The thing that makes Kentucky basketball special is the exact same thing that makes it an absolute meat grinder for some.
There is a suffocating, unrelenting pressure that exists in Lexington, a demand to win that far exceeds almost anywhere else in the country. Fans are rabid for everything Kentucky.
College basketball is not just a seasonal sport in this state; it is a year-round pastime. People save up and take their vacations to go watch this team play in Nashville every year.
With all of that attention comes an unavoidable need to perform. And unfortunately, this year’s team simply did not do that.