Where UK stands in new top 25 rankings, NET & bracketology

Saying that this was a disappointing week for the Kentucky Wildcats would be quite an understatement.

After escaping a 15 point deficit against Arkansas at home on Tuesday, the Cats were demolished by 19 points at Tennessee.

While Kentucky was helped out by a baffling Michigan State loss to Indiana, both LSU and North Carolina held on to win despite trailing late in their respective games. Losses by either team could have given Kentucky a boost both in SEC standings and bracket projections.

There is still work to do in the final week of the season. The Wildcats have to travel to Oxford to play a talented and desperate Ole Miss team before hosting Florida on Senior Day this weekend.

While you never want to see your team drop in the polls, Kentucky’s fall from grace was quite not as dramatic as Saturday’s loss made it seem.

The latest AP Top 25 Poll has Kentucky checking in at No. 6 after rising up to No. 4 last week. The entire top 10 is Gonzaga, Virginia, North Carolina, Duke, Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, Texas Tech, Michigan State and LSU.

As of Sunday, Joe Lunardi still has Kentucky listed as a No. 1 seed over Tennessee in his latest bracketology. In fact, this draw could be even more favorable than last week’s with Kansas moved out west.

ESPN.com

Kentucky stood pat in the NET rankings at No. 5, while they were jumped by Tennessee from No. 7 and Houston took a fall to open up the No. 4 slot.

Sports Illustrated dropped the Wildcats three spots to No. 6, discussing their lackluster week in the “Not Their Best Work” section of their Power Rankings.

“The Wildcats came down to Earth a bit by being humbled in Knoxville after barely escaping with a home win over Arkansas earlier in the week, and while not having Reid Travis is no doubt a difference-maker, it doesn’t excuse the offensive performance Kentucky put on against the Vols. PJ Washington was the lone Wildcat to finish in double figures, and even he only had 13 points and attempted just four shots inside the arc. Tyler Herro had nearly as many turnovers (five) as points (six), and the Wildcats’ starters (Washington, Herro, Ashton Hagans, Keldon Johnson and Nick Richards) combined for nine made shots. That’s just not going to cut it.”

Similarly, Kentucky fell two spots to No. 6 after the loss to Tennessee in the ESPN Power Rankings.

Gary Parrish CBS Sports agrees with the ESPN writers, dropping Kentucky from No. 4 to No. 6. NBC Sports, though, dropped the Wildcats to their lowest ranking at No. 7.

All told, the two most important things on this list (NET and Lunardi bracketology) suggest Kentucky is still in great shape for a 1 seed.