Kentucky Basketball: Mismatches Wildcats Are Dreading in 2015-16
Just like every season of basketball at the University of Kentucky, the Wildcats will face a grueling schedule in an attempt to turn themselves into the best team in college basketball by the time the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament rolls around.
The 2015-16 edition of the Wildcats will face national powerhouses Duke, UCLA and Ohio State in nonconference play before embarking on what is presumed to be a difficult road through the SEC.
Although the SEC has improved over the last year, the majority of the teams on the schedule that present the top mismatches still come from out of conference action.
Continue reading to see which mismatches the Wildcats will be dreading during the 2015-16 campaign.
Duke's Guards vs. Kentucky's Guards
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When the Wildcats take on Duke in the Champions Classic, they will face a major early-season test at each guard position from one of the other favorites to capture the national championship.
Kentucky's trio of Tyler Ulis, Isaiah Briscoe and Jamal Murray will square off against Duke's Derryck Thornton, Grayson Allen and Brandon Ingram in a star-studded affair at the United Center in Chicago.
Ulis will be tasked with stopping Thornton at the point, while Allen will cause trouble with his versatility on the court against either Briscoe or Murray. Although Ingram is 6'9", he could end up on the wing when two big men are on the court.
When Ingram shifts to the perimeter, Kentucky will be undersized regardless of who covers the star freshman. Since the Wildcats may not have anyone as versatile as Ingram on the roster, they will probably put one of their guards on Ingram in an attempt to silence him.
Regardless of what the final result is November 17, we should be treated to a spectacular fireworks show from the guard position.
Bryce Alford vs. Isaiah Briscoe
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UCLA may not challenge Kentucky for all 40 minutes at Pauley Pavilion on December 3, but if the Bruins are able to pose a legitimate threat to the Wildcats, it will be because of Bryce Alford.
The junior sharpshooter showed just how dangerous he can be from beyond the arc when he scored 49 points during the first weekend of the 2015 NCAA tournament.
If he carries half of that strong shooting form into the new season, the Bruins will not have to worry about his production from the guard position. Given his recent numbers in big games, Alford will be a pain to deal with during the Wildcats' trip to California.
Briscoe should receive the primary defensive assignment against the shooter, but we could see Ulis in that role at some point as well. Briscoe does have seven games to get acclimated to the collegiate landscape before he squares off against Alford, but he could still be in for a rude awakening given Alford's skill off the ball and his shooting prowess.
If Briscoe is able to silence Alford for the majority of the contest, he will give himself a massive boost of confidence heading into the rest of nonconference play. However, there a chance the UCLA game will be a learning experience as well for Briscoe ahead of SEC action.
Jae'Sean Tate vs. Jamal Murray
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D'Angelo Russell wasn't the only freshman who turned heads at Ohio State last season.
Forward Jae'Sean Tate handed the Buckeyes a huge boost off the bench with his tenacity on both ends of the court. Because of his impressive work ethic, Tate is expected to be one of the stars for Thad Matta's squad during his sophomore season.
At the CBS Sports Classic on December 19, the Wildcats will get a firsthand look at how hard Tate plays. At 6'4", Tate may not cause a huge ruckus on the boards, but he will be tough to defend on the wings and just inside the three-point line.
Murray will likely be asked to stop Tate from penetrating into the paint and handing the Buckeyes an advantage on the boards. But the Kentucky freshman will also have to make sure the all-around talent does not get going from the field.
If Tate is able to make an imprint on the contest early on, the young Buckeyes will gain confidence and earn a chance to spring an upset at the Barclays Center.
Perry Ellis vs. Alex Poythress
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At the end of January, Kentucky will take a break from SEC play to venture into the Big 12/SEC Challenge against Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse.
Senior Perry Ellis, who seems like he has been on the roster for much longer than four years, will be battering around in the paint for the Jayhawks against the Kentucky frontcourt.
Although it may be wise to put Skal Labissiere on Ellis, Kansas will have a few other players on the court who will rotate at the center position while Ellis mans the power forward spot. At 6'8", Ellis would also have trouble dealing with the height of the 6'11" Kentucky freshman, which is why it would be smart for the experienced senior to attack Alex Poythress.
Poythress, who is also entering his senior season, has faced plenty of tough tests throughout his career, but Ellis may be too much for him given the heavy amount of experience behind the Kansas forward.
If experience on the court turns out to be the deciding factor in this matchup, Ellis will dominate Poythress. But the good news for the Kentucky player is he will have a good amount of games back from injury under his belt before taking on the Kansas big man.
Ben Simmons vs. Alex Poythress and Skal Labissiere
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The toughest individual the Wildcats will face in the SEC will be LSU's Ben Simmons, whom many see as the top freshman in the class of 2015.
The 6'10" big man will give LSU a chance to take down Kentucky in the regular season, but he will need to play well against both of the primary big men on the Wildcats roster. Simmons holds an edge over both Poythress and Labissiere in certain categories.
Simmons has a size advantage on Poythress (6'8"), and he is a better pure scorer than the Kentucky senior. Meanwhile, he is a bit more versatile than Labissiere and could drag the center further out on the floor to open up space for his teammates.
Other Kentucky players could get involved in guarding Simmons at some point, but Poythress and Labissiere will be the two players primarily engaged on the defensive end against the top freshman. A double-team could be an option if Simmons starts to heat up from the floor, but that would allow more space for Antonio Blakeney to exploit.
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