Ladies and gentlemen, we are officially one month away from this Sunday. Kentucky is trending in the right direction heading into March Madness.
Before Saturday's games around the college basketball world, CBS broadcast the game Early detection of arch. The selection committee broke down the top 16 teams entering the final month of the regular season, providing a gauge for teams before some late wins pile up.
Kentucky was not listed as one of the top 16 teams in the early bracket reveal. They beat one of those teams on Saturday night. Dominant performance on The Plains gives Kentucky a double-digit Quadruple 1 win on the road in one of the most impressive wins in college basketball this season.
Kentucky has done enough to move up, but not quite to the No. 4 seed. Initially seeded as a No. 6 seed, a win at Auburn now has the Wildcats comfortably in fifth place, According to ESPN's Joe Lunardi.
“Kentucky gained more than Auburn lost in terms of bracket impact. The Wildcats lead the entire streak (No. 5 seed, No. 20 overall) thanks to their close win,” Lunardi wrote.
“The Tigers came in with more of a good cushion in terms of seeding and will retain the No. 4 seed they earned in Saturday's NCAA reveal. However, looking ahead, it's not out of the question that these two contenders could swap positions between now and Sunday.
Most forecasters are waiting to post their updates until after the action ends on Sunday. Another update from last night by BracketWAG It also got Kentucky up to a No. 5 seed.
Kentucky has more chances to win big
This season has been a roller coaster. The same team that tried to run a lift to beat a bad Gonzaga team at home just ran a top-15 team out of its gym. It's not just a gym either. Auburn has not lost at home with only two home losses over the past two seasons. Now they have three.
During Kentucky's tough stretch that included three straight home losses, there was one saving grace from the situation. No matter how bleak things are at the time, you can make up for bad losses with good wins.
Above all, the selection committee places value on winning quality. It's all about who you beat and Kentucky just scored a big win. They have a chance to add another goal next Saturday at Rupp Arena against Alabama, which could open the door to a double bye into the SEC Tournament. They will end the season with a big chance at Tennessee. At one point, BBN feared an 8 vs. 9 match was in the offing. It is now difficult to know how high they can climb.
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