Kentucky Basketball: Predicting Strengths, Weaknesses of 'Cats' 2015-16 Roster

The 2015-16 edition of the Kentucky Wildcats will be much different from the squad we saw on the court this past season. 

Gone are seven key members of the Final Four team, and there won't be a plethora of five-star recruits to replenish the roster. 

Although the Wildcats are bringing in three stars from the most recent recruiting class, they will not receive the hype the last team to don blue and white earned. 

With that being said, we should still see Kentucky inside or on the verge of the top 10 all season, even if the SEC continues to rapidly improve its talent and list of coaches. 

Continue reading on for a look at some of the strengths and weaknesses of the Wildcats' roster for the 2015-16 season. 

Strength: Distribution Skills

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The one key backcourt player returning from last year's dominant team is Tyler Ulis, who will benefit greatly from another year at the collegiate level. 

Instead of waiting his turn to play in each game, Ulis will be one of the key contributors in the backcourt during his sophomore season. 

The 5'9" guard should improve on his 3.6 assists per game from his freshman year because of the consistent amount of playing time he will receive. 

Joining Ulis in the backcourt will be freshmen Isaiah Briscoe and Charles Matthews, both of whom will look to take hold of major roles at the position.

Briscoe will most likely be tasked with dishing the ball out from the point along with Ulis. If the duo can find Matthews on the wing and work the ball inside to the big men, the Wildcats' offense will be tough to stop. 

Weakness: Depth

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Any team that comes after last season's ridiculous roster will be looked down upon in the depth category in some respect. 

Unlike the squad that mirrored the Monstars from Space Jam, the Wildcats do not have two potential NBA players at each position. 

They will not be struggling to find healthy bodies, but they may be more reliant on certain players at specific positions. 

Kentucky will suffer from its lack of depth the most in the paint with Alex Poythress, Marcus Lee and Skal Labissiere expected to be the main bodies in the frontcourt. 

If one of the three key big men picks up an injury throughout the year or suffers from foul trouble in a specific game, head coach John Calipari might be forced to use a small lineup. 

Strength: Experience

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Unlike last year's team, which was laden with underclassmen, the Wildcats carry a solid amount of experience into the 2015-16 campaign. 

Despite his injury problems, Alex Poythress carries parts of three years of play at the collegiate level with him. Marcus Lee may not have been the top contributor during his freshman and sophomore years, but he has stepped up in big games. Ulis also featured heavily last season, which will help out the Wildcats a ton as the season progresses. 

If you dig even deeper on the roster, Dominique Hawkins has two seasons under his belt, which may benefit Kentucky in certain contests. 

While three star players with a ton of experience may not seem like a lot, they will come in handy during nonconference play. If everything goes like it should, the freshmen should earn valuable playing time over the first two months of the season in order to thrive versus a weak and young slate of SEC opponents. 

Weakness: Three-Point Shooting

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The current players on the Kentucky roster attempted a combined 105 three-point shots during the 2014-15 season. 

Ulis made 33 of his 77 attempts from beyond the arc, while Hawkins and Poythress failed to put up any numbers worth analyzing.

While the Wildcats will benefit from the play of the incoming guards beyond the arc, the team's shooting numbers from downtown could be low to start the year. 

With opposing defenses looking to silence the productivity of the guards early in the season, the numbers from three-point range could be low until the young players on the squad come into their own at the next level. 

Strength: John Calipari's Coaching Style

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Even if the Wildcats struggle to find their footing at the start of the 2015-16 season, they will still hold an advantage over most programs in the nation, thanks to Calipari.

Calipari's experience dealing with freshmen will help Labissiere, Briscoe and Matthews adjust before conference play, and he should be able to get the best out of the older players on the roster. 

When conference play comes around, Calipari gives the Wildcats an edge over the other schools because of his experience navigating the schedule with a young squad. 

Most of the contenders for the regular-season title will feature the elements we are used to seeing in one of Calipari's teams, but they will not be as adjusted to the rigors of the SEC as Kentucky is. 

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.

All statistics obtained from ESPN.com.