them by the NCAA. They have never recovered, remaining largely in the background since their unbelievable dominance in the early nineties.

More recently, we had the New England Patriots looking historically dominant, crushing one opponent after another, as they ran the table and went undefeated through the regular season. In the playoffs, they were not nearly as dominant, but they had more than enough to get past the Jacksonville Jaguars, and then to hold off the San Diego Chargers, to secure their spot in the Super Bowl, and a chance to complete the perfect season.

We all know what happened next. The Giants kept up with New England. Belichick gambled at a key time, going for a first down conversion instead of the more secure choice of a field goal and three points in the third quarter of a tight game. Some time later, after a few miracle plays on New York's end, the Patriots were handed their first loss of the season in the last, and most important, game of the season. They lost by three points. Had they gone for the field goal, they still might have won, and completed that perfect season. Or, perhaps if Assante Samuel held on to the sure interception that he instead dropped, they might have won.

Instead, the 2007 New England Patriots, a team of historical dominance, winds up being best remembered as the biggest goats in history, going perfect only until it counted the most, with those key moments resulting in that loss being immortalized forever in the minds of sports fans.

Now, add Kentucky to this list.

To tell the truth, we should keep in mind that other teams had significant undefeated starts as well. Earlier this year, the Princeton women's team went 30-0 to enjoy a perfect regular season. But they lost in the second round of the elimination tournament.

Last year, Memphis State went undefeated through the regular season, and had an impressive 34-0 mark in the tournament, before falling and getting bounced out.

It should be noted that those two examples, however, were of teams that had not been tested, that had not played strong, highly ranked opponents during their unbeaten runs. So, they were expected to lose at some point in the tournament.

Compare that to Kentucky, who owned the Number One ranking all season long, and had beaten some impressive teams along the way. They were expected to win, and to win big. To complete their quest for the perfect season.

But there they were, constantly falling behind Wisconsin, an opponent with a bone to pick with Kentucky, specifically, because it was the Wild Cats, or Big Blue Nation, that had bounced the Badgers out of the Final Four last season, much like Duke had been bounced out of the tournament the previous year by UNLV, before getting another chance the next year.

Wisconsin had wanted the opportunity to go against Kentucky all year long, and now, they had their chance. After Kentucky raced off to a 5-0 lead early in the game, Wisconsin began to play their aggressive, tough style of basketball. Kentucky seemed to lose the battle for rebounds almost every time. Wisconsin had the better scoring chances, and they had more of them. They completely dominated the first half.

Still, it was a testament to how great Kentucky really is that despite being dominated, they walked off the court at halftime tied with Wisconsin. Despite a tough game, they were finding ways, and responding like champions themselves.

But last night's game had the feel of inevitability. One famous guy (I forget who) texted that this game had the feel of the first Tyson-Holyfield fight, and suggested that for the first time all season, Kentucky was going up against an opponent that was not scared of them, that was not only matching them blow for blow, but was beating them to the punch. We all know what happened to the heavily favored Tyson in that match.

And we know now what happened to Kentucky in last night's match.

Oh, they fought for it. The game went back and forth, and there were points where it seemed Kentucky was in control, and were on the verge of blowing the game wide open.

But they went over four minutes very late in the second half without a field goal. They were making mistakes (and in fairness, some bad calls went against both teams). And in the end, they were unable to answer a barrage of points by Wisconsin down the stretch.

It was an interesting game, and Kentucky fought right to the end. But the pressure of their undefeated season seemed to weigh on them late in the game. As it became clear that this was not going to be their game, you could see the dejection, the shock, the crushing disappointment.

Another undefeated, historically dominant team flirting with a perfect season instead lost, showing vulnerabilities that they had not shown all season, and doing so at the most inopportune time.

Everyone assumed that Kentucky was going to be the National Champions at the end of the season.

Instead, they do not even make it to the Final, which will now be played between Wisconsin and Duke.

I could not help wondering what the members of the 1991 UNLV Runnin' Rebels were thinking and feeling, as they watched the formerly undefeated and incredibly dominant Kentucky Wild Cats fall last night. Or, the members of the 2007 New England Patriots. Or, perhaps even the members of last year's Memphis State team, or this year's Princeton Tigers Women's team. Did they feel sympathy? Was there a little bit of satisfaction that Kentucky did not manage to complete what they themselves failed to complete? Were they rooting for Kentucky to win, or perhaps secretly (or not so secretly) hoping that Kentucky would fail? Perhaps some members did not even care. Who knows?

What is known is that Wisconsin secured their place in that final game against Duke, and will have a chance to win the National Championship. Personally, I hope that Wisconsin slays another dragon and downs Duke, who I liken to the Lakers or Yankees of college basketball. They are an irritating team, and the last thing that most people want to see is yet another Duke championship.

So, let's hope that we see Wisconsin get the title!

Go Badgers!!!