The Underachievers: Kentucky
The Kentucky Wildcats have talent galore, but yes, they did underachieve this season. Even coach John Calipari himself would likely tell you that. Kentucky was the preseason number one team in the country, but it has taken the team most of the season to mesh and begin playing as a team. There have been bad losses and the appearance of disinterested players along the way, but the tough times have paved the way for the Wildcats’ road to the Final Four.
While Calipari may get a lot of the credit for getting the team this far, the onus should fall on the players. Freshmen Julius Randle, Andrew and Aaron Harrison, and James Young, along with sophomores Willie Cauley-Stein and Alex Poythress, have come together in spectacular fashion down the stretch, and their play has started to live up to that lofty number one ranking from earlier this season. No one questioned whether or not Kentucky had the talent to win the national title. The questions came when asked if the Wildcats were mature enough to do the things necessary to win the title. If their recent performances are any indication, the youngsters from the commonwealth are more than ready to reclaim the crown won by that other team in Kentucky last season.
Keys to Victory: Kentucky has the most collective individual talent left in the tournament, and that can pay huge dividends for them. In tournament play, your stars tend to shine brightest and make the plays needed to win the biggest games. With the Harrison twins’ recent upswing in play, Kentucky has several guys that can make the big play in crunch time. The key for them will be eliminating the need for one guy to be the hero. They have the potential to cause match-up problems at every spot, so staying within the context of their offense will be all that is needed to expose the favorable match-ups.
The biggest concern has to be the loss of Willie Cauley-Stein. He was the defensive anchor and his absence means that Dakari Johnson, Julius Randle, and Alex Poythress will have to continue to control the paint and the boards. Look for Kentucky to mix up the defensive assignment on Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky in order to keep players out of foul trouble. The Harrisons and James Young should be able to handle their own on the perimeter.
Kentucky will need to push the tempo past Wisconsin’s comfort level and continue to pressure the basketball. The Wildcats are fun to watch when they’re forcing turnovers and running the floor. This will be a game of tempo, and if Kentucky can force theirs, then they could very well end up playing for the national title once again.
Who do you have in your bracket for the title and why?
