Kentucky's Willie Cauley-Stein had the perfect metaphor for the Wildcats' stunning loss

Willie Cauley-Stein
(Image credit: Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

The Kentucky Wildcats were supposed to finish the season perfect.

The top team in the nation needed just two more wins to cap an undefeated season — the first since Indiana ran the table in 1976 — but a devastating Final Four loss Saturday night against Wisconsin left the Wildcats at 38-1 for the season. And in the aftermath of the surprise upset, junior forward Willie Cauley-Stein offered an apt metaphor for the unforeseen outcome.

"It's like a movie like when the main character dies. And you're like, WHAT? Why did the main character die? And you're just super hurt. ... The guy that you never suspect is gonna die ends up dying, and that's the end of the movie. No cliffhangers, no nothing. It's just boom — you're done."That's the way it feels. That's the way it ends." [Sports Illustrated]

After Kentucky lost in last year's title game, Cauley-Stein announced he would return for another season. He is expected to declare for the NBA draft this year and to go in the first round.

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Jon Terbush

Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.