UK Got Hosed

[sportsfan41]

Outside of the selection of Atlanta as the region over St. Louis, here are my reasons that UK got absolutely no respect as the (obvious and clear) #1 overall team:

 

1) WKU

2) UConn

3) IU

4) Duke

 

These are the teams you would expect Kentucky to have to go through to get to the Final Four.

 

First, an in-state school that turned it on at the end of the year and would be absolutely desperate to beat UK and not just "happy to be there."

 

Second, a team with the type of inside-outside talent that has the potential to play with anyone in the country. The team and coach, while under-performers most of the year, have a ton of big game experience including a fairly big one against Kentucky less than a year ago... and they just happen to be from the conference whose teams give UK the most trouble in the tournament.

 

Third, one of the only two teams THIS ENTIRE YEAR that has already proven to themselves that they can beat Kentucky. That is no small factor, because this UK team win most of their games before the ball bounces. That wouldn't be the case here.

 

Fourth, it is not even remotely possible that the committee thought this was genuinely the worst 2 seed. In fact, the committee already admitted that they aren't. Any 2 seed isn't chopped liver, but in the regional final UK would most likely face a team that has the outside shooting and the coaching to hang with any team in the country.

 

UK got hosed. I would be losing my mind right now if Louisville had the kind of year Kentucky did and were "rewarded" in this manner.

 

Of those I think UK will only face one of them, maybe two, heck maybe none of them at all to be honest.

[02Ram54]

UK got a GREAT draw.

 

First off, acting like any 16 seed is dangerous pretty much ruins any credibility you may have as a poster on college basketball.

 

Secondly, while UConn scares me a bit, I will be shocked if they are even there. This game is a home game for UK. Think the UK fans there on Thursday aren't going to be 100% behind Iowa State? Pretty much a home game for the Cyclones as well.

 

Thirdly, IU is terrible away from Bloomington. I seriously doubt they could make a game of it. Either way, I think the Shockers are the likely opponent.

 

Lastly, UK is a terrible matchup for Duke. They play no defense, have no interior game, and no depth. UK would roll.

 

Did I claim UK would lose to any of these teams? They won't. I think UK won't play anyone that can take them down until the Final Four versus Michigan State. I'm just saying the committee did them no favors.

[jericho]

I get tired of UK getting screwed over every time, UK always has to play the toughest brackets

[NEERFAN]

I don't mind the draw and I like the potential story lines in their bracket. I look forward to seeing a refocused bunch of Cats.

[dmderringer10]

I get tired of UK getting screwed over every time, UK always has to play the toughest brackets

 

They are not in the toughest region....

 

Actually they are in the second easiest region.

[CovCathiRadio]

Do you people ever think that UK makes it the toughest bracket?

[dmderringer10]

Do you people ever think that UK makes it the toughest bracket?

 

For everyone else, sure. But the other teams in the region are not the toughest in the tournament. Personally, I think UK got the weakest 2, 3 and 4 seeds....

[John Anthony]

Totally agree but not surprised at all. The NCAA does not like Cal and this is moreless an annual thing. NCAA hates spending time and money on Cal, the best thing to do is send his team packing so they don't have to worry about it.

[hrcarrier]

I think UK has to "bring it" with any of the teams. They are a team that can inspire teams to "play up", and they certainly showed some vulnerability in the SEC tournament. Although the made it to the final, they didn't play that well in any game, IMO. If the UK team comes in complacent, or takes any of these teams for granted, and the other team is "playing up", it could definitely spell some trouble for the Cats.

 

I agree, UK's level of play has to pick up from where it was during the SEC tournament.

[formerkywrestler]

You sure do. Are you going to claim you wouldn't prefer these four:

 

1) ANY other 16 seed matchup.

2) Creighton, St Louis, or Southern Miss

3) Michigan or Louisville

4) Kansas

 

I would. I make those replacements in a heartbeat. So would Cal.

WKU is a very bad team. The day I start getting worried about a 16-seed is the day I say I'm in the 18%.

 

Can't disagree with the UCONN sentiments.

 

An IU team without Jones is clearly inferior to both UL and Michigan.

 

Kansas has the 2nd best player in the country. No matter what your 2 will be a good team, but I gladly take Duke over Kansas.

[Qryche11]

I don't even thin UConn will beat Iowa State. Plus I don't think Duke will get there imo.

 

Go ahead and put Duke in the Sweet 16. Statistics don't lie and the Blue Devils are playing close to home and never lose in those NCAA games. We will have to beat Coach K period.

[hja1224]

Go ahead and put Duke in the Sweet 16. Statistics don't lie and the Blue Devils are playing close to home and never lose in those NCAA games. We will have to beat Coach K period.

 

I'm too lazy to look it up but they had a stat on Duke being a #2 seed and they normally don't make it too far.

[PurplePride92]

It truly blows my mind that people think UK has a tough bracket. Granted all games are tough from here on out but UK got the easiest 2 seed on the market, an injured 4 seed, their first two games are in Louisville, their Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games are in CATLANTA and the Final Four is in Blue Orleans. The only team I see UK having to possibly lose an hour of sleep over is Baylor and that is only because they have the athletes to keep up with UK....but can they play basketball like UK? If UK doesn't at least make the Final Four they only have themselves to blame. They couldn't have asked for a better setup.

[30dad]

UConn would be a tough 3rd round game but other than that I like the draw. No doubt in my mind that I would rather face Duke than any of the other 2 seeds. Kansas is much bettter than the team we beat in December. Ohio State is playing their best basketball right now and Missouri is just flat out scary with those guards and would give us fits defending the 3. I see them in the final four. The South is a tough region but other than the 3rd round, I like our draw. I see us pretty much cruising into the final four. It will be tough from there.

[PurplePride92]

^

 

It helps so much to have that 3rd round game at the Yum.