Community Picks: Florida 0% vs Kentucky 0%

Another loss could cost Kentucky its spot among the nation's elite for the first time in almost two years. It could also go a long way to putting Florida back there. The No. 20 Wildcats look to extend their winning streak at Rupp Arena to 33 games in order to avoid their longest slide in seven years Saturday against the revitalized Gators. Continue to Article

February 05, 2016 12:54:pm EST

They won three consecutive late-January SEC games by an average of more than 22 points. They pushed Kansas to overtime on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse. They opened up a seemingly insurmountable first-half lead at Tennessee three nights later. Just when it seemed like Kentucky was starting to turn the corner ... Vols 84, Wildcats 77.  All the momentum Kentucky appeared to be building the previous two weeks vanished Tuesday night in a hail of turnovers, errant shots and blown defensive assignments. Tennessee guard Kevin Punter erupted for 24 points and forward Armani Moore added 18 as the Vols outscored the Wildcats 61-33 after falling behind by 21 points late in the first half.  Kentucky's loss was its fifth of the season against an unranked opponent, a list that also includes UCLA, Ohio State, LSU and Auburn. Each of those were a surprise, yet Tuesday's loss at Tennessee might have been the biggest stunner given the circumstances.  This was a Vols team that entered the game with a 10-11 record, that lacks consistent scoring punch aside from Punter and that plays long stretches of games with nobody taller than 6-foot-5 on the floor. In its most recent game, Tennessee had lost to Big 12 doormat TCU of all teams. Kentucky's problems Tuesday night were familiar ones that have popped up in many of their six losses so far this season. Their big men were in foul trouble throughout the game and their most productive frontcourt player, Alex Poythress, fouled out with 3:27 to go. Highly touted freshman forward Skal Labissiere was a non-factor off the bench and volume-shooting Jamal Murray needed 20 shots to get 21 points. Murray also made a crucial defensive blunder late in the game, losing sight of  Robert Hubbs and allowing the Tennessee wing to cut to the basket, receive an inbound pass and throw down an easy dunk to give the Vols a five-point lead with 90 seconds to play. Tyler Ulis missed the front end of a 1-and-1 on the next possession, and from there it was an uphill battle for the shell-shocked Wildcats. At 16-6 overall and 6-3 in the SEC, Kentucky remains in good position to make the NCAA tournament, but all these losses to unranked foes will certainly take a toll on their seeding. Equally importantly, it's becoming clear that the Wildcats still aren't as far along as John Calipari would like them to be in early February. When Kentucky is at its best, it's still talented enough to beat anyone in the country. But when the Wildcats aren't playing well, they're far more vulnerable than most of Calipari's teams have been.  - - - - - - - Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @JeffEisenberg Continue to Article

February 02, 2016 9:46:pm EST

John Calipari entrusts the Kentucky offense to Tyler Ulis because he recognizes when to score and when to become a distributor. Calipari is hoping Ulis and the 20th-ranked Wildcats start strong Tuesday night against a Tennessee team that has jumped out to big leads recently only to come up short down the stretch. Ulis leads Kentucky (16-5, 6-2 SEC) in scoring during conference play at 19.3 points per game and also tops the league with an average of 6.9 assists over those eight contests. Continue to Article

February 01, 2016 8:28:pm EST

Tennessee's chances of avoiding its first losing season in over a decade could rest on stopping its recent trend of second-half collapses. The Volunteers have dropped two straight games after leading by at least 14 points in the second half of each of them. Tennessee has blown second-half leads of at least 13 points in three of its last seven games. Continue to Article

February 01, 2016 4:42:pm EST