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NCAA Basketball: Top concerns for Duke, UVA, Gonzaga, UK and Vols

By Jason Burgess

NASHVILLE, TN - JANUARY 23: Admiral Schofield #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts in overtime against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the game at Memorial Gym on January 23, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. Tennessee won 88-83 in overtime. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - JANUARY 23: Admiral Schofield #5 of the Tennessee Volunteers reacts in overtime against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the game at Memorial Gym on January 23, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. Tennessee won 88-83 in overtime. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 22: Head coach John Calipari of the Kentucky Wildcats speaks to PJ Washington #25 in the first half against the Kansas State Wildcats during the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament South Regional at Philips Arena on March 22, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 22: Head coach John Calipari of the Kentucky Wildcats speaks to PJ Washington #25 in the first half against the Kansas State Wildcats during the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament South Regional at Philips Arena on March 22, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Kentucky – Inconsistent support from veterans

Kentucky with a top recruiting class is an annual event, but for John Calipari, the years he has had success with those young players is also the years he has had some veteran presence to help stabilize the young players in their first season. This season is no different for the Wildcats, who find themselves at No. 5 in the country, less than four weeks from March.

Five of the Wildcats’ top seven scorers are freshmen, led by guards Keldon Johnson and Tyler Herro who combine to score 27.4 points per game. The veterans on this squad are in the frontcourt with senior graduate transfer Reid Travis and sophomore PJ Washington. Both men are averaging 25.7 points and 15.2 rebounds this season, but in order for Kentucky to continue on their upward trend, these two need to continue to support the freshman. Over the last 10 games, Washington has really been more of a force, averaging 12.8 points and 6.9 rebounds in that time.

But, Travis has been less of a focal point with 6.9 points and 6.7 rebounds. Contrast that with the 14 points and 4.6 rebounds he averaged over the team’s first 11 games. If Kentucky wants to have the success it is accustom to in March, both big men will have to supplement the freshmen and be a calming influence for a group that hasn’t experienced the pressures of March.

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