Kentucky basketball: 5 bold predictions for the 2018 SEC tournament

By Drew Koch | Mar 4, 2018

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 09: The Kentucky Wildcats take the court against the Monmouth Hawks at Madison Square Garden on December 9, 2017 in New York City. This photo is part of a photo essay on three sporting events in a fifteen hour time span at Madison Square Garden. The three sports were an NCAA college basketball game between The University of Kentucky vs Monmouth College, followed by an NHL hockey game between the New York Rangers against the New Jersey Devils, followed by a boxing match for the WBO Lightweight Title between Vasiliy Lomachenko against Guillermo Rigondeaux. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) /

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LEXINGTON, KY – FEBRUARY 24: Wenyen Gabriel /

1. The starting lineup will change

John Calipari, after weeks of seeing his starters struggle, finally decided to change his starting lineup midway through February. On Valentine’s Day at Auburn, Calipari shuffled his starting lineup a bit. The problem was, he didn’t make the right switch.

Cal pulled PJ Washington from his starting role and plugged in Wenyen Gabriel. All of BBN had been clamoring for weeks to make a lineup change, and this what they got? C’mon Cal. Washington was not, and is not the problem. Furthermore, Gabriel looks the part of sixth-man more so that starter.

I know, I know, it’s not who starts it’s who finishes. But seriously, against Florida on Saturday, Nick Richards and Gabriel hit the pine before the first TV timeout. So what in the world is the point? Why even start Richards if you’re going to bench him after 2-plus minutes of play?

It’s time for Calipari to be honest with this team. Any Kentucky basketball fan can tell you the Wildcats’ best lineup. It’s Washington, Kevin Knox, Quade Green, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jarred Vanderbilt. With those five and Diallo and Gabriel off the bench, the Wildcats can compete with every team in this tournament.

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