Undefeated Texas A&M a Rare SEC Opponent for Kentucky

I feel like people are undervaluing the importance of tomorrow’s game against Texas A&M. Sitting at 3-3 in the conference, Kentucky certainly needs to run the remaining home schedule to have any chance at earning a double bye for the SEC Tournament. But with the Aggies sitting at 5-0, it is also a chance to knock a team ahead of us in the standings down a peg. Additionally, looking at it historically, we haven’t seen a team 5-0 or better in conference play the Cats very often. In fact, under Calipari, it has only happened seven other times:

THE EARLY YEARS

2010: Vanderbilt (5-0), Rupp Arena
Result: Kentucky 85, Vanderbilt 72

This was the first real SEC test of the John Calipari era and many felt would likely decide the SEC East already. But the Cats completely controlled this game and Vandy never got within 10 points in the final 32 minutes of the game. If there was any question about who was going to be the top dawg in the league moving forward, this game put those questions to rest.

2013: Ole Miss (6-0), Pavillion at Ole Miss
Result: Kentucky 87, Ole Miss 74

Forever the Nerlens Noel game. The big man did not control a game more than this one and we probably took it for granted. Just 4 games later, his season was over. But the 12 blocks he produced on that night were a school record, by 3. And do you know what is the most interesting part of Noel’s performance that goes forgotten? He only scored 2 points in that game.

THE FLORIDA YEAR

2014: Florida (11-0), Rupp Arena
Result: Florida 69, Kentucky 59

You could argue up to the end of the 2014 season, that Florida team was the best SEC team since the 1996 UK squad. And while Kentucky did battle the Gators hard in this contest, you could tell there was a gap between them and the young Cats. This would be the first of 3 clashes between the 2 teams that year, all Florida victories. Casey Prather and Scottie Wilbekin scored 24 and 23 points respectively.

2014: Florida (17-0), O’Connell Center
Result: Florida 84, Kentucky 65

The second matchup didn’t exactly fill Cats fans with confidence heading into the SEC Tournament. Of course, it would turn out to be some of the most exciting weeks in school history after this blowout. Frankly, Florida was just too good for the Cats that year. Kentucky almost clipped them in Nashville the next weekend and could have easily faced them in the National Championship three weeks after that but not sure Kentucky had the weapons to get them.

PRE-COVID

2017: South Carolina (5-0), Rupp Arena
Result: Kentucky 85, South Carolina 69

A reasonably forgettable game as Kentucky controlled it from the tip. Malik Monk scored 27 points. That UK team ended up 16-2 in league play and South Carolina finished 12-6.

2019: Tennessee (11-0), Rupp Arena
Result: Kentucky 86, Tennessee 69

The #1 ranked Vols came into Rupp riding a 19-game winning streak and left Rupp Arena on a 1-game losing streak after PJ Washington made his case as an All-American. The Cats bullied the Vols in front of a national TV audience and asserted themselves as a national title contender. UT ended up taking the next 2 matchups with Kentucky but the Cats went further in the NCAA Tournament.

THE YEAR WE DON’T MENTION

2021: Alabama (8-0), Coleman Colesium
Result: Alabama 70, Kentucky 59

Obviously, this UK team was dreadful but people forget Alabama was quite good that year. They ultimately were upset in the Sweet 16. Kentucky had already been thrashed by 20 at Rupp Arena just a couple of weeks earlier but was more competitive in this game. Nonetheless, this loss dropped Kentucky to 5-10 on the season.

Kentucky is 3-1 in such games at Rupp Arena under Calipari while just 1-2 away from home. Lucky for us the game tomorrow is at Rupp. I don’t know how much the game will make or break this season other than Kentucky has a little momentum for the first time all year and a loss would disintegrate that. But I do think this game is going underrated for its rarity in the Calipari era. Not many teams make it this far into the conference season undefeated and even fewer face the Cats when they do. Let’s see how Kentucky responds.