The NCAA tournament has given us plenty to talk about after its first weekend.
We’ve been treated to six overtime games (the tournament record is seven), big time upsets (Duke, Syracuse and Kansas all failed to win more than one game) and memorable finishes (ask THE University of Dayton).
But between all of the madness that has commenced this week, one game has managed to stand above the rest: No. 8 seed Kentucky vs. No. 1 seed Wichita State.
The Shockers entered at a remarkable 35-0, and haven’t lost since last years Final Four defeat to the eventual champion Louisville Cardinals.
It took a team loaded with top-tier NBA prospects to end the Shockers dream of a perfect season, and they did so in a back-and-forth nail-biter of a game, certainly the tournament’s best to date after the Wildcats beat the Shockers 78-76.
There was no shortage of big time performances in this one, and Cleanthony Early’s 31 points were bested by the Harrison twins, Andrew and Aaron, who finished with 20 and 19 points respectively. Top-5 prospect Julius Randle was fantastic all around with 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. He’ll have at least one more game to impress NBA scouts.
With all the attention leading up to this game it did not disappoint, and was the talking point of the day for several NBA stars, former Kentucky players and even Mark Cuban:
#Kentucky growing up in front of our eyes. Had to pick that upset after watching them play #Florida in the SEC Championship game
— Reggie Jackson (@rjOKCson_15) March 23, 2014
Yessssss!!!! Survive and advance baby!!!! Bbn! Lets goooo!!
— Terrence Jones (@TerrenceJones1) March 23, 2014
Good ass game!! Hats off to Wichita St but there’s a reason y we play the best teams & they don’t.. #GoBigBlue #BBN #MarchMadness
— Patrick Patterson (@pdpatt) March 23, 2014
Ball Game! That was a great game! Great win!!
— Darius Miller (@uknum1) March 23, 2014
Great job UK. What a game!
— Al Horford (@Al_Horford) March 23, 2014
Yessuh!!! Go big blue!
— Jodie Meeks (@Jmeeks20) March 23, 2014
Which idiot media person is going to ask the Wichita State coach and players if they thought it would have better to lose a game pre NCAA?
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) March 23, 2014
Ben Baroff is a basketball journalist who blogs for SheridanHoops.com. Follow him on Twitter here.