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7 Potential NCAA Tournament Teams Lacking Signature Wins

By Nathan Giese

Feb 2, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forward Quinton Stephens (12) dives for a loose ball against Duke Blue Devils guard Grayson Allen (3, left) guard Derryck Thornton (12) and guard Brandon Ingram (14) in the second half of their game at McCamish Pavilion. The Blue Devils won 80-71. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 2, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets forward Quinton Stephens (12) dives for a loose ball against Duke Blue Devils guard Grayson Allen (3, left) guard Derryck Thornton (12) and guard Brandon Ingram (14) in the second half of their game at McCamish Pavilion. The Blue Devils won 80-71. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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Feb 2, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; The Kentucky Wildcats during the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee won 84 to 77. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 2, 2016; Knoxville, TN, USA; The Kentucky Wildcats during the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Thompson-Boling Arena. Tennessee won 84 to 77. Mandatory Credit: Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports /

Kentucky Wildcats

RPI: 24
Record vs. Top 50 RPI: 3-1
Best Win: 75-73 vs. Louisville
Worst Loss: 75-70 at Auburn
Best Remaining Game: Feb. 20 @ Texas A&M

It feels weird to be talking about Kentucky in this situation, but that’s the kind of season the Wildcats have had. Their bigs aren’t tough enough, their shooting is spotty and their defense is mediocre.

Though Kentucky does have a win against Duke, that win doesn’t seem too great, all things considered. Beating Louisville is good, obviously, and Lunardi has them pegged as a No. 5 seed while Palm has them as a No. 7, but there’s something missing from their résumé.

Being 3-1 against the top 50 RPI teams is swell, but is anybody really saying beating Alabama is necessarily a great win? Granted, it was by 16 on the road, but still.

The downfall for Kentucky is much like California’s: they are not good away from home. Undefeated at home, the Wildcats are 4-6 in all other games, including a 2-5 mark in true road games. They also have five losses to teams outside of the top 50.

They have four road games left. Ideally, they’d go 3-1 in those game to at least make their road record a bit more respectable, but those games are against four of the top teams in the SEC (South Carolina, Texas A&M, Vanderbilt and Florida). They are not easy games.

There’s a chance to avenge the loss to LSU to close out the regular season, and its a game the Tigers will desperately need to win, so that one should also be considered big.

Kentucky’s in the NCAA tournament field, that much is not a question. What is is their validity. They’ll have their chances, though.

Next: The Other Panthers