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Kentucky Basketball: 10 predictions for the Wildcats 2017-18 season

By Taylor Sturm

LEXINGTON, KY - JANUARY 28: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives insturctions to his team against the Kansas Jayhawks during the game against at Rupp Arena on January 28, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
LEXINGTON, KY - JANUARY 28: John Calipari the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats gives insturctions to his team against the Kansas Jayhawks during the game against at Rupp Arena on January 28, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 12: Head coach John Calipari of the Kentucky Wildcats looks on against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the championship game at the 2017 Men’s SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN – MARCH 12: Head coach John Calipari of the Kentucky Wildcats looks on against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the championship game at the 2017 Men’s SEC Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 12, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

The Wildcats go undefeated in non-conference play

Yes, Kentucky fans, you read that correctly.

I believe the Wildcats will go undefeated in non-conference play, especially the opening non-conference slate. The three big games on the schedule are against a definitively weaker UCLA squad, a Lousiville team that is in the midst of turmoil, and a Virginia Tech squad that cannot stay healthy.

These three teams are likely NCAA Tournament bound, but Kentucky is getting them at a time where none of them should be playing their best basketball.

There is an early season match-up against Kansas to worry about, but, if they get that down, there is no stopping them.

If they do win all of their opening non-conference games, expect the Wildcats to enter SEC play as the No. 1 team in college basketball, because preseason No. 1 Duke faces Michigan State on Nov. 14 in Chicago and could easily have a loss.

The only real non-conference game that I see the Wildcats potentially struggling in is the one versus West Virginia sandwiched in the middle of the SEC schedule as a part of the Big 12/SEC Challenge, meaning that, even if they lose that game on the road against “Press Virginia,”

But remember, John Calipari seems to have Bob Huggins’ coaching style figured out, and this could just as well be a blowout.

Unfortunately, going the whole season undefeated just does not happen to Power 5 teams in the current college basketball era.

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