It's David Sisk's turn to share his season predictions for this year's Kentucky basketball team.

The Cats Illustrated basketball guru, recruiting analysts, and staff writer has quickly gained a reputation as one of the best and brightest when it comes to breaking down all things UK hoops and he answers the same questions that Justin Rowland (here) and Jeff Drummond (here) did.

What are your thoughts on Kentucky being ranked No. 2 in the first AP poll?

I'm not surprised by Kentucky being ranked No. 2. That was actually about what I expected. The bottom line is that if John Calipari trots out a typical lineup they are always going to be in the preseason top five.

What's your prediction for Kentucky's regular season and SEC records?

25-6 overall, 14-4 SEC. I can see Kentucky losing the opening game to Michigan State then rolling off a winning streak that runs until the latter stages of January. The schedule does get tough in the last month with road trips to Tennessee, LSU, and Florida.

How far will Kentucky make it in the NCAA tournament?

This is a Sweet 16 team on the low end. If the freshman improve like we believe they will then they will get to the Elite Eight. If Nick Richards and E,J. Montgomery makes strides on top of that then they are a candidate for the Final Four.

What does "success" look like this season for Kentucky?

An SEC Championship and a Sweet 16 run could be considered a success, but I feel that to the majority anything short of the Elite Eight will be considered a disappointment.

Who will be Kentucky's MVP?

This is a tough question. I spoke to an individual recently who has watched this team practice and he feels their strength is in numbers. Last year, P.J. Washington and Keldon Johnson were obvious standouts. This year, I'm not so sure. I'll go with Tyrese Maxey. He'll be on the floor a lot. He has energy, and he can score in a number of ways.

Who will be the biggest surprise on the team?

Nationally it will be Nate Sestina. But I'm going with Keion Brooks. He has grown to about 6-9. He can guard multiple positions defensively including the post. I was impressed in the Blue-White Game how he could make contested shots and had a good mid-range jumper. Those kind of shots carry over into regular season play.