Where Kentucky sits in new ESPN & SI bracketology

After taking down #9 ranked Kansas on Saturday, Kentucky has moved up from #8 to #7 in the AP Poll. The Cats have now rattled off six straight victories, three of those being against top 25 opponents.

In Sports Illustrated’s most recent bracket projections, Kentucky is listed as the 2 seed in the East Region:

UK is also a 2 seed in Joe Lunardi’s bracket as well. They both have Duke listed as the 1 seed in that region:

It’s not entirely out of the question for Kentucky to move up to a 1 seed. While the back half UK’s schedule is not forgiving, it also sets the team up for potential wins over a few of the top teams in the country.

After three-straight games against unranked opponents, Kentucky will match up against #22 Mississippi State, #19 LSU and #1 Tennessee in a row.

This stretch will be a tough test for Kentucky. This team has excelled in the other tough portions of their schedule though. There’s no reason to believe this one won’t be any different. They can match up with any team in the country defensively.

Every game Kentucky improves on both ends of the court. With PJ Washington, Keldon Johnson, and Ashton Hagans surging right now, they’re starting to unleash some of the star power on their roster. They’re gearing themselves up for another run in the SEC.

With a little bit of luck, and some great play on the court, we could see UK as SEC Champions and a 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament at the end of the regular season.