Kentucky Wildcats 5 for Tuesday: Three weeks before Selection Sunday, the key is finishing games
By Paul Jordan
Blah. It should be Gameday today. But it’s not. Kentucky plays Arkansas on a random Wednesday night after a season of pretty much Tuesday night games. I hate when the schedule gets switched like that. Regardless, its a slow newsday on a non game day so we find a lot of cliches bein thrown around today. Things like “The NCAA Tournament starts now for Kentucky”. and exciting coach speak stories on how Kentucky still needs to find a way to finish games. Did I mention that we are less than three weeks before Selection Sunday? I would have hoped we are still not talking fundamentals at this point, but I still like this team. It will be interesting going into the tourney as a darkhourse this year, although that huge target will always be on our backs. Larry Vaught has a story on what Kentucky needs to work the next two to three weeks.
I know that it is just projections at this point, but Joe Lunardi offers up an interesting take on where Kentucky may end up in the NCAA Tournament. At first glance, it lloks like Kentucky would have a pretty good shot to win the two games and make it to the Sweet Sixteen. Jared Sullinger will give us problems but if that can be overcome, the bottom part of the bracket is littered wih theams we have defeated already.
The point? There are very few teams that I would consider dominant this year in the Tournament and a team like Kentucky could be a viable darkhorse (there is that word again) and be a threat to win three to four games. Don’t scoff. I will put our top six against most other’s top six. It’s just we have to play the perfect game and avoid all foul trouble because we can not run into battle shorthanded.
I know that everyday on the site, we look at the former Wildcats in te NBA and D-League, but aparently Randolph Morris and Joe Crawford are doing quite well over in China. The BBN is not just relegated to the borders of America, mind you.
Never mind the fact that the we still do not know what is going to happen with this 2010 class and the NBA. Or that we do not know what the NBA is going to do about the age restriction. Or the fact that there may not be an NBA in 2011. It’s never too early to speculate on the “one and done-nes” of the 2011 class. Seriously. Jerry Meyer at Rivals went to his mailbag and ran down the class and the chances they would be in Lexington more than a year:
Forward Kyle Wiltjer is highly skilled but his lack of athleticism makes him a borderline NBA prospect who will likely be in school for multiple years.
Mike Gilchrist is highly respected for his overall ability and intangibles, but it is questionable how well his game will translate to the highest level. Unless he answers questions about his ability to play the wing in the NBA during his freshman season, he will likely be at Kentucky for more than one year.
Anthony Davis might need more than a year to be strong enough to make an impact in the NBA. But his potential is so high, he will likely be a high first round pick even if there are questions about his readiness. I doubt he will be in a Kentucky uniform for more than one year.
Marquis Teague is a rare talent playing the most important position in today’s game. There just aren’t that many point guards who have the potential to be difference makers like Teague has the potential to be. As talented a point guard as Teague is, I would be surprised if he played more than one year at Kentucky.
If things actually play out this way, Kentucky fans would have to be happy about retaining half of a No. 1-ranked class for more than one year.
Speaking of Michael Gilchrist and that 2011 class, Rivals has ranked Michael Gilchrist as the third best perimeter defender in the 2011 class, which is a good thing. Defense wins championships.
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