According to Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated, Kentucky is the 30th best team in the NCAA Tournament.
Forde says Kentucky is a “battered team” that is hoping Lamont Butler can bet back into the lineup this week.
The top five teams according to Forde are Florida, Duke, Auburn, Houston and Michigan State.
Here is an excerpt about Kentucky and their first round opponent Troy:
30. Kentucky Wildcats
Selection committee ranking: No. 11. This is a battered team, down three guards from the start of the season but hoping Lamont Butler can get back into the lineup this week. They’re 7–6 in February and March, giving up an average of 93 points in those six losses. Mark Pope has done a phenomenal job hitting high points this season—beating Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville, Florida, Missouri and Tennessee twice—but there might not be much left in the tank. Kentucky could get on a shooting roll and make a run, or its defensive and rebounding lapses could lead to an early exit. Ceiling: The Cats could win a second-round track meet with Illinois, beat Tennessee for the third time and find themselves in a regional final against Houston. That probably wouldn’t end well, but it would be a lot better than losing to Oakland or Saint Peter’s. Nightmare: Pope remains winless as an NCAA tourney coach with a first-round loss to Troy. Meanwhile, Calipari and Louisville both go on Final Four runs.
55. Troy Trojans
Selection committee ranking: No. 56. Underrated coach Scott Cross has been a modern rarity—an organic team with five starters who have all been at Troy for their entire college careers. That includes brothers Myles and Marcus Rigsby, from Fort Worth. The Trojans are a hardy defensive unit that guards the interior, blocks shots and creates turnovers. The offensive end of the court is a bit of an adventure, with sketchy three-point shooting and plenty of turnovers (although Troy has reduced those lately). Ceiling: Troy catches a banged-up Kentucky in the first round and pulls the stunner, then wanders into a winnable second-round game against Illinois. Nightmare: Lacking the size and shooting to keep up with Kentucky’s firepower, the Trojans are bounced out of the dance quickly. The state of Alabama barely notices with Auburn and Alabama going deep into the tourney.
