My ESPN Insider has UK among 10 most likely 1st round upsets 😩

[UKUGA]

No. 11 Providence Friarsvs. No. 6 Kentucky Wildcats
Upset chance: 40%

Last year, John Calipari's Wildcats were the first team to lose to Cinderella darling Saint Peter's in a 15-over-2 upset that shook the NCAA tournament. In fact, Kentucky, which has the nation's leading rebounder in Oscar Tshiebwe(13.1 RPG), hasn't reached the second weekend of the NCAA tournament since 2019, so they have shown they are susceptible to early round upsets.

Perhaps the formula for Providence is to follow the Peacocks. Last year, they ranked among the teams to shoot the fewest amount of 3-pointers per game, but Kentucky couldn't stop them (9-for-17 from 3). Providence doesn't shoot as many 3-point shots either, but in averaging 78.1 points per game, the Wildcats will need to keep up with the Friars. Keep in mind that the Friars shoot 38% from deep in their 21 wins, which would rank 21st nationally. However, they shoot 30.4% from beyond the arc in their 11 losses, a figure that would rank 340th.

Giant Killers' 10 most likely first-round upsets in the 2023 men's NCAA tournament

Looking for a first-round upset? The Giant Killers model sees a few for teams like Drake and Montana State.

www.espn.com

You are paying too much for ESPN Insider.

 

[hotelblue]

providence sucks. if we lose we really really suck.

 

[C5matt]

Bilas picks UK to beat Providence and Kansas St

And I agree as I don’t think Friars can rebound with us and our guards should have a good game and score well! Certainly we can be beat if we shoot poorly from 3 and the FT line! I think our guys will be focused and licked in for the first game for sure!

 

[JerseyCat84]

We’ve lost to worse teams than Providence.

 

[UKNothinButNet]

We’ve lost to worse teams than Providence.

I guess losing to USC (4-14) @ Rupp counts.

 

[G-PIP]

I guess losing to USC (4-14) @ Rupp counts.

Unfortunately, it does indeed count.

 

[Disappointed Cat]

This team is good enough to beat Providence and they will

But bad enough to lose to South Carolina, Vanderbilt twice, Georgia, etc....get the picture.

 

[Blueblood22]

Using a canceled tournament and a missed tournament to prop up his narrative that Kentucky is “susceptible” to early round losses is the dumbest thing I’ve ever read.

 

[bbncal02]

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Evan has us making the sweet 16

Even as a 3 they kiss Zaga’s ass.

 

[Rockfly78]

FWIW Las Vegas says that Houston will win it all.

Yet none of the big talking heads on ESPN tonight picked them for the final 4. Strange

 

[christophero]

It's a somewhat difficult first round game put Providence kind of limped to the finish line.

 

[Creed Bratton]

FWIW Las Vegas says that Houston will win it all.

I saw a statistic that said if you trust Ken Pom's metrics for the last 20 champs that only 3 teams have a shot to win it all....If I remember correctly it was UCLA, Kansas and Houston and all 3 have major players battling injuries. 🤷‍♂️

 

[STL_Cat]

I think we are going to win this game for one reason only - Cal doesn't want to live the summer out with ending the season on a loss to a team like Providence which will define he has lost it as an elite coach. So he is going to get off the couch, put away the bag of chips, put the dog in the kennel and actually put in a solid week of coaching to get this team ready, I think UK will win by at least 8 points. Just enough ammo for Cal to show BBN he can still win a tourney game.

Then after we win over Providence, he is going to revert back to his old ways of coaching, worrying more about whats for dinner than who is the next opponent. Mysteriously we'll have an injury or some other issue that will be an excuse as to why we couldn't be at 100%, fully focused

I expect us to win this game, Cal to be indignant and taking a crap over the fans that “doubted his team” in the postgame. He’ll be a little too cocky about being a 6 seed that just beat an 11. Then like you said, look unprepared and confused on Sunday for a first weekend exit. Then he’ll look defeated, say he’s tired, maybe even make some comments blaming the fans for it being too hard to play here … and that’ll be that.

 

[TankedCat]

I expect us to win this game, Cal to be indignant and taking a crap over the fans that “doubted his team” in the postgame. He’ll be a little too cocky about being a 6 seed that just beat an 11. Then like you said, look unprepared and confused on Sunday for a first weekend exit. Then he’ll look defeated, say he’s tired, maybe even make some comments blaming the fans for it being too hard to play here … and that’ll be that.

exactly, its pretty predictable at this point. He'll act all redeemed for winning over Providence and then after a loss remind the fans the team wasn't very good as if he didn't have anything to do with it.

 

[cats#1again]

Houston may have a hobbled Sasser.

They wouldn't win with him.
Texas is the team to beat there

 

[*CatinIL*]

Screw eSpN...

 

[Bluegrass79]

They Don't know a damn thing but I'll show you who does:

2023 Team Stats & - Customizable College Basketball Tempo Free Stats - T-Rank

T-Rank College Basketball Ratings and Rankings. And fun.

barttorvik.com