[Stardust]

[Image: http://media.kentucky.com/smedia/2012/02...uSt.79.jpg]

[Stardust]

The SEC is sewn up. Entering Tuesday night's conference slate, the idle Cats enjoyed a three-game lead in the loss column with five to play. No way John Calipari's team gives that lead away.

Let's look ahead. If the NCAA Tournament began today, which five teams would present the strongest challenge to Kentucky earning its eighth national title?

Not Missouri. Too small. Not Duke. Not good enough on defense. Not Wisconsin. Not good enough on offense. Not Baylor. Too flaky.

My five: Syracuse, Ohio State, Kansas, Michigan State and (yes) North Carolina.

Let's break them down.

Syracuse: The Orange won the 2003 national basketball title with a freshman. This year, the Orange will try to win another with veterans. Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph are seniors. Brandon Triche and James Southerland are juniors.

Syracuse is not a scoring machine. Only Joseph (14.0) and Dion Waiters (12.2) average double figures. And the Cuse has actually been outrebounded for the season.

But Jim Boeheim's club's only loss came at Notre Dame when Fab Melo was serving academic suspension. It plays that funky zone defense. And Boeheim knows the way to the title.

Ohio State: As the overall No. 1 seed last season, the Buckeyes lost in the Sweet 16 to Kentucky. They have a score to settle.

William Buford, now a senior, plus sophomores Jared Sullinger and Aaron Craft are back from that team. Those are the Buckeyes' big three, though the development of sophomore Deshaun Thomas (14.3 points per game) has added a fourth dimension.

Sullingers's health can be a problem. A back injury benched him for OSU's loss at Kansas. Thad Matta's team lost at Illinois and then suffered a damaging 58-48 home loss last Saturday to Michigan State, against which Sullinger turned it over 10 times.

On their game, the Buckeyes beat you on the defensive end with rebounds (plus-7 overall margin) and steals. Opponents are averaging 17 turnovers a game.

Kansas: Not many expected the Jayhawks to be hunting another national title, but Thomas Robinson is a National Player of the Year candidate, averaging 17.8 points and 12 rebounds per game.

Kansas boasts the required point guard in Tyshawn Taylor, who averages 16.9 points per game. The development of 7-foot center Jeff Withey, who's average is now up to 9.5 points per game, has been an added bonus. The Jayhawks also shoot 48.3 percent. (UK is at 48.7 percent.)

Kansas has one bad loss, Davidson in December, even though Sagarin's computer says it has played the second-toughest schedule in the nation. (UK is 69th.) That bodes well for March.

Michigan State: A typical Tom Izzo team — non-conference losses to North Carolina and Duke, early Big 10 struggles, now a 3-0 February, including that 10-point win at Ohio State.

State outrebounds opponents by 10.5 per game. It claims an impressive 40 percent of its offensive-rebound opportunities. It's holding opponents to 37.4 percent shooting — UK holds foes to 35.8 — and 28.9 from three-point distance.

In other words, a typical Izzo team. Those are often Final Four teams.

North Carolina: There is a strong case the Heels don't belong among this quintet. Roy Williams' team lost by 33 at Florida State and missed enough free throws late to lose to archrival Duke.

Missed free throws are an ongoing problem. North Carolina shoots just 65.9 percent from the line, easily the lowest of the six teams we're considering.

On the flip side, there's just so much talent here. Tyler Zeller is a huge reason why UNC outrebounds opponents by 11.8 per game and gets 41.4 of its offensive rebounds. (UK is at 39.1)

And there is always the thought that at some point, Harrison Barnes (17.5 points per game) will take his game to another level. For that alone, don't discount the Heels.

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2012/02/14/20690...rylink=cpy

[zaga_fan]

Those 5 teams won't beat Kentucky.
The only team that can beat Kentucky is Kentucky.
Their ceiling is higher than any team in the nation and if they play their game no one can stop them.
They have enough weapons on offense so that you can't try to key in on any one person and the defense is always going to be there.

There are two ways Kentucky can lose IMO
-If they get over-agressive on defense and end up having to tap into an unproven bench after the seventh man.
-If they simply don't execute on offense and another team gets hot.

[toussaints]

The only team I see beating Kentucky out of that bunch is Ohio State, especially if the Buckeyes are healthy, primarily Sullinger. A healthy Sullinger gives OSU a solid advantage over UK all around.

If UK attacks Syracuse zone like, Louisville, Georgetown, and Notre Dame did, then the Orange will be in trouble. Kansas has the size to stop UK, but they're lacking another guard that can help out Taylor. I don't think North Carolina & Michigan State has enough to stay with UK for an entire game. I'm not saying these teams won't beat UK if they have the chance, I just don't see them beating UK right now.

[WALL2WALL]

Those 5 teams won't beat Kentucky.
The only team that can beat Kentucky is Kentucky.
Their ceiling is higher than any team in the nation and if they play their game no one can stop them.
They have enough weapons on offense so that you can't try to key in on any one person and the defense is always going to be there.

There are two ways Kentucky can lose IMO
-If they get over-agressive on defense and end up having to tap into an unproven bench after the seventh man.
-If they simply don't execute on offense and another team gets hot.

I agree. These teams are talented teams and are very well coached, but if Kentucky plays there game then no way these teams win. Some may be a close game but Kentucky will only lose if the beat themselves.

[RoShamBo]

The only team I see beating Kentucky out of that bunch is Ohio State, especially if the Buckeyes are healthy, primarily Sullinger. A healthy Sullinger gives OSU a solid advantage over UK all around.

If UK attacks Syracuse zone like, Louisville, Georgetown, and Notre Dame did, then the Orange will be in trouble. Kansas has the size to stop UK, but they're lacking another guard that can help out Taylor. I don't think North Carolina & Michigan State has enough to stay with UK for an entire game. I'm not saying these teams won't beat UK if they have the chance, I just don't see them beating UK right now.

I have to disagree with you there. Even with a healthy Sullinger I think OSU's only advantage at a position is offensively with Buford and he has been kinda streaky the last couple of games. You could argue Craft but if the refs call a fair game and don't let him slap at the ball the entire possession then he is not near as good as Teague. Sullinger is tough but I like our chances with Davis and Jones down low against him, especially with the way he has been turning the ball over lately. They are solid but overall with both teams playing their best ball I think the advantage clearly has to go to UK.

[RunItUpTheGut]

I believe sullinger is overrated.
I wouldnt take a healthy sullinger over a banged up davis.

[vundy33]

I think Sullinger is overrated as well. OSU just doesn't have the guard play to play with us, and they have absolutely no 3-point shooters.

I believe out of those teams that Syracuse would give us the most problems...but that's it. We've proven we can beat 2 of those 5 already.

[holler_cat72]

I would have to say Syracuse and north Carolina are even in the same level with UK!

[Amun-Ra]

I think Clay is right. Those are the teams that I think UK could have trouble with if we don't come out and get on them first.
If UK is firiing on all cylinders there is no team that can beat us. If we struggle a little bit then yes we could get beat.

[ekff]

Coach Cal said it best... "In the tournament you have to worry about every team!" "Remember Princeton!"


But I think Syracuse will be a GREAT match up for the Cats'... They have the size and talent to match up with UK.

[itzAmazing]

As Zaga stated earlier, the only team that can beat Kentucky is Kentucky. If the Cats get complacent and allow a team such as Michigan State to out physical and outplay them, then yeah, they could get beat. If they just have a tough time scoring against Syracuse' zone or stopping North Carolina's offensive attack (even though UNC can't stop anyone themselves), then Kentucky could lose. But, I honestly don't think the Cats will let that happen in March and April, though.

[NuttinButNet]

I think in the next few games, it would be good for us to get down by 10 or 15 points to see how we would react to face a deficit. During tourny time, if u have to face a deficit, we wont know how to react due to hardly ever being behind. I want someone to question our integrity, grit, and mental toughness to better prepare the CATS for a tournament run.

[PaintsvilleTigerfan]

If we lose it will be to a 3-4 seed that we come unprepared against. If we play prepared no one beats us.