5 Quick, Angry Reactions to Kentucky's loss to Georgia Tech

After back-to-back losses vs. Richmond and Kansas, John Calipari told reporters on Friday he was not afraid of letting this team take their lumps.

“You may ask me after the next game, ‘Is that rock bottom?’ And then after the next game, ‘Is that rock bottom?’”

Not to be THAT PERSON, but after Kentucky’s 79-62 loss to Georgia Tech, please say this is rock bottom. Because I can’t handle anything lower than that.

Oh yes, if your eyes burned to ashes inside of your skull because of that horrible display of basketball, Kentucky didn’t just lose to Georgia Tech, they got run out of an empty State Farm Arena. Yes, the same Georgia Tech that lost to Georgia State and Mercer to start the season and hasn’t done any contact work in practice out of fears of COVID. That same Georgia Tech outshot, outhustled, and pushed a team of five-star Kentucky players around like a bunch of preschoolers — even that feels too generous. Apologies to preschoolers everywhere.

For the first time in TWENTY YEARS, so the 2000-01 season, Kentucky is starting the season 1-3. According to Corey Price, it’s only the third time in the AP Poll era that Kentucky has started a season 1-3 while being ranked in each of the four games (2000-01 and 1973-74). It’s not really worth discussing right now, but that AP Poll? Forget about it. The Cats are currently ranked No. 20 and I’m starting to question if they even deserve votes when the new poll drops tomorrow.

Tonight was so deflating that I don’t even have the energy to comfort you with the usual disclaimers about how this group can turn it around by March. Yeah, they can. Calipari’s track record with young players is unmatched, and in a bizarre year where team-building is even more difficult due to the pandemic, there’s an excuse there if he wants it; however, I know I don’t speak just for myself when I say tonight was incredibly discouraging, even for the brightest of optimists.

Just a few things before I come off this rage high and forget about sports for 12 hours, 8 hours, oh, who am I kidding, pass the bourbon.

The numbers, my gosh, the numbers

Some of the most egregious numbers from tonight’s box score:

• 21 turnovers to 16 assists, compared to 6 turnovers to 20 assists by Georgia Tech
• 33 points off those turnovers for Georgia Tech
• 20 points in the paint to Georgia Tech’s 36 (paging Olivier Sarr?)
• 4 steals to Georgia Tech’s 15 (!!!!!!)
• Georgia Tech hit 51.7% of its shots, 62.1% in the second half
• 7 fastbreak points to Georgia Tech’s 19

If you’re desperate for some good, Kentucky outrebounded the Yellow Jackets 28-23. The Cats also made eight threes, the most of the season.

This was John Calipari’s first loss to a former assistant

As poorly as Kentucky played, Josh Pastner’s crew deserves credit for the win, their first of the season and the first for one of Calipari’s assistants in 18 head-to-head matchups with their former boss. Kentucky had zero answer for Moses Wright, who finished with 21 points. Bubba Parham — remember him — had 17 points, including three three-pointers. A veteran squad, the Yellow Jackets put the Cats’ youth on full blast, causing even Jeff Goodman to come to Kentucky’s defense:

In defense of this Kentucky team:

1) Not one player who played today saw a single minute on last year’s UK team.

2) They didn’t have nearly as much time as usual in the summer.

3) They have gone against some veteran-laden teams – especially Richmond and Georgia Tech.

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) December 7, 2020

What is this world?

Terrence Clarke played well

One positive from tonight then I promise I’ll go back to slouching around the blog like Kreacher. Terrence Clarke turned in his best game yet, with 22 points off 9-14 from the floor and 3-4 from behind the three-point line. Both Clarke and Boston hit threes for the first time this year. I’d say it was nice to see Clarke take over, but honestly, is it nice to see someone take over and the result still be a 17-point loss? Isaiah Jackson continued to quietly contribute, pulling down 12 rebounds to go with his nine points. His efficiency was +20, the highest on the team. He is my favorite player on this team and it’s not close.

Where do we go from here? 

Kentucky has four games before SEC play begins on December 29. The road ahead does not get easier, especially after Brad Calipari and Detroit Mercy gave Michigan State a scare on Friday. Oddly enough, the Cats’ next two opponents, Notre Dame and Detroit, are currently playing each other on the ACC Network.

• Dec. 12: Notre Dame (0-1, 80-70 loss to Michigan State)
• Dec. 15: Detroit Mercy (0-1, 83-76 loss to Michigan State, they gave the Spartans a scare)
• Dec. 19: UCLA in CBS Sports Classic (1-1, loss to San Diego State, can’t make fun of that anymore)
• Dec. 26: at Louisville (4-0)

Please figure something out before December 26, Cal.

Can you use youth as an excuse for that?

After Calipari’s eleven seasons in Lexington, we’re used to young teams. It’s a way of life, and, more often than not, has paid off in exciting basketball come March. With only one returning contributor in Keion Brooks — who has yet to play due to a calf injury — this team had a steep climb ahead, and the pandemic certainly hasn’t made anything easier. That being said, over the past decade, even when Kentucky’s been young, there’s been something to get excited about, whether it be a dunk here, a comeback there, or a big win over a ranked opponent to get the blood flowing and the goal back in sight. I was even willing to make excuses for this group after the losses to Richmond and Kansas. Both are ranked, after all. After watching this team look lost and disinterested vs. a bad Yellow Jackets squad, I just can’t right now.