For No. 2 UK to return to the Final Four for the first time since 2015, it is possible the Wildcats will have to snuff out three Cinderella teams in the Midwest Region, then win a battle of college basketball blue bloods.
If seeds hold, Kentuckys first three games in the 2019 NCAA Tournament will be against non-Power Five Conference foes:
Abilene Christian. The private Christian university in Texas did not even join NCAA Division I until 2013-14. Also known as Wildcats, Coach Joe Goldings team (27-6) won the Southland Conference Tournament even though leading scorer Jalone Friday and a second key player, guard B.J. Maxwell, were dismissed from the team in February.
Abilene Christian enters the NCAA Tournament on a six-game win streak, including a 77-60 spanking of New Orleans in the Southland Conference Tournament finals. In Abilene Christians sole game vs. a power-conference foe in 2018-19, it was blown out 82-48 at Texas Tech on Dec. 15.
Wofford. If UK wins its NCAA opener and No. 7 seed Wofford (29-4) survives No. 10 Seton Hall, it could set up a delicious Goliath vs. David scenario in the round of 32. Wofford (29-4) enters the NCAA Tournament on a 20-game winning streak.
Both the regular-season and tournament champions of a strong Southern Conference, Coach Mike Youngs Terriers are led by sharp-shooting 6-foot-4, 200-pound senior guard Fletcher Magee (20.1 points, 42.8 percent 3-point shooting).
Wofford went 1-4 against Power Five conference teams in its non-conference schedule, losing to North Carolina, Kansas, Oklahoma and Mississippi State and beating South Carolina.
Houston. The American Athletic Conference regular-season champs (31-3), the Midwest Regions No. 3 seed, have thrived with a suffocating defense. The Cougars are allowing opponents to shoot only 36.5 percent on field goals, a mere 27.4 percent from behind the 3-point arc. Houston also controls the glass, outrebounding foes by 7.8 boards per game.
The Cougars have wins this season over major-conference opponents Oregon (Pac-12), Oklahoma State (Big 12) and, most impressively, LSU (SEC).
BLUE-BLOOD REGION
The three winningest teams in the history of mens college basketball are all in the Midwest Region.
No. 2 seed Kentucky (2,290 all-time wins) is first on that list, followed by No. 4 seed Kansas (2,273) and top seed North Carolina (2,259).
If seeds hold, all three will reach the round of 16 in Kansas City where the Jayhawks would figure to have a major home-court advantage for a region semifinals matchup against UNC.
If Kentucky reached the round of eight and faces either North Carolina or Kansas, it would be a rematch against a team UK beat during the season.
The Wildcats bested North Carolina 80-72 on Dec. 22 in the CBS Sports Classic in Chicago. UK beat KU 71-63 Jan. 26 at Rupp Arena in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge.
WINNER
Kentucky over North Carolina.
