The Kentucky Wildcats moved to a perfect 34-0 with their 28th SEC Tournament Championship over the Arkansas Razorbacks. These Wildcats have refused to let off the gas this entire season, and that showed in their last "losable"game.
Arkansas was down by double-digits for the majority of the game, but they managed to show some fight in the painful loss. The Razorbacks were able to cut the lead to as many nine in the second half before Kentucky switched gears to put them away.
An SEC Final has never been so electric after the attendance ratings reached a new high. Kentucky and Arkansas fans filled Bridgestone Arena and had it rocking buzzer-to-buzzer.
It was especially loud whenever Kentucky hit a three-pointer, which they did well in today's game. The Wildcats knocked down 7 of 12 from outside, which is something past John Calipari teams that did not win it all couldn't do.
This game was extra physical, and there was a lot to show for that. Willie Cauley-Stein was bloodied, and both Aaron Harrison and Dakari Johnson were hit multiple times and caused to cramp up. If these two teams begin to rival each other, it could get interesting during games.
This win was important because now Kentucky cannot lose. If they were to lose, their unbelievable season would come to an early end. There is no doubt these Wildcats see another trophy ahead, and everyone else just has to see if they can reach it.
Arkansas will likely be a high seed in the NCAA Tournament despite the loss. These Razorbacks have had a fantastic season and have too many quality wins to be put any lower than a #5 seed.
The Kentucky Wildcats have already been announced as the #1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. The only thing these Wildcats are waiting for come 6:00 p.m. is what their bracket will look like.
Individual Statistics
Michael Qualls: Qualls was the reason Arkansas was able to storm back and cut it to single-digits. He scored 18 points on 8-for-12 shooting and kept attacking the Kentucky defense in the second half. That allowed him to get easy buckets in the paint.
Willie Cauley-Stein: Cauley-Stein showed once again why he is the most athletic player on this Kentucky team. He had 15 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks as he finished up a terrific SEC Tournament. If Willie Cauley-Stein performs like this during the NCAA Tournament, then Kentucky will be dangerous.
Andrew Harrison: Harrison finished up another post-season game above 10 points, this time scoring 15 off of 3 for 3 from downtown. If Harrison is able to hit consistently like this from beyond the arc like he is now, the duo of Aaron and Andrew Harrison will be even deadlier.
Bobby Portis: Portis could not get hot in his last two SEC games, but he did manage to scrape together 13 points and hit 6 of 10 free throws. When 13 points is a small amount for a player, that is when a coach knows he has talent on his hands.
Aaron Harrison: The other twin scored 11 points, six assists, and two blocks for the shooting guard. Harrison's focus may not have been on scoring, but he did just about everything else to get the job done.