We need to win both games this week

[Wildcats1st]

This is definitely the biggest week of the season. Seeding is gonna determine our ncaat success. We need a top 3 seed. At OU and home against auburn. Splitting these this week keeps us in the hunt but winning both (very doable) and beating LSU next week at home well that will likely nail down a 3 seed.

We are a bad matchup for auburn imo. The game being at home should give us a big advantage. I’m not gonna get into the injury situation right now.

OU and TU first year in sec both games road games, we have to find a way to beat oU. We lose that game and that 3 seed would still be in play but unlikely

Make or break week as we set our sights on March.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Kentucky most likely isn’t getting a 3 seed.

 

[JonathanW]

I don’t know about both. I would say beat Auburn OR win at Missouri. And take care of business in games vs teams below us in standings

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Honestly just getting the win against Vandy was enough for me. Hard to expect this short handed UK team to beat these SEC teams while having to battle the refs.

Vandy basically secured us as a 6-seed at worst. One more win would be nice and might make our floor a 5-seed.. but let's just get healthy for the NCAAT. Don't even really care about the SECT to be quite honest.

 

[BlobUK]

I say we beat them both. Time to get rolling.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Honestly just getting the win against Vandy was enough for me. Hard to expect this short handed UK team to beat these SEC teams while having to battle the refs.

Vandy basically secured us as a 6-seed at worst. One more win would be nice and might make our floor a 5-seed.. but let's just get healthy for the NCAAT. Don't even really care about the SECT to be quite honest.

I don’t know about that. 18-13 doesn’t scream 6 seed to me. They are a lock for the tourney but I think they need to get to 20 to stay on the 6 seed and above category

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I don’t know about that. 18-13 doesn’t scream 6 seed to me. They are a lock for the tourney but I think they need to get to 20 to stay on the 6 seed and above category

Yeah you could be right. I didn't like the recent chatter that we'd fall no lower than a 6-seed no matter what. It just wasn't true. You can't go like 3 for your final 12 and expect the SEC to give you a high seed, no matter who you play.

So yeah I'd like to win 1 or 2 more.. and i think we can against LSU and OU.. but I also just want to get into the tournament. I dont even want to play Jrob or Butler until then. I don't trust the SEC officiating to not allow opponents to beat us up and injure our guys.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Yeah you could be right. I didn't like the recent chatter that we'd fall no lower than a 6-seed no matter what. It just wasn't true. You can't go like 3 for your final 12 and expect the SEC to give you a high seed, no matter who you play.

So yeah I'd like to win 1 or 2 more.. and i think we can against LSU and OU.. but I also just want to get into the tournament. I dont even want to play Jrob or Butler until then. I don't trust the SEC officiating to not allow opponents to beat us up and injure our guys.

I think we can beat Auburn at home to. It’s at rupp, this team has played alot better at rupp then they do away from rupp

 

[HenryMuto]

You just said have to win both ? Odds are not very good to win both.

50/50 at Oklahoma
25/75 vs Auburn

They could win both not saying they couldn't but it is not likely.

 

[hoggwildcat]

We are not that good on the road, and we play the #1 team in the country at home. I going with 0-2

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I think we can beat Auburn at home to. It’s at rupp, this team has played alot better at rupp then they do away from rupp

Idk man. I didn't get to watch last night's game, but from the sound of it, it was one of the worst officiating we had on the season. So it seems like that's just the way it's gonna be. Can we beat Auburn? Sure. But we're gonna be down players and were going to get absolutely no help at home, and auburn will likely have less fouls and more free throws.

Were gonna be trying to win games with both hands tied behind our backs.

 

[know1]

We go 2-2 and win a couple of games in SEC tourney, and there's no doubt we're a 3 seed.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Idk man. I didn't get to watch last night's game, but from the sound of it, it was one of the worst officiating we had on the season. So it seems like that's just the way it's gonna be. Can we beat Auburn? Sure. But we're gonna be down players and were going to get absolutely no help at home, and auburn will likely have less fouls and more free throws.

Were gonna be trying to win games with both hands tied behind our backs.

Well I also think we atleast have butler back, I think he plays Wednesday

 

[Digger-Cat]

Honestly just getting the win against Vandy was enough for me. Hard to expect this short handed UK team to beat these SEC teams while having to battle the refs.

Vandy basically secured us as a 6-seed at worst. One more win would be nice and might make our floor a 5-seed.. but let's just get healthy for the NCAAT. Don't even really care about the SECT to be quite honest.

I'm glad Mark Pope doesn’t think this way.

 

[Digger-Cat]

You just said have to win both ? Odds are not very good to win both.

50/50 at Oklahoma
25/75 vs Auburn

They could win both not saying they couldn't but it is not likely.

Where did you come up with these percentages?

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I'm glad Mark Pope doesn’t think this way.

He's probably thinking something similar, if we're being honest. His team is short handed and missing players he thought we'd have. If we can just win another game or two that will secure our 5 or 4-seed.. get the guys back in a few weeks and then try and make a run. Not sure why that's some absurd take to you. Pope would probably tell you the same thing. Doesn't mean were not going to TRY and win the games. But it's being able to assess the situation at hand.

 

[Digger-Cat]

Idk man. I didn't get to watch last night's game, but from the sound of it, it was one of the worst officiating we had on the season. So it seems like that's just the way it's gonna be. Can we beat Auburn? Sure. But we're gonna be down players and were going to get absolutely no help at home, and auburn will likely have less fouls and more free throws.

Were gonna be trying to win games with both hands tied behind our backs.

Wow, okay.
The officiating was bad last night and @ UGA, but other than that, it has been about as good as college officials can be, which isn't great, but doable.
I don't know about you guys, but watching Auburn right now, they don't look as dominant. Yeah, they looked good at Alabama, but they really struggled with Arkansas at home, Tennessee at home and UGA gave them fits last night. Florida had them down by 22 in their own gym.
We should have at least Butler back by next Saturday, if he plays, I give us a very good chance at winning that game.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

OP knows it is unlikely we win both.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Wow, okay.
The officiating was bad last night and @ UGA, but other than that, it has been about as good as college officials can be, which isn't great, but doable.
I don't know about you guys, but watching Auburn right now, they don't look as dominant. Yeah, they looked good at Alabama, but they really struggled with Arkansas at home, Tennessee at home and UGA gave them fits last night. Florida had them down by 22 in their own gym.
We should have at least Butler back by next Saturday, if he plays, I give us a very good chance at winning that game.

Lmao the officiating has been "as good as it can be"? Yikes. Whats with this influx of shitty posters lately with bad takes?

(Not asking you, using your awful post to ask the regulars here).

 

[Digger-Cat]

He's probably thinking something similar, if we're being honest. His team is short handed and missing players he thought we'd have. If we can just win another game or two that will secure our 5 or 4-seed.. get the guys back in a few weeks and then try and make a run. Not sure why that's some absurd take to you. Pope would probably tell you the same thing. Doesn't mean were not going to TRY and win the games. But it's being able to assess the situation at hand.

Pope looks very bothered after a loss, he clearly expects to win these games and UK was the better team for the first 10 minutes last night.

The other thing you have to look at is, everyone else around us is losing too.

Wisconsin just lost at home to unranked Oregon, Purdue keeps losing, aTm just lost at home to a team we easily swept short handed, Michigan lost at home Friday night, Michigan State lost at home to Indiana… ..

We just need to make sure we beat Oklahoma and LSU and if we can get one of Auburn/Mizzou, we might even get a 2.

The two games this week will tell us a lot.

 

[docholiday51]

Honestly just getting the win against Vandy was enough for me. Hard to expect this short handed UK team to beat these SEC teams while having to battle the refs.

Vandy basically secured us as a 6-seed at worst. One more win would be nice and might make our floor a 5-seed.. but let's just get healthy for the NCAAT. Don't even really care about the SECT to be quite honest.

I honestly have doubts as to how much healthier we will get the rest of the season. If we could win 2 of our remaining games + 1 in the SECT think we get a decent seed in the NCAAT. I want 1 win in the NCAAT and the rest will be gravy. Maybe setting the bar too low but get that first win and go from there.

 

[megablue]

Kentucky most likely isn’t getting a 3 seed.

I would be happy with a 5, but expect a 6 seed.

 

[Tprinceuk]

Unfortunately we'll watch Auburn shoot free throw after free throw in our gym.

 

[Aike]

You just said have to win both ? Odds are not very good to win both.

50/50 at Oklahoma
25/75 vs Auburn

They could win both not saying they couldn't but it is not likely.

I’d say we’re closer to 40% against Auburn. That goes up some if we get healthy somehow.

At this moment I’d call us 20% to win both, which is about what I thought our chances were last night.

 

[Digger-Cat]

Lmao the officiating has been "as good as it can be"? Yikes. Whats with this influx of shitty posters lately with bad takes?

(Not asking you, using your awful post to ask the regulars here).

Oh, so you're going to blame officials on our losses and you're calling me a shitty poster??? You didn't even watch the game last night and you're blaming the refs, but I'm shitty? Okay.

Just a note here, by me saying the refs are as good as they're gonna get, is me saying they aren't very good at their jobs. But here's the thing, every fanbase thinks they get cheated by the refs. Tennessee fans blame the refs for both losses to us, but we feel like UT got a favorable whistle, I certainly do. So how can that be?

Again though, I'm glad Mark Pope doesn’t just mail it in like you are.

 

[HenryMuto]

I’d say we’re closer to 40% against Auburn. That goes up some if we get healthy somehow.

At this moment I’d call us 20% to win both, which is about what I thought our chances were last night.

40% ? I thought I was being generous with 25%.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

I would be happy with a 5, but expect a 6 seed.

5 is where I think they end up.

 

[HenryMuto]

ESPN has it at

Kentucky 60.8% at Oklahoma

Kentucky 36.2% chance to win vs Auburn

I assume their numbers assume Butler and Robinson play since most of the games this year they played.

 

[Aike]

40% ? I thought I was being generous with 25%.

On paper it’s around 40%. That’s assuming gamblers don’t get a hold of it like they did last night.

 

[GoNoles111]

LSU and OU are the 2 you to have to get to stay around the 4-5 line. Anything else is gravy.

 

[Aike]

ESPN has it at

Kentucky 60.8% at Oklahoma

Kentucky 36.2% chance to win vs Auburn

I assume their numbers assume Butler and Robinson play since most of the games this year they played.

I have it around 45%, so I split the difference between my metrics and my quick back of napkin Kenpom odds (similar to espn).

I’m ok dropping it to 40% given our injury concerns, but would be remiss if I failed to note that our recent short-handed performance vs. Vandy was right in line with our season averages.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

LSU and OU are the 2 you to have to get to stay around the 4-5 line. Anything else is gravy.

Honestly any 2 combo gets you that

 

[wildcat_nation28]

must win at Oklahoma

 

[bucsrule8872]

Win one of the two this week and take care of LSU and I feel pretty good about a 3 seed.

The only loss that is going to torpedo our seed is LSU.

Need to get at least one win in the SEC tourney as well.

 

[wmk0002]

Could you elaborate on being a bad matchup for Auburn? I dont really see that but I’d love to be convinced otherwise.

 

[GoNoles111]

Honestly any 2 combo gets you that

Well yeah but I mean the most realistic scenario. OU is alright but they're still a 4-10 team in conference and I have a sneaky feeling Butler comes back. Pope knows we need this one.

 

[ACT ONE]

I can see it now we will get Orlandis Poole, Roger Ayers and Doug Shows to officiate the game against Auburn in Rupp.

 

[Dontworryboutit23]

Well yeah but I mean the most realistic scenario. OU is alright but they're still a 4-10 team in conference and I have a sneaky feeling Butler comes back. Pope knows we need this one.

I honestly think they win 3 of the 4

 

[Digger-Cat]

Could you elaborate on being a bad matchup for Auburn? I dont really see that but I’d love to be convinced otherwise.

They're the #1 rated offense, we struggle with teams that can score like they can.
On the flip side, we match up well with Tennessee, because they labor to score.
But I think we're catching Auburn at a good time, they seem to be coming back down to earth, but we need at least Butler to play and play well.