JUSTIN ROWLAND:

That's probably about as well as this Kentucky team can play, and a lot of what they did best was at the end of the game, which has often bothered them at other times this season. To shoot like that from three, win the glass, and have that many opportunities at the free-throw line and still lose has to be a big gut punch. John Calipari sounded an upbeat note after the game and that's good, but at the end of the day, this is just one more close game the Cats couldn't close on. It's always unfortunate when a game is decided on such a late, controversial call.

JEFF DRUMMOND:

This was a much better performance by the Cats tonight... and in this cruelest of seasons, well, it still winds up as a soul-crushing L. For only the second time in program history, UK has lost three games by one point in the same season. Kentucky played with a lot more fight down the stretch to give itself a chance to win -- knocking down three big 3-pointers inside of its Bermuda-Triangle final four minutes -- but when a play absolutely had to be made, the Cats once again found a way to lose. After Arkansas knocked down two free throws to take an 81-80 lead, UK had 4.3 seconds to get a potential game-winning shot off. They did not get one up as the inbounds pass oddly came to center Olivier Sarr 60 feet from the basket, and the 7-footer had his pass intended for Davion Mintz stolen near midcourt to end the game. This was the kind of feel-good win the Cats desperately needed. Not for tournament hopes, which have long since sailed, but just to have something to validate their hard work and continued effort. They were oh so close.