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Kentucky is still perfect, but far from unbeatable

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

We learned one key thing from Kentucky’s narrow victory in Saturday’s insta-classic, heavyweight bout with third-seeded Notre Dame.

As the Irish showed, the narrative of the 2015 NCAA tournament being a mere six-game coronation for John Calipari’s team was complete bunk. Notre Dame hung with the now 38-0 Wildcats for 40 minutes and lost only in the final minutes after they started playing tentative defense with a big lead. Interestingly, that big lead came when Kentucky got tentative, as the Wildcats hadn’t been in this position — in a battle with a worthy adversary — all season. With Wisconsin awaiting, Big Blue Nation should be worried — very worried.

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

(USA TODAY Sports Images)

Despite the initial jitters, that didn’t seem to matter. Kentucky was brilliant in the game’s final two minutes. Sure, Notre Dame got panicky after getting ahead by six points but most of that was due to Kentucky’s inability to miss a shot and stifling interior defense. For Notre Dame, what had been drives to the hoop early in the game became lazy pull-up jumpers from beyond the arc. The tight defense that kept the Irish in the contest became looser, partially because players were afraid of fouls.

Still, the teams exchanged blows until the end, trading deep three for deep three, turnover for turnover and stop for stop. It was basketball perfection. There were 11 ties and 17 lead changes before Jerian Grant’s final shot from the corner sailed over the basket. It was a beautiful game of basketball which of course means that one team’s euphoria was another’s tragedy.

(Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

But hold your head high, Notre Dame. You hung with the best team in the land and taught the college basketball world other lessons on Saturday. First, that dominant win over West Virginia was the worst thing that could have happened for Kentucky. For as much as Calipari probably said to forget that victory and focus on Notre Dame, that’s easier said than done, especially for a group of kids 20 and under. Notre Dame took early advantage of an overconfident UK squad. Second, the supposedly unbeatable Wildcats almost lost to the “worst” team they’re likely to face in the final rounds of the tournament. Wisconsin awaits in the Final Four and Duke or Gonzaga possibly will be there in the final. This was just an appetizer. Had Kentucky and Wisconsin played on this Saturday instead of next Saturday, the ‘Cats would be licking their wounds at 37-1.

Kentucky is undefeated, but they aren’t perfect, not by a long shot. After Saturday’s battle, 40-0, once thought to be a mere formality, now looks further away then ever.

(Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

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