Senior Day is a time of celebration, a time of looking back at the players who helped build a program and get it to where it is at that moment. It's a little different now with the Transfer Portal; college basketball essentially has a free agency period every offseason now. That kind of roster movement prevents guys from staying for 4 years. Sleepers Podcast presented a shocking stat: only 22 players at a Power conference school will have played 4 years at one school.
That is not college basketball; that is not what made everyone fall in love with college athletics. But Kentucky basketball has a different connection, and seniors have been hard to come by with the freshmen jumping to the NBA.
'No other arena like it' says Mark Pope of Rupp Arena
Mark Pope knows how special playing in Rupp Arena is; he wants his players to understand that. That's why today will still feel special. You only get to play in front of BBN so many times.
“It’s the last time you play in Rupp. There’s no arena like it, there’s no fan base like it. We’d like to play great. We’d like to play great for us, for our team, for our season, and for our seniors."
Of course BBN wants them to play well too, but honestly Kentucky needs a win in a desperate way.
Seeding scenario's for Kentucky's SEC Tournament path
Kentucky can end up anywhere from the 4-seed to the 10-seed depending on the outcomes of Saturday's games. It's confusing math, but let's break it down.
4-seed
Beat Florida
Arkansas beats Missouri
Vanderbilt beats Tennessee
5-seed
Beat Florida
Vandy beats Tennessee
Missouri beats Arkansas
6-seed
Beat Florida
Tennessee beats Vandy
Texas A&M beats LSU
Arkansas beats Missouri
OR
Beat Florida
Tennessee beats Vandy
LSU beats Texas A&M
Missouri beats Arkansas
7-seed
Beat Florida
Tennessee beats Vandy
Missouri beats Arkansas
Texas A&M beats LSU
If Kentucky beats Florida, they can finish no worse than the 7-seed. If the Cats lose, well things can get even more complicated.
8-seed
Lose to Florida
Mississippi State beats Georgia
Oklahoma beats Texas
9-seed
Lose to Florida
Auburn beats Alabama
Texas A&M beats LSU
Arkansas beats Missouri
Georgia beats Mississippi State
Tennessee beats Vandy
Texas beats Oklahoma
OR
Lose to Florida
Oklahoma beats Texas
OR
Lose to Florida
Mississippi State beats Georgia
10-seed
Lose to Florida
Alabama beats Auburn
Georgia beats Mississippi State
Tennessee beats Vandy
Texas beats Oklahoma
OR
Lose to Florida
LSU beats Texas A&M
Georgia beats Mississippi State
Texas beats Oklahoma
Tennessee beats Vandy
Clear as mud.
SEC seeding isn't the only thing on the line
Kentucky lost a 12-point lead against Texas A&M when the Aggies went on that 36-6 run. Runs like that should never happen to Kentucky, and this team needs to fight back. I don't think they can get run out of Rupp Arena and go into March Madness with any sort of momentum.
Also, who wants to lose their last home game? Mark Pope certainly understands the special connection, but can he get his players to buy and play like it?
"I don't know if anybody's left here and not felt like, 'man, I would love to have one more day.'"
How to watch and listen to Kentucky vs Florida
Time: 4 PM EST
Location: Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky
Channel: ESPN
Streaming: WatchESPN, ESPN App, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Sling TV (Blue & Orange Plan)
Radio options: Online: Stream live at UKAthletics.com or on iHeartRadio via WLAP 630.
Local FM/AM Stations:
Lexington: 98.1 FM / 630 WLAP
Louisville: 840 AM WHAS
London: 103.9 FM WWEL
Hazard/Pikeville: 101.1 WSGS
Madisonville: 93.9 FM WKTG