John Calipari has really done it this time. You could tell something was different in Lexington during the University of Kentucky’s midnight madness preseason exhibition this year. Calipari explained how he would run a platoon system, which is rarely seen at the Division I level. A roster that features nine McDonald’s All Americans, which is more than all but one NBA team, has had little trouble with any competition so far this season. On Saturday, the Wildcats faced their biggest competition on paper up til this point. While showing signs of life midway through the second half, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels were no match to the high-powered offense of Kentucky. Even with the loss of one of their most experienced players, Alex Poythress, to a knee injury, Kentucky was able to take of business to the tune of a 14-point win. That kind of dominance is leading people to to ask the question most haven’t had to ask in a while. Will the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers be dethroned as the last unbeaten team in NCAA men’s college basketball? I think that question has more clout in regard to this Kentucky team than any other team in the country in seasons past. Not only did the Wildcats go out and recruit top talent last offseason, they returned the Harrison brothers that helped lead them on a improbable tourney run last March. That team ended up getting beat in the championship game, something that I don’t see happening two years in a row. There’s still a long way to go to get to that point though. The next two Saturdays provide UK with some stiff competition. This weekend, Steve Alford and UCLA will get their shot at the monster that has become UK basketball. The game will be played in Chicago, so Big Blue Nation will be in full force for sure. Then, on Dec. 27, UK will do battle with in-state rival Louisville. Rick Patino doesn’t have quite the star-studded roster that UK does, but he is equipped with highly-skilled big men. Unfortunately, IU fans got a good taste for what Louisville can bring to the table last week. I think those two games give the 1976 Hoosier team its best chance at staying on top of the mountain during this year’s regular season. An extremely weak SEC conference is loaded with teams that won’t give the Wildcats much competition. Barring an upset bid by Florida, its slim pickings on who will give UK a run. So that leaves me to wonder, who is going to knock of this juggernaut? My answer has stayed the same since the beginning of the season. The only team that can beat Kentucky is – Kentucky.
