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03-02-2012, 10:28 PM
The University of Kentucky basketball team has required few favors as it has clobbered its way toward the NCAA Tournament, but the Wildcats could use one from Rick Pitino and the University of Louisville:
A victory at Syracuse Saturday.
A Cardinal win would register as a win for Kentucky, too. Why? It would mute the debate: Which team deserves the top overall NCAA Tournament seed, the Wildcats or the Orange? Iâd expect a Rick Pitino appreciation moment in Lexington, likely right after toasts for Christian Laettner.
Some years claiming the No. 1 overall seed is merely uniform-popping hubris. Who remembers the top overall seed last year? (Ohio State, the team UK popped in the Newark Regional.) This year it will be more valuable than tournament trivia.
The second overall seed could find itself facing an Elite Eight test against North Carolina, Missouri or Duke. That is a more troublesome trio than the teams in this group â Ohio State, Baylor, Michigan, Georgetown and Marquette. Those appear to be the teams in the dust-up for the final two-seed position, the team that will be placed opposite the overall top seed when the NCAA bracket is presented March 11.
Thereâs no geographic advantage at stake: Look for Kentucky to start its tournament run at the KFC Yum! Center and then try to earn its Final Four invitation at the Atlanta regional. For Syracuse, Pittsburgh and then Boston are the likely destinations â driveable destinations for fans of both schools.
Kentucky has plenty of motivation remaining. Not only are the Wildcats pursuing an unbeaten Southeastern Conference record, theyâre in position to win the SEC title by at least five games, the largest margin since Pitino and his 1996 club won by six.
Next week Kentucky can become the first team since Florida (2005-07) to win three consecutive SEC Tournament titles when teams from the league gather in New Orleans.
Thatâs merely the warmup act. What matters is the second New Orleans trip, for the NCAA Final Four, March 31 and April 2.
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/2...ext|Sports
A victory at Syracuse Saturday.
A Cardinal win would register as a win for Kentucky, too. Why? It would mute the debate: Which team deserves the top overall NCAA Tournament seed, the Wildcats or the Orange? Iâd expect a Rick Pitino appreciation moment in Lexington, likely right after toasts for Christian Laettner.
Some years claiming the No. 1 overall seed is merely uniform-popping hubris. Who remembers the top overall seed last year? (Ohio State, the team UK popped in the Newark Regional.) This year it will be more valuable than tournament trivia.
The second overall seed could find itself facing an Elite Eight test against North Carolina, Missouri or Duke. That is a more troublesome trio than the teams in this group â Ohio State, Baylor, Michigan, Georgetown and Marquette. Those appear to be the teams in the dust-up for the final two-seed position, the team that will be placed opposite the overall top seed when the NCAA bracket is presented March 11.
Thereâs no geographic advantage at stake: Look for Kentucky to start its tournament run at the KFC Yum! Center and then try to earn its Final Four invitation at the Atlanta regional. For Syracuse, Pittsburgh and then Boston are the likely destinations â driveable destinations for fans of both schools.
Kentucky has plenty of motivation remaining. Not only are the Wildcats pursuing an unbeaten Southeastern Conference record, theyâre in position to win the SEC title by at least five games, the largest margin since Pitino and his 1996 club won by six.
Next week Kentucky can become the first team since Florida (2005-07) to win three consecutive SEC Tournament titles when teams from the league gather in New Orleans.
Thatâs merely the warmup act. What matters is the second New Orleans trip, for the NCAA Final Four, March 31 and April 2.
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/2...ext|Sports
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