Three weeks ago, the national narrative around Kentucky was grim. After a 35-point loss to Gonzaga, the consensus was that the "wheels were falling off."
Now? Those same writers are quietly walking back into the room like they never left.
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello put Kentucky back in his men’s college basketball Power Rankings at No. 22 on Friday. But the ranking number matters less than the reasoning. Borzello explicitly pointed to the four-game win streak and, more importantly, admitted that the "health excuse" Kentucky fans have been clinging to was actually just reality.
Validation for the hold the line crowd
Borzello’s analysis hits on the exact frustration Big Blue Nation has felt all month.
"Kentucky is as close to full health as we've seen all season," Borzello wrote. "And a complete Kentucky roster looks very much like a top-25 team."
He highlighted the returns of Jayden Quaintance, Jaland Lowe, and Mouhamed Dioubate as the catalyst. When those three are active, Kentucky isn't a team trying to survive; they are a team capable of imposing their will, as seen in the second half against St. John’s.
It turns out that having your projected lottery pick (Quaintance) and your only true point guard (Lowe) actually available changes the math. Who knew?
The Kam Williams factor
While health is the headline, Borzello identified a sneakier reason for the turnaround: Kam Williams.
"Don't overlook Kam Williams' resurgence," Borzello wrote.
The stats back it up. Through his first 10 games, Williams was a non-factor, averaging 4.2 points and shooting a dismal 19.4% from three. Over his last three games? He is averaging 15.3 points and shooting 64.7% from deep, buoyed by that 26-point eruption against Bellarmine.
That is the difference between a "nice story" and a "problem in March." A healthy Kentucky is good. A healthy Kentucky with a 40% volume shooter on the wing is a nightmare to guard.
The AP Poll is lagging, but the test is coming
Kentucky still isn't in the official AP Top 25, largely because the poll is on a holiday hiatus until the New Year. But Borzello’s ranking sets the table for what comes next.
The "nice turnaround" portion of the schedule is over. Kentucky’s next two games are at Alabama (Jan. 3) and vs. Missouri (Jan. 7).
If Kentucky walks into Tuscaloosa and competes with a full roster, the conversation won't be about "rankings" anymore. It will be about ceilings. The national media is finally paying attention again, now Mark Pope has to give them a reason to stay.