Kentucky Basketball: Games That Will Make or Break Wildcats' SEC Title Hopes

Although the latest win over Mississippi State wasn't always pretty, it was enough for Kentucky to improve to 3-1 in SEC play an stay on track to contend for a regular-season title.

The Wildcats have been a bit of a disappointment so far considering they began the year on top of the preseason polls. Of course, much of the SEC has struggled along with them, and just one loss in conference is nothing to worry about.

Kentucky has enough talent to once again win the SEC, but it will have to come through in its toughest games against the best the conference has to offer. This would require better play than what we have seen, but every game is certainly winnable if the team plays to its ability.

Here is a look at the biggest matchups for the Wildcats in their quest to finish on top of the standings for the second year in a row.

Feb. 13 at South Carolina

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South Carolina's perfect season came to an end Wednesday night with a 73-50 loss to Alabama. Plenty of people were questioning the Gamecocks during their 15-0 start, and now they will likely only get louder.

Despite the latest setback, however, this is still a talented team that will remain a contender in the SEC throughout the season.

Michael Carrera was the only one who showed up against Alabama, but in most games this is a balanced attack with multiple scorers in each contest. Sindarius Thornwell and Duane Notice are especially solid on the perimeter with the athleticism to slash to the basket offensively while also being stingy on the defensive end.

Although the schedule hasn't been the toughest to this point, wins over Clemson and Vanderbilt prove South Carolina will not be an easy win, especially on the road.

Feb. 20 at Texas A&M

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Not many SEC teams have lived up to preseason expectations, but Texas A&M is definitely one of them.

The Aggies are currently in first place in the conference with a 4-0 record, also posting impressive nonconference wins over Texas, Baylor and Gonzaga. The senior duo of Jalen Jones and Danuel House have been incredibly difficult to defend, while freshman Tyler Davis has provided a much-needed boost in the post.

With the team also playing an aggressive style of defense, Texas A&M will likely remain in contention for an SEC title all year long.

Kentucky will have a serious challenge on the road in this contest, but a win could go a long way toward securing a conference championship.

Feb. 27 at Vanderbilt

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Vanderbilt is admittedly not as good as anticipated coming into the season. The squad has already lost three games in conference and is just 9-7 on the year, a far cry from its preseason spot in the Top 25.

Despite the struggles, this is still a team that can pull off the upset. Luke Kornet and Damian Jones can protect the rim and force Kentucky to make jump shots, which hasn't been a Wildcats strength this season. The Commodores can also get hot from three-point range, a perfect recipe for an upset.

Additionally, winning in Memorial Gym is never an easy task. The unique arena and atmosphere can be enough to shake up even the most experienced teams, and a young squad like the Wildcats could really struggle.

Even if Vanderbilt doesn't contend for an SEC title, this game could easily be a trap that holds Kentucky back this season.

March 1 at Florida

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Even with a 2-2 start to the conference season, Florida is still a threat to be one of the top teams in the SEC this year. The squad has tons of talent and has been excellent defensively to rank No. 6 in the country in defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com.

The only holdup has been the awful outside shooting with the squad making just 29 percent from three-point range. Like the Wildcats, you can expect this to improve at least slightly as the year progresses.

Florida has struggled on the road this season with a 1-4 record, but the squad is obviously much tougher to beat in Gainesville where Kentucky will have to play it.

The Wildcats can't really afford to suffer a loss at this late stage of the year, so they better come prepared for this difficult matchup.

March 5 vs. LSU

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The only team in the SEC we know can beat Kentucky is LSU, as evident by a dominant 85-67 victory over the Wildcats earlier in January. Now the goal will be getting revenge on the final day of the regular season.

LSU had some bad losses earlier in the year but now appears to be at full strength with Keith Hornsby and Craig Victor in the lineup. A deep group of guards, including Tim Quarterman and his 21 points against Kentucky, makes this a dangerous team for the rest of the year.

Of course, we haven't even gotten to Ben Simmons, who has a strong claim for National Player of the Year while averaging 20.3 points, 12.6 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. As long as he is on the roster, LSU can beat anyone in the country.

After a 3-1 start in the SEC, this team can clearly compete for a conference title and already has an advantage over Kentucky. There is a lot that can happen before March, but the Wildcats likely won't be able to afford a second loss in the conference title race.

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