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KyForward Senior Sports Writer

Kentucky saved its best for last despite coming up short against North Carolina in the NCAA South Region finals.

The Wildcats won 14 of their last 15 games and finished with a 32-6 record, marking the fourth time John Calipari’s tenure Kentucky has won 30 or more games in a single season. Kentucky avenged an earlier-season loss to UCLA in the regional semifinals before falling to the top-seeded Tar Heels in one of the more memorable games in the NCAA Tournament this season.

“I think our last two games is the best basketball we’ve played all season,” Kentucky freshman guard De’Aaron Fox said. “It’s because defensively, we were getting it done. We just played two of the highest scoring teams in the country and held them under their average.

“It was two great games and we tip our cap to North Carolina. It’s hard to beat a team twice just like UCLA had to beat us a second time (last night), we had to try and beat a great North Carolina team two times and that’s tough. But it could’ve been done, they made big shots.”

The strong finish was the result of a reboot that occurred after the Wildcats lost three times during a four-game stretch in late January. Calipari credited the late turnaround to his team’s ability to regroup following losses to Tennessee, Kansas and Florida.

“It was about (the reboot) and it was about ball movement,” Calipari said. “And we just said, ‘we’re going back to these two things and we’re going to get better at them and they bought in. They (wanted) to win. They (wanted) to be told (how to improve).”

As with all of his teams at Kentucky, Calipari remained true to his roots even during times of adversity and said the players accepted structure and discipline within the program.

“Kids will complain about discipline and complain way more about lack of discipline, lack of structure,” he said. “In this program, these kids, they come here, tell me what I have to do. I’m here because I want to be coached. Get on me. Like people, how do you get on these kids? They want to be challenged. They want to be pushed. They don’t want to just come and do what they want to do.”

Kentucky’s freshman trio — Fox, Malik Monk and Bam Adebayo — benefited the most from Calipari’s structured environment and thrived while sharing in the team’s successes throughout the season. All three players were unselfish and took turns carrying the load at various times during the season.

“(We played games where) De’Aaron had it going and they all accepted it,” Calipari said. “We played games where Malik had it going. We’ve had games where the guy controlling the game has been Isaiah (Briscoe). No one says a word. We’ve had games — every once in a while, about every 10 games — they throw it (to) Bam. This has been a fun ride.”

Monk also enjoyed what likely will be his only tour of duty with the Wildcats. The sharp-shooting guard scored 47 points in a 103-100 win over Final Four participant North Carolina and was Southeastern Conference Player of the Year after leading the team in scoring.

“We had a great run,” Monk said Sunday following the loss to the Tar Heels. “Everybody is crying and doesn’t feel good, but we had a great run and I love everybody on this team. Thankful to be here.”

Fox agreed.

“I love my team (and) I love my brothers,” Fox said. “This is a family. People don’t think we come together because of how well we did in high school, but we came together and grew into a family and we had a great season.”

The Wildcats now look ahead to next season by replenishing a roster that won’t include underclassmen Fox, Monk, Adebayo and Briscoe, along with seniors Derek Willis, Dominique Hawkins and Mychal Mulder.

“What I do is designed from coach (Dean) Smith,” Calipari said. “When coach Smith was at North Carolina during the season, he said, it’s all about the team. The minute this season ends, it’s going to be all about each individual player and what’s best for them. That’s what Coach Smith did, and that’s what I do.”

Even with a new recruiting class coming in, Calipari said next year’s team will face the same challenges and the Kentucky coach isn’t making “outlandish promises” to his incoming freshman class.

“If you talk to any of the kids that we’ve recruited, they’ll tell you he never promises you’ll start or how many minutes you’ll get or how many shots you’ll get,” he said. “What we commit to is you will be a better player, you’ll have the best chance to reach your dreams, and if it’s ego, minutes, shots, you’re the face, we’re going to put your name in the rafters; then go somewhere else. You can’t come here.”

Keith Taylor is a senior sports writer for KyForward, where he primarily covers University of Kentucky sports. Reach him at keith.taylor@kyforward.com or @keithtaylor21 on Twitter