Things looked bleak for Kentucky in the after dark window on Saturday night. Gonzaga grabbed their first-double digit lead at 24-14 with just over 11 minutes remaining in the first half. That was a danger zone for the Wildcats.
Mark Few’s team was able to push that lead out to 16 points at halftime thanks to an 8-0 run over the last five minutes before the break to take a 50-34 lead into the locker room at Climate Pledge Arena. This is a specific area where the Zags simply do not lose.
No one protects leads better than Few’s program.
That 175-game winning streak was snapped in Seattle. Kentucky became the first team since the 2015-16 season to erase a double-digit halftime deficit and defeat Gonzaga. This team might be the second version of the Comeback Cats.
After falling behind by 18 points (52-34) early in the second half, Kentucky responded with a 21-6 run to cut the lead to one-possession (58-55) with 12 minutes left in the second half. Gonzaga was able to push the lead out to six points (65-59) one more time with eight minutes left but the Wildcats slowly close the gap and finally tied the game on an Andrew Carr mid-post jumper with one minute left in the game. That send us to overtime where 7-0 blitz to start the extra period was just enough to get Kentucky to the winner’s circle with a 90-89 victory.
Gonzaga had been the best team in college basketball at holding leads. Kentucky handed Few’s squad a rare defeat in the largest second half comeback in program history. Pope’s first squad in Lexington is quickly becoming a second half team.
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