Lexington, KY – The Wildcats are off to Pittsburgh for the opening rounds of the NCAA Tournament!
The Kentucky Men’s Basketball team has secured the #3 seed in the South Region. They will face off against #14 seed Oakland, the champions of the Horizon League. The first and second-round games are set to take place at the PPG Paints Arena on March 21st and 23rd. For the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games, the action moves to Dallas, TX, at the American Airlines Center.
Just before the team learned their bracket placement, Coach Calipari gave a brief, inspiring talk. He asked the players if they had always dreamed of this moment. Every hand in the room went up, a testament to their dedication and dreams.
The top seeds in the region are #1 Houston, #2 Marquette, #3 Kentucky, and #4 Duke. Despite an early exit from the SEC tournament after a loss to Texas A&M, Kentucky wrapped up the season with a 23-9 record, including 13-5 in the SEC. They ranked 19th in the NET rankings, a critical factor for the selection committee, with six “quad 1” wins under their belt.
Last year, the Wildcats exited in the round of 32 following a defeat by Kansas State. Kentucky’s basketball program boasts 8 NCAA Tournament championships, the second-highest tally behind UCLA’s 11, with their most recent victory in 2012 during Coach Calipari’s third season.
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