catmandoo
Player
Member # 1284
|
posted 10-25-2019 02:07 PM
Friday brings the conclusion of the Cats Illustrated staff writer season prediction series.
Last but certainly not least is Travis Graf, our latest addition, and here he shares his picks for Kentucky basketball in the 2019-20 season.
What are your thoughts on Kentucky being ranked No. 2 in the first AP poll?
I wasn’t going to be surprised if Kentucky was ranked anywhere 1st through 3rd. I think Kentucky, along with Michigan State and Louisville, have a little separation from the pack in terms of how the teams look on paper during the preseason.
What's your prediction for Kentucky's regular season and SEC records?
27-4 overall, 14-4 SEC. The only non-conference game I see Kentucky possibly losing is against Louisville. With Joshua Langford out, I think Kentucky wins the first matchup of the season against Michigan State. I see Kentucky losing to Florida twice and dropping a couple of conference road games that they shouldn’t.
How far will Kentucky make it in the NCAA tournament?
This is going to be one of Coach Calipari’s most fun projects to watch from the beginning of the season until the end. There’s some weak spots on the roster, but there’s enough versatility there to put together a very good team come March. There’s a lot of variables that play into how high Kentucky’s ceiling will be, but I think the floor is a sweet 16 and the ceiling will end up being a championship.
What does "success" look like this season for Kentucky?
Considering how down college basketball forecasts to be this season, a championship isn’t out of the realm of possibility, but I don’t think it’s the most likely outcome. There’s currently a couple of weak spots in the roster and players will have to make big strides by season’s end for it to happen, but it can be done. I’d say a Final Four would be a success for this team. In the back court, Kentucky has the horses to wear teams down and lead the ‘Cats deep in the tournament, but they need to identify the player(s) who will make big shots in big games.
Who will be Kentucky's MVP?
Tyrese Maxey. The ‘Cats need him to be elite and not just “good” in order for this to be a special season. You could also make an argument for Ashton Hagans, who doesn’t have to be anything special, but has to run the show at the point guard spot at an efficient rate.
Who will be the biggest surprise on the team?
I’m still buying in on Johnny Juzang. If he can strengthen his play on the defensive end, I think he can be a lethal third scorer for this team. I can see Juzang possibly playing himself into a potential one and done situation by season’s end.
Link
--------------------
http://www.ukfightsong.com/
Posts: 186359 | From: st. augustine florida 32092 | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged
|
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic