John Calipari addresses close loss to No. 1 Kansas: 'You can't ask for much more except the win'

John Calipari spoke following No. 17 Kentucky’s close loss to No. 1 Kansas at the Champions Classic in Chicago Tuesday night.

The Wildcats led by 14 points at one stretch but fell 89-84 as the defense began to wear down. DJ Wagner and Justin Edwards really struggled against Kansas’ intensity, and some odd lineups made for a less than enthused response from some in the fanbase. Still, given a thinner roster and far less experience from one side of the court to the other, it was a good performance.

Here’s what Calipari had to say about the loss:

John Calipari: “We’re learning. None of us are happy we lost the game. I’m not happy. We’ve got work to do figuring out how to finish, knowing who needs to be in. This environment, the bells and whistles, the way they performed? You can’t ask for much more — except the win.”

— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) November 15, 2023

It’s very fair to say Kentucky is learning. Of the 8 who suited up for the Wildcats last night, 5 were freshmen. Wagner and Edwards combined to shoot 1-18 from the floor.

And Kentucky isn’t healthy, either. Aaron Bradshaw, Ugonna Onyenso and Zvonimir Ivisic all missed Tuesday’s game – that’s essentially Kentucky’s entire frontcourt.

The Wildcats loved to run in transition and brought some moments we haven’t seen from a Kentucky basketball team in quite some time. The Cats are a fun basketball team and have the makings of a squad that can be dangerous with some polishing as the season wears on.

Kentucky returns to the court this Friday against Stonehill.