[Coach_Owens87]

UK has won 5 games in a row, is currently in second place in the east, and have moved up to 88th in the latest RPI rankings. ESPN has a front page article on their CBB site talking about UK's surge and their chances of making the big dance.

Does everyone think this is a real possibility now?

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/index

[OMG]

thats interesting to even picture them not being in the tournament but this year i didn't think they had a shot, but with the way they have been playing, and the fact they have tasted victory in gillespies scheme, you can never county them out now...if they win out in the SEC i think theyre in, but just a couple of losses could put them out real quick. they definetely cannot have anymore losses to teams below them...but a good run in the SEC tourny could have them in as well, its just very interesting to figure out whats going on inside the heads of people who pick them....

[TidesHoss32]

UK wins 17 games, they'll be in..no question..

[MVP2]

I think we get in...JMO. I think lose 2-3 more games and still get in if we make that run in the SEC tourney.

[bluegrassballa]

I think we will get in. We just have to keep winning and we will have a good shot at it! Go Cats!!

[Playboy5]

I say UK is in! Just a scary team to face when healthy!! Everyone now realizes across America how beatup this UK has been all season.

[OMG]

i still think if they dont reach 20 wins they could very easily get shunned by the committee...and that could take only losing a couple and then winning the SEC tourny and i just dont think this team is capable of that unless meeks gets 100%

[Beef]

If they can get everyone healthy over the next couple of weeks then IMO they could have a good shot at winning the SEC Tournament, therefore, they would be in automatically. The Cats have shown what BCG's system can do even when they are down 2-3 of their best players, just imagine what it can do with these players if all are above 95%!

[alfus21]

Too many good teams this year for UK to make it. Those early losses will be UK's downfall, their RPI will not be good enough in my opinion. We still have to go to Tennessee and Vandy, and have tough games left with Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Florida.

I think they have to win the SEC tournament to get into the dance.

[OMG]

Too many good teams this year for UK to make it. Those early losses will be UK's downfall, their RPI will not be good enough in my opinion. We still have to go to Tennessee and Vandy, and have tough games left with Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Florida.

I think they have to win the SEC tournament to get into the dance.

i agree way too many tough games in a row to win...

[More Cowbell]

UK now sits at 12-9, 6-2 in the SEC halfway through the league schedule. Time to update the "games left" tally.

at Vandy
at LSU
Georgia
Arkansas
Ole Miss
at Tennessee
at South Carolina
Florida

Still think the Cats have a good shot at going 6-2 in these last 8 games, with only roadies at Nashville and Knoxville being games the Cats won't be favored in. If they can at least hold serve at home, they will also pick up some nice-looking wins (Arkansas, Florida, Ole Miss) to add to a resume badly in need of them.

If they do go 6-2 from here out, that puts them at 18-11, 12-4 in league. A couple wins in the SEC tourney would get them to 20 wins and should seal it, but even a 19-win season would have a decent shot at getting in. The name "Kentucky" means something, even if committee members say otherwise.

[bobcatfan22]

UK now sits at 12-9, 6-2 in the SEC halway through the league schedule. Time to update the "games left" tally.

at Vandy
at LSU
Georgia
Arkansas
Ole Miss
at Tennessee
at South Carolina
Florida

Still think the Cats have a good shot at going 6-2 in these last 8 games, with only roadies at Nashville and Knoxville being games the Cats won't be favored in. If they can at least hold serve at home, they will also pick up some nice-looking wins (Arkansas, Florida, Ole Miss) to add to a resume badly in need of them.

If they do go 6-2 from here out, that puts them at 18-11, 12-4 in league. A couple wins in the SEC tourney would get them to 20 wins and should seal it, but even a 19-win season would have a decent shot at getting in. The name "Kentucky" means something, even if committee members say otherwise.

I Agree!!!!!

[Horse Head]

On an espn site it said if uk went 11-5 in the sec they would be in

[Amun-Ra]

There is still a chance that we can get in but i still think we have to win the SEC.

[OMG]

On an espn site it said if uk went 11-5 in the sec they would be in

i actually think it just said there was a chance they could get in but there was the opportunity for other teams to post just as good of records and by pass them...the thing you have to remember is just because they have a good stretch towards the end of the season doesnt mean the rest of the conference is going to go winless...their earlier losses will come back to haunt them if they do not win the SEC tourny....dont get me wrong i want them to get in, but i have to be realistic about it as well...

[More Cowbell]

i actually think it just said there was a chance they could get in but there was the opportunity for other teams to post just as good of records and by pass them...the thing you have to remember is just because they have a good stretch towards the end of the season doesnt mean the rest of the conference is going to go winless...their earlier losses will come back to haunt them if they do not win the SEC tourny....dont get me wrong i want them to get in, but i have to be realistic about it as well...

I think the early-season losses will not carry as much weight as the late-season wins. Remember that the committee always talks about the "record in the last 10 games" as a factor in their decision-making, and if UK wins all but the Tennessee and Vandy contests they will be 8-2 in their last 10 regular-season games., and 11-2 in the last 13.

I don't think the committee is completely beholden to the RPI, as we've seen teams with RPI's in the 60's get in before. If any team could get in with an RPI that low, it's a big name like Kentucky.

So, I don't think they have to win the SEC tourney to get an automatic bid. The opportunities are there to pick up some good wins and impress the selection guys, although I wouldn't recommend a first-round exit from the tourney, either.

[blackcat_mvp6]

I say they win the SEC and make the tournament.

[Tubby Hater]

[quote=More Cowbell]UK now sits at 12-9, 6-2 in the SEC halfway through the league schedule. Time to update the "games left" tally.

at Vandy
at LSU
Georgia
Arkansas
Ole Miss
at Tennessee
at South Carolina
Florida

Still think the Cats have a good shot at going 6-2 in these last 8 games, with only roadies at Nashville and Knoxville being games the Cats won't be favored in. If they can at least hold serve at home, they will also pick up some nice-looking wins (Arkansas, Florida, Ole Miss) to add to a resume badly in need of them.

If they do go 6-2 from here out, that puts them at 18-11, 12-4 in league. A couple wins in the SEC tourney would get them to 20 wins and should seal it, but even a 19-win season would have a decent shot at getting in. The name "Kentucky" means something, even if committee members say otherwise.[/QUOTE]

You make a great point. If the Cats are a bubble team they will make it. The committe will look at the early losses but will also realize they were without some key players and the committe is supposed to look at how you finish more so than how you start. Also the Cats sell TICKETS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Its all about the all mighty dollar and teh NCAA knows the Cat fans will travel to Africa to watch their Cats.

[warriors_45]

Kentucky needs a great showing in the SEC Tourney, regardless of how they do in the rest of the season. I see UK getting in as a 10 or 12 in the NCAA Tourney.

[OMG]

I think the early-season losses will not carry as much weight as the late-season wins. Remember that the committee always talks about the "record in the last 10 games" as a factor in their decision-making, and if UK wins all but the Tennessee and Vandy contests they will be 8-2 in their last 10 regular-season games., and 11-2 in the last 13.

I don't think the committee is completely beholden to the RPI, as we've seen teams with RPI's in the 60's get in before. If any team could get in with an RPI that low, it's a big name like Kentucky.

So, I don't think they have to win the SEC tourney to get an automatic bid. The opportunities are there to pick up some good wins and impress the selection guys, although I wouldn't recommend a first-round exit from the tourney, either.

thats a good point i guess we'll just have to wait and see

[EKY Sportster]

If they keep playing as they have and can pick up at least 6 more games, I say they are in just because of the name and the $$$$$. But if they can't make it to 18 wins and they go out in the first round of the SEC tourney, then we may not make it. Kentucky's name alone isn't enough. But Kentucky will get the benefit of the doubt by the Committee if they can just get enough wins. But if they can get healthy and win the SEC tourney which isn't impossible, then they would be controlling their own destiny.

[bac2369]

uk gets in the big dance no questions about it. the NCAA makes to much money on all the kentucky fans. Everyone knows that we have the best fans in the nation. so uk gets in the big dance because of strong play down there stretch. They have always to my knowledge went on good play at middle and seasons end. The two games in the SEC we lost we actually should have won so we really should be sitting in the # 1 spot in the SEC east.

[RedSeal]

Id say if they win 18-20 games and hold their own at Rupp they will get in the Big Dance, and The name"Kentucky" dont hurt eithier

[blackcat_mvp6]

Miss St. Out played us we should have lost that game , but Florida should have been ours.

[Tomcat68]

Miss St. Out played us we should have lost that game , but Florida should have been ours.

I have to disagree. Varnado committed upwards of 10-15 fouls in that game and was only called for 1 or 2 by the end of the game. If he weren't in the game because of foul trouble, UK would have picked up that W fairly easily.

[Amun-Ra]

Miss St. Out played us we should have lost that game , but Florida should have been ours.

Are you serious? Varnado had 11 blocks and 11 rebounds and 1 foul ... Mutumbo never got stats like that man. It was a simple case of home cookin...

[OMG]

Miss St. Out played us we should have lost that game , but Florida should have been ours.

we should have beat florida but it didn't happen, instead they gave us a good ol fashion a** whoopin that i hope we wont forget!!!

[bac2369]

I have to disagree. Varnado committed upwards of 10-15 fouls in that game and was only called for 1 or 2 by the end of the game. If he weren't in the game because of foul trouble, UK would have picked up that W fairly easily.

i agree. i still think its fishy to get 11 blocks and only get 2 fouls the whole game. i bet if i would of recorded the game i bet he would of had atleast 5 or 6 fouls

[bleedblue2002]

They will make it to the NCAA Tourn. And they will get revenge on Florida in a few weeks

[RavenBoy]

lose no more than 3 before tourny and their in.