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The Daily OrangeNational | Kentucky wins 10 of last 12 in case for NCAA Tournament
By Matt Ehalt
Posted: 3/6/08, 1:06 AM EST Section: Sports
The losses kept coming. The critics were quick to point out the failures of the new coach. At the beginning of the season, nothing went right for the Kentucky men's basketball team.
The Wildcats, one of the most storied programs in the history of college basketball, had gone from a national contender to one of the biggest disappointments in the country early in the season with a 6-7 record. NCAA Tournament hopes were sliding away quickly, and the season looked bleak.
But Kentucky head coach Billy Gillispie had a simple message for his team.
"Coach always believed in us and told us if we continue to work hard each and every day and improve, we were going to be right where we want to be come SEC time," senior Ramel Bradley said. "Sure enough, he was right, and we've been rolling."
Kentucky has rallied to win 10 of its last 12 games and has saved its best basketball for the latter part of a tumultuous season.
The Wildcats, who once seemed to be lifeless for the NCAA Tournament, have rallied from the slow start and put themselves back on the bubble with the run to end the season and 11 Southeastern Conference wins.
"We're peaking at the point in the season where we need to," Bradley said. "Coach always told us that this is when we would peak, and we are and I think it's going to play a very big factor in our tournament play if we make it."
Kentucky came into the season as No. 20, but that ranking quickly disappeared with a shocking, 84-68, loss to Gardner-Webb in the 2K Sports College Hoop Classic.
The Wildcats won their next three games but then hit a brick wall. North Carolina, Indiana, Alabama-Birmingham and Houston all beat Kentucky consecutively, and San Diego and Louisville would also become non-conference losses for the team. Kentucky started with a paltry 6-7 non-conference record, not usually a formula to make the NCAA Tournament.
"The expectations were very high," Bradley said. "This was going to be our year to show we are on of the elite teams in the country, and it didn't happen early on for us."
The Wildcats, one of the most storied programs in the history of college basketball, had gone from a national contender to one of the biggest disappointments in the country early in the season with a 6-7 record. NCAA Tournament hopes were sliding away quickly, and the season looked bleak.
But Kentucky head coach Billy Gillispie had a simple message for his team.
"Coach always believed in us and told us if we continue to work hard each and every day and improve, we were going to be right where we want to be come SEC time," senior Ramel Bradley said. "Sure enough, he was right, and we've been rolling."
Kentucky has rallied to win 10 of its last 12 games and has saved its best basketball for the latter part of a tumultuous season.
The Wildcats, who once seemed to be lifeless for the NCAA Tournament, have rallied from the slow start and put themselves back on the bubble with the run to end the season and 11 Southeastern Conference wins.
"We're peaking at the point in the season where we need to," Bradley said. "Coach always told us that this is when we would peak, and we are and I think it's going to play a very big factor in our tournament play if we make it."
Kentucky came into the season as No. 20, but that ranking quickly disappeared with a shocking, 84-68, loss to Gardner-Webb in the 2K Sports College Hoop Classic.
The Wildcats won their next three games but then hit a brick wall. North Carolina, Indiana, Alabama-Birmingham and Houston all beat Kentucky consecutively, and San Diego and Louisville would also become non-conference losses for the team. Kentucky started with a paltry 6-7 non-conference record, not usually a formula to make the NCAA Tournament.
"The expectations were very high," Bradley said. "This was going to be our year to show we are on of the elite teams in the country, and it didn't happen early on for us."
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rooterdaddy
posted 3/06/08 @ 9:30 AM EST
The Cats are in. They sealed the deal last night in Columbia. They'll put the icing on the NCAA cake on Sunday when Billy D. comes to Lexington.
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