Photo by Vicki Graff
Many reactions to Kentucky’s loss at Tennessee gave impression that the sky is falling or the world is coming to an end. However, that is far from the case for the Kentucky Wildcats.
Kentucky played host to the Tennessee Volunteers earlier in February. The result? A double-digit, blowout win that was never close after the first 15 minutes of action.
Without starting center Reid Travis to body Tennessee’s Grant Williams, the Wildcats rightfully lost in Knoxville on Saturday. Though Kentucky’s most productive player was Nick Richards (gulp), there is still light at the end of their tunnel.
Kentucky goes into their final week of the regular season with a matchup at Ole Miss on Tuesday and then hosting Florida on Saturday. Coming off a beatdown, you can bet your dollar that head coach John Calipari will have his team motivated to play together in both outings.
So, Kentucky will be *at worst* the third seed in the SEC Tournament. Barring a loss in their first game, they will also most-likely be a two seed in the NCAA Tournament.
That puts Kentucky in far better position than they were last season, with a slightly deeper bench and a significantly better nucleus as a team.
Of course, Kentucky somehow winning at Tennessee on Saturday would’ve been the Wildcats’ best-case scenario. However, a humbling defeat to refuel the team’s motivation for March may be just what the doctor ordered.
