Kentucky Basketball: 2020-21 season preview for the Wildcats
Schedule
Kentucky has filled out its basketball schedule to 27 games, including a full 18-game SEC slate. It won’t be easy.
To start the season, the Wildcats play 4 games in 7 days, culminating in a Dec. 1 matchup with #6 Kansas in the Champion’s Classic. Depending on whether Duke-Michigan State plays first, this will either be the first or second big game of the college basketball season.
We don’t know what to expect, either. Every time Kansas and Kentucky play, it’s a different outcome. In one game, Kansas shot 50 free throws. The next year, both teams combined for 40 FTs. In 2014, the game was decided by 32 points. The next season, we saw overtime. One year, Thomas Robinson rebounded EVERYTHING, then another year, three Kentucky frontcourt players got double-doubles. We’ve seen defensive struggles and shootouts alike.
If I’m making an educated guess, this year’s Kentucky-Kansas game will be fast and sloppy. Kansas lost two All-Americans: Devon Dotson and Udoka Azubuike. They’ll probably need to spread the ball around the court and get six guys in double-figure scoring. Meanwhile, Kentucky will have the clear frontcourt advantage now that Olivier Sarr is eligible.
Following the Kansas game, there will be battles with four power conference opponents. All four teams have reasons to be extra motivated to play the Wildcats:
Georgia Tech (Dec. 6)
Kentucky beat the Yellow Jackets handily in a rather ugly game last December. Historically, Georgia Tech hasn’t fared well in this series. Ages ago, GT was a member of the SEC and dropped 28 consecutive games to Kentucky. But this isn’t 60 years ago, and Tech brings back nearly all its impact players.
Notre Dame (Dec. 12)
Kentucky last met Notre Dame in the 2015 NCAA Tournament, when the Irish nearly ended a perfect season (UK escaped with a 2-point win thanks to a Herculean game from Karl Towns). In 2020, neither team is as good as their 2015 counterparts, but that doesn’t mean we should discount the matchup. ND is always competitive in the ACC.
UCLA (Dec. 19)
The two all-time leaders in NCAA Titles last played in Chicago in December 2014. UCLA fans don’t want to be reminded how that game went, so here’s how it went: Kentucky opens the game on a 24-0 run. At halftime, they led 41-7. They cruised the rest of the way for a 39-point win.
Louisville (Dec. 26)
The rivalry has been much more competitive than the lopsided 37-16 Kentucky lead would suggest. Usually, the Governor’s Cup is a physical, slow heavyweight battle. Last year’s game was one of the best of the series; Kentucky won 78-70 in overtime. Unfortunately, Louisville has already been bitten by the injury bug this year. Hopefully, they’re closer to full strength on December 26.
And then conference play starts.
The SEC is good. A wave of better talent has boosted the conference for the last five years, and that recruiting momentum has only snowballed. Here is where some SEC schools land according to 247 Sports’ 2020 recruiting rankings:
1. Kentucky
4. Tennessee
6. LSU
8. Arkansas
9. Auburn
12. Alabama
That’s half of the top 12!
The SEC is only getting more talented and more competitive. There are zero gimmes in conference play, even with how bad Vanderbilt and Missouri have been. Two February games with Tennessee, the conference favorite, should be electric. If Kentucky can sweep this series against the Vols, it just might disprove my theory that coach Calipari’s kryptonite is a Rick Barnes team (it’s weird, but Kentucky is 5-7 vs. Tennessee since Barnes took over).