LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – The most drama for Kentucky players during a gathering at John Calipari’s house for Sunday night’s NCAA Tournament selection show was finding a comfortable resting spot.
The weary Wildcats knew they had locked up the top seed in the tournament, so their focus wasn’t really on the television in the coach’s living room, but rather the limited seating – there were two couches, two chairs and an ottoman.
Players were engaged – mostly with their cellphones – but just hours before the show aired they had won the Southeastern Conference tournament to cap a stretch of three games in three days and improve to 34-0. They jetted back to Lexington for the get-together at Calipari’s home not far from campus.
After the bus arrived, about 150 members of Big Blue nation lined the streets and gathered outside of Calipai’s two-story beige and cream-trimmed brick mansion.
Inside, there was no cheering, fist pumping or high-fiving. Calipari reacted only when SEC teams were announced as well as surprise selections such as UCLA and Ohio State.