College basketball: Kentucky off to worst start in 20 years after loss to Georgia Tech

Dec. 7 (UPI) -- The Kentucky men's basketball program is off to its worst start in two decades after a 79-62 loss to Georgia Tech, the Wildcats' third-consecutive setback.

The Wildcats are now 1-3 for the first time since the 2000-01 season. The Yellow Jackets (1-2) forced 21 Wildcats turnovers in their 17-point victory on Sunday in Atlanta.

Kentucky began the season with an 81-45 victory over Morehead State. The Wildcats then lost 76-64 to Richmond on Nov. 29 before a 65-62 loss to Kansas on Tuesday.

"I've got so much work to do," Kentucky coach John Calipari told reporters on Sunday. "I feel bad for these guys because I said it at the beginning of the year, the schedule's not fair for them, [with] all Power 5 schools or schools that have veteran players.

"It's just not fair. But you know what? It is what it is and we're going to go. Now, I've told them, I'm not cracking yet."

Calipari -- known as one of the best recruiters in college basketball -- typically has young rosters due to annual player departures to the NBA. Four freshman have started alongside senior transfer Olivier Sarr in each of the Wildcats' four games this season.

The Wildcats have averaged 18.3 turnovers per game, the second-most among Southeastern Conference programs.

Calipari also cited COVID-19 restrictions, which have limited his ability to coach up his young players, and the Wildcats' tough schedule when he addressed the early season struggles on Sunday.

"We're going to have to fight, not turn it over, play aggressively, make really easy plays and be more physical," Calipari said. "I mean everybody is knocking us around right now.

"Like I said, I've been through this kind of stuff and I just haven't done it in this environment. ... There is no face-to-face contact, very little with me and you need that when you're young. You need to talk. You need the face-to-face.

"The second thing is, the schedule, which I knew was a mistake and probably should have just said, 'Look, here's what we are doing.' But it should make us better. You look at all of this stuff and it's either a setback or you're ready to say, 'It's setting us up for something that we need to do.' Because we're learning [in] every one of these games."