Kevin Knox elevates to release a three-pointer for the Kentucky Wildcats vs. Texas A&M on Saturday, February 10, 2018, in College Station, Texas. The Wildcats dropped a third consecutive game to bring their SEC record to 6-6. Photo by Barry Westerman, courtesy of UK Athletics.
After a third consecutive SEC loss on Saturday to Texas A&M, the Kentucky Wildcats have made things extremely difficult the rest of the way. Only twice has a Kentucky team finished below .500 in SEC play but with six games remaining in the regular season, this group has a lot of work to do to keep it that way.
One could say the Kentucky Wildcats find themselves in unfamiliar territory but with a team chalked full of freshmen and limited experienced sophomores, they have no clue that the program has finished below .500 in SEC play on just two occasions.
When you step back and take a look at things, it’s pretty remarkable that Kentucky has dominated the SEC for as long as they have. The two times the Wildcats failed to finish .500 in conference play were the 1988-1989 season and way back in 1966-1967.
Both times the Wildcats have finished below .500; the records were identical at 8-10. Adolph Rupp coached the Wildcats in 66/67 and Eddie Sutton in 88/89.
So, what are the chances that this group of Wildcats becomes the third Kentucky team to finish below .500 since the inaugural season of the Southeastern conference in 1933? If recent efforts continue, then the chances are pretty good.
It’s hard to believe that just seven days ago the Wildcats were 6-3 in SEC play. Since then, losses to Missouri, Tennessee, and Texas A&M have followed, resulting in a 6-6 mark with just six games left to play before the SEC tournament. The six losses tie for the most conference losses in a season under John Calipari and they still have six more to play, including road trips to Auburn, Arkansas, and Florida.
Things don’t get easier for Kentucky this week, as they stay on the road to take on the SEC’s best team, the Auburn Tigers. Bruce Pearl’s club has played well all season and after Tennessee dropping a game to Alabama on Saturday, the Tigers are in the driver’s seat to win their first league title since 1999.
Following the tussle with Auburn on the Plains, the Wildcats will return to Rupp Arena to face the surging Alabama Crimson Tide, who throttled Tennessee on Saturday, 78-50. The way the Wildcats are playing, a split against the two Alabama schools wouldn’t be so bad but it would be a lie to say you feel confident about the chances of winning either one.
After Auburn and Alabama, Kentucky will have home dates with Missouri and Ole Miss, in addition to road trips to Arkansas and Florida to conclude the regular season. Missouri and Florida have already knocked off the Wildcats this season and only once has Kentucky left Arkansas with a win under John Calipari.
Out of the six remaining opponents, the only team not projected to make the NCAA tournament is Ole Miss. If Kentucky doesn’t want to be nervous on Selection Sunday, they need to find a way to salvage some momentum the next three weeks. If they finish below .500 in conference play, Kentucky would have the added pressure of having to win a game or two in the SEC tournament just to solidify a spot in the big dance.
Do I think Kentucky will finish below .500 in SEC play and miss the NCAA tournament? I don’t, however; it is definitely a possibility if things aren’t fixed sooner, rather than later.
