Kentucky Basketball: Picking Wildcats' Best Crunch-Time Lineup

An inconsistent season has forced Kentucky to continually adjust its lineups to put the best possible team on the floor. Even 23 games into the year, there is plenty of uncertainty about which five players give the Wildcats the best chance to win.

Injuries have had a lot to do with it, but the team has used nine different starting lineups this year.

Bench players will see 15-20 minutes of action one night and then zero the next while John Calipari continues to mess with his rotation.

Regardless of who plays the majority of a game, however, the Wildcats need to settle on a group of players in the closing minutes that they can trust to close out a win. The squad has struggled in close games this year and needs a crunch-time lineup that can get the job done.

Here is a look at the best options for Kentucky assuming everyone is healthy.

Tyler Ulis

Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

This is the biggest no-brainer on the roster. If you are a coach, you want Tyler Ulis on the floor as much as possible, and that is exactly what Kentucky has done this season.

The sophomore point guard has been one of the best in the nation at his position this season and even better in conference play. In 10 games against SEC opponents, Ulis is averaging 19.2 points and 7.1 assists in an incredible 37 minutes per game.

His shooting has also improved with a 35.7 percent mark from three-point range and 48.4 percent overall.

Fatigue could be an issue as the year progresses, but Ulis still looks good as he maintains complete control of the game whenever he is on the floor. His poise is exactly what you want from a point guard in the closing minutes, and there is no reason to put him on the bench with the game on the line.

Jamal Murray

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Great teams have at least one player they can count on to make shots when needed. Kentucky has that in Jamal Murray.

No matter what is happening in the game—whether the Wildcats are up 20 points, down 20 or tied—Murray is always focused on scoring. The opposing team can set up in whatever defense it wants, but the freshman will find a way to create a good look at the basket.

Murray leads the team with 18.3 points per game, and while his shooting might be inconsistent, he is definitely the most dangerous scorer on the roster. Even if he misses 10 shots in a row, he will have complete confidence in his ability to make that 11th shot.

As good as Kentucky was a year ago, there was almost too much balance and some confusion about who would take the big shot late in games.

If the situation arises this year, Murray will be the one with the ball in his hands.

Dominique Hawkins

Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

This will likely be a surprising and highly debated call for those who follow the team, but when healthy, Dominique Hawkins is a more useful piece for Kentucky late in games than Isaiah Briscoe.

The junior has missed a lot of time this year with a high ankle sprain, although head coach John Calipari knows how valuable the guard is to this roster.

"We need Dom back," the coach said after the recent win over Missouri, per Lex18.com. "I'm—Dom is going—if Dom does what I think, there will be a couple other guys in positions where they're not going to get many minutes."

Hawkins returned in losses to Kansas and Tennessee but had another setback before the Florida game. Still, he has a chance to make an impact later in the season as someone who can stretch the floor as a shooting threat.

Remember, he was a key part of the win over Louisville with 13 points, five of them coming in the closing minutes with a three-pointer and two made free throws.

Briscoe has been an excellent defender all year, but his free-throw shooting (40.5 percent) is a major liability late in games. Charles Matthews (41.7 percent) hasn't been much better. Kentucky needs an extra ball-handler in crunch time who can make shots, and Hawkins could be that player.

Derek Willis

Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports

Of the frontcourt players on the roster, Derek Willis might be the one you can trust the most.

If you need someone to make a three or a free throw, Willis is a better option than Marcus Lee. If you need a rebounder, he is a better bet than Skal Labissiere. If you need someone to play defense without fouling, Willis is certainly ahead of Alex Poythress.

The junior is averaging 10.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks over his last seven games and appears likely to keep his spot in the starting lineup. His versatility is extremely useful throughout the game and especially helpful in the closing minutes when anything can happen.

Few could have expected Willis to have this big of a role earlier in the season, but the forward is certainly one of the team's best five players at this point.

Marcus Lee

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Marcus Lee isn't likely to create much offense on his own, but you don't need that late in a game. Most possessions in the closing minutes will end with shots by either Ulis or Murray.

What Lee will provide are the two things he gives Kentucky all game long: rebounding and defense.

The forward has been one of the best offensive rebounders in the country this season and could give the squad extra opportunities on that end of the floor off missed shots. He hasn't been quite as consistent as a defensive rebounder, but he is still good enough to keep opposing teams off the glass.

Perhaps just as importantly, Lee is an excellent shot-blocker averaging 1.7 blocks in just 20.5 minutes per game. This could make every shot difficult for opposing teams late, even if Hawkins is on the floor instead of Briscoe.

While Lee does also struggle from the free-throw line (36.6 percent), he brings enough to the table to overcome this weakness and help the Wildcats win.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for year-round sports analysis.