25. Kentucky (8-4)
Something evident in Lexington this season is that things aren’t quite right with the Wildcats. This is a very talented group, as Mark Pope brought an absolute plethora of talent into town, but early losses to Louisville and Michigan State compounded with that dreadful showing against Gonzaga just a few weeks ago. However, things might now finally be turning around coming off the heels of that 12-point win over Indiana.
The Wildcats blew all their early chances to build a resume and prove their substance, but they didn’t waste Saturday’s opportunity in Georgia. Against a ranked St. John’s squad led by former coach Rick Pitino, the Wildcats stormed back in the second half for a 78-66 win. Otega Oweh emerged with 20 points, Jaland Lowe added 13 points off the bench, and Jayden Quaintance finally made his season debut with a 10-point, 8-rebound effort.
There’s no question that Kentucky missed chances and that their 3-point shooting is still in really rough shape, but if this team can get all their talent healthy and on the court then this could actually be an SEC contender. Quaintance adds a prominent piece to this frontcourt; they just need Oweh and the other shooters to find some consistency fast. The next time out for the Wildcats will be against Bellarmine in just a few days before a long break into 2026.