Kentucky Basketball: Remaining Quad 1 games for 2023 NCAA Tournament profile
As most of us already know, the Kentucky Wildcats NCAA Tournament recap isn’t looking pretty right now.
Despite holding a 15-7 record, only one of those wins is a Quad 1 win, and one of the losses is a Quad 4 home loss. Additionally, only three other wins even fall in the Quad 2. Having just seven games above .500 doesn’t help either, but Tennessee’s massive road win last month gives them just enough to hold steady in the brackets, albeit in the top four range of numerous bracketology projections.
For a refresher, here’s how the NCAA quadrant system works using NET rankings (Kentucky is ranked 33rd Wednesday night).
Quadrant 1: Home 1-30, Neutral 1-50, Away 1-75 Quadrant 2: Home 31-75, Neutral 51-100, Away 76-135 Quadrant 3: Home 76-160, Neutral 101-200, Away 135- 240 Quadrant 4: Home 161-353, Neutral 201-353, Away 241-353
If they want to race in March and avoid any sweat on Trial Sunday, they need to step up this February. Here are their remaining opportunities for Quad 1 paydirt.
This is a marginal Quad 1 home game, and whether the Hogs win or lose the game before this one will determine that. They only play in South Carolina (albeit on the road), so that should be fine. Tell for them to win that one and the UK can have a Quad 1 opportunity next Tuesday night.
This roadie will definitely fall into Quad 1 when that happens, and it will be a great opportunity since the Bulldogs aren’t a dominating opponent like Kansas, and the UK almost always wins in their building (there’s no still lost under Cal). I think the Cats will get a much-needed boost from this one.
The one we’ve all been waiting for. Could an unranked British team beat a Tennessee top five team twice in the same season? The Vols will certainly be looking to make up for the loss in Knoxville, but BBN will fight hard to defend their home.
Wow, February is busy! The UK’s support issues will disappear in a flash if they can just get a winning streak this month. They’ve had the last wins in Gainesville, keep the momentum going.
Another home maybe, as the Tigers are on the verge of splitting Quad 1 home wins and Quad 2 home wins. If it was on the road, it would definitely be Quad 1, but whatever , he’s the one the Cats need to win.
3/4: @ Arkansas Razorbacks
Definitely Quad 1 on the road to the regular season finale. They played a thriller there last year and the atmosphere should be the same this time. It may be the game that guarantees the Cats will make the field of 68 if they are victorious in Fayetteville, but that’s easier said than done, especially if Nick Smith returns to the lineup after his absence due to a knee injury.
Of course, we can’t forget the SEC Tournament, where Kentucky could potentially pick up multiple Quad 1/2 wins just by qualifying for the title, and winning it would obviously lock in the Cats’ spot in the Big Dance.
Opportunities abound in this SEC backloaded roster for the Cats! Let’s cheer them on all month – they’ve come a long way since that loss in South Carolina and just picked up another victory last night in Oxford, Mississippi.
Go cats!