Kentucky NCAA hopes end after being bounced from SEC tourney
But things began spiraling downward for the Wildcats long before Thursday's disappointing 74-73 setback against Mississippi State that sealed their fate: No NCAA Tournament this year. AdDigesting the reality and enduring a losing season at college basketball's winningest program will make for a long offseason for the Wildcats. “But at the end of the day, you've gotta win games and you've gotta be tough and you've got to play winning basketball. The Wildcats rebounded to win their first three SEC games, only to seesaw between a four-game skid and three-game winning streak. One of the main issues for the Wildcats was putting up points, as Kentucky ranked 200th in Division I in scoring.