The start of March marks many things, but for basketball fans, it is the beginning of the beloved March Madness, which is a single-elimination tournament of 68 college teams that compete in seven rounds for the national championship.
At Asbury, the team for which many students will cheer is the University of Kentucky. Being just south of Lexington means Wildcat blue will be everywhere as fans share their support during basketball season.
So far this season, Kentucky is ranked 2nd in the SEC Conference with a record of 23-6. According to the latest AP poll on Feb 28, they are ranked 7th in the nation.
As selection Sunday approaches next week, analysts are making their predictions about where everyone will pan out. According to the AP poll, it looks like the No 1. seeds will be Gonzaga, Baylor, Arizona, and Duke. However, there is a chance that could change a bit in the next week.
If UK doesn’t make it to a No. 1 seed, they will still get a coveted No. 2 spot with a probability of 31.7%, according to Team Rankings. That gives them a 94% probability of winning their first game and advancing.
Continuing into the tournament, they have the ability to make it pretty far. They currently have a 24.8% probability of making it to the final four. And the big question for many Wildcat fans, “Can they win it all.” The current projections give them a 7% probability.
In a projection by CBS sports bracketology, UK is placed 5th with a +800 to win the title.
“It’s hard to describe this Kentucky team without using some tired, old clichés, so allow me to do precisely that in a quick summation of the Wildcats: They’re just special. Oscar Tshiebwe is a monster on the boards; TyTy Washington is a top-10 draft prospect who can fill it up when healthy; Sahvir Wheeler has the passing chops to lead this team; and Kellan Grady’s experience and shooting is what the Wildcats so desperately need. Between the talent new and old, they seem to just find ways to win,” said Kyle Boone for CBS Sports.
No matter where they end up finishing in the tournament, their performance this year promises to make for a great show in March Madness.