Kansas State Players Upset by No Handshakes; UK Players Congratulated Coaches

Several members of the Kansas State Wildcats said the team was disappointed the Kentucky Wildcats, including head coach John Calipari, left the floor before the postgame handshake line Thursday night.

Alex Scarborough of ESPN.com passed along comments from Kansas State following its 61-58 victory over Kentucky in the Sweet 16 of the 2018 NCAA tournament.

"On that situation, it's all about respect," guard Amaad Wainright said. "That's what it should have been—all about respect."

"That's not the sportsmanship you like to see, but that's them," forward Levi Stockard III added. "They just walked off the court. I don't know what it was. I don't know."

Highlights from Kentucky's Loss to Kansas State

Kentucky deputy athletic director DeWayne Peevy took to Twitter to note that Kentucky's players did shake hands with the Kansas State coaching staff: 

Calipari had a different view of the situation. The three-time Naismith College Coach of the Year said he was prepared to shake hands but noticed K-State was busy celebrating its upset win, per Scarborough.

"They were turned and celebrating, so I walked off," he said. "There was no disrespect for anything. It's just that they were celebrating, and I was happy for them."

Kansas State has more important things to worry about now. It's just three victories away from a national championship, with upstart No. 11 seed Loyola-Chicago the last hurdle between the Wildcats and the Final Four after a wild start to March Madness in the South Region.

K-State has been installed as an early one-point favorite for the Elite Eight contest, per OddsShark. Tip is scheduled for 6:09 p.m. ET on Saturday at Philips Arena in Atlanta.