This thread reeks of arrogance and ignorance. The OP states things as if UK is so far ahead and needs a "push" from a worthy adversary. Duke has dwarfed UK basketball over the last 30 years with 5 titles, a better winning percentage, and more Final Fours - all while avoiding probation and...
so playing against, duke, Virginia, Louisville, NC state, and ND night in, night out wouldn't have better prepared your players and team for the toughest three game stretch of your season? I don't have a point?
If you can't see how playing mediocre to poor teams
for all of January and February is disadvantageous, I'm not sure I have the ability to explain it to you. And someone else called the Big 10 weak? With two FF teams?
I guess my real point is, UK would have been far better served playing in the ACC or Big 10 and losing a couple games. It's not like you had a choice though.
The SEC didn't hurt you last year because the league was actually decent. Florida was legit. Who would you say was your best win this year? Louisville? Kansas? ND aside...I'm talking regular season games.
UK dodged a bullet with ND missing wide open threes. They are normally a deadly three point shooting team and they just didn't fall tonight. That was the difference.
I've seen Purdue play a few times. Watched them blow out Indiana in Lafayette. Decent team with good size and a couple of shooters. Nothing UK fans need to be worried about. They are soft defensively.