Kentucky Wildcats basketball coach John Calipari is taking the blame for his team's 85-79 loss to Saint Peter's in the first round of the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament. 

In a post on Instagram, Calipari wrote a note asking for Wildcats fans to "steer your disappointment and anger toward me" after their stunning defeat:

"I feel for our team, our fans and our staff. This team deserved something good to happen because of how they worked and what great teammates they became. Our fans deserved it too. You stayed with us when Covid shut down the tournament two years ago, and we all wanted to see that team make a special run. We all went through last season, which started late and never really got going, and was disappointing to all involved.

"We were all ready for this year. This team didn’t disappoint and I remain proud and fond of each of these players. Please steer your disappointment and anger toward me. These kids did this for all of the BBN and I wish I could have dragged them over the finish line.

"My focus is on these kids and recruiting so we continue being a program that has a chance to do something special EVERY YEAR. The culture we've built in this program expects that and demands it.

"I love and appreciate our fans!!"

Even by the usual standards for Kentucky basketball, expectations were high for this squad coming into the tournament. 

Per NCAA.com, the Wildcats were the fifth-most popular pick to win the national title in the Men's Bracket Challenge Game (6.01 percent). They were also being picked by more people to reach the Final Four from the East Region than the No. 1 seed in the bracket (Baylor). 

Kentucky was making its first appearance in the tournament since 2018. It went 9-16 in 2020-21, marking the first losing season for the program since 1988-89 (13-19). 

The Wildcats were the No. 2 seed in the East Region. Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, they have never lost in the first round as a top-two seed. Calipari had just one loss in the first weekend of the tournament since taking over the program in in 2009-10. 

They never led by more than six points against Saint Peter's but got outscored 9-3 over the final 2:58 in regulation to send the game into overtime. The Peacocks won the overtime period 14-8 to earn the program's first-ever NCAA tournament victory. 

Kentucky finished the season with a 26-8 record, with its most wins since the 2018-19 season (30-7).