Pursuit for Perfection

     In the weeks to come the University of Kentucky Wildcats Division 1 Men's basketball team will be trying to achieve the unprecedented 40-0 season at this years NCAA tournament. This would be an amazing achievement as no Division 1 Men's basketball team has gone 40-0 before. There have been other teams to have a perfect season these teams include the UCLA Bruins in the late 1960's and early 1970's going 30-0 four times in that span. The last team to go undefeated was the Indiana Hoosiers recording a final record of 32-0 in the 1976 season. If Kentucky finishes their run for perfection then they will be in the conversation for the best Division 1 Men's basketball team in the history of the NCAA.
     The team is considered to be one of the best defensive teams ever allowing just 53.4 points per game and scoring and average of 74.6 points per game. Many people say that they didn't have the strongest of schedules this year which in a lot of case is true but they did play some ranked opponents like # 14 Louisville, # 9 Kansas, # 21 Arkansas and # 19 UNC. This team has handled there games against ranked opponents very well and has dominated against almost all of there games against unranked opponents. One key thing that the team has in there favor is a very successful coach especially in the NCAA tournament. In John Calipari's career his teams have posted a 34-12 record in games in the tournament. This team seems to be poised to get Coach Calipari yet another NCAA title.
     The Wildcats have 9 returning players from last years team including Andrew and Aaron Harrison, Willie Cauley-Stein and Alex Poythress. This is very important to the team's success as last year these players lead the team to the title game where they just came short of winning but lost to UCONN. This will help the team because the players know how to play through the pressure of playing in such important games like the Sweet Sixteen, Elite Eight, Final Four and even the Championship Game too. They have also added player who have played essential roles in the success of the team this year like Devin Booker, Tyler Ulis, Karl-Anthony Towns and Trey Lyles without these new freshman players the team would not be where it is at this point and would not be going for the perfect season.
      We have seen teams poised to have the perfect season before and they just haven't got the job done like the 2013-2014 Wichita State Shookers who had there season come to an end after a 35-0 start. This team seems to be different though, the Wichita State team had a very easy record playing only two ranked teams all season, Kentucky on the other hand has been tested by ranked teams and even some very good unranked teams. They have been put through some tough tests like overtime games or even a few games where they trailed by double digits in the second half but the powerful team has passed the teats with no problem at all. Just when it looks like the streak might end one of there truly great players steps up and makes the necessary plays needed to win the game. This team seems to be clicking on all cylinders and are looking to stay hot, its going to take a perfect game to end this perfect season.