Ever since the trend of neutral site regular season games took off, Kentucky fans have been treated to some remarkable contests. From John Wall's game-winning shot in Madison Square Garden in 2009 to Malik Monk's 47-point performance in Las Vegas in 2016, and this year's upset over Duke in Atlanta, these games have truly been unforgettable. Call it a recent preference if you will, but this might just be the pinnacle among them.

Climate Pledge Arena: A Unique Neutral Site

Although it's hard to consider Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle a truly neutral site environment as the PA announcer referred to the Zags as "YOUR Gonzaga Bulldogs," technically, it meets the criteria as the game wasn't held in Spokane. Whatever we label it, one thing is for sure - it was an awe-inspiring experience.In the first half, Kentucky found themselves in a deep hole. Down by 16 at halftime, it seemed like a blowout was inevitable. Gonzaga outplayed the Wildcats in every aspect - at every position and in every way. They were superior in terms of manpower, coaching, execution, and hustle. It was a disheartening sight for Kentucky fans as they watched their team struggle.This isn't a professional analysis; it's just an observation. If you covered up the team names on the jerseys, it would have looked like a mid-major team facing off against a national title contender. The arena's mood mirrored the on-court events. With about 80% of the crowd being Gonzaga fans and the Washington natives being rowdy, their passion was different from SEC fans. They were more civil in their fanaticism but no less intense. Kentucky fans, on the other hand, were questioning their life choices for making the long trip and dreading the flight back home.However, the second half brought a remarkable turnaround.

The Kentucky Locker Room Transformation

The Kentucky locker room became a place of transformation. Clark Kent entered at halftime and emerged as Superman. Credit goes to Kentucky's defensive adjustments, Gonzaga's missed shots, or whatever you want to attribute it to. Kentucky pulled off what seemed impossible, and the crowd was on the edge of their seats with every moment."Go Big Blue" chants filled the arena on multiple occasions. At one point, Kentucky fans were so loud during a timeout late in the game that the arena had to turn up the loudspeaker to try and drown them out. Gonzaga fans did their best to dampen Big Blue Nation's excitement, often intentionally increasing their own cheering to show off their numbers advantage. But the 20% of fans wearing the royal blue made their presence known.Ultimately, this led to one of the most remarkable regular-season wins in recent memory. Gonzaga head coach Mark Few compared it to a Sweet 16 or Elite Eight game, and he wasn't wrong. Having witnessed many such games over the years, I can assure you that this was one of the best, if not the best, we've ever seen.For the Kentucky fans who made the journey to the Pacific Northwest, it was well worth it. And for the fans watching at home, as Mark Pope said after the game, "The people who went to sleep at halftime will be deeply disappointed."