Yes, Kentucky Basketball Stinks This Year

John Calipari and the Kentucky basketball program have fallen on hard times this season. They started 1-6, which was the worst start in almost 100 years (1926-27). Then they seemed to salvage things, by winning three straight.

But the slide is back, as Saturday's 66-59 loss to Auburn was Kentucky's second straight. That came after a blowout loss to Alabama, the worst of the Calipari era at Rupp Arena.

Add it all up, and Kentucky is 4-8 and in grave danger of missing the NCAA Tournament. There may not be an NIT again this year, but if there is, Kentucky may miss that, too.

Calipari has always embraced a "players first" motto. That's his way of getting top recruits to Kentucky with the promise that he will help them get to the pros. It usually works. But this year, it appears to have backfired.

"This year? Things have just felt… different," wrote Jack Pilgrim of Kentucky Sports Radio. "The coaching has left much to be desired, and he hasn’t been any better on the PR side of things. Between in-game adjustments, lineups, substitutions, and rotations in general, Calipari has seemed lost and desperate time and time again through 11 games. And then when answering questions about said coaching decisions, the head coach who has seemingly always had the answers over the years has been left speechless."

Calipari has said Saturday he thinks the Wildcats "still have our chances" at reaching the NCAA tourney. He is correct. There is still plenty of season remaining. But it is looking more and more like if they are to get there, it won't be by an at-large bid. It will have to be by getting real hot at the right time.

The reality is, though, Kentucky just doesn't have the talent this season. It's strange to say that, but anyone who has seen Calipari's club knows it's the truth.