Mark Pope and his Wildcats are going solid in SEC play, but an important challenge stands in front of them. Kentucky is currently third in conference standings, owing their sole loss to Georgia. Even though Kentucky isn’t topping the tables, their momentum has certainly picked up in the last two conference games. Their resounding victory against Texas A&M has shown how well they’ve recovered from their conference upset. However, analysts feel like the Wildcats might be in trouble going forward.

On The Field of 68: After Dark, ACC alum Tyler Hansbrough had a lot to say about Kentucky’s odds in their next matchup. “I think ‘Bama’s gonna go in there and hand the blue nation an L right on their home court,” Hansbrough said. “I’m a big believer in Bama, I’ve always talked about this.”

The North Carolina Tar Heels alum talked about the athleticism advantage that Alabama has over Kentucky. “Mark Sears, he’s a veteran guard, he can get you buckets. Savvy, smart player. ‘Bama is athletic.” said the ACC veteran, before going on to discuss their front-court matchup. “The one match-up I’m looking at is Grant Nelson vs Andrew Carr, I think that’s gonna be the battle of the bigs.”

The big men in question are averaging similar statistics, both putting up around 12 pts per night for their respective teams. According to Hansbrough, Grant Nelson from Alabama has a slight advantage over the Kentucky big man.

It is going to be an interesting matchup, to say the least. Kentucky has a championship under its belt, but Alabama is fresh off a Final Four appearance. With a new head coach, Kentucky has a lot to prove this year. If they manage to beat the Crimson Tide, their SEC chances will improve by a large margin.

Pressure on Pope? Living up to Coach Cal

Regardless of the recent criticism that Coach Cal is getting over his Razorbacks, his run at Kentucky was nothing short of legendary. His post-season resume is one to write home about, as he got the Wildcats their fifth championship in 2012. After he departed from Kentucky, coach Mark Pope came into the fold.

Coach Pope is in the hot seat. His Kentucky Wildcats are currently tied for 3rd in SEC play and have already been through one upset loss early in the season.

Even though there’s a lot to live up to, Coach Pope has been doing a really good job with the Wildcats. According to SI, the Wildcats coach should be a front-runner for winning Coach of the Year honors. If his roster manages to hold it together, the award isn’t that far away for Pope either. He is doing a fantastic job while upholding the Belue Nation legacy.

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Kentucky Wildcats next face Alabama on the 18th. What do you think? Will Hansbrough’s prediction come true? Or will Kentucky carry on its momentum forward? We will find out very soon.