King's Court: Kentucky's Undefeated Dream May Be Within Reach This Season

INDIANAPOLIS—A year ago, they were crying in the locker room.

Ranked No. 1 in both polls, the Kentucky Wildcats had looked overwhelmed and disjointed in a 78-74 loss to Michigan State in the Champions Classic. The postgame tears, though, stemmed from something deeper than the setback against the Spartans in the third game of the year.

"They were crushed," Calipari told B/R a few months later, "that they weren't going to go 40-0."

Far-fetched as it seemed, that was the buzz about Kentucky entering last season. Fans wore "40-0" shirts around campus while radio hosts and Internet trolls bantered ad nauseam about the possibility of an undefeated season. Though not intentional, Calipari fueled the discussion when he talked about his goal of finishing a season with a spotless record.

"But I never talked about it being with [the 2013-14] team," Calipari said then. "I said I'd like to do it one day. I knew it wouldn't happen with this team. Still, I should've done more to shield the players from all that stuff, all that talk.

"I learned my lesson. I'll never let that happen again."

Funny, but one year later, Kentucky finds itself in largely the same position. Only this time, the hoopla about a potential 40-0 season actually seems legit. And try as he may, Calipari—college sports' ultimate spin doctor—can't do anything to stop it.

It's his own fault, really.

So dominant, driven and downright dirty is the team Calipari has assembled that, after Tuesday's 72-40 victory over Kansas, it was impossible not to entertain the thought of the 2014-15 Wildcats finishing the year without a blemish.

"John should go 45-0 with that talent," SMU coach Larry Brown, one of Calipari's mentors, told USA Today.

Painful as it must've have been, Kansas coach Bill Self admitted as much, too.

"I don't think it's crazy to think that," Self said on his radio show. "We've never played a team that has that many good players. They have 10 NBA guys."

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Indeed, Kansas appeared absolutely shell-shocked in Tuesday's loss not only by Kentucky's depth and talent, but by its speed, athleticism, size and length. The loss was the worst of the Self era and the fourth-worst in school history.

And remember, Kansas is the country's fifth-ranked team, not some Big 12 also-ran.

"We kind of bum-rushed them a little bit," Calipari said. "Every time they looked, there were more tanks coming over the hill, more substitutes and reinforcements. It kind of gets to you a little bit. I think that's what happened."

So if Kansas can't compete with Kentucky, who on the Wildcats' schedule can? 

North Carolina seems like the obvious answer, but that game on Dec. 13 is in Lexington. The SEC is rarely very strong, but this year it appears particularly dismal—Florida is the only other ranked squad. LSU has talent but lacks depth, structure and cohesion. Arkansas may be good enough to pose a threat if the Wildcats are having an off-night. But aside from those games, things could be really ugly.

In other words, if Kentucky is going to lose, it may not be until the NCAA tournament. And if it happens then, it probably wouldn't be until the Elite Eight or Final Four, when the Wildcats would face a relatively high seed like Duke, Arizona, Gonzaga or Wisconsin.

"Right now, they're so much ahead of where other people are," Self told reporters after Kansas' loss to Kentucky. "But they're going to go somewhere and run into someone that's going to play great. Someone is going to have a good game against them. Teams do get better over the course of the season.

"But [Kentucky] will get better, too."

And that, friends, is why those 40-0 shirts may come in handy after all.

Report Card

A's

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Briante Weber: The VCU guard—and the nation's top defender—had nine steals Tuesday against Toledo. Nine steals.

Wisconsin: In almost any other year, the Badgers would be the country's No. 1 team. Not sure if Bo Ryan has ever had a squad this good.

Tekele Cotton: The Wichita State senior had the dunk of the year last spring. Judging by this nasty jam against Memphis, the Shockers' elder statesman hasn't lost a step.

B's

Tom Izzo: Despite losing Adreian Payne, Gary Harris and Keith Appling from last year's squad—not to mention the offseason departure of projected starter Kenny Kaminski—Izzo had his team of newcomers and former role players ready to go Tuesday against a Duke squad that had a major talent advantage. Most folks assumed the Blue Devils would win in a blowout, but the contest was closer than the 81-71 score indicated. Credit Izzo for that.

Transfers: Kyle Wiltjer (Gonzaga), Sheldon McClellan and Angel Rodriguez (Miami), Trevor Lacey (North Carolina State) and Bryce Dejean-Jones (Iowa State) have all had big moments thus far.

Myles Turner: Even though he was a consensus top-five recruit, it seemed it may take the Texas center a bit longer to adjust to the college game than some of his highly touted classmates. Turner, though, has been excellent thus far with averages of 12.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 4.0 blocks per game.   

C's

Champions Classic: Can we make this awesome event even better by turning it into a tournament? How great would it have been to see Duke and Kentucky play Wednesday night?

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Delon Wright: The First Team All-Pac-12 guard needed to have a big game for Utah to win at No. 16 San Diego State. Instead, he scored just seven points on 2-of-13 shooting while committing three turnovers as the Utes lost 53-49.

Auburn: Considering the returning talent and potential impact newcomers, I thought the Tigers would've looked a little better in Bruce Pearl's first few games. Instead, they had to rally to beat Wisconsin-Milwaukee at home before getting curb-stomped by 31 points at Colorado.

D's

New York tournaments: There are four events in the Big Apple this week, but none of them do much for the excite-o-meter. Check out the fields for the 2K Sports Classic, the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, the Legends Classic and the NIT Season Tip-off and tell me what you think.

Andy Kennedy: The Ole Miss coach should wear a burglar mask on the sidelines because he's stealing money. Kennedy, who led the Rebels to just one NCAA tournament berth in his first nine years, kicked off season No. 10 with a home loss to Charleston Southern.

Kansas freshmen: Kelly Oubre can hardly get on the court, Cliff Alexander is having trouble learning the playbook and Svi Mykhailiuk is shooting just 14.3 percent from three-point range.

F's

LSU and Florida State: LSU has three high-level players in Jordan Mickey, Josh Gray and Jarrell Martin. But the Tigers needed overtime to defeat a Texas Tech squad that could very well go 0-18 in the Big 12. Even worse, the game was in Baton Rouge. A few days earlier, they gave up 82 points in an 11-point win over Gardner Webb. That's just inexcusable, fellas. You're too talented for that.

SEC: LSU's mediocrity isn't good for a league that has struggled to rebuild its basketball reputation the past few years. Kentucky and Florida are the only ranked teams. Arkansas and Texas A&M—and, OK, LSU—have the potential to be pesky. But other than that, there just isn't much there.

Markus Kennedy: This grade should look familiar to the Mustangs' second-leading returning scorer, who is ineligible for the fall semester because of academic issues. I know SMU has higher standards than some schools, but with all of the tutoring and extra help available, there's no excuse for damaging your program by flunking off the team.

Thoughts From Press Row

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1. One of the most impressive things about Duke thus far is the bond that's developed between freshman guard Tyus Jones and veteran guard Quinn Cook.

It would've been easy for Cook, a senior, to develop a bad attitude after Jones took over the starting point guard spot he's held for the past two seasons. Instead, Cook handled the situation with class, embraced his move to shooting guard and turned a potentially sticky situation into something positive. That says a lot about Cook's character.

"He's given me confidence by telling me to believe in myself, because he knows what I can do on the court," Jones said after Tuesday's 81-71 win over Michigan State. "He's welcomed me with open arms and it's been really easy to adjust."

Fittingly, Cook scored a game-high 19 points against the Spartans.

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2. Multiple times during the offseason, my Bleacher Report colleague, C.J. Moore, tried to convince me that UC-Santa Barbara senior Alan Williams belonged on one of our preseason All-America teams. Admittedly, I was a bit leery.

Not anymore.

After watching Williams score 22 points, grab 13 rebounds and block four shots against Kansas—in Allen Fieldhouse, no less—I'm convinced the guy is legit.

3. Along with 17 points, Nebraska small forward Shavon Shields is averaging team-highs in rebounds (7.5) and assists (3.0). He's clearly a top-flight player, which makes you wonder why schools didn't try to sign Shields and Kentucky's Willie Cauley-Stein as a package deal. Cauley-Stein, you may remember, lived with Shields and his family during his final two years of high school.

"No one was ever smart enough to figure out that that might be a good idea," said Shavon's father, Will, a former standout lineman with the Kansas City Chiefs. "A school would be licking their chops right now if they had both of them on the same team."

4. I enjoyed talking hoops with ESPN analyst and former Duke star Jay Williams as we waited for our flight at the Indianapolis Airport Wednesday morning. The biggest topic: Who is the second-best team in the Big Ten? Neither one of us had an answer that we felt particularly good about. Jay mentioned Iowa, although I'm not positive that was his definitive choice. I'm going with Ohio State…for now.

Starting Five

Let's take a look at coaches who could replace Donnie Tyndall at Tennessee if, of course, he loses his job following an NCAA investigation into potential violations that occurred under his watch at Southern Miss:

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• Buzz Williams, Virginia Tech: Personality, charisma and southern charm. Williams has it all. And, oh, he's a darn good coach too. I can't think of a better fit. It's hard to imagine him leaving the Hokies after one season—and I'm not saying he would—but this would be a job he covets. He'd be expensive, though, and Tennessee may not be willing to pay his price.

• Gregg Marshall, Wichita State: If I were power ranking coaches—meaning I'd be basing my selections not on overall resume, but on who the best coaches are at the moment—Marshall would be in my top five. Much like Williams, I'm not sure Tennessee would fork over the $3 million it would take to make him consider it.

• Scott Drew, Baylor: Few coaches in the country work as hard in recruiting as Drew and his staff, and it's paid off on the court. Along with orchestrating what was arguably the top rebuilding job in college basketball history, Drew's in-game coaching has improved immensely.

• Richard Pitino, Minnesota: The 32-year old with Hall of Fame bloodlines led the Gophers to the NIT title in his first season. This would be a great hire if the Volunteers were turned down by some of their top targets.

• Bruce Pearl, Auburn: Hell, why not?

A Dozen Words On My Top 12 Teams

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1. Kentucky: Could this be one of the greatest teams in college basketball history?

2. Wisconsin: Coaching, experience and two NBA players make Badgers Big Ten's best team.

3. Gonzaga: The Bulldogs' three wins have come by an average of 38 points.

4. Duke: Blue Devils will be the nation's second-best team by mid-January.

5. North Carolina: Marcus Paige isn't shooting it well (38.9 percent) but that will change.

6. Arizona: Wildcats will be on another level once freshman Stanley Johnson takes off.

7. Wichita State: Baker, Cotton and VanVleet are studs, but others need to step up.

8. Louisville: Montrezl Harrell (22.5 points) is nation's best big man behind Jahlil Okafor.

9. Texas: Rick Barnes' squad may be the country's deepest team not named Kentucky.

10. Virginia: The Cavaliers won't repeat as ACC champs, but they're still darn good.

11. Iowa State: Georges Niang and the Cyclones treated upstart Georgia State like a pinata.

12. Kansas: Jayhawks are still my pick to win an 11th straight Big 12 regular season title.

On My Radar

Johnathan Motley, Baylor forward: Even after losing Isaiah Austin, Brady Heslip and Cory Jefferson, I expect the Bears to be an NCAA tournament team thanks to the presence of Motley, a 6'9” redshirt freshman who had 17 points in Tuesday's 69-65 win at South Carolina.

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Chris Jans, Bowling Green head coach: The "Shocker swagger" that Jans developed in his seven years as a Wichita State assistant has apparently rubbed off onto his players. Bowling Green is off to a 2-0 start—beating Drake on the road and Wright State at home—after going 12-20 last season under Louis Orr. The Falcons haven't been to the NCAA tournament since 1968.

North Carolina State's backcourt: Anthony "Cat" Barber and Trevor Lacey have combined to average 39 points and eight assists in the Wolfpack's first two games. Mix in battle-tested junior guard/forward Ralston Turner (15.5 points) and it appears N.C. State will be anything but an easy-out in the ACC.

Rapid Fire Thoughts

• Craves attention: Jim Calhoun

• Hates attention: Rick Barnes, Texas head coach

• Freshman we aren't talking enough about: Rashad Vaughn, UNLV

• Freshman we're talking too much about (for now): Kelly Oubre, Kansas

• Surging: Shannon Scott, Ohio State

• Struggling: Rasheed Sulaimon, Duke

• Not ready to give up on: Tom Crean, Indiana head coach

• Losing confidence in: Steve Lavin, St. John's head coach

• Better than you think: UCLA

• Vastly Improved But Still Not Very Good: TCU

• Uh-oh: Clemson and Florida State (tie)

Press Room Chatter

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Arenas You Wouldn't Think Would Rock, But Do

• Pinnacle Bank Arena, Nebraska

• Moody Coliseum, SMU

• Bramlage Coliseum, Kansas State

• Coors Events Center, Colorado

• Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, Utah State

Top Five Wing Sauce Flavors Other Than Original Buffalo (in no particular order)

• Spicy Garlic, Mac's Sports Pub in Kansas City

• Lemon Pepper, D.D. Peckers in Charlotte

• Buffalo-Teriyaki (char-buffed), Oscar's Pizza & Sports Grille in Omaha

• Seasoned Blend, Kegler's Sports Bar and Lounge in Morgantown

• Peanut Butter and Jelly, Wing Bucket in Dallas (yes, I'm serious)

Things That Annoy Me When Traveling

• Singing flight attendants (Yes, Martha from Southwest, I'm talking about you)

• Standing in the middle of a moving walkway, the ultimate in laziness

• Whistling while standing next to me at a urinal

• Loud cell phone talkers, especially while waiting in line on the runway

• People who buy stinky meals at the food court and then eat them on the plane

Pit Stops

Jason King

'37 Steakhouse, Kansas City: Sorry, 801 Chophouse. I've got a new favorite spot to get my carnivore on. Located in Harrah's Casino, '37 Steakhouse has a menu that seems tailor-made for a guy like me. I mean, I had pizza and wings as an appetizer. If you know anything about me, you can probably picture how pleasing this was.

As much as I enjoyed the flatbread and fowl, the real MVP of the pre-steak chowdown was the candied bacon. Oh. My. Gosh. Candied-Effin'-Bacon. Literally one of the best things I've ever tasted. I've actually had dreams about it.

Am I OK, doc?

My main course—the Prime Kansas City Strip (16 oz.)—was one of the best hunks of cow I've had in years, and that includes all of the places I've been in Vegas (although N9NE Steakhouse at the Palm's is a close second). Secretly, though, I was jealous of my friend, who went with the chef-recommended bone-in rib eye. It was so big he didn't know whether to eat it or use it as a Ping-Pong paddle.

If you live in Kansas City, get to '37 Steakhouse pronto. And feel free to invite me. I'll pay for the tip.

Jason King covers college sports for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JasonKingBR .