In the headline game of the SEC-Big 12 challenge, the battle of the blue-bloods with Kansas and Kentucky didn't leave anyone disappointed.
Unless you're John Calipari, that is.
Bill Self's team rolled into Rupp Arena and rode out sky-high on the wings of Josh Jackson's 20-point night, knocking off the mighty Wildcats 79-73 in Rupp Arena. It's the first time since the 2008-2009 season Kentucky has suffered two non-conference losses at home.
To pile on, this is Kentucky's second consecutive loss. In Kentucky's world, that qualifies as a slump.
"They stink. How about that?" Calipari said after the loss, just four days after coming up short against Tennessee. "One was on the road and one is home. We don't normally lose here, but Kansas, you got to give them credit. They came in here and [made] all the plays they had to make in the second half, even when we made a run to make it close again. They were effort plays, too."
The Jayhawks achieved the win by a committee approach. Four players finished the game scoring in double figures, with Frank Mason III and Josh Jackson getting 21 and 20, respectively. If it was just a big night for KU on the offensive end (and it was), it's something Kentucky would have to deal with. But there were other opportunities that slipped away from the Wildcats -- and that's what Calipari praised Kansas for after the game.
"They were tip-ins, they were grabs, they were second and third shots," said Calipari on Kansas' extra efforts. "They were a drive to the basket and a physical tough and-one layup. That's what they did to beat us. And I come back to our defensive playing and our toughness. That's what they did to us. A young team, you got to learn to fight. That's what we're going to have to learn to do."
The matchup, which was pegged as a battle of the backcourts, was largely decided by the frontcourt. Despite Kansas' lack of depth, the Jayhawks edged out Kentucky by dominating the glass. Landen Lucas scored 13 points and gathered 3 offensive rebounds. KU finished with 10 offensive boards on the night -- one that may have put the game out of reach late.
Kansas finished the game with a 34-25 rebounding advantage, 10-9 on offense. But second-chance opportunities, being overwhelmed by a relatively smaller group, played in favor of KU. The Jayhawks converted 10 of their offensive boards and turned them into 17 points -- including 44 in the paint.
Said Calipari: "In a close game, again, we took, turned it over for an unforced, and then took a tough shot. No rebounds. I mean, (Josh) Jackson's tip-in was huge, I mean it was a one-point game."
For Kansas, now 19-2, this win is a nice bounce back after its 18 game win-streak ended earlier this week against West Virginia. It now faces Baylor on Wednesday in what is likely to be a top-5 matchup with Big 12 title ramifications on the line.
The loss for Kentucky (17-4), as Gary Parrish put it, makes it an uphill climb for any chances of securing a No. 1 seed. Its 3-4 record against top-50 teams likely won't cut the mustard, even if it does run the table in the SEC. The positive news: Running the table is entirely possible -- and maybe probably. The Wildcats start the home stretch of their season and continue SEC conference play on Tuesday as they welcome Georgia into Rupp Arena.