Kentucky Basketball Considered Bubble Team in Latest Bracketology

The Wildcats are placed firmly on the bubble in Joe Lunardi's latest projections.

Kentucky basketball's struggles have been well documented, as the Wildcats have now suffered five defeats through the first third of the regular season. 

Considered a top-five team in the lead-up to the season, expectations were — as always — through the roof for coach John Calipari and his latest band of diaper dandies, veteran role players and of course the reigning National Player of the Year. 

As defeats have piled up, the number next to UK has slowly gotten bigger, to the point where it now currently doesn't exist. That has slowly became the case in regards to projections for the 2023 NCAA Tournament as well. 

ESPN's Joe Lunardi has released his latest edition of bracketology, and Kentucky is continuing to trend downward, now considered a bubble team moving into the middle of January. The Wildcats are a No. 9 seed in the new projections and listed as one of Lunardi's last four teams to get a bye into the Round of 64. 

UK is one of seven Southeastern Conference teams projected to make the Big Dance, joining: 

• Alabama (No. 1 seed)
• Tennessee (No. 2)
• Arkansas (No. 3)
• Missouri (No. 6)
• Auburn (No. 8)
• Mississippi State (No. 11, last four in)

Lunardi is placing the Cats in the West Region, where they'd head out to Las Vegas. The current Round of 64 matchup would be a fun one against Indiana, renewing an old rivalry. A win against the Hoosiers would likely mean a date with No. 1-seeded Houston in the next round. 

Kentucky hasn't won a game in the NCAA Tournament since 2019. The season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Wildcats suffered a 9-16 season in 2021 that saw them miss March Madness, then last year saw a historic first-round upset as the No. 2-seeded Cats fell in overtime to No. 15 Saint Peter's. 

UK will look to get off the bubble starting Tuesday night, as the South Carolina Gamecocks enter Rupp Arena searching for their first SEC win of the season. Tipoff between Kentucky and SC is set for 7 p.m. EST and will air on the SEC Network.

More on Kentucky's road to getting back on track here.

COLUMN: Kentucky basketball feels broken beyond repair.

More on Kentucky's loss to the Crimson Tide here.

More on Oscar Tshiebwe's lackluster performance here.

John Calipari addresses Texas rumors here.

WATCH: Calipari, Wheeler postgame

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