Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: A Season Preview, Of Sorts
By Brian Smith
Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports
On Friday, the University of Kentucky will begin its 111th season of basketball when it faces the Grand Canyon Antelopes. After a pre-season of unbelievable hype and two dominating exhibition wins, the Kentucky Wildcat basketball team’s ’ quest for a ninth national title officially begins.
To suggest this team will win forty games is, of course, ludicrous. After all, such talk quickly disappeared last season when Kentucky, the pre-season number one, lost to Michigan State in their third game of the season. Yes, the current installment of the Wildcats are more talented and deeper and more seasoned than last year’s bunch. But predicting a perfect season can only lead to unmet expectations.
To suggest this team could beat an NBA team—even the lowly Philadelphia 76ers—is also ludicrous. After all, such talk ignores the fact that the NBA, no matter which team is involved, is older, stronger, and more physical than any college team out there. Yes, the current installment of the Wildcats are bigger than most NBA franchise s these season. But predicting they could beat any NBA can only make you sound like a fool.
But Kentucky doesn’t have to win every game it plays this season. And the Wildcats aren’t being asked to win the Eastern Conference. Instead, their task may be more Herculean—to bring home a second national championship in 4 years.
Here’s the funny thing, and this is true for any sport: Kentucky may be more dominant a team than they were last year; win more games than last year; and have more disappointing season than last year.
Wait, what?
When last year’s team failed to live up to the (unfair) expectations so many had put on them, the common retort game after game was “It’s a team of mostly freshmen, they’re still learning.” And this was true. By the end of March, with victories over Wichita State, Louisville, and Michigan under the belt in route to another Final Four, those freshmen seemed to have finally found their rhythm. Whatever the reason—Cal’s tweak, contacts for the Harrison Twins, a “back against the wall” mentality—the struggles of the previous 4 months were largely forgotten. But this year is much different. Calipari has always complained about having to essentially start over every year with a brand new team. That he always has to spend the first month or so of practice just teaching his guys the essentials of his offense. That it would be so much easier for him if he just had these guys for one more year.
Well, Calipari finally has the team he’s wanted since he arrived in Lexington. A team of veterans mixed with elite freshmen. A team with depth at (almost) every position. A team that didn’t spend the first month of practice learning the offense. So yes, this year’s version of the Wildcats could be more dominant and win more games last year and if they fail to make at least the Elite 8, more disappointing than last season. It may not be fair but it’s true. Everything is set up this year for Kentucky—and John Calipari—to succeed. There are no excuses this year.
Leading Scorer: Karl-Anthony Towns.
Leading Rebounder: Willie Cauley-Stein
Over/Under on UK Points Per Game: 85. Take the over.
Why Kentucky Will Win It All: Depth and size combined with veteran leadership and elite freshmen. Kentucky simply wears down every team they face. The platoon system works to perfection and keeps 10 Wildcats fresh.
Why Kentucky Won’t Win It All: No true wing players makes the team too dependent on inside scoring. ‘Cats struggle with 3-point defense making them vulnerable to good shooting teams. Platoon system doesn’t work out like Calipari envisions.
Season Ends With: Nothing short of a Final Four berth. After that, it’s a toss up.