SEC Play

[Disgrantled]

SEC play is about to get cranked up. I was reading through the KSR blog and saw this.

Currently, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi is predicting (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/bracketology) UK, Tennessee, Florida, and LSU making the NCAA tournament. Tennessee and Florida are projected to be #7 seeds (yuck!), Kentucky a #9 seed (barf!) and LSU a #12 seed and the distinction of being one of the last four teams into the tournament.

Last year, we lamented as Kentucky walked what seemed to be a tightrope made of dental floss to get into the NCAA tournament. The wax that held together the strands of floss was our conference RPI — according to Pomeroy (http://www.kenpom.com/conf.php?y=2008&c=SEC), UK’s 2008 non-conference RPI was 210, SOS was 100; overall RPI was 57 and SOS was 19.

This year, it may be closer to being opposite. Our out-of-conference RPI may be better than our conference RPI, especially if we lose to some of the cellar dwellers. Not being able to beat the teams we need to beat in the SEC will cause us to miss the NCAA’s. It happened last year with Florida, who’s young squad lost 8 games in conference play and had an overly-cupcaked non-conference schedule (Non-conference SOS: 271, Overall SOS: 87).

Given all that, I am starting to become terrified of SEC Conference play. Losing 6 games could be deadly, especially if we are unable to pull out a quality non-conference win in Da Ville.

Now the above bold paragraphs are what caught my eye. I have also had these concerns. We all agree that the SEC is down this year, but apparently there is this understanding around here the UK will blow through this schedule with ease.

Where is this false sense of security coming from? :shrug1:

UK has improved a lot over the course of the season, but by no means is this a well oiled machine. UK has the potential to beat anyone on any given night but they also have that very same potential to get beat by anyone on any given night. Arkansas is a perfect example with their win yesterday. This UK team plays so up and down.

I'm not saying UK will miss the NCAA tournament this year but I'm not going to make the mistake of believing it's not possible.

[JFCats22]

Good points, that's why I wish we would have played some decent teams the last few weeks to at least help our RPI. A couple of bad losses in SEC play and we could seriously be on the bubble.

That said, I think we can go 12-4 or 13-3 in the SEC this year if we play like we should. But, if we continue to get off to bad starts and play sloppy I can also see us going 9-7 in the SEC.

[Rockober]

add Arkansas on the list as teams that will be projected to make it. With the win last night, they should be mentioned in the mix.

[KCKUKFan]

I think the SEC will be more competitive in-conference this year than some think... it's pretty mediocre across the board. I don't believe we'll see a team with less than 4 losses at the end. I don't believe that Tennessee has found that killer edge, nor has UK or Florida. Teams like LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas have the talent to be competitive, but you know that they'll each drop games to the likes of Georgia or South Carolina.

So, it's kind of a crapshoot. Who knows? :shrug1:

[Rockober]

I think the SEC will be more competitive in-conference this year than some think... it's pretty mediocre across the board. I don't believe we'll see a team with less than 4 losses at the end. I don't believe that Tennessee has found that killer edge, nor has UK or Florida. Teams like LSU, Alabama, and Arkansas have the talent to be competitive, but you know that they'll each drop games to the likes of Georgia or South Carolina.

So, it's kind of a crapshoot. Who knows? :shrug1:

Not so sure about Georgia this year. They are pretty bad. Georgia and Auburn may be battling for the cellar this year and I predict both jobs will be vacant in April.

[jfthom2]

add Arkansas on the list as teams that will be projected to make it. With the win last night, they should be mentioned in the mix.

Courtney Forston is sweet.

[KCKUKFan]

Not so sure about Georgia this year. They are pretty bad. Georgia and Auburm may be battling for the cellar this year and I predict both jobs will be vacant in April.

That's what I was saying. I used Georgia and USC as examples of bad teams.

I was merely saying that LSU, Alabama and Arkansas will be competitive with their talent, but you just KNOW they will drop a game or two a piece to the lowly likes of UGA or Auburn or USC. It always happens.

[billoliver40]

UFW hits it on the head. No guarantee of UK going anywhere this year.
As many have said, there are always a couple of games where things just do not go right. Could be South Carolina. Florida, Vandy....the almost-mugging defense Georgia and Arkansas play. Somebody hitting the 3s like VMI. An extra blocked shot here and there.

Kentucky will have to raise the bar on execution, basketball IQ and above all taking care of the ball to have the kind of run in the SEC that will get em to any show, whether NIT or the NCAA at the end of this season.

And if anyone wants to poo the NIT idea, remember Florida just last season.

[Terry L. Wildcat]

It may be the altitude but I have a feeling we will win the SEC tournament this year and get an automatic NCAA berth and I will be in Tampa to see it.