ESPN's WBB Bracketologist Charlie Creme is 'pretty confident' that Kentucky will get the 3-seed in NCAA Tournament

In the latest ESPN Bracketology update, Kentucky came in as the last overall 3-seed in the projected field. The Cats could be on the fringe of falling down to a 4-seed, but in Charlie Creme’s eyes, Kentucky is in firm position to host.

“I don’t think Kentucky has anything to worry about in terms of hosting,” Creme said in a Wednesday media call. “I think they did enough. There was enough losing that took place that they were not a part of — Tennessee, Alabama early in the SEC Tournament that provided some cushion for teams like Kentucky and Oklahoma. So, I think they’re going to be fine there.”

Kentucky’s turnaround under Kenny Brooks has caught everyone’s eyes — even the eyes of some of the most highly-respected coaches in the SEC. Creme thinks that is worthy to note.

“I would say Kentucky — you know, we’re actually putting something together, a group of writers on kind of our awards for the year, and one of them is Surprise Team [of the Year], and Kentucky gets my vote for a surprise team,” Creme explained. “I think we all had some faith Kenny Brooks knew what he was doing, and once he got Georgia [Amoore] to come with him, they would be able to do something, but they’re playing in the best league in the country with a completely new roster, a completely new system, and the fact that he had to incorporate all of that so quickly and did so is certainly a credit to him. It’s a credit to Georgia Amoore and the rest of the kids that came together very quickly there might. They’re my pick to be the one that really surprised me. I thought they were probably a borderline tournament team. I think I had them in [the tournament] in the preseason, but I’m thinking 9-seed maybe. The fact that they’re hosting is pretty incredible given the circumstances and given where the program was before he got off that plane in Lexington.”

Of course, with Kentucky hovering as the last 3-seed, the possibility of them sliding down to a four is there. Creme doesn’t think that it’s 100% that the Cats don’t fall down a seed line. Once you make it out of the first two rounds, there’s a big difference in being a three or a four because when you get to the Sweet 16, you could either be playing the eventual national champion or another team more on your level.

“I think it’s possibly they could end up as a four,” Creme told KSR. “I have them as the last three, so that’s just simply the sliding of a seed line. So, it’s possible. I’m looking at the teams that are right behind them, and I think there’s a distinct advantage that Kentucky has over Ole Miss and over North Carolina. Obviously, there’s a big difference between those two things because the 1-line is so good that all four of the teams on the 1-line are certainly Final Four favorite-type teams, and so if you’re a three and you get to play one of the twos, you definitely have a better chance of getting to the Regional Final.”

“So, there certainly would be a difference, but I’m pretty confident in the 3-seed,” he added. “But like I said, when you’re talking about the 12th team or the 13th team, you can’t be supremely confident. I’m not going to run down the street to the Venetian and go to the sportsbook and put anything on it — let’s put it that way.”

While Creme thinks Kentucky is and should be a 3-seed, we’ll have to see what the committee thinks come Selection Sunday.