Kentucky Basketball: Why Defense Is the Wildcats' Biggest Strength in 2014-15

You've heard it all already in the early going of the 2014-15 college basketball season—Kentucky is an NBA team, Kentucky is going to finish undefeated, and Kentucky could beat the Philadelphia 76ers.

There is so much professional talent on this team that it is easy to get caught up in the offensive skill. Aaron and Andrew Harrison can hit from the outside and get to the rim, Dakari Johnson, Willie Cauley-Stein, Trey Lyles and Karl Towns can finish at the rim, and Alex Poythress is a versatile forward who scores his points by slashing to the basket.

While so many offensive options will certainly bolster Kentucky's outlook, it is actually the defense that will lead the Wildcats to the national title. It has already demonstrated why that is on multiple occasions this season.

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The Wildcats held Montana State scoreless through the first 10 minutes of the second half of their last game (opening up a ridiculous 65-11 lead) and ultimately forced 21 turnovers with relentless pressure defense at every level of the floor. They also tallied 11 steals and 12 blocks on the game.

Incredibly, that wasn't even Kentucky's best defensive performance of the season thus far.

The Wildcats held then-No. 5 Kansas to a whopping 40 points in their marquee showdown, and the Jayhawks shot an abysmal 19.6 percent from the field and 3-of-15 from downtown. Kentucky forced 11 turnovers in the game, but it was just the overall struggle to even produce a decent look at the basket from Kansas' offense that truly impressed.

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The bottom line was Kentucky made the No. 5 team in the country look like a junior varsity high school squad playing against a top-notch college program. The suffocating defense and overall athleticism all over the floor was borderline unfair, and everywhere fans looked, there was another NBA body entering the game.

Kentucky is No. 1 in the country in Ken Pomeroy's pace-adjusted defensive efficiency rankings (and, just in case you want to know how dominant this team is and why there is legitimate talk about the Wildcats going undefeated, they are also No. 2 in the corresponding offensive rankings) and have the personnel to play any style and still dominate on the defensive end.

Kentucky has the big guys to protect the rim in slower games that take place in the half-court and the guards to handle more of a tempo contest from a fast-paced opponent. 

Jeff Goodman of ESPN has certainly taken notice of Kentucky's overwhelming defense:

There is one buzzword that describes just how incredible Kentucky's defense is—length.

Kentucky would actually be the NBA's tallest team if it was a professional outfit, and the big guys and forwards allow the guards to be more aggressive in the open floor because if the opponent gets into the lane, it's just going to get its shot swatted.

There are 10 guys on the team who are listed at 6'6" or taller.

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That height lets the Wildcats dominate on the boards, protect the rim on the defensive end and unleash a harassing perimeter defense.

The Harrisons, Devin Booker and especially Tyler Ulis should rack up plenty of steals this season with those safety nets behind them. Ulis is 5'9", known for his quickness and lightning-fast hands and will make life difficult for opponents coming off the bench with fresh legs.

On top of the size and tendency to harass ball-handlers, the depth is another incredible asset on the defensive end. With the platoon system, Calipari can unleash a relentless pressure style knowing that his players will catch a breather a few minutes later. He never really has to worry about fatigue because he is constantly substituting all game.

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Calipari suggested as much after the Kansas game, according to The Associated Press, via ESPN.com.

"We kind of bum-rushed them a little bit, and every time they looked, there were more tanks coming over the hill," Calipari said. "It wasn't substitutes, it was reinforcements. It kind of gets to you a little bit."

The rest of the SEC outside of Kentucky and Florida is lackluster at best. It's scary to think about how poor the Wildcats are going to make opposing offenses look this season. 

For all the talk about an undefeated campaign and 10 potential NBA players lacing it up, the ultimate goal is winning a national title. The best way for the Wildcats to do that is by destroying opposing offenses like they did against Kansas.

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