No. 4 Kentucky Upset by Unranked Ohio State, CBB Fans Stunned by Blowout Loss

Jack MurrayDecember 22, 2024

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 21: Sean Stewart #13 of the Ohio State Buckeyes and Lamont Butler #1 of the Kentucky Wildcats dight for control of the ball during the first half at Madison Square Garden on December 21, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

Luke Hales/Getty Images

Ohio State football wasn't the only Buckeye team with a big game on Saturday night.

The Buckeyes men's basketball team entered Rupp Arena and took a dominant 85-65 victory over No. 4 Kentucky to improve to 8-4 on the season.

Ohio State Hoops @OhioStateHoops
I THINK WE GOT OUR SWAGGER BACK 🗣️ Ohio State takes down #4 Kentucky in the CBS Sports Classic behind a career high 30 points from <a href="https://twitter.com/Bruce2T_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bruce2T_</a> ! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GoBucks?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#GoBucks</a> <a href="https://t.co/vQ9nPfkAaJ">pic.twitter.com/vQ9nPfkAaJ</a>

CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 @CBSSportsCBB
The Buckeyes pull off the upset at the Garden! A convincing win for <a href="https://twitter.com/OhioStateHoops?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OhioStateHoops</a> as they take down No. 4 Kentucky. <a href="https://t.co/yvpjqElVc9">pic.twitter.com/yvpjqElVc9</a>

This was the second loss of the season for Kentucky and the first since a Dec. 3 loss to Clemson.

Bruce Thornton was the star of the day for Ohio State as he scored 30 points with four rebounds and three assists. John Mobley Jr. had 15 points with three rebounds, three assists and two steals while Aaron Bradshaw had 11 points with two rebounds and two steals off of the bench.

Kentucky was led by 21 points from Otega Oweh and Andrew Carr had 13 points. Shooting was the clear issue for the Wildcats, as the team shot just 29.8 percent on field goals and a paltry 18.2 percent from three-point range.

Fans took to social media to criticize the poor performance and debate whether the Wildcats are overrated or not.

Jon Rothstein @JonRothstein
Last Saturday, Ohio State lost by 38 points to Auburn in Atlanta. Today, it beat Kentucky by 20 at MSG. Anarchy? Nope. Just College Basketball. <a href="https://t.co/UrOKT6xLHG">https://t.co/UrOKT6xLHG</a>

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Dudy Noble Field @DudyNobleField
Mississippi State should be ranked over Kentucky in basketball.

Robert Gasser Truther @CyGasser
Ohio State hoops beat Kentucky by HOW MUCH?

Maxwins @MaxwinsRacing
Kentucky lost by 20 to Ohio State. 🙋‍♂️ I thought they were a number one seed already?

WarMachine2013 @WarMachine2013
Kentucky got smacked by 20 by a 7-4 team who has lost 2 games by 30+? <a href="https://t.co/StFPw5vceD">pic.twitter.com/StFPw5vceD</a>

John Nabors @JohnNaborsShow
John Calipari didn't lose his 2nd game of the season until 29 games into his Kentucky tenure. Mark Pope lost his 2nd game of the season after 12 games into his Kentucky tenure🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯 <a href="https://t.co/bHEDVAeaWR">pic.twitter.com/bHEDVAeaWR</a>

Keg. @GratefulKeg
Just ripped my future father in laws tv out of the wall. Caused a massive scene and now my fiance has asked me to leave and we will discuss our current situation tomorrow. Kentucky Basketball ruined my life.

KG @__NotKG
Kentucky Basketball today <a href="https://t.co/D13uPMvsG3">pic.twitter.com/D13uPMvsG3</a>

Tyler Thompson @MrsTylerKSR
Kentucky is 5-20 on layups tonight. Feels like there is a lid on the basket.

College Basketball Wire @CBBWire
Kentucky looks absolutely horrible. Like they thought they were going to NYC just for fun and forgot they had a game. Looks like Calipari offense.

Brandon Ramsey @BRamseyKSR
Am I encouraged by tonight's performance? Obviously not. It stunk. However, I KNOW that college basketball games exist in a vacuum. How you look in one game has NOTHING to do with how you look in the next one. This Kentucky team is a Top 10-15 team in the country. Period. <a href="https://t.co/eYZPf2PKRB">https://t.co/eYZPf2PKRB</a>

Kentavious Tripleflips @GmingClipz
Remember, guys: Only Kentucky basketball is allowed to skate into the postseason because of an easy conference. No one else is allowed. They're the bluest of blue, no matter how badly they would have gotten smoked in the old Big East. Dumbest fanbase on the planet. Not close.

Gavin Downard @GavinDownard
One of the worst halves I've seen a Kentucky basketball team play in a long time. Putrid in every conceivable way. 20 minutes to avoid tarnishing your resume with a bad loss.

shyannajude @shyannajude
If you guys knew the record of Kentucky basketball losing whenever I bet on them yall would hate me because I decided to bet on them today for the first time this season. <a href="https://t.co/aoQieX82jp">pic.twitter.com/aoQieX82jp</a>

Chris Fisher @ChrisFisher247
Worst half of basketball this season for Kentucky? Probably, but I think you have to give the Ohio State defense a lot of credit for it.

Jack Pilgrim @JackPilgrimKSR
Kentucky got wrecked on the national stage and now gets 10 days to let it marinate. Doesn't get much uglier than that. 29.8 percent shooting and 18.2 percent from three. Mark Pope has complained about 3-point volume for weeks and again took just 22.

brandie @brandieeemac
seeing Ohio St beat Kentucky by 20 when a week ago they got destroyed by Auburn by 38 is wild. yes, I know Aaron Bradshaw played tonight for OSU, however they were without Meechie Johnson. college basketball, man!

The Buckeyes will take this marquee victory into Big Ten play in the new year and will hope the momentum can carry the team into the tournament for the first time since 2022.

Kentucky, meanwhile, will hope to rebound from the loss and be prepared for several Top 25 matchups during SEC play.

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