Arkansas wins at Rupp Arena for the first time in 20 years

Kentucky+Wildcats+guard+Aaron+Harrison+%282%29+and+Kentucky+Wildcats+forward+Willie+Cauley-Stein+%2815%29+walk+off+the+court+during+second+half+of+the+game+between+the+University+of+Kentucky+basketball+team+vs.+University+of+Arkansas+in+Lexington+%2C+Ky.%2Con+Thursday%2C+February+27%2C+2014.+Arkansas+defeated+Kentucky+71-67+in+overtime.+Photo+by+Michael+Reaves

Kentucky Wildcats guard Aaron Harrison (2) and Kentucky Wildcats forward Willie Cauley-Stein (15) walk off the court during second half of the game between the University of Kentucky basketball team vs. University of Arkansas in Lexington , Ky.,on Thursday, February 27, 2014. Arkansas defeated Kentucky 71-67 in overtime. Photo by Michael Reaves

By Nick Gray

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Sophomore forward Willie Cauley-Stein said he knows that with March coming around the corner, UK needs to lift its game.

The rest of the team did not look so sure of that on Thursday.

Cauley-Stein shouldered most of the load offensively as UK scrapped back from a double-digit deficit, only to stumble to a 71-67 loss in overtime to the University of Arkansas in Rupp Arena before 23,908 fans.

The 7-foot forward from Olathe, Kan. said much of the game was decided on UK’s energy being overtaken by Arkansas’ full-court pressure and fast-moving offense, similar to when the Razorbacks defeated the Cats on Jan. 15 in Fayetteville, Ark.

“They play with that much energy and effort (all the time), and that’s what I think we don’t get. They’re not going to play differently,” Cauley-Stein said.

Cauley-Stein scored 16 points on 8-of-12 shooting and added 13 rebounds. But the rest of the team made 18-of-64 shots, and Cauley-Stein said UK did not carry the efficiency or the energy over from Saturday’s last-second victory against Louisiana State University.

“I never thought (energy) was going to be an issue,” Cauley-Stein said.  “It just goes to show that you need to keep reiterating stuff before you go to play.”

The Cats up two points with 30 seconds left after slowly making their way back from a seven-point halftime deficit when freshman guard Andrew Harrison fouled Arkansas junior guard Rashad Madden. Madden sunk both free throws, and the game was tied at 60 as Arkansas’ free throw shooting took control.

PHOTOS: Men’s basketball vs. Arkansas

Arkansas made all 16 of its attempted free throws, including six in the final 2:24 of overtime, turning a two-point deficit into a four-point victory.

UK head coach John Calipari said the Cats’ energy was lacking throughout the game, and both Arkansas head coach Mike Anderson and Razorbacks senior forward Coty Clarke agreed.

“It was desire,” Anderson said. “Our guys wanted it. We wanted it more (than UK).”

The Razorbacks’ lead weakened throughout the second half, as UK slowly corrected its first-half defensive mistakes. But the Cats’ offense still struggled in all areas, from layups to three-point shooting. Calipari said the offensive disappointment lied with the starting backcourt.

“You could say shooting, but I can tell you dribbling,” Calipari said. “We had three guys (freshmen James Young, Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison) who had 11 turnovers between them. Our guard play was horrendous today.”

UK’s NCAA Tournament hopes are safe for now, but Cauley-Stein remained cautiously optimistic.

“Now it’s like we have to win out just so you know you’re safe and know you can get into the (NCAA) Tournament,” Cauley-Stein said.