From the NIT to NCAA Champs??? The Krystal Ball's Kentucky Basketball Preview
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Hello everyone and welcome back to this special edition of The Krystal Ball, where I am going to take a look at the upcoming Kentucky Basketball Season.
The last seven months have been nothing short of amazing for Cat fans. Starting with the firing of Billy Gillispie, the hiring of John Calipari and the assembling of one of the best recruiting class in history.
I honestly can't remember when there was this much excitement around the program---EVER. With that in mind let's take a look at the season.
November 13--- Morehead State--- Coach Cal's Cats start off the season with a game against my alma mater, the MSU Eagles. Donnie Tyndall's club was the toast of last year's NCAA tourney, winning the play-in game against Alabama State before playing Louisville tough for a half before falling.
The Eagles lost Leon Buchanan but return vitrually everyone else from last year's club. John Wall will not play in this game and I think MSU will keep this one relatively close.
Krystal Ball Says------ Kentucky 78-62
November 16--- Miami (Ohio)---- Coach Charlie Coles will bring his RedHawks team into Rupp after losing five seniors. However they do have the return of their best player, Kenny Hayes who missed most of last season with a broken wrist. They also added a great recruiting class inculuding Mr. Tennessee basketball Drew Kelly.
This will be the first game Cat fans will get to see John Wall and Eric Bledsoe in the backcourt together and it should make for a special night.
Krystal Ball Says------- Kentucky 82-59
November 19---- Sam Houston State---- This is the first game in the Cancun Classic and will be played in Rupp. The BearKats return their starting backcourt of Corey Allmond and Ashton Mitchell. They are likely to give the Wildcats a run for a while before Kentucky pulls away.
Krystal Ball Says------- Kentucky 86-60
November 21---- Rider---- The Broncs return the top player in the MAAC, Ryan Thompson and once again will probably give Kentucky a game for a while before the Cats pull away.
Krystal Ball Says------ Kentucky 77-54
November 24--- Cleveland State--- After taking care of business in the first two games, Kentucky will next travel to Cancun for Thanksgiving. I can think of a lot worse places to go. On paper this would seem to be a trap game. The Vikings went 26-11 last season and won the Horizon League tournment before drilling Wake Forest 84-69 in the NCAA First Round.
However, Coach Gary Waters team lost four starters and must try to recover. I say Kentucky wins pretty easily here and gets a date in the finals.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 74-52
November 25---Stanford/Virginia---- At this point Kentucky will be going for its second consecutive pre-season tournament title against either the Cardinal or the Cavaliers. You have Johnny Dawkins coaching Stanford and Tony Bennett as the new coach of Virginia. Both of these teams are picked near the bottom of their respective conferences. I say the Cats play Virginia and take the title.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 87-61
November 30---- UNC Asheville---- This is the annual game in Louisville and in all honesty, this one should be a blow out.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 107-59
December 5---- North Carolina--- Now this is where things start to get interesting. As we all know, Kentucky has lost four straight to the Tar Heels after winning four in a row. Roy Williams will bring his defending National Champs into Rupp for what might be one of the best games of the pre-season.
This should be a barn burner but I think the Cats pull it out.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 89-84
December 9---- Connecticut (at Madison Square Garden)--- This one is part of the SEC/Big East Challenge. To be honest, there is probably no one on the schedule other than North Carolina and Louisville I want to beat more that UCONN. However I think Kentucky is going to lose at some point and this will be the game.
Krystal Ball Says----- UCONN 81-77
December 12--- at Indiana---- We all remember what happened the last time Kentucky played in Bloomington, it wasn't pretty. Tom Crean's team will be better than 6-25 this year, but I think the Cats win this one fairly handily.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 85-62
December 19--- Austin Peay--- After four straight against big name schools, Kentucky will have finals then get an easy victory against the Governors.
Krystal Ball Says---- Kentucky 96-66
December 21---- Drexel--- Former UMASS Coach Bruiser Flint is at the helm of the Dragons who appear to be on the way up in the CAA. Still the Cats should win this one in fine fashion.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 82-55
December 23--- Long Beach State--- The third game in five days will bring the 49ers coach by Don Monson into town. This club is picked to win the Big West Conference and while I don't think we will have a replay of the San Diego game from two years ago, this could be a pretty close game.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 79-67
December 29---- Hartford---- After the Christmas break, the Hawks come into town. I don't know much about them other than they are picked to finish 8th in the nine team America East conference.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 104- 60
January 2--- Louisville----- We close the non-conference portion of the schedule with a visit from Ricky Redbird just up the road. So much will be made of this game we can talk more about it later. Kentucky has lost two in a row to Louisville and I don't think Coach Cal will let it be three. This has potential to be a whale of a game.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 79-72
That would make the total 14-1 in the pre-season.
We can talk in greater depth about the SEC later, in fact sometime in December I will do an SEC Preview. For now I am going to say Kentucky goes 13-3 in the conference, losing to Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and South Carolina all on the road. This will give the Cats their first SEC East title since 2005 and the first outright title since 2004.
I also think Kentucky will win the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2004.
Coach Cal's team will get a Number One Seed and end the Final Four drought as well.
Once you get to the Final Four then all bets are off, and I am going to stop there.
That would make the total 34-4 heading into the Final Four in Indy.
One other note the Yankees did win the World Series this year and that usually bodes well for the Cats.
What do you all think...34-4 and a Final Four bid sound about right or do you think they can win it all.
Feel free to post your comments below. Thanks for reading and for supporting Kentucky Sports Network.
The last seven months have been nothing short of amazing for Cat fans. Starting with the firing of Billy Gillispie, the hiring of John Calipari and the assembling of one of the best recruiting class in history.
I honestly can't remember when there was this much excitement around the program---EVER. With that in mind let's take a look at the season.
November 13--- Morehead State--- Coach Cal's Cats start off the season with a game against my alma mater, the MSU Eagles. Donnie Tyndall's club was the toast of last year's NCAA tourney, winning the play-in game against Alabama State before playing Louisville tough for a half before falling.
The Eagles lost Leon Buchanan but return vitrually everyone else from last year's club. John Wall will not play in this game and I think MSU will keep this one relatively close.
Krystal Ball Says------ Kentucky 78-62
November 16--- Miami (Ohio)---- Coach Charlie Coles will bring his RedHawks team into Rupp after losing five seniors. However they do have the return of their best player, Kenny Hayes who missed most of last season with a broken wrist. They also added a great recruiting class inculuding Mr. Tennessee basketball Drew Kelly.
This will be the first game Cat fans will get to see John Wall and Eric Bledsoe in the backcourt together and it should make for a special night.
Krystal Ball Says------- Kentucky 82-59
November 19---- Sam Houston State---- This is the first game in the Cancun Classic and will be played in Rupp. The BearKats return their starting backcourt of Corey Allmond and Ashton Mitchell. They are likely to give the Wildcats a run for a while before Kentucky pulls away.
Krystal Ball Says------- Kentucky 86-60
November 21---- Rider---- The Broncs return the top player in the MAAC, Ryan Thompson and once again will probably give Kentucky a game for a while before the Cats pull away.
Krystal Ball Says------ Kentucky 77-54
November 24--- Cleveland State--- After taking care of business in the first two games, Kentucky will next travel to Cancun for Thanksgiving. I can think of a lot worse places to go. On paper this would seem to be a trap game. The Vikings went 26-11 last season and won the Horizon League tournment before drilling Wake Forest 84-69 in the NCAA First Round.
However, Coach Gary Waters team lost four starters and must try to recover. I say Kentucky wins pretty easily here and gets a date in the finals.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 74-52
November 25---Stanford/Virginia---- At this point Kentucky will be going for its second consecutive pre-season tournament title against either the Cardinal or the Cavaliers. You have Johnny Dawkins coaching Stanford and Tony Bennett as the new coach of Virginia. Both of these teams are picked near the bottom of their respective conferences. I say the Cats play Virginia and take the title.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 87-61
November 30---- UNC Asheville---- This is the annual game in Louisville and in all honesty, this one should be a blow out.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 107-59
December 5---- North Carolina--- Now this is where things start to get interesting. As we all know, Kentucky has lost four straight to the Tar Heels after winning four in a row. Roy Williams will bring his defending National Champs into Rupp for what might be one of the best games of the pre-season.
This should be a barn burner but I think the Cats pull it out.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 89-84
December 9---- Connecticut (at Madison Square Garden)--- This one is part of the SEC/Big East Challenge. To be honest, there is probably no one on the schedule other than North Carolina and Louisville I want to beat more that UCONN. However I think Kentucky is going to lose at some point and this will be the game.
Krystal Ball Says----- UCONN 81-77
December 12--- at Indiana---- We all remember what happened the last time Kentucky played in Bloomington, it wasn't pretty. Tom Crean's team will be better than 6-25 this year, but I think the Cats win this one fairly handily.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 85-62
December 19--- Austin Peay--- After four straight against big name schools, Kentucky will have finals then get an easy victory against the Governors.
Krystal Ball Says---- Kentucky 96-66
December 21---- Drexel--- Former UMASS Coach Bruiser Flint is at the helm of the Dragons who appear to be on the way up in the CAA. Still the Cats should win this one in fine fashion.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 82-55
December 23--- Long Beach State--- The third game in five days will bring the 49ers coach by Don Monson into town. This club is picked to win the Big West Conference and while I don't think we will have a replay of the San Diego game from two years ago, this could be a pretty close game.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 79-67
December 29---- Hartford---- After the Christmas break, the Hawks come into town. I don't know much about them other than they are picked to finish 8th in the nine team America East conference.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 104- 60
January 2--- Louisville----- We close the non-conference portion of the schedule with a visit from Ricky Redbird just up the road. So much will be made of this game we can talk more about it later. Kentucky has lost two in a row to Louisville and I don't think Coach Cal will let it be three. This has potential to be a whale of a game.
Krystal Ball Says----- Kentucky 79-72
That would make the total 14-1 in the pre-season.
We can talk in greater depth about the SEC later, in fact sometime in December I will do an SEC Preview. For now I am going to say Kentucky goes 13-3 in the conference, losing to Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and South Carolina all on the road. This will give the Cats their first SEC East title since 2005 and the first outright title since 2004.
I also think Kentucky will win the SEC Tournament for the first time since 2004.
Coach Cal's team will get a Number One Seed and end the Final Four drought as well.
Once you get to the Final Four then all bets are off, and I am going to stop there.
That would make the total 34-4 heading into the Final Four in Indy.
One other note the Yankees did win the World Series this year and that usually bodes well for the Cats.
What do you all think...34-4 and a Final Four bid sound about right or do you think they can win it all.
Feel free to post your comments below. Thanks for reading and for supporting Kentucky Sports Network.
Tags: big west conference, billy gillispie, john calipari, madison square garden, national collegiate athletic…, north carolina, roy williams, tom crean
Comment
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Comment by The Krystal Ball on November 10, 2009 at 4:14pm -
Thanks I appreciate it. After looking it over, I may be a little overly optimistic. I think there could be one more pre-season loss and maybe one more SEC one.
But I still like the Cats to get to the Final Four. I think by February, this team should be clicking.
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Comment by catscratchfever on November 10, 2009 at 2:18pm - I agree mainly with a few exceptions. The Lousiville game won't even be close we will smash them Cal will be looking forward to this game no matter what he says. The Sec games I'm worried about are @Tennessee and @Miss St., but what thats just my opinion. Great Work Crystal Ball!
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Comment by SaveUK on November 9, 2009 at 5:55pm -
My order for the top teams in the SEC would be:
Kentucky
Tenn
Miss St
Ole Miss
Vandy
South Carolina
Bama
No one else really matters, lol
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Comment by SaveUK on November 9, 2009 at 5:44pm
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I like your predictions. I think we get upset by Long Beach State. We shouldn't but then there is always that 1 game that good young teams lose that they shouldn't lose. That might be it.
Great writeup
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