Ranking each SEC basketball team entering conference play
5. Kentucky Wildcats
Kentucky has exceeded expectations early in the transition from John Calipari to Mark Pope as the Wildcats are an 11-2, top-10 team. While Kentucky has dropped games to Clemson and Ohio State, it has proven it can compete with big-time opponents, earning a pair of wins over top-10 teams thus far: Duke and Gonzaga. Compared to many of Calipari鈥檚 recent teams, Kentucky has good depth and a lot of veteran leadership that could carry it come March. That includes six players who average double-digit scoring numbers like senior guards Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson and Koby Brea. Forward Andrew Carr and leading scorer Otega Oweh have also proven invaluable for Pope. While there is room for improvement defensively, Kentucky鈥檚 offense, which is ranked No. 3 in the country, gives it a chance to win the SEC.
