Alex Squadron of Hoops HQ wonders if this is the year that Kentucky men’s basketball will rise to the top of the Southeastern Conference.
The Wildcats have not finished atop the SEC standings since 2019-20.
Can Mark Pope lead a transfer-heavy roster back to the league’s summit?
Here is an excerpt:
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Will a transfer-heavy Kentucky team rise to the top of the SEC?
Mark Pope’s first year in Lexington was an immense success, as the Wildcats went 24-12 (10-8 in the SEC) and reached the Sweet Sixteen. His second season could be even better.
Kentucky is returning its leading scorer, 6-foot-5 senior guard Otega Oweh (a Wooden Award candidate), and adding The Portal Report’s No. 1-ranked transfer class. Four of the program’s six transfers are expected to step into the starting lineup alongside Oweh: 6-foot-3 junior guard Jaland Pitt (Pittsburgh), 6-foot-5 senior guard Denzel Aberdeen (Florida), 6-foot-7 junior forward Mouhamed Dioubate (Alabama) and 6-foot-9 sophomore forward Jayden Quaintance (Arizona State). Pitt was an All-ACC Third Team selection; Aberdeen played a significant role for the national champs; Dioubate averaged 7.2 points and 5.9 rebounds in just 16 minutes; and Quaintance, who was the youngest player in college basketball last season, is expected to make a dramatic leap upon returning from an ACL injury. In addition to those five, the Wildcats have arguably the deepest bench in the country.
Of course, Kentucky will face stiff competition in the SEC. Florida, Auburn, Tennessee and Alabama remain forces, and Arkansas is on the rise. Nonetheless, Kentucky certainly has the talent to finish atop the conference for the first time since 2019-20.
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