Kentucky's season ended with a missed last-second shot in the SEC Tournament. But things began spiraling downward for the Wildcats long before Thursday's disappointing 74-73 setback against Mississippi State that sealed their fate: No NCAA Tournament this year.
When the Bulldogs' Iverson Molinar made two free throws with seven seconds left, it assured the Wildcats (9-16) will miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013 and just the second in John Calipari's 12-year tenure in Lexington.
With Duke withdrawing from the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament due to a positive COVID test, it will be the first time since 1976 that both the Blue Devils and Kentucky will not be in the NCAAs.