Things couldn’t have started better for Kentucky with shots falling and defensive stops stacking. The Wildcats pushed ahead by as many as 12 with their peak coming ahead of the second media timeout, up 20-9 after an 8-12 start from the field and 4-6 from three — Denzel Aberdeen and Collin Chandler rolling early with a pair of triples each.
Then came the collapse, turnovers and foul trouble piling up in a hurry, along with the lid eventually coming off for Iowa State after 11 straight misses from three. It was an 8-0 run to end the half for the Cyclones to give them their first lead of the day at 31-30 going into the break, followed by a second half that can only be described as humiliating for the underdog.