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March Madness: Kentucky Stunned by 15-Seed Saint Peter’s in Overtime

Well, it’s that time of year again. March Madness goes mad after Kentucky is stunned by the 15-seed Saint Peter’s in overtime. Just an absolute crushing loss for the Wildcats who were playing their first NCAA Tournament game since 2019. Even with the potential National Player of the Year in Oscar Tschiebwe, the Cats couldn’t get it done.

For this lifelong Kentucky fan, I can’t lie, this is one of the toughest losses ever. This team was experienced, not the usual young squad that Calipari brings to March. Transfers litter the roster. Oscar is a rebounding machine. However, when shots don’t fall and you don’t hit free throws, the best of players and game plans can be brought down. We’re going to get some help from On3 for the details.

How it Happened

Head coach Shaheen Holloway has now made March Madness history twice, once as a player at Seton Hall, and now against Kentucky as the Cats are stunned by the Peacocks. You would have to think that Holloway is going to get a phone call from a bigger school as soon as the Cinderella run comes to an end.

The Cats become the latest 2-seed to fall to a 15-seed. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does, the results are not great for the favorite. This is the high and low of college basketball all in one. Just when Kellan Grady hit a three-pointer to tie the game, it felt like something was changing. But, Doug Edert could not be stopped. He finished with 20 points off the bench.

For every move and run that the Cats had, however, the Peacocks were right there with their own answer. A 30 point and 16 rebound performance from Tshiebwe couldn’t stop the underdog from their destiny. A tough loss and one that Calipari will be thinking about for a long time.

March Madness Goes Mad with Kentucky Stunned by St. Peter’s

The Kentucky team that beat Kansas in Lawrence by 20 is not the same team that played these last two weeks of the season. Back in January, it looked like the Cats were a top-10 team in defense and offense. They locked teams down on the perimeter and with Oscar down low, they had an anchor on defense. And a seemingly endless supply of offensive rebounds.

Those defensive struggles led to issues late in the season. They couldn’t stop Tennessee from scoring in the SEC Tournament. Then, they allowed the No.260 offense in the country to nail three-pointer after three-pointer. With Kentucky out, the East Region is now wide open for top seed Baylor.

So, the only question that remains is, where do the Peacocks go from here? They will play the winner of Murray State and San Francisco in the second round. So, is a Sweet 16 on the horizon? This Racer alumnus is glad to see Tevin Brown in it this year. Now, we wait and see if they get passed the Dons of San Fran. Only in March, right Outsiders?