Kentucky needs buzzer-beating three to survive Northern Arizona's upset bid at Rupp Arena

The Kentucky Wildcats have one of the most expensive rosters in college basketball. It didn't look like money well spent for 39 minutes and 58 seconds on Friday night.

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Kentucky needed a last-second three-pointer from Alex Wilkins to beat winless Northern Arizona 78-77 at Rupp Arena. NAU, which entered the game as a 30.5-point underdog, had every opportunity to pull off a massive upset in the closing minute. The Lumberjacks had a 77-73 lead with just 22 seconds remaining.

Kentucky guard Alex Wilkins hit a last-second three-pointer to lift the Wildcats to a win over the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Rupp Arena. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

Kentucky cut the deficit to two on a basket by Mason Williams, then had to intentionally foul Northern Arizona. Max Majerle, son of former Phoenix Suns All-Star Dan Majerle, missed the front end of the one-and-one, but a Kentucky player knocked the ball out of bounds in the scramble for the rebound.

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Once again, Kentucky had to foul. Northern Arizona got the ball in the hands of Chris Komin, an 82% free throw shooter last season. But like Majerle, Komin missed the front end of the one-and-one. The Wildcats grabbed the board with 7 seconds left, moved the ball into the frontcourt on a pass from Mason Williams to to Wilkins, and Wilkins hit the game-winner.

CBS Sports puts Kentucky’s roster in its $20 million-plus spending tier. The team it barely beat Friday had lost its first three games by an average of 24 points.

Kentucky Wildcats fans react during a game against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Rupp Arena. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

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When Northern Arizona went to the line with a chance to go up four, I wondered how far back I’d have to go to find a Kentucky loss as a 30-point favorite. I couldn’t find one. The Wildcats were favored by 25 when Evansville won at Rupp Arena in 2019 and by 26 when Gardner-Webb won there in 2007.

So how did Kentucky get that close to losing? The same problem I brought up before the Kansas game. The Wildcats had given up 80 points to James Madison, and I wondered whether they could get enough stops against the Jayhawks. Kansas scored 89 and won by 20.

Kentucky Wildcats center Franck Kepnang tries to pump up the crowd during the second half against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks at Rupp Arena. (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)

Then Northern Arizona came into Rupp, having scored an average of 62 points in their two losses to New Mexico and No. 12 Arizona, and shot 13-for-26 from 3 en route to 77 points.

Kentucky shot 56.4% and turned the ball over just four times Friday. If you’d told me that before tipoff, I would’ve figured the walk-ons were getting a few minutes.

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Grambling State comes to Rupp on Monday before Kentucky plays Indiana on Friday.

If the Tigers are still in it with 22 seconds left, at least I know where to find the Evansville and Gardner-Webb box scores.