[I Am The Genius]

John Calipari, from his Facebook page: "I know I haven't been on Facebook much the last few days, so for your patience here's our non-conference schedule."

http://www.ukathletics.com/blog/2011/07/...ition.html

[Amun-Ra]

Kansas and UNC is going to be huge. I really hope we win them both.

[JCam]

Exciting non conference action this year!!

[Aslan]

Kansas lost a lot, well beat them. UNC just might end out home winning streak though.

[Scotty doesn't know]

I really do think that we have an amazing shot to go undefeated going into the conference schedule. I know that the UNC is the only game the we "should not" win, but in an emotional game like this and being in Rupp I like our chances!!! Bring this year on!!!!!

[Aslan]

^40-0, dude. I've been preaching this since the season ended!

[Spud6]

Can not wait til the UNC game!!! Gonna be a dandy.

[Scotty doesn't know]

The UNC game WILL BE the most hyped college basketball regular season that has ever taken place. I HAVE TO GO TO IT!!

[vundy33]

I can't wait till the UNC game, but we have a huge game with Kansas before that. Also, St. Johns will be a bigger game than expected, and they can sneak up on us in Rupp, you never know!

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

My goodness the Carolina game will be monstrous. You know Dicky V will be calling it. I think the Cats will pull it out.

[Ballers]

I'm more scared of Kansas than I am UNC...
UNC is a home game - and I think it will be at least a 10 point beating.
Kansas is going to be a fun game.
And of course - our yearly game with UL. Love those games.

[Bolt]

what about Lville being on new years eve night, i love it.

[Scotty doesn't know]

This whole year is going to be fun. It just absolutely sucks that it is the first year without the perks of begin a student. I loved the five dollar tickets so much!!!

[dangerousdaneerfan]

If Cal and Huggy are as good friends as people say, then I don't know why WVU and UK cannot play each year.

[Amun-Ra]

I really do think that we have an amazing shot to go undefeated going into the conference schedule. I know that the UNC is the only game the we "should not" win, but in an emotional game like this and being in Rupp I like our chances!!! Bring this year on!!!!!

Why? It is a home game for us. We have just as much, if not more, talent as UNC. All they have is a little more experience.

[Spud6]

Why? It is a home game for us. We have just as much, if not more, talent as UNC. All they have is a little more experience.

:Thumbs:

Agreed!

[Scotty doesn't know]

Why? It is a home game for us. We have just as much, if not more, talent as UNC. All they have is a little more experience.

In retrospect I should not have used the phrase "should not" to describe it. It is more than likely that UK will be looked as the underdog in this game.... Trust me, I agree that UK has all of the right horses, mix of talent, experience and players to win this game as well as the national title. Just looking at how the media looks at each game, one team has to be favored as the one that "should win" and "should lose" and I know that Juggernaut 1 will get the nod over Juggernaut 2.

KENTUCKY will take this game by ten but to the media, it will be one that we should not win.

[Spud6]

In retrospect I should not have used the phrase "should not" to describe it. It is more than likely that UK will be looked as the underdog in this game.... Trust me, I agree that UK has all of the right horses, mix of talent, experience and players to win this game as well as the national title. Just looking at how the media looks at each game, one team has to be favored as the one that "should win" and "should lose" and I know that Juggernaut 1 will get the nod over Juggernaut 2.

KENTUCKY will take this game by ten but to the media, it will be one that we should not win.

That's more like it. lol I was like c'mon man!

[Amun-Ra]

In retrospect I should not have used the phrase "should not" to describe it. It is more than likely that UK will be looked as the underdog in this game.... Trust me, I agree that UK has all of the right horses, mix of talent, experience and players to win this game as well as the national title. Just looking at how the media looks at each game, one team has to be favored as the one that "should win" and "should lose" and I know that Juggernaut 1 will get the nod over Juggernaut 2.

KENTUCKY will take this game by ten but to the media, it will be one that we should not win.

Ok that's better. I can agree with this.

[More Cowbell]

I really do think that we have an amazing shot to go undefeated going into the conference schedule. I know that the UNC is the only game the we "should not" win, but in an emotional game like this and being in Rupp I like our chances!!! Bring this year on!!!!!

I have to agree with some of the others, there's no way I would ever say that the UNC game is one we "should not" win, even if you are talking about the media. I grant that the Heels will be everyone's preseason 31 team, and rightly so, but we will be the consensus #2. And I think when you look at a #1 vs. #2 where the game is on #2's home court, we may even be favored by the oddsmakers. At the very least, I think the media will be be fairly evenly split as to who they pick in this game. UNC's edge in experience will be canceled out by the home-court advantage, and it won't be considered an upset either way.

[More Cowbell]

The entire sched is as follows:

Marist (home) Nov. 11
Kansas (neutral) Nov. 15
Penn St. (neutral) Nov. 19
Old Dominion or South Fla (neutral) Nov. 20
Radford (home) Nov. 23
Portland (home) Nov. 26
St. John's (home) Dec. 1
North Carolina (home) Dec. 3
Indiana (away) Dec. 10
Chattanooga (home) Dec. 17
Samford (home) Dec. 20
Loyola (home) Dec. 22
Lamar (home) Dec. 28
Louisville (home) Dec. 31
Ark-Little Rock (in Louisville) Jan. 3

Realistically speaking, there are only a few games that UK would even sniff a chance of losing:

1) Kansas - KU lost just as much from last year's team as we did, except they didn't bring in a #1 ranked recruiting class. Unless we have an off-night, UK should win. I would put the chance of a loss here at 30%.

2) St. John's - They are bringing in a very good recruiting class, but then they had to considering they lost 10 players off last year's team. At Rupp, all those freshmen won't be able to hang. Chance of a loss at 10%.

3) North Carolina - Obviously, this is by far the greatest threat to an undefeated nonconference schedule. This appears to be a tossup any way you look at it, so I'll say the chance of a loss sits at 50%.

4) Indiana - don't laugh, this could actually be a good one. Indiana adds another Zeller brother, as well as the return of an injured Maurice Creek, to a couple of other solid returnees. Plus this will be our first and only true road game prior to SEC play. Chance of a loss at 20%.

5) Louisville - The Cards do bring in a good recruiting class, but their top returnees (Kyle Kuric, Peyton Siva) don't exactly scare me. I have a hard time seeing UK lose this one at home. Chance of a loss 25%.

[Stardust]

^40-0, dude. I've been preaching this since the season ended!

I'm willing to make one of those silly Signature bets on this one:blabbermo

[Ballers]

If Cal and Huggy are as good friends as people say, then I don't know why WVU and UK cannot play each year.

That'd be a good idea for a season opener..
We don't like playing cupcakes in the middle of the season, due to the Cats getting bored with the opponents.

[Scotty doesn't know]

I have to agree with some of the others, there's no way I would ever say that the UNC game is one we "should not" win, even if you are talking about the media. I grant that the Heels will be everyone's preseason 31 team, and rightly so, but we will be the consensus #2. And I think when you look at a #1 vs. #2 where the game is on #2's home court, we may even be favored by the oddsmakers. At the very least, I think the media will be be fairly evenly split as to who they pick in this game. UNC's edge in experience will be canceled out by the home-court advantage, and it won't be considered an upset either way.

See the follow-up post that I had from last night. I didn't want it to sound like thought that UK will not win that game. Like I said in my newer post I expect them to win by about ten points since it is at home. BUT the media has to pick a particular team to be the "underdog" and seeing as though both of these teams are more than likely undefeated going into the game UNC will be #1 and UK will be #2. Each individual analyst will decide which team should win but it will go down as UK as the 1 or 2 point underdog with oddsmakers. Only more pressure on the team coming into Rupp Arena.

I would love to break down the game and create a thread to just discuss postion matchups and fanbase passion etc. but for all pratical purposes we will be the underdog in this game. In no way do I think that we "should lose" (from the first post) and that was a poor choice for a phrase on my part. All I wanted to convey was that we will not be favored even with it at home. The cats will roll in this game and it should be the most-hyped regular season game ever in Rupp Arena!

So don't get me wrong. I have more confidence than imaginable in this upcoming team. But the only game that we will not be looked at as the favored team will be this one. And that is fine by me when they leave and we are still undefeated! :rockon:

[Scotty doesn't know]

The entire sched is as follows:

Marist (home) Nov. 11
Kansas (neutral) Nov. 15
Penn St. (neutral) Nov. 19
Old Dominion or South Fla (neutral) Nov. 20
Radford (home) Nov. 23
Portland (home) Nov. 26
St. John's (home) Dec. 1
North Carolina (home) Dec. 3
Indiana (away) Dec. 10
Chattanooga (home) Dec. 17
Samford (home) Dec. 20
Loyola (home) Dec. 22
Lamar (home) Dec. 28
Louisville (home) Dec. 31
Ark-Little Rock (in Louisville) Jan. 3

Realistically speaking, there are only a few games that UK would even sniff a chance of losing:

1) Kansas - KU lost just as much from last year's team as we did, except they didn't bring in a #1 ranked recruiting class. Unless we have an off-night, UK should win. I would put the chance of a loss here at 30%.

2) St. John's - They are bringing in a very good recruiting class, but then they had to considering they lost 10 players off last year's team. At Rupp, all those freshmen won't be able to hang. Chance of a loss at 10%.

3) North Carolina - Obviously, this is by far the greatest threat to an undefeated nonconference schedule. This appears to be a tossup any way you look at it, so I'll say the chance of a loss sits at 50%.

4) Indiana - don't laugh, this could actually be a good one. Indiana adds another Zeller brother, as well as the return of an injured Maurice Creek, to a couple of other solid returnees. Plus this will be our first and only true road game prior to SEC play. Chance of a loss at 20%.

5) Louisville - The Cards do bring in a good recruiting class, but their top returnees (Kyle Kuric, Peyton Siva) don't exactly scare me. I have a hard time seeing UK lose this one at home. Chance of a loss 25%.

Completely agree! Out of all of these, this is the one I feel could actually be the sleeper game. UNC at home really works out in well but with Indiana making improvements every year the games in Bloominton may begin to get a little chippy. This still is not the type of team that a school like "Indiana" should have but it still will be a great test for the team. I think it will be close throughout but the cats will push it to about an 8 point win. (I am going to try my hardest to go to this game)

Agree with all of the other ones except I would probably put the Kansas percentage down even a little further (maybe around 20-25%). We are lucking out in the Champions Classic in getting Kansas this year. But like you said it is still Kansas!

[Aslan]

I'm willing to make one of those silly Signature bets on this one:blabbermo

K. Winner chooses the losers avatar for a week?
UK loses one game you win the bet, if they go undefeated I win.

[Stardust]

^ I'm in!