In a season that has already included a matchup with projected No. 1 overall seed Duke, back to back games against North Carolina and Louisville, and a three-game stint versus ranked teams in Auburn, Mississippi State and Kansas, Kentucky now braces for what John Calipari described Monday as "by far the toughest stretch" of the Wildcats' schedule.

No. 5 Kentucky plays host to No. 19 LSU on Tuesday night at Rupp Arena, a marquee game that would ordinarily create a considerable buzz in the Bluegrass, but that's just a tasty appetizer in a week that concludes with a showdown between the Cats and No. 1 Tennessee on Saturday.

It has the feel of preparing for games deep in the NCAA Tournament, the UK coach says, and the Cats can't get caught looking ahead.

"Everyone is looking by this game and talking about that next one," Calipari said. "I am not. I haven't looked at one tape of Tennessee. Not one. I haven't thought about them.

"The next two, you have games that are Elite Eight games, Final Four games. That is where we are playing now. Let’s see where we are. The good news is, whether Tuesday or Saturday, there will be more games. You are not like, ‘Well, your season ended.’ This is us to learn. Are we where we all think we are?"

Kentucky (20-3, 9-1 SEC) is riding a 10-game win streak. LSU (19-4, 9-1 SEC) has won nine of 10, including three gut-check overtime victories. They're both fighting to stay within striking distance of Tennessee (21-1, 10-0 SEC) in the league race.

The Tigers come to town featuring both the SEC's Player of the Week in the form of sophomore guard Tremont Waters (15.7 ppg, 6.8 apg, 3.1 spg) and the league's Freshman of the Week in forward Naz Reid (13.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg). That duo accounted for 55 points in LSU's 92-88 overtime win over the same Mississippi State squad that UK defeated 71-67 on Saturday.

"Their guard play, their toughness, their size," Calipari said, "... They're Top 15 they say, but they're better than that. This is a Top 10 team."

LSU has impressed the UK staff with its toughness late in games and will to win.

"In the last five games, they've been down 10 points four times, and they came back and won three of those," Calipari said. "... They’re not afraid. Neither are we. We play the same. We’ve been down... I mean, so we’re both kind of the same. That’s why it should be an exciting game."

Is Kentucky ready for it?

"Well, let me say this: If we had played these two teams a month ago, [pause] it probably would have been ugly," Calipari said. "Now we’ve got a chance that we’re coming together ourselves."

The Cats and Tigers tip-off at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday on ESPN.