NCAA Bracket 2012: Kentucy Wildcats Aren't Invincible Despite Dominance

The Kentucky Wildcats are the best team in the nation, but they are nowhere near invincible coming into the 2012 NCAA tournament.

This is a team that can be beat.

By now, the blueprints are everywhere, all you have to do is look for them, and if a simple Google search can expose this team, I can only imagine what a college coach is going to be able to do.

The Wildcats are going to be beaten by someone.

To be fair, I don't see them being taken out by a Cinderella story this year. They have their flaws, but they are too talented to let a far inferior team take them out of the tournament.

That being said, I wouldn't consider them a lock against a six seed or above.

This team's flaws can be exposed, especially in a tournament situation. March Madness is as much about endurance and perseverance as it is about talent, and in the case of the Wildcats, that may even level out the playing field a bit.

Check out what Florida head man Billy Donovan says are the keys to beating the Wildcats, via Eric Prisbell's article in the Washington Post:

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Florida had lost by a combined 35 points in two regular season games against Kentucky. But the Gators built a 10-point first-half lead in Saturday’s SEC semifinal yet could not pull back ahead in the game’s final minutes, losing 74-71. Afterward, Florida Coach Billy Donovan said there are two ways to potentially beat Kentucky.

“You have to do what LSU did and just be extremely physical at the basket, and body” all cutting Kentucky players, Donovan said. “Or you need to play really, really fast. Really fast and force Terrence Jones and Anthony Davis and those guys to constantly have to run during the course of the games, on misses and makes.”

"

The Wildcats had a tremendous season, going 32-1 and undefeated within the SEC conference, but all of that is going to come crashing down in the NCAA tournament.

If conditioning and fatigue is really their weakness coming into the tournament, it's going to be exposed.

If there is any playoff system in which you need to be in top physical condition, it's March Madness. Sure, more times than not the most talented teams make it through, but non-coincidentally enough they are teams with deep benches and experienced players.

March Madness is a grind, and it can be very taxing on younger players.

The Wildcats only have two seniors on their whole team, and every single one of their top scorers are underclassmen.

While it's not necessarily a question of leadership, it's more a concern over experience, and you'd be naive to believe that experience doesn't play a role.

When the going gets tough and this team is tired with their backs against the wall game after game, are they going to be able to stick it out?

They are talented, there is no doubt about it, but in the end, I can't trust this Wildcats team.

They aren't as invincible as their stellar record would suggest, and they are going to be beaten in the tournament.