Kentucky Basketball: 5 Takeaways from Wildcats' Opening Games

Kentucky basketball jumped right into its 2014-15 season by playing three games in five days, including a neutral-site game against the No. 5 team in the country.

In those three games, we've seen both the good and bad of the Wildcats this season. After dismantling Grand Canyon in the season opener, Kentucky struggled against Buffalo, even trailing at halftime. However, a strong second half gave Kentucky a win before it dominated No. 5 Kansas on Tuesday in Indianapolis.

The win against Kansas has many across the country, especially those part of Big Blue Nation, excited. But, was that game a sign of how good Kentucky is, or was it a fluke game for the Jayhawks? 

There are plenty of challenges left this season for Kentucky with games against North Carolina, Texas, Louisville and UCLA still ahead before conference play. We'll take a look at the five takeaways from the Wildcats' opening games. 

The New Version of Dakari Johnson Is Dominating

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Dakari Johnson is a large man. The 7'0" center was listed as 275 pounds last year as a freshman. During the offseason, he's cut his weight down to a lean 255 pounds, and it's paying off already.

Through three games, Johnson is averaging a near double-double despite playing just 21 minutes per game. He's quicker now with the weight loss, which is allowing Johnson to take advantage of the uptempo style the Wildcats are playing. He's averaging 10 points and nine rebounds so far and looking like a future lottery pick.

One of the biggest problems with Johnson as a freshman was his inability to stay on the floor for extended periods of times. Whether it was conditioning or foul trouble due to a lack of quickness, he often found himself playing in spurts. 

This year, the big man will still play in spurts, but that's due to the platoon system. Expect the new version of Johnson to keep his averages closer to where they are now, and if he does play extended minutes, don't be surprised to see numerous double-doubles. 

This Team Is a Great Defensive Team

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If there's a weakness defensively on this team, Kentucky has yet to have it exposed. The Wildcats look near flawless defensively, especially against No. 5 Kansas.

In the game against the Jayhawks, the Wildcats blocked 11 shots, which is how many field goals Kansas made. They've held all three opponents to under 20 points in at least one half. More importantly, they just never look lost on the defensive side of the ball.

This team might go down historically as one of the best defensive teams in the country. Thanks to the Wildcats' size, there is always a challenge at the rim, and the guards do a good job pressuring the ball, especially Tyler Ulis.

Ulis, is a 5'9" guard who has no fear in picking up full court and trying to force a turnover. He has quick hands and three steals on the season already while forcing bad passes. 

Karl-Anthony Towns Is the Real Deal

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How does a guy who has yet to score in double figures show he's the real deal? Well, watch the complete game when it comes to Towns. 

He's starting to get into a groove offensively. He showed a wide array of moves against a good Kansas team. One of the moves he showcased left numerous dropped jaws as he hit a sky hook with his weak hand over Cliff Alexander.

He's averaging seven points and seven rebounds so far this season, but more importantly he provides a unique talent for the Wildcats. At 6'11", he has a polished inside game, but he also has the shooting ability of a guard. 

Towns will continue to get better as the season goes on and he gets more comfortable adjusting to the college game. Expect his scoring average to skyrocket, finishing well over 12 points per game by the season's end. 

Andrew Harrison Is the Leader of This Team

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With a roster full of talent and egos—everyone has one—the question remained heading into the season: Who would be the leader on the court?

The answer is now clear. It's Andrew Harrison. The sophomore point guard has taken the leap from last season to being the vocal leader, the coach on the floor. During games, you can see him pointing and talking to everyone on his team. 

While on the bench, he's talking to his teammates and coaches, trying to get a feel of what's going on. He even offers Calipari advice on what he sees. This is something that needed to be addressed early, and Harrison made sure he was the one to do it. 

Heck, he's even the biggest cheerleader. Often late in games this season, the Wildcats have their bench players in, and the top nine or 10 guys are standing on the sideline cheering them on. The one leading the cheers? Harrison. 

He'll be the reason the Wildcats win another national title. 

The Platoon Is Here

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People wondered if Calipari and his coaching staff would break the platoon system at all. The answer is a defiant no.

Unless there's foul trouble, Calipari has kept going with his two-platoon system, playing his guys an even amount. In the win over Kansas, no one played more than 21 minutes. An outstanding number when you think about how many minutes these guys would play elsewhere.

During the postgame interview with ESPN's Andy Katz, Calipari noted that it's the players who will dictate how the platoon system will go. Well, right now they seem to have bought into the theory. Each platoon brings something different to the table, and the players don't seem to have any backlash.

Now, this is all early. Let's check in later in the season if Kentucky suffers a loss and see how the players feel about this.