Robert Morris pulls a stunner
MOON — John Calipari and Kentucky experienced an entirely different kind of “one-and-done” in the opening round of the NIT.
A year after cutting down the nets in New Orleans, the defending national champions were cut down in their coach's hometown by Robert Morris, who let a 13-point second-half lead disappear before pulling out a 59-57 victory.
Oh how far — and how quickly — the mighty have fallen.
“If there's any doubters,” Calipari said, “have at it.”
Kentucky's ugly finish to a disappointing season gave the critics plenty of ammunition.
Disjointed since the loss of center Nerlens Noel to a devastating knee injury a month ago, Kentucky (21-12) looked disinterested and even rattled while playing in a gym that seats 20,000 less than Rupp Arena.
The Wildcats lost six of their final 10 games, including a drubbing at the hands of Tennessee and a loss on the road to a Northeastern Conference school that was a junior college when Calipari was growing up less than a mile away.
Mike McFadden hit two free throws with 8.7 seconds remaining and Kyle Wiltjer's 3-pointer at the horn bounced off the rim, sending students spilling onto the court in the biggest victory in the program's history — and sending the Wildcats into an uncertain offseason.
“This is humbling,” Calipari said. “They think we're supposed to win 30 a year, 35 a year, go to the Final Four, win a national title.”
Robert Morris (24-10) led almost the entire way, never blinking in a rare visit from one of college basketball's Goliaths. Then again, this isn't the same Kentucky team that roared through the NCAAs behind stars Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
The Colonials were hardly intimidated, taking it to Kentucky from the opening tip. Robert Morris scored the first 10 points and didn't back down. Instead, it was Kentucky that consistently retreated.
“We wanted to show we had no fear that we was playing Kentucky,” Robert Morris guard Velton Jones said. “Going into the game, we knew we could be physical with them. They were tall, but not physically big. We just wanted to pressure them, let'em know we wasn't going anywhere the whole game.”
The triumph took some of the pain out of a heartbreaking end to the regular season. Robert Morris cruised to the Northeastern Conference title, but lost to Mount St. Mary's in the conference tournament. The defeat dashed the Colonials' hopes of making the NCAAs.
