NCAA Basketball: Purdue, Marquette rise in latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
13. Kentucky (5-1)
Even though they lost to Kansas at the Champions Classic, Kentucky has shown significant promise early this season, even with a relatively young lineup filled with elite talent. Veteran players like Tre Mitchell and Antonio Reeves are certainly important to John Calipari’s lineup, but a boatload of freshmen will play considerable minutes for the Wildcats this season and it’s been mixed results.
Monday was the low side, as the Wildcats barely averted disaster with a 96-88 overtime win at home over Saint Joseph’s. Mitchell and freshman DJ Wagner both had 22 points while Reeves added 20 in a gritty performance. Their performance on Friday was much more explosive, as the Wildcats put up 69 in the first half en route to a 118-82 win against Marshall. It was the third-straight game where Kentucky was lights out from outside the arc, while Wagner had 28 points in the win.
The Wildcats have gradually gotten better and better on offense this season, culminating in some fireworks on Friday night. These young shooters like Rob Dillingham are really coming into their stride early in their careers. Kentucky hasn’t been tested very much three weeks into the season and will stay at home for an intriguing matchup with Miami as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge; another chance for their first marquee win of the season.