Kentucky came within seconds of one of the most stunning home losses in program history on Friday night, trailing Northern Arizona by four points in the final minute at Rupp Arena despite being installed as a 34.5-point favorite. Only a missed front end of a one-and-one at the free-throw line by the Lumberjacks and a 3-pointer by guard Alex Wilkins with 2.2 seconds left allowed the Wildcats to hold on for a 78-77 victory.
Afterward, coach Mark Pope was asked what message he had for fans following a performance that nearly ended in disaster. His response was lighthearted. "Well, I hope everybody in Rupp had fun," Pope said. "Pretty exciting game .. It's pretty entertaining if not well executed. It's really entertaining. I think this will be a fun team to follow. With one exception, they're finding ways to win games. We will continue down that path as we try to settle the ship and execute better."
For Kentucky, the night was far less enjoyable than Pope's words suggested. It was closer to a collective sigh of relief. The Wildcats built a lead as large as 13 points in the first half, only to watch Northern Arizona rally and move in front during the closing minutes.
That Kentucky needed missed free throws from the Lumberjacks and a buzzer-beating shot from Wilkins to survive is alarming on its own. Northern Arizona has spent the last several years ranked near the bottom of the KenPom ratings, making the narrow escape all the more concerning for a program with championship expectations.
The scare also fit a troubling early pattern for Pope's squad. It was the third consecutive game in which Kentucky labored. The Wildcats were on the ropes at home against James Madison last week before pulling away late, and in their first genuine test of the season, they were outclassed by Kansas at the Champions Classic.
All of this comes against the backdrop of significant investment. Kentucky entered the season with one of the most expensive rosters in college basketball and opened the year ranked No. 23 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. The Wildcats slipped a spot this week following the shaky showing against James Madison.
Given the lopsided loss to Kansas and the near-collapse against Northern Arizona, Kentucky is almost certain to fall out of next week's rankings entirely, even with a 3-1 record. Winning games has not been enough to quiet the questions surrounding the team's execution.
The pressure on Pope, who is coaching at his alma mater, shows no signs of easing. With matchups against Indiana, Virginia and Louisville looming over the next month, the coming stretch will be a sink-or-swim test for a Kentucky team that has looked vulnerable throughout the opening weeks of the season.
