clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Kentucky Not Happy With This Year’s Final Four

Join the club

By JD King
/ new
Saint Peter’s v Kentucky
 INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 17: Head coach John Calipari of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts during the second half against the Saint Peter’s Peacocks in the first round game of the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 17, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

As far as we can tell, there are two basic reactions to Duke and UNC facing off in the Final Four this Saturday: a local sense and a national sense.

Locally, there’s a sense of dread and oh crap...not them. Not now. Most fans on both sides would just as soon not have to do this and no one wants to deal with losing. There’s the whole Last Ride thing for Coach K and the upset in Cameron not too long ago. Planet Duke hasn’t forgotten that and we’re guessing that Planet UNC knows that Duke hasn’t forgotten about that.

And of course someone is going to lose and that won’t be easy for whichever side is knocked out.

As far as it goes, at least the game is on Saturday and not Monday.

As bad as it is here, it’s quite different nationally although that’s not all good either. Know who is having a very tough time with this Final Four?

BBN, aka Kentucky.

As Mark Story points out, there’s a lot of negatives for Kentucky in this Final Four and Kentucky fans are not happy. Just take a look:

  • Kansas has passed Kentucky in all-time wins, 2,355 to 2,353.
  • UNC now has the most wins in NCAA history, 130 to UK’s 129.
  • Kentucky has fallen to a tie for this with Final Four trips behind UNC and UCLA. And the tie is with who? That’s right - Duke.
  • Until the 2022 NCAA tourney started, Kentucky stood alone in third place all-time in most Final Four trips with 17, only three off North Carolina’s record.

He goes on to point out several things, including that a UNC title would put them just one behind the Wildcats. A Duke win would push the Blue Devils in range with six.

Yet despite all of this, Story suggests that Kentucky fans pull for Duke Saturday. Why?

To block UNC from closing the gap.

But he suggests pulling for the Villanova-Kansas winner to take home the title.

There’s a lot more in that article about why this is The Final Four From Hell for Kentucky fans. Our guess is that Duke and UNC fans will both enjoy it.

More From Duke Basketball Report

Loading comments...