Kentucky coach John Calipari issued a statement Monday following the Wildcats’ 77-71 overtime loss to the Auburn Tigers.
In a pair of tweets, Calipari commented on how much the loss hurt, and how much he’d enjoyed coaching this year’s Kentucky team despite the fact that they fell short of the Final Four.
Losing stinks. As I told the guys afterwards, it’s supposed to sting when you lose. If it’s doesn’t you’re not a competitor. This one is going to hurt for all of us for a while but it doesn’t take away from what this team accomplished this season and how much these kids grew.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) April 1, 2019
Each and every player isn’t the same version he was at the beginning of the season. Every player grew, and as they improved, our team got better and put us in the mix again.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) April 1, 2019
I so badly wanted to get to next weekend to have another week to coach these kids. I’ve enjoyed coaching this group as much as any I have ever had. These are a bunch of great kids and I hope our fan base celebrates them for a terrific season.
— John Calipari (@UKCoachCalipari) April 1, 2019
Calipari’s mea culpa is probably somewhat a response to the circumstances of the loss. Kentucky led by as much as 11 in the first half a took a five-point advantage into the locker room, meaning the loss broke a remarkable Calipari streak. Plus, a program like Kentucky expects Final Fours, and Calipari hasn’t reached one since 2015.
