Kentucky Basketball: Best- and Worst-Case Scenarios for Rest of Wildcats' Season

Things have been perfect for the Kentucky Wildcats quite literally. Following a two-point win at LSU, Kentucky has blasted its last four opponents, winning by a margin of 26 points per game. 

The final stretch doesn't have the toughest games for Kentucky, but there will be challenges without a doubt. Having to go on the road against Georgia while still playing the second-best team in the conference in Arkansas and rival Florida in Rupp Arena won't make it easy to stay undefeated.

It is hard for fans to currently think too negatively about this team with the way it has played, but there is always an opposite side no matter how well you are playing.

Of course, there is also a best-case scenario lurking for how Kentucky can finish out the year. Some fans get nervous hearing about a certain word, but it's not hard to think the Wildcats will be undefeated heading into the postseason.

Worst-Case Scenario

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The worst-case scenario is a dark one for Kentucky basketball. Over the course of head coach John Calipari's time in Lexington, the Wildcats have been lucky to avoid the injury bug outside of Nerlens Noel and then Willie Cauley-Stein last NCAA tournament.

This season we've already seen Alex Poythress have to be shut down with a torn ACL, and the worst-case scenario would be seeing another platoon member go down with a gruesome injury like that.

While you can't control an injury, the next worst-case scenario would be sitting on a 39-0 record heading into Monday night in April. Losing that game with the chance to cap off a historic year would be the downright worst-case scenario for a team that has looked head and shoulders above the rest of the country so far this year. 

Looking in the short term, obviously any loss now will be worst-case scenario as this team is trying to finish the regular season undefeated.

Losing to either Arkansas or Florida would be a terrible situation for Kentucky. Arkansas has currently beaten the Wildcats three times in a row, including a sweep last season. Losing at home to either of those teams would be something Kentucky fans would never hear the end of and be a downer on what's been a tremendous year so far. 

Best-Case Scenario

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There's clear-cut favorite when it comes to both best-case scenario for Kentucky basketball and the college hoops game in general. It results in another banner being raised in Rupp Arena and one shining moment for the Wildcats.

The way this team has looked, it is often discussed as one of the best teams in college basketball history. In order to cement that legacy the Wildcats need to win the national championship. On top of that, being the only team that would be 40-0 in the history of college basketball would give Kentucky fans an added bonus.

If Kentucky can find a way to win the national championship and return a decent member of its core, we could be looking at a true dynasty in Lexington. After making the national championship game last season, most fans were shocked to see Willie Cauley-Stein, Andrew Harrison and Aaron Harrison all return for another year.

Imagine if the Harrison twins, Marcus Lee and Tyler Ulis decide to return after this year's run to join another top-ranked recruiting class.

The way John Calipari gets his team to play together, it's not hard to imagine the Wildcats as a favorite to win the national title next year as well.