Throughout the entirety of Kentucky's Elite 8 matchup against Notre Dame, it felt like the Irish were up big. Maybe it was the relative quiet of the predominantly pro-Kentucky crowd in Cleveland, having not experienced a test the likes of what Notre Dame was giving them. Perhaps it was the enthusiasm of the Irish after each bucket, especially Zack Auguste, who smiled and stuck out his tongue to the side of his mouth after each emphatic dunk. Or maybe it was Ashley Judd having a mini panic attack in her courtside seats and consuming far too many peanuts.
But Kentucky kept hanging around, never going down more than six, and calmly feeding big man Karl-Anthony Towns in the post whenever things seemed to be slipping away. Towns was an animal on the block, putting up 25 points and hoisting his Wildcat teammates up and over his back. And when it came time to close, Kentucky didn't miss. They went 9-9 on field goals after the 12:05 mark, including Aaron Harrison's ballsy 3-pointer with Kentucky down two with just over three minutes left that changed the game for good.
For much of the game, Notre Dame used Kentucky's size against them, luring their big men from the hoop with ball screens, pick and rolls and backdoor cuts that opened up the lane and allowed the Irish to do what most teams can't against the Wildcats: score in the paint. It also allowed Auguste to pour in 20 points on a series of dunks and lay-ups.
But in the end, it was Kentucky, as it has been all season. Wisconsin awaits them in Indianapolis for the Final Four, and the Wildcats are going to have to be much better than they were tonight. For now, though, let us grieve along with Jerian Grant.
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[Via Vinnyviner and College Basketball On Scout]
