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Kentucky Falls to Iowa State: Seven Seasons Without Elite Eight

3/23/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Kentucky Wildcats lost 82-63 to the Iowa State Cyclones in NCAA Tournament after a second-half collapse.
Iowa State's aggressive defense forced 20 turnovers, turning a halftime lead into a Kentucky disadvantage.
Roy Hibbert, former NBA player, criticized Kentucky for relying on a few scorers and called for a larger guard.
The loss leaves Kentucky seven seasons without an Elite Eight and raises questions about roster construction and pressure handling.

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Story summary

The Kentucky Wildcats lost 82-63 to the Iowa State Cyclones in NCAA Tournament after a second-half collapse.
Iowa State's aggressive defense forced 20 turnovers, turning a halftime lead into a Kentucky disadvantage.
Roy Hibbert, former NBA player, criticized Kentucky for relying on a few scorers and called for a larger guard.
The loss leaves Kentucky seven seasons without an Elite Eight and raises questions about roster construction and pressure handling.