You could pick any number of single plays that best defined Kentucky's stunning upset of top-seeded Ohio State. Perhaps it'd be Brandon Knight's go-ahead jump shot or maybe one of the Wildcats' 11 blocks or perhaps the team's brilliant defensive stand when the Buckeyes had a chance to take the lead with 65 seconds remaining.
But if you want to get down to it, the game was summed up by a moment that won't even show up in the official play-by-play sheet. It happened when Kentucky's Josh Harrellson pegged the ball directly at Ohio State's star freshman Jared Sullinger:
He didn't have to throw it that hard but he did it for a reason. I can't get in his head, but I imagine it was something like, "watch out Jared, I'm gonna take it right at ya." There was no fear and Harrellson played like it.
He worked over the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year, both on the offensive and defensive ends. Though Sullinger would finish with a game-high 21 points and 16 rebounds, Harrellson's own performance (17 and 10) overshadowed that. He was methodical in backing down Sullinger on offense and kept the freshman from getting too much action on his end, particularly with that aforementioned defensive stand late in the game.
In short, Sullinger was great. Harrellson was better.
Going back to the video clip, it was a completely legal play by Harrellson. That's not to say it was a classy one though. It's like a tennis player hitting the ball directly at an opponent. The act itself is allowed by the rulebook, but it's considered bad form.
It took a little of that attitude to knock off the mighty Buckeyes. It will take a little more of it for Kentucky to advance to the Final Four.
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