Honest Expectations for 2025-2026 Season

[Farsight]

Oweh is back and that is massive for us. Thank God he did and wasn't pushed out. So happy to have a better culture around here.

Based off Oweh coming back, our roster, and schedule, my expectations is at least a final four!

What is yours?

 

[legalbeagle123]

The pieces are there to make a run at the whole thing.

 

[WeWant9_rivals]

With the $ that was pumped into this team I am going with at least a FF. Of course we will need to see them play together, but on paper the talent and depth for next year is crazy good.

 

[DraftCat]

Final 4 the talent and coaching is there. Anything less barring a ton of injuries or something fluky it's going to be a tough off-season.

 

[ia.ukfan_rivals]

Final four, with as good as chance as anyone of winning. Hard to know how the team will gel and what the true ceiling is. But somewhere between 1-8 best team seems right

 

[StubbornPenny]

My only expectation is that we compete for a title and Look like a title contender. That probably means we have to be a 1 or 2 seed. Hard to predict how far in tbr tourney because it’s all about matchups and luck, but we need to be a clear contender with this talent.

 

[UKalldayfromVA]

Final 4 for year 2 . Beyond that , it's a great season for me indeed!

 

[LineSkiCat14]

I have to think we will be in contention for a 1-seed with a good chance to grab a Final4. That roster is just so deep and Pope has so much more to work with this year. On top of that, it will be almost impossible to have as bad of injuries as we had last year. Remember, that was a big reason we probably weren't a 1-seed. We lost several games because our roster was reduced to basically just role players for the most part.

I think its going to be very hard for opposing teams to not only out-coach Pope, but even have the roster to compete.

 

[chasingwildcat]

We need to be regularly 1-2 seeds to have real chance to get championship


We may not be lucky every year, but need to be regularly in that position, an finally in certain year, we can get one

So should be E8 at least, hopefully we can get F4

 

[chasingwildcat]

I have to think we will be in contention for a 1-seed with a good chance to grab a Final4. That roster is just so deep and Pope has so much more to work with this year. On top of that, it will be almost impossible to have as bad of injuries as we had last year. Remember, that was a big reason we probably weren't a 1-seed. We lost several games because our roster was reduced to basically just role players for the most part.

I think its going to be very hard for opposing teams to not only out-coach Pope, but even have the roster to compete.

Probably we could grab 2 seed without major injury, and get E8

 

[chasingwildcat]

On paper, we are a contender. However, to be honest, we have too many new pieces to know how this will work out until we see them play together a bit. 1 starter returning, 1 role player and 2 freshman who played sparingly most of the year returning, with 6 transfers (1 coming off an acl surgery) and 4 freshman (including the euro player as a frehsman) is a lot of unknowns. And it will likely take a bit for them to fully click.

Do not think new players will be problem

Last season we have 12 new players, and if we didn't have major injuries, we would get 2 seed...

 

[chasingwildcat]

My only expectation is that we compete for a title and Look like a title contender. That probably means we have to be a 1 or 2 seed. Hard to predict how far in tbr tourney because it’s all about matchups and luck, but we need to be a clear contender with this talent.

Needs to be contender every year

Finally our time will come

Houston is good example

They are almost 1 seed in last few years, they were extremely unlucky for some years, and finally last season they were very near to be champion team

 

[chroix]

Who tf would pick runner up? That’s just punching yourself in the balls. It’s not even damn June yet.

 

[MidseasonTweaks]

Final Four should be a given. A little luck is always involved in every run, though

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

Oweh is back and that is massive for us. Thank God he did and wasn't pushed out. So happy to have a better culture around here.

Based off Oweh coming back, our roster, and schedule, my expectations is at least a final four!

What is yours?

Final 4 is very realistic with a shot once we get there. I think we will be among the 6-8 teams with a realistic chance at one, we may not end up the favorite, but we will be capable of winning it all.

 

[Bigkyfan88]

Sweet Sixteen should be worse case scenario. I definitely could see this team making the Elite Eight. POSSIBLY Final Four.

 

[MegaBlue05]

I can’t put a certain round on it because I have seen us lose to a 15 as a 2 and have seen us go to the title game as an 8 seed. Tournament is too random.

I expect UK to contend for the national tile, contend for an SEC title and earn a double bye in the SECT.

We have the potential on paper to win it all, but the games aren’t played on paper.

 

[RexShepcat]

My biggest concern is team chemistry. With the number of scholarship players that we have there will be very limited minutes for some. I’m just hoping it doesn’t cause hard feelings. I realize we are not the only team with that many scholarship players. Maybe that is a good problem and I’m hoping it is.

 

[Crawfords Corner]

Sight unseen, FF. Possible Natty, but gotta see them come together first.

 

[STL_Cat]

We break the longest streak in the history of the program without a 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, and make the Final Four. Maybe win it all.

 

[Aike]

We are going to be a buzz saw

 

[STL_Cat]

My biggest concern is team chemistry. With the number of scholarship players that we have there will be very limited minutes for some. I’m just hoping it doesn’t cause hard feelings. I realize we are not the only team with that many scholarship players. Maybe that is a good problem and I’m hoping it is.

All of our best seasons in our program’s history (minus maybe 2012) have started with this concern. I’ll take it

 

[JPFisher]

Our second string would be a top 25 team next year. Pope will have these guys conditioned, prepared for each game, and duking it out in practice.

We could easily platoon this year if Pope wanted us to. Unlike 2015, a single injury wouldn't derail that either. We will send waves of highly skilled, athletic, defense-minded beasts at everyone.

Assuming half our team doesn't get injured like they did last year, this iteration of the Cats could absolutely win a 'ship. I'd even go as far as to say that it would be disappointing if we didn't make it to Indianapolis.

The basement for this team (not the floor), in my opinion, is the ceiling many of us thought last year's team had... And we saw how they performed.

 

[fredmanthecatfan]

I expected us to win it all the years we were banned from post season play. I think we’ve got a much better shot this year. I always expect UK to come out on top. I’m frequently disappointed, but I recover quickly.
I will say that the hardest 2 was 1984 and 2015. I still have Nightmares about Michael Graham. Frank the tank can walk a plank. Let’s not go to a F4 only to lose once we get there. 9 will come in 25.

 

[mhs1964]

I’m optimistic but we have new team and will await to see how they play together. Also, in truth we had a lot of luck in close games last year.

 

[OliverSimmonsTwinBrother]

40-0. Win every game by 10+.

 

[Bluefaithful]

We know one thing for sure. We got it to bring! We will see some great basketball played this year. Enjoy the Ride!

Go Cats

 

[BlueBlood96Cat]

Ik each year the players say they want to win a championship but something about seeing this group say it I feel like they really have that as their top priority. Also half of this team really did grow up UK fans so they understand.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

This is a final four roster on paper. Kudos to Pope for assembling it. He has a great chance to make the final four n year 2.

 

[*Fox2Monk*]

My biggest concern is team chemistry. With the number of scholarship players that we have there will be very limited minutes for some. I’m just hoping it doesn’t cause hard feelings. I realize we are not the only team with that many scholarship players. Maybe that is a good problem and I’m hoping it is.

Good thing with that is everyone is getting paid nicely to play their role. Enjoy the money, the fame, and your time will come. Guys like Chandler, Noah, Jelavic, and Moreno may not play as much as they deserve but they will be pivotal in the next year IMO.

 

[Phil_The_Music2]

I’m optimistic but we have new team and will await to see how they play together. Also, in truth we had a lot of luck in close games last year.

I don't think it was luck. We made clutch plays at the end when we needed them, that was good coaching. Some of those were just wearing the teams out by the end of the game, which again is good coaching.

 

[true-blue1]

I think if we gel we’ve got a really good chance of doing something special!

 

[Bungalow Bill]

Everybody has a "new" team so that's never going to be an excuse. Plus we're loaded with talent and have a great coach. I say OO is the team captain and we get #9.

 

[CastleRubric]

Cats 168
Airbody Else 22

 

[storm1507]

I'm a KY Wildcat fan and I expect to win it all most years. Excitement, anticipation, hope and expectation is what it's all about.

However, if not, I'll be happy with a good showing, a fun team to watch, effort given and.............No Drama!

 

[Bluegrassking]

There are probably a solid 12 teams with legitimate championship aspirations and we are one of them so I'm shooting for that but an Elite 8 exit is also plausible and probably not something I think is rational to be angry about.

 

[HagginHall1999]

Just need progress. EE is expectation and see what happens. Final 8 on is such a crap shoot for most part...mostly always has been but moreso now than ever.

The above stated, we have the depth, talent and experience to make a serious run at #9.

 

[EliteBlue]

We need to be regularly 1-2 seeds to have real chance to get championship


We may not be lucky every year, but need to be regularly in that position, an finally in certain year, we can get one

So should be E8 at least, hopefully we can get F4

This is the historically correct answer.

E8 is our historical season. Meet it or exceed it and it’s a success. Fall short and it’s disappointing with this roster construction and expectations.

 

[Old Blue Fart]

On paper we look to be really good. Really good.
But the games are played on the basketball court and not paper. Last season was nice to watch. I have no doubt in Coach Pope doing what it takes for UK to be a top contender again.
Last season was just that, last year; this is a new season, new players and all we can do is hope they gel like last year, work together, play hard and stay injury free. If that happens, UK will be there at the end and that is all we can hope for.

 

[davekersey]

Could possibly be a tremendous Defensive Juggernaut with quaintance at the five, jelavic at the four, dioubate the three, oweh at two, aberdeen at point