Fact or Fiction: Will The Kentucky Wildcats Go Undefeated?

As we round into tournament time, there are many questions left unanswered. Will the Kentucky Wildcats complete a perfect season? Which conference is the best in the nation? Is Jahlil Okafor the player of the year?

Instead of going the traditional route of roundtables of asking a question and getting everyone’s answers, we spiced things up a bit. Instead we gave our writers a statement and asked them to tell us whether it was a fact or fiction.

Simple enough. Let’s get it started!

The Kentucky Wildcats Will Finish The Year Undefeated

Daniel Tran – Fiction. On paper, Kentucky should be able to run the table and go undefeated to win the national title.  But there’s a reason that it hasn’t happened since 1976.  The athletes that play on this level have gotten so good that on any given night, a lesser team can rise up and beat the best in the nation.  Just ask Ralph Sampson, whose superior Virginia team fell to something called Chaminade in 1982. Kentucky still has to play an inconsistent, but dangerous Florida team twice and then they will face the nations best and hottest teams in the NCAA tournament, where the one-and-done format makes games as unpredictable as ever.

Randy Sherman – Fiction. The Wildcats are very good, but they can go into scoring slumps. Coach John Calipari has admitted that they are not very good offensively. They will go cold and a hot shooting team will knock them off at some point in the regular season or SEC Tournament. But their game fits the tournament; they will win the crown.

Alex Piasecki – Fact. Despite a potential trap game upcoming against Florida on the road, this team is too darn talented and balanced to lose. Calipari’s bunch defends better than any team and rebounds better than any team and the SEC is having a down year otherwise. And all this is coming from someone who didn’t believe in this Kentucky team at the bringing of the year.

Michael Lopez – Fact. They have one of their biggest tests this Saturday against Florida, but I think they’ve already surpassed their biggest tests this season – the early “lull” games against Ole Miss and Texas A&M. That they were able to get out of those close calls relatively unscathed shows me that they can run the table all the way up to the tournament. This Kentucky team has shown, on multiple occasions, that they can sure as heck handle the big name teams like Kansas, Louisville and Texas.

Bryce Bennett – Fact. They are just too good. After the scares in January to Ole Miss and Texas A&M, the Wildcats have put on the afterburners and averaged a win margin of 19 points per game. They also have allowed over 55 points just once in that seven game stretch. The main point being: they’ve weathered any struggles they were facing and are better than they were in December and January. While they have five road games left against teams such as LSU, Tennessee and Georgia, they won’t lose. Make some room 1975 – 76 Indiana Hoosiers.

John Parker – Fact, at least through Selection Sunday. Much like last year’s Wichita State team, this year’s Kentucky squad is battle tested and too talented for the rest of the teams in its conference. While they’ll undoubtedly get everybody’s best shot, I think experience with all-or-nothing games will allow them to make the plays when it matters.

Alex Miller – Fiction. The Wildcats are about to experience an uptick in the level of competition. Kentucky still has to play Florida twice, Arkansas, at Georgia, at Tennessee and at LSU. I think they drop one of these games. In the meantime, the health of Trey Lyles is a concern. He’s been dealing with an undisclosed illness and most likely won’t play on Saturday when UK travels to Florida. If he’s out for a long time, it could cost them one of those tough road games.

Next: Best Conference In America?