NCAA Resume Watch: Saturday's game vs. Tennessee is big

With 12 games left in the regular season, Kentucky has work to do when it comes to its NCAA Tournament resume. Last week’s loss to South Carolina dropped the Cats from No. 19 to No. 22 in the NET Rankings. After the win at Arkansas, Kentucky sits at No. 23, its lowest position in the NET since just before the game at Florida earlier this month.

The good news is, there are plenty of opportunities ahead. Kentucky still faces three teams ranked in the top ten of the NET: Tennessee (No. 3), Alabama (No. 7), and Auburn (No. 9). The first of two games vs. the Volunteers takes place Saturday night at Rupp Arena, one of five Quad 1 games left on the schedule. Considering the SEC race and the fact it’s been 23 days since Kentucky won a Quad 1 game, Saturday is huge.

As we’ll do each Monday from now until Selection Sunday, let’s look at Kentucky’s team sheet, which the Selection Committee will use as it determines the Cats’ seed in the NCAA Tournament.

• Quad 1: 2-3 (5 games remaining)
• Quad 2: 3-0 (4 games remaining)
• Quad 3: 5-1 (2 games remaining)
• Quad 4: 5-0 (1 game remaining)

Quad 1: 2-3

Home: 1-30 | Neutral: 1-50 | Away: 1-75

NET Ranking	Date	Opponent	Result
3	3/9/2024	at Tennessee
3	2/3/2024	Tennessee
7	2/24/2024	Alabama
8	12/16/2023	North Carolina (CBS Sports Classic)	W 87-83
9	2/17/2024	at Auburn
12	11/14/2023	Kansas (Champions Classic)	L 84-89
36	2/27/2024	at Mississippi State
39	01/06/2024	at Florida	W 87-85
44	01/13/2024	at Texas A&M	L 92-97 (1 OT)
50	01/23/2024	at South Carolina	L 62-79

Quad 2: 3-0

Home: 31-75 | Neutral: 51-100 | Away: 76-135

NET Ranking	Date	Opponent	Result
31	2/10/2024	Gonzaga
36	1/17/2024	Mississippi State	W 90-77
39	1/31/2024	Florida
56	2/13/2024	Ole Miss
62	11/28/2023	Miami (FL)	W 95-73
94	2/21/2024	at LSU
130	1/27/2024	at Arkansas	W 63-57

Quad 3: 5-1

Home: 76-160 | Neutral: 101-200 | Away: 136-240

NET Ranking	Date	Opponent	Result
80	1/20/2024	Georgia	W 105-96
86	11/20/2023	Saint Joseph’s	W 96-88 (1 OT)
112	12/2/2023	UNCW	L 73-80
123	1/9/2024	Missouri	W 90-77
130	3/2/2024	Arkansas
197	12/9/2023	Penn (Neutral)	W 81-66
231	12/21/2023	at Louisville	W 95-76
237	2/6/2024	at Vanderbilt

Quad 4: 5-0

Home: 161-362 | Neutral: 201-362 | Away: 241-362

NET Ranking	Date	Opponent	Result
204	11/24/2023	Marshall	W 118-82
222	12/29/2023	Illinois State	W 96-70
237	3/6/2024	Vanderbilt
267	11/6/2023	New Mexico State	W 86-46
315	11/10/2023	Texas A&M-Commerce	W 81-61
358	11/17/2023	Stonehill	W 101-67

Team Sheet Notes

— With the loss to South Carolina, Kentucky’s Quad 1 record dropped to 2-3. Only four teams ahead of Kentucky in the NET Rankings have played five or fewer Quad 1 games:

• 9. Auburn: 0-3
• 15. New Mexico: 2-2
• 21. Saint Mary’s 3-1
• 22. Utah State 1-2

As mentioned, that will soon change, as Kentucky’s schedule is backloaded with Quad 1 and Quad 2 games.

— Kentucky’s got a great chance to build momentum over the next five games. Four are at home, and the lone road trip is to Nashville to play Vanderbilt, the worst team in the league. Right now, only one of those five games is in Quad 1 (vs. Tennessee) but if Gonzaga climbs back into the top 30 of the NET, that game will be bumped into Quad 1 as well. The Bulldogs are currently No. 31 in the NET.

— How is Alabama No. 7 in the NET despite a 14-6 record? The Crimson Tide has one of the toughest schedules in the country. Five of their six losses are in Quad 1 and their only loss since Dec. 20 is to Tennessee, which ranks No. 3 in the NET. The computers love the Crimson Tide, making their trip to Rupp next month important.

— The UNC Wilmington loss remains firmly in Quad 3. Only four teams ranked ahead of Kentucky in the NET also have a Quad 3 loss:

• 4. Arizona (Oregon State)
• 12. Kansas (West Virginia)
• 13. Illinois (Maryland)
• 21. Saint Mary’s (Weber State, Missouri State)

The Road Ahead

Here is where each remaining game sits on the team sheet according to the current NET rankings. As mentioned, Saturday’s game vs. Tennessee is the big one, sitting atop Quad 1, while Wednesday’s game vs. Florida is in Quad 2.

Date	Opponent	NET Ranking	Quad
1/31/2024	Florida	39	Quad 2
2/3/2024	Tennessee	3	Quad 1
2/6/2024	at Vanderbilt	237	Quad 3
2/10/2024	Gonzaga	31	Quad 2
2/13/2024	Ole Miss	56	Quad 2
2/17/2024	at Auburn	9	Quad 1
2/21/2024	at LSU	94	Quad 2
2/24/2024	Alabama	7	Quad 1
2/27/2024	at Mississippi St.	36	Quad 1
3/2/2024	Arkansas	130	Quad 3
3/6/2024	Vanderbilt	237	Quad 4
3/9/2024	at Tennessee	3	Quad 1