What do you consider a successful run in the tournament?

[Chief Paducah]

I am not sure how anyone that watched this team this season can have expectations of an EE or Final Four. I know that is our expectations in general for most years, but sometimes you just have to look at the product on the court and set new expectations for who they are. If this squad makes it to the Sweet 16, it is a win for UK.

If we lose to Providence, I suspect Cal will want to lock himself in his bedroom and watch Little House on the Prairie with his dogs for several months.

 

[JonathanW]

UK has not been in the final four contention plenty the last few decades. 2022, 2021, 2018, 2016, 2013, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2001, 2000, 94, 89, 88, 87, 86, 85, 82, 81, 80.

The past 3 seasons have been unacceptable but let's get real with the revisionist history crap.

You are defining "F4 contention" as the outcome (E8 or better). I think Blueworld was defining "F4 contention" as "going into the tournament, having a realistic/reasonable chance at making the F4".

I would remove 86 from your list (actually made E8 that year and should have beat LSU a 4th time to make F4).

But to match Blueworld's definition (which I agree with), I would also remove 87, 94, maybe 01, 04, maybe 16, and 22. Also I wasn't optimistic in 18, but then the opening weekend had so many upsets our path became easy creating optimism, then we crapped the bed in S16.

 

[liveblue92]

The normal MO of this team would be to look great against Providence then lay an egg in the next game against K State.

That’s my prediction.

 

[liveblue92]

This team has to make the elite 8 or folks are gonna be pissed.

 

[G-PIP]

Yeah I just don't think using preseason expectations is the end-all be-all measuring stick for success for a given team. There were a lot of things we expected based on beating up terrible teams in the Bahamas that we probably shouldn't have (Collins being a stud for example)

I don’t think preseason expectations are relevant unless you’ve got a lot of returning players that you’ve seen perform together. I guess the Bahama games could give a person something to base expectations on, but that’s a different environment and thing so I couldn’t put a lot of expectation on that. Basically, a team is what it proves to be, and the flaws usually become apparent fairly quickly.

The Guard play was not good enough. The perimeter shooting options were thin. They didn’t have a dominate-type player that could be relied on to go get a tough basket. They had to rely on too many guys who were too one/two-dimensional. The defense was suspect. I just don’t think they were ever nearly as good as we hoped. This team was just not a top 20 team to start the season. They are better now, but I probably wouldn’t pick them over any top 15 ranked team today (and certainly not any top 10 team).

So, in my mind a Sweet-16 finish for this team is about as good as I could hope for. That’s got nothing to do with “how it should be at Kentucky.” It’s about how it is this season.

 

[jbne222]

I don’t think preseason expectations are relevant unless you’ve got a lot of returning players that you’ve seen perform together. I guess the Bahama games could give a person something to base expectations on, but that’s a different environment and thing so I couldn’t put a lot of expectation on that. Basically, a team is what it proves to be, and the flaws usually become apparent fairly quickly.

The Guard play was not good enough. The perimeter shooting options were thin. They didn’t have a dominate-type player that could be relied on to go get a tough basket. They had to rely on too many guys who were too one/two-dimensional. The defense was suspect. I just don’t think they were ever nearly as good as we hoped. This team was just not a top 20 team to start the season. They are better now, but I probably wouldn’t pick them over any top 15 ranked team today (and certainly not any top 10 team).

So, in my mind a Sweet-16 finish for this team is about as good as I could hope for. That’s got nothing to do with “how it should be at Kentucky.” It’s about how it is this season.

Yeah that’s exactly how I feel. In the grand scheme of things, we wouldn’t look back on a Sweet 16 season as a success when we look back upon it years down the road, but given how this season has played out I’d be thrilled to see us make it to the second weekend.

I love Cason but I think we needed him/expected him to be a dog who could go get a bucket at any moment, but he just hasn’t been that (a lot of which can be attributed to injuries) and we don’t have another guy who can do that, so it’s had to have been a more collective effort. Which I think will make it even more enjoyable if we do go on a run.

 

[cat tat2]

The goal when the season started was to win the championship. Anything less than that is a failure IMO.

 

[yes_takeaside]

Each game will be 50/50 at best.

At this point just win one.

 

[yes_takeaside]

This might be the hardest UK team ever to predict in tourney. I've filled out multiple barckets....I have them going on a tear and winning it all.......aaaannd I have Providence handing them their ass . Equal chance of either scenario happening .

No. Winning it all or losing game 1 is not an equal chance

 

[Blueworld_3.0]

UK has not been in the final four contention plenty the last few decades. 2022, 2021, 2018, 2016, 2013, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2001, 2000, 94, 89, 88, 87, 86, 85, 82, 81, 80.

The past 3 seasons have been unacceptable but let's get real with the revisionist history crap.

I said UK should always be in contention to go to a Final Four. I never said we always were. The years where we were not in contention were subpar for this program. At least in the modern era when the NCAA tourney has been the premier tournament.

 

[Kycatspaws]

Sweet 16.

 

[kywildcat41086]

Final Four. Next question

Exactly with the way the last 2 years ended this year needed to actually be a Championship no less or it was a complete and total failure.

 

[Backer cutter]

Does anyone here actually proof read their posts before hitting post? Are we already Indiana? Sure reads like it to me. Grow some balls, demand better, it’s not that hard. It’s ok not to like the product but still love the program. We will be back eventually. But damn, we aren’t no where near now. Accept that, and demand better. Sweet sixteens are acceptable for rebuilding programs with freshmen and a few scattered role players, good year. Recent classes it’s failure. Again, talking UK, not mid major U. I’m talking to the choir, or delinquents, I know. Got it off my chest though. Carry on.

 

[STL_Cat]

Final Four. Been too long.

 

[blue cincy]

Success would be Final Four, Good run elite 8, what we should be sweet 16, anything less matches the regular season and SEC Tourney.

 

[runt#69]

When players are recruited or brought here to Kentucky to play, they are expected to perform at a very high level. We're Kentucky. Same for Coaches. It's a pressure cooker of an environment, and they all know they are asked ONE THING and ONE THING ONLY.

JUST WIN

It doesn't matter HOW, in the end.

When players or coaches don't win, they know the fan criticism is coming., the negativity will be there, the microscope is always on them. Blood goes into the water when Kentucky teams struggle, so it's worse for everyone here. Everyone already wants to beat Kentucky in the worst way when they play us.

And year in, year out, the AVERAGE Kentucky team makes it to ...

THE ELITE EIGHT.

That's pretty much been the average point for Kentucky teams historically. Like it or not. And incredible as that sounds, it is a fact.

So anything less is seen as a failure. It's an incredibly high standard, maybe even possibly unfair. But that's what everyone signs up for coming here to begin with.

Even in seasons where OBVIOUSLY a given Kentucky team doesn't look like they can make it, a first weekend exit looms on the horizon, the expectations of success are still there.

Even though it may be unfair to "burden" this team with a minimum Elite Eight appearance, let's face the facts. We've gone far too long without a Final Four appearance.

SO this year anything less than EXCEEDING an Elite Eight appearance should be the goal. Fair or not. Suck it up. Put big boy pants on. Show the world why you are there at Kentucky, why we ARE KENTUCKY.

I'm not going to back off that expectation one bit. EVER. I never had to before, why should I now?

After the recent failures of Calipari at running the ship, he's gotta know this, and he's gotta be able to push the right buttons, do whatever it takes to get us there, or he will be out. He knows this. For SURE he knows it and feels it this year. The pressure is on.

So, Make a Final Four.

People are still going to be expecting it again next year. Like they do every year. At a minimum an Elite Eight appearance will be, for this team, saving face on the season so to some degree.

But like it or not, we're here for

Final Four's and National Championships.

NOT sending players into the NBA as a high draft pick - that ONLY COMES as a by product of proving you are the best at this level and to get rewarded AFTER proving you deserve that kind of draft position as a player.

NOT on potential ability, or it even being "gifted" like Cal has been famous for in getting lesser developed and lesser talented players into the league drafted above and beyond what they are ultimately worth.

Final Four or bust

Win the title.

Go Big Blue

 

[HenryMuto]

 

[jwphelps]

Curious what you guys think. We got a great draw but our team has obviously been incredibly hard to predict this year. I see it like this:

Lose in first round: All hell breaks loose, no hope for the future with unbelievable pressure on next year's team
Lose in 2nd round: more mild but still hell breaks loose
Lose in Sweet 16: Meh, decent turnaround, but not enough to get excited
Lose in Elite 8: Devastating loss but would feel encouraged in the long term relative to where I am now
Final Four and beyond: Would be absolutely over the moon

Making it to the 2nd weekend is huge because at least then you get a whole extra week to hope and get excited, and actually enjoy the tournament

With Cal and this team I think making it to the next weekend

 

[track42]

After watching this team all season I think sweet 16 is their high point.

 

[phantompain]

That's the problem,we are starting to accept mediocrity, a sweet 16 is not acceptable for Kentucky basketball but sadly that's probably the ceiling for this bunch

Sweet 16 is not acceptable for UK? Since when? In my mind, I think Kentucky wants to be in the hunt ever year and a Sweet 16, while what I would expect any year on the low end, is still within a reasonable ending.

Granted if you are factoring in the time it has been since we have been to the Final Four, then yeah, Sweet 16 isn't ideal.

We all might want an Elite 8 or better but it's not reasonable to expect it IMO. Therefore accepting a Sweet 16 seems on point. Just my opinion though.

 

[Cefiro]

Final four, just because this team hasn’t reached its potential doesn’t lower the bar.

That’s my expectation…..in reality, we don’t make it through the first weekend

 

[Titpwhami2014]

Elite 8 for me. Anything can happen in a regional final.

But if I’m being honest? I don’t see how they get there barring a Montana State upset and USC/Michigan State knocking off Marquette. I don’t trust this team to get enough defensive stops against either team.

 

[studentcat]

We have not really seen anything this year that makes anyone think this team can beat 4 quality “tournament “ teams. Preseason I was FF or bust, but now I’d be happy to still be dancing on the second weekend. I’d love to be surprised. Cal has to at least get back to the FF in the next two seasons, or he will lose the ENTIRE fan base…….so let’s go ahead and get there now! Miracles do happen

 

[HagginHall1999]

Miss Tourney- Snowman
64- double bogey
32- bogey
Swt 16- par
EE- birdie
FF- eagle
NC- Hole in one (condor in scoring -3)

Birdie is a generally good season...

Cal shooting -4, but +6 last two seasons

 

[chroix]

I was expecting a final 4 for this team but I think a Sweet 16 is about their ceiling at most. Will not be surprised at a first round loss.

This. Saved me some typing. Thanks.

 

[Backer cutter]

Miss Tourney- Snowman
64- double bogey
32- bogey
Swt 16- par
EE- birdie
FF- eagle
NC- Hole in one (condor in scoring -3)

Birdie is a generally good season...

You’re setting the bar mighty high. For a weekend hacker that is. But this is UK basketball, so yeah. Thank god for golf.