League foes look to topple Kentucky
NASHVILLE, TENN. — Kentucky opponents have trouble agreeing on what it takes to topple a program that annually brings in multiple future first-round NBA picks.
Yet a few Southeastern Conference teams may have stumbled across a winning formula the last couple of years. Experience matters against the talented, but young Wildcats.
“I’d take five first-round picks every day of the week, but not all of us get to have five first-round picks on our team,” South Carolina coach Frank Martin said. “Those of us that don’t, we have to depend on experience.”
The right kind of experience — that comes with some toughness and talent in its own right — can be Kentucky’s kryptonite.
The Wildcats are the preseason favorite to finish first in the SEC after winning at least a share of the league’s past three regular-season titles. They’re the favorites again despite losing three first-round draft pick from last year’s squad: De’Aaron Fox, Marcus Monk and Bam Adebayo.
“Kentucky’s No. 1 because they’ve earned the right to be No. 1 as long as John Calipari is still at the helm,” Mississippi coach Andy Kennedy said. “People don’t even really know who their players are (but) they know they’re going to be good.”
They also know they’re going to be young.
Last season’s South Carolina squad and the 201516 Texas A&M team countered Kentucky’s freshman with senior-laden rosters.
SEC player of the year Sindarius Thornwell led South Carolina to the Final Four last season. Texas A&M tied Kentucky for the 2015-16 SEC regular-season title with a lineup that featured seniors Danuel House, Jalen Jones, Alex Caruso and Anthony Collins.
“Those four seniors were grown men,” Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy said. “We knew what we were going to get every day.”
Plenty of SEC programs are hoping their own senior guards can enable them to challenge Kentucky.
Arkansas has six seniors, including the backcourt duo of Jaylen Barford and Daryl Macon. Florida’s Chris Chiozza, who made one of the most memorable shots of last year’s NCAA Tournament with a buzzer beater to defeat Wisconsin in the Sweet 16, is back along with junior preseason all-SEC selection KeVaughn Allen.
Mississippi added Memphis graduate transfer Markel Crawford to join a backcourt already featuring senior Deandre Burnett and junior Terence Davis.