Hooked on a feeling: Why Kentucky will win the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament

Sometimes, you have a feeling.

I’m not going to say I felt No. 2 seed Kentucky was going to lose to No. 15 seed Saint Peter’s in the NCAA Tournament two years ago. I will say I didn’t like the way the Cats were playing. They had lost to Tennessee in the SEC Tournament. They struggled scoring. The vibes weren’t right.

I am going to say I didn’t feel good about Kentucky’s postseason chances last season. It lost to Vanderbilt twice in 10 days. Once at home. Once in the SEC Tournament. That it hit the exit ramp the first weekend of the NCAAs was not a surprise.

This year is different. This team is different. The vibe is different. I have a feeling that this Kentucky basketball team will kick-start a deep postseason run by winning this week’s SEC Tournament in Nashville.

Three reasons why:

1. Kentucky is playing its best basketball right now

Saturday’s 85-81 win at league champ Tennessee was a show of strength. Defensively challenged all season, the Cats held the Vols to 37.8% shooting from the floor. They are now 8-0 when they hold opponents under 40%.

John Calipari’s club didn’t let go of the rope. Tennessee star Dalton Knecht scored 40 points. Didn’t matter. Several occasions it appeared that the Vols might seize control. Didn’t happen. Whenever Kentucky needed a stop or a bucket or a 50-50 ball or a rebound to keep Big Orange at bay, the visitors delivered.

Kentucky has won five straight and seven of its last eight. It was a Baton Rouge buzzer-beater from tying the Vols for the league title. Its talent has matured.

2. The Reed and Rob Show

Pay no attention to those who say Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham should be starting. Calipari’s strategy of starting guards D.J. Wagner and Antonio Reeves before bringing Sheppard and Dillingham off the bench early is working. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And it ain’t broke.

Sheppard is the All-American boy, until he steps on the court. Then he turns assassin. Sheppard hit Thompson-Boling’s mute button with big shots. He made 7 of his 10 3-point attempts. (That’s not a misprint.) He’s made 17 of 29 from beyond the arc in his last five games. He’s at 52.6% for the season. Now that’s outrageous.

Then there’s Rob. He is boisterous and outlandish. His buckets come in gusts. You never know what Dillingham might do — neither does the opponent — but more often than not he leaves you whispering “wow.” His ying is a perfect compliment to Sheppard’s yang.

Bottom line: What do they say about guard play in March? Come on. You know what they say about guard play in March.

3. This team is tight, in a good way

I heard a coach say once that a good locker room won’t win you games, but it will help you stay together when you lose games. Tough times don’t last, tough people do. This Kentucky team has weathered this year’s tough teams thanks to a tight locker room.

I credit Antonio Reeves for this, for a couple of reasons. He’s the best player on the team, if not the best player in the league. Steadiness doesn’t come steadier than No. 12. He matched Sheppard’s 27 points Saturday, the 13th game this season and seventh straight in which Reeves has scored 20 or more points. That’s ridiculously reliable. Home or away. Day or night. Game after game.

You can tell how his teammates feel about the Chicago native. He’s what they want to be. Justin Edwards has improved from being around Reeves. So has Aaron Bradshaw and Zvonimir Ivisic and Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham. Reeves has shown you don’t have to be loud to be a leader. You just have to show up. And produce.

There are no guarantees, of course, but this Kentucky team was an 8 1/2-point underdog at Auburn and won. It was an 8 1/2-point underdog at Tennessee and won.

As the No. 2 seed, I have a feeling it’s going to win the SEC Tournament.

Here’s the 2024 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament schedule

Three takeaways from Kentucky basketball’s statement win at Tennessee

Kentucky pulled off its biggest win of the season. And the Cats celebrated like ‘family.’

Kentucky ends regular season on a high note. Cats knock off No. 4 Tennessee in Knoxville.