SEC Standings as of Feb 9

[HenryMuto]

Going to be tough to just get into the top 8 this year and with 16 teams the 9/10 seeds will now have to play an extra game.

Kentucky seeds by year for SEC tournament in the Cal years

For all the frustration with the Cal teams over the years they only missed a top 4 seed once in 15 years. This year we might not even get a top 8 seed.

2024 #2
2023 #3
2022 #3
2021 #8
2020 #1 had they played
2019 #2
2018 #4
2017 #1
2016 #2
2015 #1
2014 #2
2013 #2
2012 #1
2011 #2 East
2010 #1 East

 

[kywildcat41035]

We are UK no excuse not to be better than an 8 seed in our own conference!

 

[CapnBlubs]

Is that you, Eli???

Tone (and some of the content) completely over the top and stupid on my part. Just ranting because I want UK basketball to be more than mid-tier of our league going forward. That's what our football historically has been (at best, really), but not basketball. And yeah, I get everything about the differences in eras and how much our cash-strapped state is going to struggle with NIL, how we don't have as much home-grown talent, etc.

What I really feel is that I get this is a historically difficult year AND Pope's first year...but if we were around .500 in the SEC consistently in future years that wouldn't be good enough for me.

 

[un4getables]

Way off base. There is some truth to the fact that we didn't attract a high profile coach. But that has nothing to do with Mitch and everything to do with the current state of college basketball. Didn't we offer Hurley like $10+ million a year? What more do you reasonably expect an AD to do?

The reason why we didn't land a high profile coach is because in 2024 you don't need to be at a blue blood to have success. It's quite frankly more trouble than it's worth considering the fan expectations and pressure it puts you under. Pearl and Oats are perfectly capable of winning titles where they already are, so why start over in a higher pressure environment? Drew already won a title at Baylor and is beloved there. Oats and Pearl have been to Final Fours. Bennett won a title at Virginia. With NIL and the transfer portal you simply don't need the brand name of a blue blood to be successful. There's a reason Duke, UNC, and UK all have coaches who previously played at said schools. The brand name of a big program is largely only attractive to people who spent time in the program and value it for that reason alone.

In regards to Pope needing to do better: nonsense. He threw together this team in a few weeks with transfer portal pieces. When it was healthy it was a no questions asked top 10 team. With a healthy roster it was a top 10 offensive team and top 30 defensive team. And that was before the team really had a chance to gel. Injuries have taken a huge toll on this team, but guess what? The offense has continued to get better. Without a single PG available to play for multiple games the offense played itself into being the second best offense in the country.

The defensive issues are about 95% caused by the injuries we've suffered lately. Butler returns and we jump like 20 spots in defensive efficiency. Yes, SC isn't the best team, but defensive efficiency stats are adjusted for opponent. So after taking into account that SC isn't great it still jumped a great deal in a single game.

There's no reasonable analysis of this season, taking into account the realities of the injuries we've had, that doesn't conclude that this season has been a greater success than almost anyone had expected.

This is an awesome post and should be PINNED for the trolls in this forum to read.

 

[un4getables]

10th place in the SEC is a disgrace

You serious Clark? This is as stupid of a post as the dude getting flame for his post above. .

 

[un4getables]

We are UK no excuse not to be better than an 8 seed in our own conference!

Trolls are out en masse ...

 

[will1976]

Trolls are out en masse ...

There are a few out. But for them to be on full display check back after gametime Tuesday if we lose to UT.

 

[Padsfs07]

Technically we are tied for 8th. Tiebreakers are irrelevant at this point since all the games haven't been played.

And we are 2 games out of 3rd and have beaten 3 of the teams above us.

Any other year 8-10 would be bad ... this year the league is super tough.

Looking to next year, a few of the SEC teams are going to crater with the extra covid kids gone and the portal tightening up. Teams like Auburn, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas, and A&M have almost nothing coming back next year.

Then you have the IU opening and several ACC teams looking for coaches ~ Miami, Virginia, FSU, maybe UNC ~ so I could see the SEC getting some coaches poached (Beard, Williams, Jans, Golden, or White even)

Also that rumor about Barnes retiring.

 

[silentsaregolden2.0]

Our remaining schedule is brutal. 3 Top 5 teams, and even one of our home games is against Auburn. Butler is back but isn't really in top form, and the same goes for Carr. We will be lucky to go 4-4, but I'm hoping we get back to the way were playing when we were 5-0 against Top 15 teams.