The Kentucky Wildcats absorbed yet another painful blow to their season, as they suffered a 71-68 loss at Rupp Arena at the hands of the South Carolina Gamecocks Tuesday night. It was the second loss in a row for Kentucky basketball, which lost to the Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa, 78-52, last Saturday.

Kentucky basketball head coach John Calipari is feeling the heat on his team, especially from Wildcats supporters who are not used to seeing the team struggle midseason. After the loss to the Gamecocks, Calipari tried to send a strong message to disgruntled Kentucky basketball fans (h/t Vaughts' Views).

Stick with these kids. If you want to get on me, that’s fine. I’m the coach. If we weren’t ready to play, then I’ve got to look at me and say, well, what, why, where were we mentally.

Tuesday's loss was the Wildcats' first at Rupp Arena against the Gamecocks in 14 years.

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Oscar Tshiebwe paced Kentucky basketball with his customary double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds, but those were not enough for the Wildcats to overcome South Carolina, which they allowed to get a 10-point lead at the half.

Kentucky has now lost three of its last five games — with two of those defeats coming at the hands of unranked opponents — and it will look to stop the bleeding this coming Saturday. That's going to be easier said than done, considering that Kentucky basketball will be playing the No. 5 Tennessee Volunteers next in Knoxville.

The Wildcats are 10-6 with a 1-3 record in the SEC.