Kentucky meets up with the fourth best team in the SEC with the Aggies hosting College GameDay. With national attention, the Wildcats need a big effort from their stars as they have some missing pieces going into an important road game.
Big Man Blues
Kentucky has been without their lone senior Alex Poythress for four games, and it doesn't look as though he will be returning for this one. With Texas A&M being so athletic inside and Danuel House running the show, the Wildcats' lack of Poythress will be felt.
Another injury keeping the Wildcats from being 100% is what has been said by John Calipari as a random muscle spasm in the back of Marcus Lee. Lee is the energy guy for Kentucky, and on the road in Texas, they need all the energy they can get. This young Kentucky team feeds off of hyped crowds and without Lee in the lineup, it could cause problems on offense.
A less serious injury is the one to Derek Willis. Willis said his knees feel terrible and that he turned an ankle in practice before the game against Tennessee. Willis looked better than usual in that outing, scoring 25 points and grabbing five boards. Calipari has confirmed the junior will play against Texas A&M.
Will Blue Get in Again?
In Kentucky's last road game against one of the SEC's better teams, the Big Blue Nation showed up and supported their team. That's the kind of support this Kentucky squad needs. They are a perfect 15-0 at home because these young players need a crowd to get involved.
Kentucky's previous road games were lackluster due to the Wildcats not playing with energy or a sense of urgency. A crowd cheering for them gives them the mindset that they can make great plays and dominate the game.
The only question is; can the Big Blue Nation do it again? A College GameDay arena will definitely be filled to the brim, so it's up to the crazy Kentucky fans who the arena is filled with.
SEC Title Decider
Kentucky has been involved in some games that play big in part to who will be on top of the SEC at the end of the year. This road game comes no different for Kentucky.
As of right now, Kentucky is in sole possession of the #1 spot in the SEC at 10-3 in the conference. The Aggies come in at fourth at 8-5 in league play.
If Kentucky wins this one, they pull even farther ahead of the competition. If they lose, however, they tie with LSU for the top spot in the SEC, and it becomes anyone's game.
Texas A&M is in a must-win position not just for their SEC title hopes, but their NCAA Tournament hopes. The Aggies were on a roll in the SEC and got as high as #5 in national polls, but lost four straight games and fell out of the top 25 in a hurry.
A win at home against one of the hottest teams in the country would do wonders for a team struggling in a weak conference. A loss wouldn't hurt Texas A&M, but a win makes for a larger margin of error going forward.
Underdog
There's two ways to look at who could be the underdog in this game, and both are reasonable.
Kentucky will likely be missing both Poythress and Lee; two key big men and experienced post players for the Wildcats. Without these two, the supporting cast will need to put up big numbers to soften the blow.
Texas A&M is unranked and unable to get control of themselves. This is a talented Aggies squad, perhaps the best in recent years, but without the ability to finish games, a talented team is nothing.
It's hard to call a top 15 team an underdog, but when Kentucky hits the road it can get a little rough. It wouldn't be surprising to see either of these two teams collapse under their pressured circumstances.
Players to Watch
Tyler Ulis- Ulis had a quiet game against Tennessee and shot the ball rather poorly. His 11 point, nine assist outing is seen as disappointing despite still almost having a double-double. Ulis will realize he has to play a bigger role in this road game and step up for his team.
Danuel House- House is easily one of the best players in the SEC and Kentucky is missing their answer on defense for the 6'7 guard. Willis will likely attempt to defend House, but Willis is no Poythress on the defensive end. House will contribute the most for his team and he'll will his team against the Wildcats.