#1 KY - A Long Time Coming

Carolina Kat Mon Jan 25, 2010 9:41 pm

Kentucky's ascension to No. 1 in Top 25 a long time coming

Updated 6h 14m ago

By Marlen Garcia, USA TODAY

Kentucky, the only unbeaten team in Division I men's basketball, is set to jump to No. 1 in the polls when the USA TODAY/ESPN coaches' top 25 is released early Monday afternoon Eastern time at ncaamen.usatoday.com.

Kentucky hasn't been No. 1 since 2003 under former coach Tubby Smith. The Wildcats likely will be No. 1 in the Associated Press news media poll, too.

Top billing is what Kentucky fans expected from new coach John Calipari when he assembled a young but high-caliber group led by John Wall, who is averaging 17.0 points and 6.9 assists.

It didn't take long for the Wildcats to mesh, going to 19-0 (4-0 in the Southeastern Conference) after a 101-70 rout of Arkansas on Saturday. "I was at their very first practice, and on that day they were clueless," ESPN analyst Jimmy Dykes said last week. "Their progress over the last three months is remarkable.

"Calipari's ability to get those elite-level guys to defend and rebound is understated. For him to hold those guys accountable on both ends of the floor is why they're about to be No. 1."

Two freshmen besides Wall, guard Eric Bledsoe and forward DeMarcus Cousins, are starters. Bledsoe scored 25 points on 10-for-13 shooting at Florida last week. Afterward, Florida coach Billy Donovan said Bledsoe is faster and a slightly better shooter than Wall. That says a lot considering Wall is a national player of the year candidate.

Texas, No. 1 the last two weeks, will fall after losing twice last week. Kentucky plays four of its next six at home, including Feb. 13 against No. 8 Tennessee.

Dykes said Kentucky still is vulnerable and needs to learn to put teams away: "When they get a lead of 10, they need to push it to 18." If the Wildcats lose, "it won't be because they played scared or wanted to protect No. 1," he added. "It will not faze those kids."

They showed just that Saturday, building a 30-point halftime lead and not letting up.