Return to glory for Kentucky?

[XPS]

Reaching the Final Four is a stretch, but contending in the SEC certainly isn't. Tennessee is the only team in the league that is clearly better.

Nobody in the SEC has a deeper collection of guards with the return of veterans Joe Crawford and Ramel Bradley and promising sophomores Jodie Meeks and Derrick Jasper. Four-star signee Alex Legion will contribute, too.

Much of their success will hinge on how much of an impact five-star signee Patrick Patterson can make. An already thin frontcourt looked almost nonexistent after losing Randolph Morris to the NBA. Perry Stevenson is the only post player back with any experience, but only Patterson is capable of providing a true inside presence. If the 6-8, 230-pounder can be a force on the glass and avoid foul trouble - which is asking a lot - the Wildcats might turn the hunt for the SEC title into a two-team race.

Regardless of how quickly Patterson can develop, expect Kentucky to steadily improve over the next couple of years. Their defense, which was always a strong point under Tubby Smith, will get even better under new coach Billy Gillispie. More importantly, Gillispie will land some highly touted big men soon. With a good foundation already in place in the backcourt, it's easy to imagine the Big Blue contending for a national title by the 2008-09 season.


http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news;_ylt=At7aYmCPbjhpF_zhoM0yaNvevbYF?slug=rivals-132110&prov=rivals&type=lgns

[KevinKat78]

:cheers: I look for a lot of great play this year that has been absent for several years. I would like it if a Center could come on strong this year and hold up his end. If CBC can get someone to play center and just hold his on UK could surprise a lot of people.

[XPS]

:cheers: I look for a lot of great play this year that has been absent for several years. I would like it if a Center could come on strong this year and hold up his end. If CBC can get someone to play center and just hold his on UK could surprise a lot of people.

:cheers:

[kentubbybasketball]

:cheers: I look for a lot of great play this year that has been absent for several years. I would like it if a Center could come on strong this year and hold up his end. If CBC can get someone to play center and just hold his on UK could surprise a lot of people.

It'll be nice if Carter could step up and be half the surprise that Estill turned out to be in 2003 when we had similar uncertainty at the 5.

Personally, I think our frontcourt is better than people think. I think we have 4 guys that should be serviceable at the 2 big spots. I look around this conference and Bama has a similar problem at the 5 as us (they have Hendrix and really nobody else)... UGA has Takais Brown and that's it. Florida has Maresse Speights. UT doesn't really have any superbly tall players either. They're getting by with the 6'7-6'9 guys too. This is the year to have a problem like this IMO.

[XPS]

This is the year to have a problem like this

Good point...

UT doesn't really have any superbly tall players either. They're getting by with the 6'7-6'9 guys too

With Pearls style of play thats the perfect size...

[kentubbybasketball]

It just depends on if a team allows Pearl to play that tempo. That is the key with Pearl's press. If you set the tone of play, and you want to play big, you can beat them easier IMO. But, yeah, if they set the tone and they get those 6'7s and 6'9s out running, yeah you're pretty much gonna go down.

[XPS]

It just depends on if a team allows Pearl to play that tempo. That is the key with Pearl's press. If you set the tone of play, and you want to play big, you can beat them easier IMO. But, yeah, if they set the tone and they get those 6'7s and 6'9s out running, yeah you're pretty much gonna go down.

I think with Billy G's teams having played Missouri, that will help prepare for Tenn this coming year...

[kentubbybasketball]

Yeah in a way. It's still different though, because UT is much much better inside than Mizzou, no offense to Kalen Grimes. Also, the dynamic on the perimter is much different. For Mizzou Stephon Hannah is a shooting point guard, while with UT you've got the great shooter off the ball in Chris Lofton.

[XPS]

because UT is much much better inside than Mizzou

Oh i agree 100%. I meant style of play..