Kentucky Wildcats (Overall: 29-5, Conf: 16-2 )
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Team Strengths:
With their trio of talented swingmen – Malik Monk, De’Aaron Fox, and Isaiah Briscoe – the Wildcats can pretty much attack their opponents from everywhere on the floor. Monk (21.2 PPG), SEC’s points leader during the regular season, is arguably the most gifted scorer in the nation, while Fox and Briscoe are versatile, playmaking guys who each put up no less than 13 points, four rebounds, and four assists per game.
Edrice Adebayo, another key freshman in Kentucky’s (+800) roster, provides offense in the shaded lane and he also anchors the defense. He chips in 13.3 points on 61.7 percent shooting and leads the team in rebounds and blocks.
The Wildcats joined fourth-seeded Gonzaga as the only teams to be ranked inside the top 15 in offensive and defensive efficiency.
Team Weaknesses:
Aside from not being a real, solid threat from the outside (183rd overall in threes), which is not exactly that big of a problem since Monk paces the conference in threes (91), the ‘Cats don’t really own any glaring weaknesses.
Remember, though, that coach John Calipari’s teams tend to fall short during the big dance. Cal, as you may know, only has one national championship in his belt despite his roster being scattered with NBA-level talent year after year.
Team Stats:
| CATEGORY | STAT / G | NCAA RANK |
| Points | 86.8 | 5th |
| Rebounds | 40.5 | 15th |
| Assists | 16.0 | 42nd |
| Steals | 6.0 | 177th |
| Blocks | 5.3 | 13th |
| Field goal percentage | 47.8 | 33rd |
| Three-point percentage | 35.1 | 171st |
| Free throw percentage | 70.0 | 176th |
| Turnovers | 11.9 | 81st |
Starting Lineup:
| POSITION | NAME | PPG |
| C | Edrice Adebayo | 13.3 |
| F | Wenyen Gabriel | 5.5 |
| F | Isaiah Briscoe | 12.9 |
| G | Malik Monk | 21.2 |
| G | De’Aron Fox | 15.5 |
Writer’s Prediction:
Kentucky (+800) gets eliminated in the Sweet 16.
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