Kentucky Basketball: Factors That Will Make or Break Wildcats in 2015-16

The Kentucky Wildcats will enter the 2015-16 season as the favorites to win the SEC and potential contenders for the national championship.

While the Wildcats will not be as dominant as last year's talented squad, they do possess plenty of threatening players on their roster—especially in the starting lineup.

Plenty of factors will play a key role in how the season will go for John Calipari's team, but we decided to pick out five specific ones.

Continue reading to see what the make-or-break factors for the Wildcats will be during the 2015-16 season.

Performance Against Traditional Powers in Nonconference Play

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Just like in most years, Kentucky is embarking on a nonconference schedule full of showdowns against some of the nation's traditional powers.

The first big game of the season is on November 17 against Duke, while games with UCLA, Ohio State and Louisville await in December. The Wildcats will also dip back into nonconference action on January 30 at Allen Fieldhouse against Kansas.

All five of the major nonconference contests will be a litmus test for the young Wildcats. If they are able to pass most of the tests against non-SEC opposition, they should be fine once March rolls around.

However, if they struggle to impress against Duke, a lack of confidence may seep into the team. The key stretch of games in December that also includes a home contest versus Arizona State at Rupp Arena will test the sharpness of the Wildcats since they will play three games in a 21-day span.

If they survive all four tests in 2015, the Wildcats could be set for big things in SEC play. With a ton of momentum behind them after the first month of SEC play, the Wildcats would get to prove their worth once again in a dangerous road environment.

It's also worth noting that a win in each of these five games would boost Kentucky's NCAA tournament resume. Those potential victories could turn out to be crucial if the SEC doesn't strengthen as expected.

The Strength of the Rebuilding SEC

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A lot has been made over the offseason about how much the SEC will improve as a whole compared to the last few years.

Yes, the likes of Bruce Pearl (Auburn), Rick Barnes (Tennessee), Ben Howland (Mississippi State) and Avery Johnson (Alabama) are now coaching in the league, but none of them have formed a team ready to test Kentucky on a consistent basis like Billy Donovan's Florida did.

It will probably take a while for the inexperienced coaches in the SEC to develop their programs far enough to match the Wildcats, but there is a chance the league will be more competitive this season.

That is a good and bad thing for Kentucky. On the positive side, the Wildcats should face more tests throughout the regular season, but dropping a few more games than last year could hurt them when the field of 68 is seeded.

We will know right off the bat how battle-ready the Wildcats are compared to the rest of the SEC. Four of Kentucky's first six SEC games are on the road.

Wins against LSU, Alabama and Auburn would be great for the Wildcats in terms of distancing themselves from the pack. But those results could also highlight how much growing still has to go on at the other programs in the conference.

Rebounding Ability

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This may seem like a simple concept for Kentucky to master, but it is a bit unproven on the glass entering the 2015-16 season.

The Wildcats are hoping Skal Labissiere will adjust to the collegiate level just fine, but the real questions in the rebounding department come behind the towering freshman on the depth chart.

Alex Poythress is a known commodity when he's healthy, but it may take him a little while to get readjusted to the full pace of play, which is something that might cost the Wildcats against Duke.

Marcus Lee will contribute a bit off the bench, but he will face a challenge of his own as he grows into a more prominent role under the basket.

The Wildcats may not have the rebounding prowess of the giants from last season, but the trio of Labissiere, Poythress and Lee could become a vaunted combination as the season progresses.

Calipari will also look to his guards to play more of a role in the paint.

Jamal Murray, Tyler Ulis and Isaiah Briscoe don't have to be forces down low on every play, but if they can ease the pressure off the big men and contribute a few rebounds per game at the start of the season, the Wildcats will turn into a dominant frontcourt team once again.

The Development of Superstars

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Everywhere you turned on the court last season, there was a burgeoning superstar in a Kentucky uniform.

While the 2015-16 edition of the Wildcats does possess a few potential NBA stars, they will be tested much more than the fantastic freshman class that rolled through Lexington last season.

Many believe Labissiere will be the dominant player on the team this season, but Kentucky needs to find a viable backup option to the big man if he draws too much attention from opposing defenses.

That's where the stellar guards on the roster will be asked to step up. Based off his contributions for Canada at the international level this summer (2015 Pan American Games), Murray will carry more pressure on his shoulders to succeed than Ulis and Briscoe.

If he raises his game during his freshman season like he did for Canada, Murray will turn into a star in the backcourt who would pair with Labissiere nicely.

However, if one of the three guards fails to make a massive impact on the game at the start of the season, Kentucky could stumble out of the gates.

Contributions off the Bench

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We are all fully aware of who the starting five will be for Kentucky, and we are almost certain Lee will be the most productive player off the bench.

But if you look further down the depth chart, there are a lot of questions to be asked about Kentucky's depth.

While we expect the starters to contribute the most in each stat category, they will need to take a breather at some point in each game. The four or five minutes during which the stars are off the court could end up determining the result of a few games.

Mychal Mulder, Charles Matthews and Dominique Hawkins will be three of the players tasked with providing the Wildcats with key shifts off the bench in certain games. All three are unknown quantities in their own respect, which could be a blessing in disguise for Kentucky as it tries to catch its opponents off guard—especially at the start of the season.

The real test for the reserves will come in SEC play, when teams will have plenty of tape on them.

If the bench players are able to make adjustments and contribute in key situations, the Wildcats won't have too much of a problem navigating through the regular season.