Kentucky Goes Down to Michigan State 78-74

The Kentucky Wildcats are the first #1 ranked team to lose this season as they went down 78-74 to the #2 ranked Michigan State Spartans. Last season,. #1 was no place to be as the top ranked team went down often. Could we be in for more of the same this season? Why not?

Kentucky’s John Calipari has stated that he wants the undefeated season while at Kentucky. It will not happen this year as the Kats are now 2-1 on the young season. With what may be the greatest recruiting class ever amassed in college basketball history, one has to wonder if this team couldn’t do it, can it be done? Julius Randle did not disappoint for UK with 27 points in his third college game. He is already the second best player named Julius in basketball history. One day he may challenge Dr. J for the number one spot.

But the Spartans experience did in the youth of Kentucky on this night. Keith Appling had 22 points and Gary Harris had 20 to lead the Spartans in a battle we may see again at the Final Four. Both these teams are capable of getting to the national championship games and nothing we saw tonight makes us think differently. Michigan State had 17 assists to only seven turnovers in the second game of the season against the #1 team. That is impressive.

In the nightcap of the double-header the Kansas Jayhawks at #5 took on the #4 ranked Duke Blue Devils. This one was another very entertaining contest as Andrew Wiggins was introduced to the college basketball world as did Duke’s Jabari Parker. This game went back and forth all night before Kansas won it by a score of 94-83. The game was never more than a two point lead either way until the Jayhawks pulled away at the end. The score was tied 79-79 with under 3:00 to play before Wiggins made two big shots to put the Blue Devils behind. From there, it was all Jayhawks down the stretch as they improved to 2-0 while Duke dropped to 1-1.

Wiggins and Parker look to be lottery picks along with Randle and a handful of other UK starters. All were on display tonight in a great double header at the United Center in Chicago. Wiggins wound up with 22 points and Perry Ellis led KU with 24 while Parker added 27 for Duke.  If these two games were any indication, we are in for one great college basketball season.