Looking back at a season that was very much topsy-turvy, Kentucky basketball has three wins that show just how high this team's ceiling actually is. While BBN has spent the last 12 hours worrying about a 7-seed draw in the Midwest, they may have missed the most impressive stat on the resume: The Cats have already knocked off three different Power 5 Conference Tournament champions.
Kentucky's win over Purdue starts the trifecta of triumphs
It was billed as No. 1 vs. No. 2 in a battle that could be seen again in March. Purdue was coming to Lexington, and while it was an exhibition, it really wasn't. Kentucky took control of that game and controlled the Boilermakers, and everyone thought the Cats were for real.
Purdue would go on to win the Big 10 Tournament championship.
To beat No. 1 at home with a new roster and without Jayden Quaintance? The sky was the limit, then it crashed down.
Kentucky finds redemption in win over St. John's
The Cats were struggling; they were just 7-4, and while they had just defeated Indiana, no one was certain how good the Hoosiers were. But everyone knew St. John's was for real. The Red Storm raced out to a 7-point halftime lead, but in typical Kentucky fashion, the Cats boatraced St. John's in the second half.
Kentucky would outscore St. John's 53-34 to quiet the noise and right the ship for the time being.
St. John's would go on to win the Big East Tournament title.
Kentucky finds revenge in Fayetteville
Things had gone poorly, and Kentucky was "punched" in the mouth by Vanderbilt and was forced to go to Fayetteville, where the Hogs were undefeated. John Calipari had crushed Mark Pope's debut in Lexington with a dominant win over the Cats in Rupp Arena last year. Everyone talked about how it was just another game, but we all knew it wasn't.
It was the Cats who would strike first and shock the Razorbacks. Kentucky was up 24-11 and forced Arkansas to play catch-up. The Razorbacks would lead just 4 minutes total in a game the Cats won. It will go down as Arkansas's only home loss all year.
Arkansas would go on to win the SEC Tournament title.
Kentucky's consistency is so frustrating
The maddening thing for BBN is just how good Kentucky can look, and just how bad they can be at other times. But these 3 wins are as good as anyone else can put out there, showcasing just how dangerous this Kentucky team can be.
Which Kentucky team shows up Friday and Sunday will dictate how this season will be remembered.