Kentucky 2007 NCAA Tournament Capsule

Kentucky Wildcats - SEC (21-11, 9-7)

Seed: #8 - West Region

Big Wins: 12/9 Indiana (59-54), 12/16 at Louisville (61-49), 1/28 Tennessee (76-57)

Bad Losses: 1/20 Vanderbilt (67-72), 1/24 at Georgia (69-78), 3/9 vs Mississippi State (82-84)

Last NCAA Appearance: 2006, Second Round loss to Connecticut

Coach: Tubby Smith (28-12 in 13 NCAA appearances)

Probable Kentucky Starters:

• Ramel Bradley, Junior, Guard, 13.8 ppg, 3.7 apg, 3.7 rpg

• Derrick Jasper, Freshman, Guard, 4.1 ppg, 3.1 apg, 3.7 rpg

• Joe Crawford, Junior, Guard, 14.2 ppg, 4.1 rpg

• Bobby Perry, Senior, Forward, 8.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg

• Randolph Morris, Junior, Center, 15.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 2.0 bpg

Key Roleplayers for Kentucky:

• Jodie Meeks, Freshman, Guard, 8.5 ppg, 1.4 apg

• Perry Stevenson, Freshman, Forward, 3.0 ppg, 2.3 rpg

• Sheray Thomas, Senior, Forward, 2.3 ppg, 3.2 rpg

• Lukasz Obrzut, Senior, Center, 2.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg

Why They Can Surprise:
Kentucky has a deep frontcourt led by Randolph Morris and Bobby Perry. Morris leads the team in points, rebounds and blocked shotsand everything runs through the 6-11 junior on the offensive end. Morris has done a wonderful job staying out of foul trouble, an issue that plagued him as a sophomore. Having that big body available for the entire game has done wonders for Morris and the Wildcats.

Perry had a couple great games in the NCAA Tournament last year and Kentucky fans hope that will continue during the 2007 tournament. He is not a prolific scorer, but can battle inside and hit the outside jumper. Sheray Thomas and Lukasz Obrzut will provide the experienced depth off the bench. Thomas is a solid rebounder and Obrzut uses his 7-1 frame to be a nuisance on the defensive end. Freshman Perry Stevenson has seen his minutes diminish as the season has progressed, but at least provides another big body for Kentucky.

Why Kentucky Can Disappoint:
Perry at the power forward spot is the weak link of the starting five. When the 6-8 senior starts knocking down his shots, it opens up the offense for the more efficient scorers on the team. Unfortunately, Perry has been a very inconsistent scorer all season long and he will tend to push his range a little too much by going out beyond the three-point arc.

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Who To Watch:
Kentucky has a big and dynamic backcourt. Derrick Jasper is a 6-6 freshman point guard who is coming into his own, Ramel Bradley is a flashy scorer who can handle the ball and Joe Crawford has finally become the explosive offensive weapon that Coach Tubby Smith expected him to be. Add freshman Jodie Meeks, providing a spark off the bench, and Kentucky has a very underappreciated and talented perimeter group.

By the Numbers:

Scoring Offense: 73.5 (85th in nation, 7th in conference)

Scoring Defense: 67.4 (135, 4)

Field-Goal Percentage: 47.9 (32, 2)

Field-Goal Defense: 40.9 (48, 5)

Free-Throw Percentage: 70.0 (145, 6)

Rebound Margin: 3.2 (72, 5)

Assists Per Game: 15.9 (35, 3)

Turnovers Per Game: 14.7 (170, 9)

Joel’s Bracket Says: Second Round loss to Kansas

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