Dick Vitale on Kentucky: ‘Thought They’d Put it Away’ [AUDIO]

There’s so many highlights and big statements made by Kentucky this season but ESPN’s Dick Vitale told 104.5 The Team on Monday that it’s hard for Big Blue Nation to look at it that way right now.

“If you talk to them, obviously they felt like they would go undefeated,” said Vitale, to Armen and Levack, in response to Kentucky's 71-64 loss on Saturday night to Wisconsin. “So it’s a disappointment that they didn’t win that national title. That was their goal and their dream and they were close to it.

“I thought when they were up by four late in the game that they would put it away but unfortunately they couldn’t do it. Wisconsin did to them what they did to so many teams during the course of the year that had them on the ropes.

“Whenever they were on the ropes against LSU, Florida, Mississippi, Texas A&M, Notre Dame, they always found a way to make big plays.

“This was a reverse, Armen and Levack. It was a scenario in which Wisconsin made all the big plays late and that was the end of the season in terms of a dream of going undefeated.”

Kentucky is still the first team to go 38-0 although if they do anything like this next year, it will be with a completely new and revamped roster.

“There’s no doubt that Kentucky will be in the hunt again. But you know everybody wants a piece of them.

“It’s amazing how they have to respond to all the challenges that they face and the challenges get bigger and bigger because everybody wants to beat Kentucky, just like people want to beat Duke. Those teams, people love to hate them for some reason.”

Dick Vitale will join Armen and Levack on Tuesday at 5:15 to review the National Championship Game, Kentucky vs. Wisconsin.