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The Kentucky Wildcats and Houston Cougars are set to face off with a spot in the Elite Eight on the line.
This is expected to be one of the best and closest matchups of the Sweet 16, especially with Kentucky’s best player, PJ Washington, not being 100% as he battles a foot sprain.
Still, it’s a game that many experts are picking Kentucky to win, though by some very narrow margins.
Houston guard Breaon Brady didn’t sound like he’s overly impressed with what Kentucky has done this season. Speaking with the media, Brady shared some interesting remarks that could become bulletin-board material for Kentucky.
Houston’s Breaon Brady on Kentucky mystique: “They’re just another team. Everybody is hyping Kentucky, and we love that.” Says the Cougars know they’ll be the underdog every game they play from here on, and they embrace it, lean into it, will not be intimidated.
— Kyle Tucker (@KyleTucker_ATH) March 28, 2019
On one hand, Kentucky is just one more team standing in the way when you’re trying to win a national championship. At this point, you’re just trying to play your best basketball against whoever the opponent is, regardless if it’s a small school like Houston or a perennial blue blood like Kentucky.
On the other hand, any team that makes it this far will feel disrespected when an opponent calls them “just another team.” I’d be willing to bet the Wildcats catch wind of this and use it as added motivation for Friday’s clash in Kansas City.
Also, I’m not sure what Brady has been watching, but no one, and I mean no one is hyping Kentucky right now. The Washington injury has led to just about every national media member overlooking Kentucky in a region that features North Carolina, and that’s only when they take a break from drooling over Zion Williamson and Duke.