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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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INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 19: Head coach John Calipari of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts in the first half against the Wichita State Shockers during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 19, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – MARCH 19: Head coach John Calipari of the Kentucky Wildcats reacts in the first half against the Wichita State Shockers during the second round of the 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse on March 19, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Kentucky goes to SEC Tournament final, wins

For years, I’ve been saying that Kentucky will win the regular season SEC title and lose in the SEC Tournament final.

If you look at the winners of both historically over the past decade or so, rarely do teams win both. SEC Tournament play is difficult because it’s usually on a neutral court and favors the team that gets hot at the right time. I mean, there are major, NCAA Tournament-affecting upsets year in and year out in the SEC Tournament due to so many SEC teams always being on the bubble.

But over the past few seasons, the Wildcats have turned it up a notch in postseason play and have been able to win both, breaking that mold and creating a new narrative.

Is this because the teams are better and more focused due to the coaching of John Calipari? Perhaps, but I think this is also due to the fact that Kentucky fans travel so well and make the games feel like home games.

I live in Nashville, and you can get tickets to the SEC Tournament for nothing until Kentucky plays. Scalpers are practically giving away first and second session tickets, and suddenly, in Kentucky’s session, you couldn’t buy a ticket even if you paid in diamonds.

Okay, yes that’s an exaggeration, but you get my point. The SEC Tournament has quickly become the event for both Kentucky and Kentucky fans. If that continues – when that continues – I think that Kentucky should be penciled in as the SEC Tournament champions for years to come.

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