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Kentucky puts rest of SEC on notice: Coach Cal’s Cats looking like Final Four threat

By Patrick Schmidt

LUBBOCK, TEXAS - JANUARY 25: Guard Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Kentucky Wildcats signals to the crowd after the college basketball game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on January 25, 2020 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
LUBBOCK, TEXAS - JANUARY 25: Guard Immanuel Quickley #5 of the Kentucky Wildcats signals to the crowd after the college basketball game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders on January 25, 2020 at United Supermarkets Arena in Lubbock, Texas. (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /
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Don’t look now but Kentucky is looking like Kentucky again. Coach Cal’s team is the favorite to win the SEC but they may not stop there.

Three months ago, Kentucky was the No. 1 team in the nation after beating then-No. 1 Michigan State in the season opener. One week later, the Cats were humiliated when they lost to Evansville and tumbled from the top spot to No. 9. Fast forward to the present and Kentucky is very much starting to resemble the team from November many thought could win the SEC and make another run to the Final Four.

The Evansville loss, while humbling and humiliating at the time, served as a wake-up call for John Calipari and his Cats. It’s a reminder you can’t underestimate any opponent because they can beat you. It’s a lesson many teams need and it may have been a blessing in hindsight to have this happen in the third game of the season than in the middle of February.

Losing early gave Kentucky a moment to reflect and regroup. They weren’t eliminated like an upset in the NCAA Tournament. They had a chance to make up for the loss and it shows with their play in the SEC.

Kentucky’s rattled off five straight wins after Tuesday night’s win vs. LSU. Kentucky dominated for stretches and built a double-digit late before the Tigers trimmed the deficit to make it a bit closer than the final score indicated. This was an encouraging sign for Kentucky basketball fans that the team they anticipated seeing all year has finally shown up.

A big catalyst for Kentucky’s climb in February is sophomore guard Immanuel Quickley who leads the team in scoring with an average of 15.2 points per game. He’s adapted to his role and has scored in double-figures for 15 straight games. During Kentucky’s current five-game winning streak, Quickley has averaged 19 points per outing. He’s been streaky from 3-point range, but when he’s on, he’s on fire.

When Quickley is dropping buckets from downtown, he complements the other stars on Coach Cal’s club.

Ashton Hagans is a surgeon with the ball in his hands and can dish to Quickley with the confidence he’s going to knock it down.

Nick Richards has been the best player for much of the season. If Quickley does miss, Richards is often in the position to bring down the rebound. He’s averaging a team-best 8.1 boards per game and is second to Quickley in points per game. Having Quickley pour the ball in the bucket has lessened the scoring load on the junior big man from Jamaica.

Tyrese Maxey was thought to be the team’s superstar this year and while the freshman guard has played well in spurts, he hasn’t had the pressure of needing to be the team’s best player on a game in and game out basis.

This is what makes Kentucky such a dangerous team. It’s not just a one-man show. It’s not a two-man show. It’s not even a three-man show. This is a quadruple attack Kentucky can throw at opponents who won’t have nearly the roster to match.

Kentucky is the favorite to win the SEC regular-season title with a 1.5 game lead over Auburn. They dropped the first matchup with Bruce Pearl’s Tigers when they fell 75-66 in Auburn. They’ll get the Tigers in Rupp Arena on Saturday, Feb. 29 in a game that could be one of the season’s best.

Florida, Texas A&M and Tennessee and Florida bookend the home date with Auburn for Kentucky’s remaining schedule. Florida was one of the biggest disappointments for much of the season before turning things around in February. Still, Kentucky should be confident heading into March that they can have a long march in the NCAA Tournament.

Kentucky is used to these big games, expectations and the drama the tournament provides. It’s no surprise to see the Wildcats emerging when the stakes are at their highest.

So don’t be surprised if you see Coach Cal climbing a ladder next month with a pair of scissors in his hands as he cuts another net down.

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