Calipari's 2009-10 Kentucky Wildcats #4 in first AP and #5 in ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls

They need to give out an award every year called the MIT (Most Improved Team).  I feel pretty confident that UK would win that award this season.  John Calipari coming in with the #1 recruiting class on any planet on any universe.  Yes, I checked.  The Cats are playing loosey goosey and are having fun while playing fast and usually good basketball for pre-Halloween.

The polls just came out this morning and UK is ranked #4 by the Associated Press {including 3 first place votes} and #5 on the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.  Not bad for a team that played in the NIT last year.


Associated Press Poll 2009-2010

1. Kansas (55)
2. Michigan State (5)
3. Texas (1)
4. Kentucky (3)
5. Villanova
6. North Carolina (1)
7. Purdue
8. West Virginia
9. Duke
10. Tennessee
11. Butler
12. Connecticut
13. California
14. Washington
15. Michigan
16. Ohio State
17. Oklahoma
18. Mississippi State
19. Louisville
20. Georgetown
21. Dayton
22. Georgia Tech
23. Illinois
24. Clemson
25. Minnesota



2009 USA TODAY/ESPN Top 25 Preseason Coaches' Poll
Outlook by USA TODAY's Jack Carey.

1. Kansas (27-8)
2. Michigan State (31-7)
3. Texas (23-12)
4. North Carolina (34-4)

5. Kentucky (22-14)
Outlook: Coach John Calipari's arrival in Lexington has already paid dividends with a standout recruiting class, led by backcourt prodigy John Wall and post player DeMarcus Cousins, although Wall's eligibility for the start of the season is in question. F Patrick Patterson is back to pace the veterans. There should be no NIT talk around the Bluegrass State this season. Opens: Nov. 13 vs. Morehead State (ESPNU, 6:30).

6. Villanova (30-8)
7. Purdue (27-10)
8. Duke (30-7)
9. West Virginia (23-12)
10. Butler (26-6)
11. Tennessee (21-13)
12. California (22-11)
13. Washington (26-9)
14. Connecticut (31-5)
15. Michigan (21-14)
16. Oklahoma (30-6)
17. Ohio State (22-11)
18. Minnesota (22-11)
19. Mississippi State (23-13)
20. Georgia Tech (12-19)
21. Georgetown (16-15)
22. Dayton (27-8)
23. Louisville (31-6)
24. Clemson (23-9)
25. Syracuse (28-10)

My 2008 NCAA Tournament Bracket

My Kentucky Wildcats are out, but my bracket is still alive.

This is my NCAA bracket at Yahoo! that is doing the best for me right now. It is 36 out of 48.
Not too shabby after all of the weird stuff going on in this tournament. Thanks to Duke for losing to West Virginia in the second round just as I predicted.

Come on Wisconsin, Tennessee, Stanford, Xavier and especially Villanova. Help me out one time! Good luck to everyone. This next 2 rounds ought to be interesting. We'll see who makes the Final 4.

Hooray! Kentucky Wildcats Get Into The NCAA Tournament

I was actually a little surprised that we (UK) got into the tournament this year. After losing in the first round of the SEC Tournament to Georgia I thought we were done. On top of that Georgia wins the SEC Tourney and then a few minutes into Selection Sunday I see that they let Arkansas in. I was saying to myself there is no way that they are going to have 6 SEC teams into the Tourney. But, thank goodness they did.

We are playing Marquette in this first round on Thursday in Anaheim, California. It is going to be a very tough game for UK. Cross your fingers that we make it the second round.

GO CATS!!

The 2008 printable NCAA bracket