Kentucky Wildcats Top Texas A&M to Claim SEC Title
Photo CourtesyTroy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports
By Veronica Renaker
The Kentucky Wildcats faced Texas A&M Sunday afternoon and did not disappoint.
The Cats went up against the Aggies earlier in the basketball season but lost 79-77 on a disputed technical foul with Alex Poythress on the bench. Poythress, a 6-foot, 8-inch, 230-pound small forward, is a crucial player on Kentucky’s team, averaging 10.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and .4 assists per game.
After stumbling earlier in the season, the Cats are back, and are their claws out! The two teams hashed it out in a tournament championship game at Bridgestone Arena. With 18.7 seconds left on the clock Danuel House of Texas A&M hit a three pointer which tied the game at 71.
Tyler Ulis of Kentucky quickly returned the favor with a jump shot putting his team back in front. With 15 seconds until victory, House hit nothing but net from the three point line, followed by a layup, putting TAM ahead 75-73.
With such a close call the stadium was brought to their feet. TAM’s final jump shot of the night brought the scoreboard to 77-76, UK. Not allowing a victory for Aggies, the Wildcats did not give up hope. Both Willis and Murray had back to back three pointers to win the game right before the buzzer. The final score was 82-77.
”We’re disappointed, but we don’t have time to hang our heads or be disrupted in the journey we’re trying to accomplish,” said Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy. TAM was seeded third in March Madness’ Western Regional.
UK coach John Calipari was disappointed with Kentucky’s seeding in the upcoming March Madness, fourth in the tough Eastern Regional.
“A&M got a 3-seed. Did we not play a basketball game today?”
It was Kentucky’s 29th SEC tournament championship. Now winning 14 of the past 24 SEC tournaments, it’s safe to say that the Cats are a force to reckoned with.
Kentucky will play Stony Brook this Thursday, March 17.
Courtesy of Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports!