With yesterday's release of Kentucky's 2017-18 basketball schedule, following the SEC's determination of the league slate, it's a good time to take a look at the toughest games on the Cats' schedule.
10. Kentucky at Arkansas, February 20th
Most people would probably be surprised if Arkansas mounted a serious push for the SEC championship considering the Hogs lose several team leaders and top performers. But Mike Anderson has spoken at length about all the senior leadership he returns in 2017-18. This is a very experienced Razorback squad and even though Malik Monk avoided the ire of Arkansas fans in Fayetteville, this is one of those road conference games when UK would just do well to survive with a 1-point win.
9. Alabama at Kentucky, February 17th
Kentucky has fared well against Alabama lately but this year's game should be a different kind of test altogether. The Crimson Tide is one of the reasons pundits are more bullish on the SEC going into next year. John Petty and Collin Sexton could team up to form one of the league's best backcourts, and one that could shoot and score any opponent out of a game on a good day. Granted, this game's in Rupp, so bet on the Cats. But Alabama is much better suited to hang tough with UK this year.
8. Florida at Kentucky, January 20th
This is the first of two meetings between the Gators and Cats in the calendar year 2018 and neither will be easy. Kentucky has won three in a row in this series in games played at Rupp, but last year's game was close (28-28 at the half), and things got chippy between Isaiah Briscoe and KeVaughn Allen. Florida will be the much more experienced team and won't be afraid of the Rupp atmosphere. This is one of several tough conference games that will be in Lexington this year.
7. Kentucky at Texas A&M, February 10th
Last year's Aggies were bad enough that you can be forgiven if you almost forgot how good this rivalry had become, at least for a short while. This year the rivalry should be renewed with A&M boasting of one of the nation's top frontcourts. They have lots of depth, talent and toughness up front and on the road that's going to be tough for Kentucky. The Cats have some frontcourt depth, too, but they're young and A&M's big guys are going to be a physical bunch.
6. Kentucky vs UCLA, December 23rd
UCLA beat Kentucky two years in a row, first in Los Angeles and last year in Rupp, before the Cats got the last laugh in Memphis as De'Aaron Fox shredded Lonzo Ball in advance of a huge pre-draft rivalry between the players. This year's meeting doesn't have that kind of compelling storyline but both teams should be ranked when they meet up in The Big Easy. UCLA has to replace a ton but the Bruins do return Thomas Welsh and Aaron Holiday, and they have plenty of young talent. It might not be the kind of historically good offense we saw from UCLA a year ago, but the safe bet is Kentucky's defense will need to be stingy.
5. Kentucky at Missouri, February 3rd
Just how good is Missouri really going to be this year? Nobody really knows. But everybody knows the Tigers are going to have a ridiculous amount of talent. Kentucky gets Missouri twice this year, and while the Tigers will be the underdog in Rupp, winning in Columbia is going to be one of the Cats' toughest tasks of the conference season. Mizzou Arena came to life last year when a vastly outmanned Missouri team unexpectedly kept it close against Kentucky, and this year the atmosphere should be pandemonium when the Cats arrive. This is one game UK can't win on talent alone so they'll have to grit it out and be the tougher team in a rough atmosphere.
4. Louisville at Kentucky, December 29th
This game, right in the middle of college football bowl season, will pit a more experienced, battle-tested Louisville crew against a very young Kentucky team. The Cardinals got over the hump against the Cats last year at the Yum. This year's meeting should be a nip and tuck affair with both teams harboring big aspirations on the national stage. Had Donovan Mitchell opted to return then Louisville might well be the favorite in this game, even in Rupp. Without him the Cards' defense is still going to pose a major challenge for Kentucky. Given the Cards' length and athleticism there will not be many easy baskets in this game.
3. Kentucky at Florida, March 3rd
Of all the Cats' SEC rivals over the years, and it really depends on the decade when you're trying to figure out who that rival has been, Florida has had the most staying power and the rivalry continues well into the post-Billy Donovan era. The Gators have a couple of injury issues looming and they might not get a couple of their key pieces (including John Egbunu) back until midseason, but they still have KeVaughn Allen and Chris Chiozzo, plus they add some key pieces. Florida could realistically make another Final Four run this season and going to Gainesville won't be an easy conclusion to the regular season.
2. Kentucky vs Kansas, Nov. 14th
This could very well be a battle of two top five or ten teams although both Kentucky and Kansas have questions. The game takes place in Chicago as part of the annual Champions Classic. Kansas has gotten the best of Kentucky for two consecutive seasons in the home/home that took place in Lawrence and then last year in Lexington. But those games have no bearing on this year's meeting because of roster turnover. Frank Mason and Josh Jackson are gone but Bill Self, one of the game's best bench coaches, can lean heavily on Devonte' Graham, an experienced leader who isn't afraid of big moments. Given how early in the season this game takes place, it's going to be a tough one.
1. Kentucky at West Virginia, Jan. 27th
Can you really give this game the nod over the Kansas contest? You can absolutely make the case for either, but going to Morgantown in front of a raucous West Virginia crowd hungry for a victory over Kentucky is going to be an exceptionally difficult contest. The Mountaineers have a huge home court advantage at WVU Coliseum and while blue will get in, blue will not dominate the 14,000-seat arena. Over the summer CBS Sports ranked West Virginia No. 21 for next season and The Sporting News has them at No. 14. Considering this is a true road game, how seldom the teams meet, the atmosphere that's expected, WVU's star Jevon Carter, and Kentucky's youth, this game gets the nod. Kentucky will probably not be the favorite in this year's SEC-Big XII Challenge game. Consider also this is sometimes a time of year when Kentucky struggles a little bit, and the odd dynamics of an out of conference game, as well as the fact that UK hasn't fared well in the challenge.
