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College Basketball Power 10: Watch Out For Baylor Bears

By Jeremy Karll

Dec 3, 2016; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears huddle together during the second half while playing against Xavier Musketeers at Ferrell Center. Mandatory Credit: Sean Pokorny-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2016; Waco, TX, USA; Baylor Bears huddle together during the second half while playing against Xavier Musketeers at Ferrell Center. Mandatory Credit: Sean Pokorny-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports /

9. Kentucky (7-1)

Kentucky has boatloads of NBA talent and potential this season. Malik Monk, De’Aaron Fox and Isaiah Briscoe only scratch the surface of how much talent this team has. Although it’s the same story with Kentucky every year.

Multiple five-star recruits earn the Wildcats a very high (frankly, too high) preseason ranking. The young Wildcats met their match in UCLA on Saturday, as they fell 97-92 in a game no one expected them to lose.

By the time conference play comes around, and especially the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky has the potential to be one of the best teams in the nation.

However, through the freshman love fest that is given to them every year, they simply haven’t played anyone good enough to warrant a super-high ranking.

For as much of a first test Kentucky was for UCLA, the same is true about Kentucky. And they failed, at home.

Sure, the Wildcats demolished a ranked Michigan State team on a neutral site, but the Spartans are currently 5-4, unranked and don’t look like a good basketball team. The win will look better come March, but Kentucky didn’t beat a good, let alone great, team.

Going off of NBA talent and potential, Kentucky is a top-five team every week. Going off blowouts against Arizona State and Tennessee-Martin, then losing to UCLA at home, Kentucky is barely in the top 10.

Kentucky will have a respectable opponent in Valparaiso and host Hofstra on Sunday.