NCAA Tournament losses are never fun. Where does Kentucky’s second-round exit at the hands of Kansas State stand against the other 66 teams that have also lost in the tournament thus far? ESPN’s got a formula to figure it out.
Kyle Soppe released ESPN’s annual “March Madness Pain Index” yesterday. Kentucky’s loss to Kansas State is No. 22 on the list, which ranks losses on four factors: expectations heading into the tournament, missed opportunities/bad luck, historical component (upsets, first appearances, magical runs, etc.), and extenuating circumstances such as bad calls or injuries.
Soppe notes that Kentucky’s high preseason expectations and subsequent struggles made this season more tiring than most.