[Old School Hound]

They could play as many as four games in the SEC Tourney and six in the NCAAT.   We know for sure they will have 0, 1, or 2 losses the rest of the way. But how many wins will they produce over the course of the postseason???

[Cactus Jack]

They could play as many as four games in the SEC Tourney and six in the NCAAT.   We know for sure they will have 0, 1, or 2 losses the rest of the way. But how many wins will they produce over the course of the postseason???

Barring another injury, three seems like the magic number for this team.

There are a few ways that could happen, but the most likely is winning one in the SEC and a loss to Alabama, then going into the NCAA as a low 3 and taking care of business against a 14; if we're a 3 but lose to a 14, that would probably shock me more than anything other than us losing out. From there, a potential game against the 6 or 11 could be interesting, but I think we pull it out. For reference, some of the teams who are on the 6/11 lines right now-- St. Mary's, Kansas, Illinois, UCLA, Indiana, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, VCU, and Oklahoma. The current 7/10 lines scare me much more-- Ole Miss, Missouri, Marquette, Gonzaga, Drake, Baylor, Utah State, and San Diego State. Which looks more like a group of doom to you?

Would be pleasantly surprised if we go past the Sweet 16 given injuries and the holes that they've left, but it isn't impossible. Most likely, we're probably in for one respectable loss and one fairly ugly loss. There's not really a difference to me if we're blown out by Alabama and take a respectable loss in the Sweet 16 or vice versa.


Going a little past what you've posted in this thread (because I'm guessing that this is what you're really wanting to get down to):

I'd consider it to be a disappointment if we lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but that's based on what we've lived through with St. Peter's, Oakland, and Kansas State moreso than it is an indictment of Pope. If there's one more win I could lock in for the rest of the season, the NCAA opener would be it, even if you told me we'd win in the Round of 32, Sweet 16, Elite 8, or Final Four should we get there. Most would probably rather lock in a win in the Round of 32, but I'll play it really safe.

Losing in the first round of both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments is one of the only things that would really ruin what's otherwise been a great season that's exceeded expectations. That would make for a really long summer given the ammo it would give Pope's critics, the negative recruiting, and national media.

As crazy as it may sound, going 0 for 2 from here is also one of the few scenarios that would put Pope in a situation where he HAD to have mild success in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. I'm not saying he'd have to go to the 2026 Final Four, nor am I saying that it's fair to him that he has to live with Calipari's ghosts, but he didn't win an NCAA Tournament game at BYU and if a program like Kentucky goes on a seven year stretch with only win one NCAA Tournament win, he's probably out the door before we're tipping the game that decides whether or not it's actually going to be an eight year stretch.

[Granny Bear]

I'd consider it to be a disappointment if we lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but that's based on what we've lived through with St. Peter's, Oakland, and Kansas State moreso than it is an indictment of Pope. If there's one more win I could lock in for the rest of the season, the NCAA opener would be it, even if you told me we'd win in the Round of 32, Sweet 16, Elite 8, or Final Four should we get there. Most would probably rather lock in a win in the Round of 32, but I'll play it really safe.

Losing in the first round of both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments is one of the only things that would really ruin what's otherwise been a great season that's exceeded expectations. That would make for a really long summer given the ammo it would give Pope's critics, the negative recruiting, and national media.


THIS!!!!

[Old School Hound]

If I were a betting man and my house was on the line , I would say we win three, one in SECT and two in NCAAT. My second guess would be four.. I think we will play well in the postseason.

[Old School Hound]

If I had a lot riding on the prediction, I'd vote three . But I don't. So, I'm gonna say four , or more. What do you think will be our record from here on out Granny Bear? I'm gonna say 4-2, but keep my fingers crossed for even better.

[4 Quarters]

TWO!!!!!!

[Old School Hound]

Plantmanguy, what's you're prediction?

[jetpilot]

I'm going with 2 wins total. Team has been so unlucky. I just have a not our year vibe. Hope I'm wrong. When my expectations are high bad things happen and when they are low good things happen lol.

[Old School Hound]

I'm going with 2 wins total. Team has been so unlucky. I just have a not our year vibe. Hope I'm wrong. When my expectations are high bad things happen and when they are low good things happen lol.

Jet, are you thinking one win in each tourney?  

I'm gonna say 1 W in the SECT and at least 3 in the  NCAAT.

[jetpilot]

^^^Not guessing which tournaments, just going with 2. Come on Cats, make me big wrong...

[plantmanky]

Plantmanguy, what's you're prediction?

0 or 1

[Cactus Jack]

One win in the SEC Tournament? Check.
Loss in the SEC Tournament to Alabama? It sure looks that way right now (down 17 with ~12 minutes remaining).
One ugly loss? Also looks like that right now.

Alabama is a good team and losing Butler did us no favors. Here's to hoping I stay on course and we go to the Sweet 16 and have a respectable loss there.

The good thing is that we're locked into a 3 seed and I don't think we'll be in lots of danger in the first round. Really hoping we get a favorable draw for that second game though. Marquette already lost. Texas Tech and Clemson both look like they are going to lose, so that should help our standing amongst other 3 seeds, but look out for Maryland, Wisconsin, and Memphis though.

[Old School Hound]

Plantmanguy, what's you're prediction?

0 or 1

[Image: https://merriam-webster.com/assets/mw/im...9e1@1x.jpg]

[TheTruth!]

2

[Cactus Jack]

Really like Kentucky's draw. Troy is one of the weaker 14s and Kentucky matches up really well.

Can't ask for much more than what we got in the first weekend. Illinois could be a tough game because of their size, but they aren't the quickest team, which means a lot for a team that will struggle defensively.

[Old School Hound]

I say we beat Troy decisively, Squeak by the Illini in a nailbiter, SquEEEEEEze those Big Orange titties for a third time, and find ourselves playing for a trip to the Final Four. Maybe then plant dude will say it's been a " kinda okay " season.

[Wildcat_blue]

The committee needed Kentucky irrelevant again. For the money and the following haha. Best road we have had in years!! Mid majors aren’t paying the high salaries anymore lol

[Granny Bear]

The Illinois game worries me a lot!! Should we squeak by them, I have little hope to beat Tennessee a third time. It's just near impossible to beat a good team three times in one season. That's what my head says.

My heart wants this team to go to the Final 4.

[Old School Hound]

The Illinois game worries me a lot!!  Should we squeak by them, I have little hope to beat Tennessee a third time.  It's just near impossible to beat a good team three times in one season.  That's what my head says.

My heart wants this team to go to the Final 4.

Yeah, two things I always look at around tournament time:  who is playing the best ball at tourney time and will a team have to beat another for a third time. In the case of UK/UT , the Vols are playing the better basketball and we would have to beat Rocky Top for a third time this season. That's a double negative for us. However, in our favor, we are a real matchup problem for the Vols. The way we can space the floor and have multiple guys who can knock down threes is a real problem for the orange team. I think if we played Bama or Auburn 100 times, we MIGHT win six or eight times. If we played UT 100 times, I think we win 60 or 65 of them. Maybe 70. March is about matchups and the matchup against UT favors us a lot more than a matchup with Bama or Auburn would. I can tell you this. From reading some Big Orange boards, Vol fans would just as soon not have to face KY again. They feel KY just has their number. That happens.

[SEKYFAN]

1 or 2 wins is about what UK is capable of at this point.