Kentucky Wildcats: What Threat Does Wisconsin Pose to the Wildcats?
By Ethan Conger
The Kentucky Wildcats will play the Wisconsin Badgers in the final four for the second year in a row on Saturday.
Last year, the underdog Wildcats pulled off an upset in spectacular fashion, with Aaron Harrison sinking — what would be — the game winning shot with only six seconds remaining on the clock.
Live Feed
South Bound & Down
This year’s matchup is different. Two completely different teams will be playing on Saturday night than played a year ago. Kentucky has an assembly of possibly the best talent in college basketball history, but perhaps Wisconsin has just enough talent to give the Cats trouble.
Frank Kaminsky maybe the best big man in the country. Averaging 19 points and 8 rebounds a game this season, he will be a handful for Kentucky’s Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl Anthony-Towns.
Sam Dekker, fellow Badger star, could pose threats on the offensive end especially. The 6-9 forward will more than likely be the defensive tasks of Wildcats’ Trey Lyles and Marcus Lee, and the two will really have to be on their guard to keep his game contained. This season, Dekker averages 14 points a game, but he has really caught fire in the postseason, averaging around 22 points per game.
Kaminsky and Dekker together are a deadly duo. In Saturday’s elite eight matchup between the Badgers and Arizona, Dekker and Kaminsky combined for an astounding 56 points. The duo could be Kentucky’s toughest defensive assignment yet.
Nigel Hayes is a guy who most college basketball fans wouldn’t think of as a star, but his statistics say otherwise. On the season, Hayes’s average statistics are remarkably similar to those of those to fellow Badger Sam Dekker. Hayes averages 12 points and 6 rebounds a game.
As we’ve learned throughout the postseason, anything can happen. Nigel Hayes is no exception, either. Although averages the third highest among his team in points per game, he has the ability to be the deadliest weapon on the team. In the B1G final against Michigan State, Hayes scored a whopping 25 points en route to the Badgers’ 11-point victory.
The Wisconsin has an arsenal demanding Kentucky’s highest regards on defense. Last weekend, We all saw what happens when the Wildcats aren’t playing their best defensively.
Kentucky will play Wisconsin Saturday night. The Kentucky Wildcats’ team stream along with tip-off will feature at 8:49PM on TNT.
More from Wildcat Blue Nation
- Kentucky football: 3 players who need to step up in week 4
- Kentucky basketball: 4-star recruit visits campus, has unique connection
- Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt Prediction, Odds, Trends and Key Players for College Football Week 3
- Kentucky football: The good, the bad, and the ugly in win over Akron
- Claim $100 Sign-Up Bonus PLUS $100 off NFL Sunday Ticket with FanDuel Kentucky Promo!