SAD NEWS: Kentucky coach breaks down in tears when answering a reporter’s query on what went wrong in the final play on Saturday.

Kentucky forced a jump ball to take possession down two points with 13.9 seconds remaining on Saturday. Coming out of the timeout, the Wildcats had a choice to play for the tie or go for the win with a 3-point attempt.

Instead, Kentucky didn’t get a shot attempt, as typically safe-handed guard Reed Sheppard attempted a lob pass for Adou Thiero that was easily intercepted by Gonzaga’s Ben Gregg with 5.1 seconds remaining. Gonzaga sealed an 89-85 win, with Kentucky coach John Calipari asked about the gaffe after the game.

“If that lob was there, (the plan) was to go to the top of the key (to Antonio Reeves),” Calipari said.

Calipari went on to say that the mistake wasn’t what lost Kentucky the game, and he’s right in that no single mistake cost Kentucky. The Wildcats struggled all game long to protect the offensive glass and were carved up by middle ball screens over and over again. Gonzaga grabbed 18 offensive rebounds to Kentucky’s 19 defensive rebounds. And the Bulldogs piled up 50 points in the paint, including almost a point a minute from post player Graham Ike (23 points in 24 minutes).

But as Kentucky lost its third straight game at Rupp for the first time in school history — the Wildcats’ last three-game home losing streak came in 1966, while Rupp wouldn’t open for another 10 years — it was yet another example of Kentucky failing to execute when it matters most.

Here’s another look at the play in question:

A replay shows that Reeves set the screen to try and free up Thiero, and he did plant a nice screen on Thiero’s man. But Gregg never left the paint — leading to Sheppard essentially throwing the ball right to him — and Sheppard threw the lob so early, it’s impossible to tell whether Reeves would have popped open after setting the screen. The ball was out of Sheppard’s hands before Reeves exited the screen.