Kentucky takes a tumble in Top 25 college basketball rankings after ugly loss to UCLA
Kentucky will almost certainly go into the new year with zero victories over opponents ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll. And the Wildcats are also likely to start 2023 on the back end of those rankings, at best.
The latest AP poll was released Monday afternoon, and UK dropped six spots to No. 19 in the rankings following Saturday’s 63-53 loss to UCLA in the CBS Sports Classic in New York.
That performance by the Wildcats — another where they struggled mightily on the offensive end — accounted for the fifth-lowest UK point total since John Calipari took over as Kentucky’s coach in 2009. Three of the four games where Calipari’s Cats scored a lower amount of points happened during the 2012-13 season, when UK failed to make the NCAA Tournament.
This Kentucky team (now with a 7-3 record) isn’t in danger of falling into that conversation just yet, but the Cats still lack a victory over a highly touted opponent.
UCLA jumped three spots to No. 13 in the new AP rankings Monday, while Gonzaga — the only other ranked team that Kentucky has played this season — is now at No. 11 nationally. UK’s other loss came to Michigan State, which is at the bottom of the “also receiving votes” section of the poll, technically 39th in the voting.
Eleven of 61 voters in the latest poll left Kentucky out of their Top 25 lists altogether.
The Cats’ best victory so far was the win over Michigan, which got zero votes this week. The Wolverines do play North Carolina on Wednesday, but even a decisive victory there wouldn’t get them into the Top 25 by the new year. The Tar Heels — the preseason No. 1 team in the Top 25 poll — are currently 32nd in the AP voting.
Purdue (11-0) retained its spot at No. 1 in Monday’s poll, picking up 40 first-place votes. UConn (12-0) is No. 2 and received the other 21 first-place votes. Houston, Kansas and Arizona round out the top five.
Tennessee is the top Southeastern Conference program in the rankings at No. 8 nationally, followed by Alabama (No. 9), Arkansas (No. 10), undefeated Mississippi State (No. 15), Kentucky (No. 19) and Auburn (No. 23).
The SEC schedule will bring some major opportunities for the Wildcats — as will a Jan. 28 date with Kansas in Rupp Arena — but it’ll be a while before Kentucky has a chance to move the perception needle in a positive direction.
None of the Cats’ three remaining games during the calendar year will be against teams receiving votes in the latest AP poll, and two of them will come at home against opponents near the bottom of college basketball.
UK hosts Florida A&M on Wednesday night. The Rattlers (2-7) came into the week ranked No. 357 (out of 363 Division I schools) in the KenPom ratings. The Cats also host rival Louisville (2-9) in Rupp Arena on Dec. 31. The Cardinals defeated Florida A&M, 61-55, Saturday and lost their first nine games of the season. (They’re at No. 245 in the KenPom ratings).
The Cats’ toughest test over the remainder of 2022 is likely to come at Missouri (10-1) in the SEC opener on Dec. 28. The Tigers got off to a 9-0 start — against subpar competition — and made it to the “also receiving votes” category of the AP rankings before Kansas beat them 95-67 on Dec. 10. Mizzou is 59th in the KenPom ratings coming into the week and will play Illinois — the No. 16 team in the new AP rankings — in St. Louis on Thursday night.
UK’s next game against a highly regarded team won’t come until Jan. 7, when the Cats play at No. 9 Alabama, the first of eight remaining regular-season games against opponents currently ranked in the top 20 nationally.
Kentucky’s Top 25 matchups
The Wildcats’ eight remaining games against teams currently ranked in the AP Top 25:
Jan. 7: at No. 9 Alabama
Jan. 14: at No. 8 Tennessee
Jan. 28: vs. No. 4 Kansas
Feb. 7: vs. No. 10 Arkansas
Feb. 15: at No. 15 Mississippi State
Feb. 18: vs. No. 8 Tennessee
Feb. 25: vs. No. 23 Auburn
March 4: at No. 10 Arkansas
This story was originally published December 19, 2022 at 12:20 PM.
