The Kentucky Wildcats are in trouble for the postseason. From national champs to the NIT? It could happen. They lost a ton of talent to “the league” last year, but rebuilt with new blue-chippers. However, their NCAA Tourney stock is trending downward. And then came last night, the first time that Georgia defeated Kentucky by 10 or more points since 1996.
Kentucky still holds a 115-26 all-time series lead, so losing to Georgia is rare, and losing this badly even rarer.
So what does this mean for their chances of making the big dance? Take a look at college basketball lines at Topbet to see what the experts believe their chances are in their next game and beyond. Kentucky is 20-10, 11-6 in the SEC. According to Real Time RPI, they have a RPI of 54 and a SOS of 72. Those are the two main numbers the selection committee will look at; and those numbers aren’t very strong. They need to win, or at least reach the finals of the SEC Tournament to grab a NCAA bid.
Georgia head coach Mark Fox sized up UK: “That’s a win versus a terrific team, a well-coached team, a team that had to reinvent themselves after the loss of probably the No. 1 pick in the draft. You have to give the Kentucky staff and team a lot of credit and respect.”