Kentucky has a chance to change course in a positive direction against Kansas tonight in the Champions Classic.
Cats Illustrated staff writers make their predictions for the blue-blooded contest below.
What are you most interested to see in tonight's game?
Jeff Drummond: I'm interested to see what the UK offensive flow looks like after the landslide of issues the Cats experienced against Richmond and having only two days to address them before taking the court against the No. 6 team in the country. This will tell us something about the young Cats' ability to process what Calipari & Co. are telling them on the fly and how coachable they are. Will they value the basketball? Will they make the extra pass? Will they set and use screens? Will anyone step up and knock down a few 3s to keep things honest?
David Sisk: I'm interested to see if this young team and show more fight on the defensive end and respond better when Kansas punches them in the mouth. And they will get hit. I'm not one who thinks they overlooked Richmond and all they need to do is get fired up to beat Kansas. They can't fix offensive question marks and fundamentals in two days. It will take weeks of practice and a good old-fashioned Calipari boot camp later in the month. But what they can do right now is show more mental toughness than they did on Sunday. Coach Cal wants to see who has fight and heart right now. He'll figure out the rest later this year.
Travis Graf: How does Kentucky respond to getting punched in the mouth? Richmond ran them out of the gym the other day and really brought a sense of reality to the team. They have to play as just that, a team. Kentucky has to find a lineup that can make shots and it will be interesting to see how the 'Cats attack the Jayhawks defense. Kansas' big men aren't as good as Richmond's and they will likely allow Kentucky more opportunities to get out and run, both of which work in this team's favor. Easy transition buckets should build confidence and will provide a spark to this young team. The Jayhawks have also been very loose with the ball in their first two games, coughing the ball up 31 times. Kentucky must capitalize on these opportunities.
Justin Rowland: How Kentucky executes situational basketball. If the game is close in the second half and it comes down to a handful of possessions, this very young team is going to have to run some good offensive sets and play sound defense against a team that's known for doing that late in games under Bill Self. This is just about as tall an order as this team will face all season, because it's a Kansas program strength that they're facing so early in the season.
Who will be Kentucky's most valuable player?
Drummond: I like Olivier Sarr as Kentucky's MVP. He rose to the occasion in high-profile matchups like this in the ACC, and Kansas appears to have some questions in its frontcourt. He should have a big night with another double-double.
Sisk: I really don't know where to go with this one. However it does seem that there are just three players who can be consistent offensive threats: B.J. Boston, Terrence Clarke, and Olivier Sarr. So as usual for me I think it will be one of those three. Normally I don't put a lot of stock in game MVPs, especially for such an unproven team. But in this case, Kentucky could use a performance tonight like Tyrese Maxey had against Michigan State last season. Like Maxey, Boston and Clarke have a chance to make a name for themselves early in their freshman season against a blue blood on a huge stage.
Graf: B.J. Boston. For some reason, I get the feeling that the freshman forward will have a coming out party in this event just like Tyrese Maxey did a season ago. This is the matchup where his jumper starts to fall and things start to sow down for him. He finishes with 20 points and a handful of boards.
Rowland: Terrence Clarke. He hasn't had a dynamic start to the season, but I think he's going to have a good game in terms of slashing to the rim and pulling up for some mid-range jumpers. Baskets may be tough to come by and his athleticism will be an asset.
What's your prediction for the game's outcome?
Drummond: Kentucky 77, Kansas 73 - The Cats usually have a way of bouncing back strong from a loss like they had Sunday against Richmond. Whenever the fans get really down on UK, John Calipari has a way of reeling Big Blue Nation back in. He rarely drops two games in a row.
Sisk: I think Kentucky has a shot to be better than Kansas when it matters, but not this early in the season. This may not be the most talented Jayhawk team we have seen, but they are more experienced and more physically advanced right now. I just put more stock in experience at this time in the season. But I have concerns about the current Kentucky offense until Calipari figures out what he wants to run, and where he needs to put his players in the system. If the Cats are to win this game they are going to have to get others to step up offensively besides the three names I mentioned. Kansas 78, Kentucky 72.
Graf: Kentucky 75, Kansas 73. Get this. Kentucky clinches the game down the stretch at the free throw line. The young 'Cats answer the bell and perform the best they have this season. The key is that Kentucky must make them pay by making outside shots. St. Joseph's just made 13 against them. The Jayhawks' perimeter defense isn't very good and their rim protection is suspect. St. Joseph's and Gonzaga have combined to shoot 48% against them.
Rowland: Kansas 74, Kentucky 68. This UK team has a chance to be really good by the end of the season, but I'm with David here. What we saw in the second half against Richmond was this team doesn't have a clue in terms of what it has to be. They will later this year, but it's hard to think that a team that was so lost figures that out two days later against a Kansas team that is always well-coached and good at executing situational basketball down the stretch in games.
