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On Tuesday night at Rupp Arena, the Kentucky Wildcats suffered one of its most embarrassing, unlikely losses in its history at the hands of Evansville, an unranked team that was 25-point underdogs entering the game and ESPN’s Basketball Power Index (BPI) had given them just a 4% chance to win.
William Hill took a $900 in-play bet on Kentucky -10000 Money Line shortly after tip. It would have netted $9.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) November 13, 2019
The 67-64 win marked the Evansville program’s first victory over a No. 1-ranked team and snapped Kentucky’s 52-game winning streak over unranked non-league opponents inside Rupp Arena.
https://twitter.com/abdulamemon/status/1194439013542891520?s=20
Following last season’s 11-21 record, the Evansville Purple Aces were predicted to finish eighth in the Missouri Valley Conference’s preseason poll.
To make matters sweeter for Evansville head coach and former Celtic Walter McCarty, other than the fact that Kentucky paid Evansville $90,000 to play them on their home court, the second-year coach won a national championship at Kentucky in 1996.
Incredible.
Evansville head coach Walter McCarty, who won a national championship as a player with Kentucky in 1996, just pulled off the upset against his alma mater. pic.twitter.com/9q9SvLHUEt
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 13, 2019
After the game, McCarty was predictably ecstatic.
“To be able to come back home and play against the No. 1 team in the country and be able to perform the way that we did, I don’t know if anything matches this other than winning a national championship,” he said. “It’s awesome, man. To be able to come here and play on this type of stage. My guys, I got a good group of guys, I really do. They love each other. They’re very connected.
“To bring this group in here and to be able to do that is just awesome; it doesn’t get any better than that.” [via ESPN]
Evansville was ready to celebrate after upsetting No. 1 Kentucky 🎉 pic.twitter.com/woB0vjmR4G
— ESPN (@espn) November 13, 2019
Anyone and everyone with even a cursory interest in college basketball was stunned Kentucky getting upset at home by a school with 2,500 students.
You hate to see it https://t.co/htAJKzBlI2
— UMBC Athletics (@UMBCAthletics) November 13, 2019
Evansville just beat Kentucky in Rupp. They were basically 25 points ‘dogs. Sports are goofy.
— Scott Van Pelt (@notthefakeSVP) November 13, 2019
Everyone loves an upset 😂
The Indiana crowd chanted “EVANSVILLE, EVANSVILLE” when they showed @UEAthletics_MBB’s win over No. 1 Kentucky on the screen!pic.twitter.com/gE47HT2NPS
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) November 13, 2019
Kentucky players when John Calipari first recruits them vs after they lose to Evansville as a 25 point favorite and he takes it all away pic.twitter.com/z2FDPthh1a
— NOTSportsCenter (@NOTSportsCenter) November 13, 2019
We’ve been saying this for a long time..
🗣 DON’T LET THE PURPLE ACES FROM EVANSVILLE INDIANA GET HOT
It’s not Kentucky’s fault.. They just so happened to run into a fockin buzzsaw
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) November 13, 2019
https://twitter.com/Kofie/status/1194436395307278337?s=20
Evansville was 0-33 on the road against AP Top 25 teams.
Kentucky was 39-0 as AP #1 at home vs unranked non-conf teams.
Kentucky had not lost as #1 against an unranked, non-major conf team since 1950.
Evansville just beat Kentucky at Rupp Arena.
— Dari Nowkhah (@ESPNDari) November 13, 2019
Feel terrible for Kentucky fans. The Cowboys lost this week. Bama lost to LSU. Steph Curry got hurt. Now UK hoops team loses to Evansville. All after the Yankees fell short in the ALCS
— Alex Kirshner (@alex_kirshner) November 13, 2019
Anyone know where I can cop an Evansville jersey?