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

The Kentucky Wildcats have won six games in a row, clawing themselves back into the top 10 as of last week. After beating LSU on the road and Florida at home in the last seven days, and looking the chaos around the rest of the top 10, you have to assume the Wildcats are going to take another step forward in the rankings.

That was the case in the AP Top 25 Poll, where the Wildcats checked in at No. 8.

That is not to say that the AP Poll is what really matters. That is obviously the most popular ranking chart that we all use, but that’s just the media voting on who they think is the best team. Do you think we really know what we are talking about?

However, as a mathematician in a former life I love me some metrics. That’s why, in theory, I should love the NET Rankings. But I just can't wrap my mind around it. Kentucky has risen three spots since last week and are now ranked No. 21. Yes, playing in the SEC certainly hurts the strength of schedule. But how is Kentucky in the same place they were in two weeks ago before winning four straight?

Jeff Borzello seems to like the Cats a little more than the NET, bumping them up two spots in this week’s ESPN Power Rankings. He is finally starting to see what we all have been watching all season. Give Immanuel Quickley all the SEC awards. This is what Borzello had to say:

“Can we get Immanuel Quickley some SEC player of the year love? Nick Richards’ junior-season breakout has been terrific and worthy of the headlines, but Quickley seems to have flown slightly under the radar — until last week, at least. He went for 21 points and five assists in the road win at LSU, then had a career-high 26 points and hit a number of big shots to hold off Florida on Saturday. In Quickley’s past 16 games, dating back to the late-December showdown against Louisville, he is averaging 18.5 points and 4.3 rebounds and shooting 45.1% from 3-point range. Different players have stepped up as Kentucky’s closer this season, but right now the answer is Quickley.”

Kentucky stands pat in the CBS Sports Top 25 and 1 at No. 10. Given the chaos inside the top 10, Gary Parrish did shuffle up those that lost but none fell out outside the top 10 spots.

“Immanuel Quickley made four 3-pointers and finished with 26 points in Saturday’s 65-59 victory over Florida,” Parrish wrote. “The Wildcats are 10-1 in their past 11 games with the lone loss in that stretch coming at Auburn. “

Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology also shows little appreciation for Kentucky’s winning streak. After wins over Depaul and Xavier last week, the Wildcats of Villanova have bumped Kentucky from the 3-seed line. Lunardi now lists Kentucky as a 4-seed in the South Region with a match-up with Michigan State looming in the second round. Don’t like that.

ESPN.com