KENTUCKY 3RD BIG SCHOOL TO DROP ONE TO LITTLE GUYS: Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is a trend.

Like fellow big boys Michigan State and Ohio State, college basketball power Kentucky was upset by a smaller school. Fortunately, it wasn’t a Division II program. Unfortunately, this loss counts.Gardner-Webb shocked the 20th-ranked Wildcats in Rupp Arena Wednesday night, 84-68 - a bigger margin than Grand Valley State’s double-OT triumph over the Spartans and Findlay’s 2-point victory over the Buckeyes.

But this was no exhibition. The Runnin’ Bulldogs ran all over the constant crown jewel of the SEC, as the Wildcats could get no closer than 7 points to GWU throughout the night.Next stop for Gardner-Webb: Madison Square Garden. The win over Kentucky sends the pride & joy of Boiling Springs, NC, to New York, for the semifinals of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic.

Speaking of boiling, could new ‘Cats coach Billy Gillispie be in hot water already?

2ND BIG TEN TEAM FALLS TO DIVISION II FOE THIS WEEK: Oops, they did it again. For the second time in 5 days, a Big Ten basketball power lost to a Division II opponent:

YAHOO SPORTS reports that this time, Ohio State was the upset victim, as last year’s national championship finalists lost 70-68 to the Findlay Oilers on Tuesday night.Last Friday, 8th-ranked Michigan State was upended by Grand Valley State, 85-82, in double OT. Luckily for the Buckeyes and Spartans, both defeats came in exhibition contests, so they won’t count in the official standings.

But how did Tom Izzo handle the Grand Valley loss? Shannon Shelton of the DETROIT FREE PRESS reports the coach kicked the players out of their own brand-new locker room, with digs to make most NBA teams envious.Wonder what Thad Matta will do about the Findlay falter. We recommend punishing his players with bad Chris Berman-esque puns during their next practice, such as, “What’s the Matta with you guys?”

Coincidentally, both Findlay and GVSU are members of the Great Lakes Intercollgiate Athletic Conference. So, there’s a lesson to be learned by the Big Ten big boys:

NAVY CANCELS CLASS AFTER NOTRE DAME “MIRACLE” WHIP The BALTIMORE SUN has the news that first-year midshipmen, or “plebes” at the Naval Academy were given a break from school to celebrate the snapping of Navy’s 43-game losing streak against Notre Dame.

The midshipmen normally are required to stay on campus on Sunday, but they were given leave yesterday and today’s classes were canceled altogether.

Our favorite part of the reax by the seamen came at Sunday morning Mass at the academy chapel, where the chaplain called the win a “miracle“.

The only miracle involving the game last Saturday was Charlie Weis’ spread of choice at the postgame buffet.