Midpoint to March: Cats and Cards Remaing Schedules

The Cats slipped from #12 to #14 and the Cards went from #19 to #24 in the latest AP Poll. With UK (RPI 13) sitting now at 3-2 in the conference (15-4 overall) and UofL (RPI 39) at 4-2 in the conference (15-4 overall), what can we expect for the rest of the season for these teams? I personally think that both are on two different paths. Let's examine, shall we?

Cats Remaining Schedule:

Team-RPI

Georgia-42

@Ole Miss-73

@Florida-19

Tennessee-17

@Vandy-18

Mississippi State-176

South Carolina-81

Arkansas-107

Florida

Vandy

@Tennessee

In reality I can see the Cats dropping games at Vanderbilt and at Tennessee. I don't see them losing any home games, they have been virtually untouchable at Rupp ever since Cal has come to Lex Vegas and I don't see that trend ending. No more foes with RPI's in the top 15 and the rest of the teams are pretty pedestrian. They will finish 24-6 for the regular season and will win the SEC tournament heading into the NCAA as a 2 or a 3 seed. At the moment Joe Lunardi has the Cats as a 4 seed.

Cards Remaining Schedule:

Team-RPI

Wets Virginia-14

@UConn-3

@Georgetown-8

DePaul-219 (ouch)

@Notre Dame-7

Syracuse -7

@Cincy-38

UConn

Rutgers-101

Pitt-5

Providence-103 (bad loss Saturday)

@WVU

Louisville's season is about to take a serious turn and I don't think they have what it takes to really endure. Thanks to an easy early season schedule, I think the Cards make the NCAA tourney, but it's going to hurt getting there. 19-12 is what I think the Cards will finish at. I think they beat WVU at home this week, lose 7 out of their next 8 (DePaul being the one win), and then go 2-5 to end the season. With injuries this team can't pull Marquette like come backs against some of the best teams in the country on a weekly basis. Lunardi has the Cards at a 6 seed now but I see them more like an 11 or 12.

And of course I could be completely wrong about all of this. But that's what makes it fun. Honestly I think both teams are flying high above expectations. Everybody thought the Kanterless Cats would be in serious trouble and not able to contend for a decent spot in the tournament. And everybody wrote Louisville off because of the loss of some "talent" last year.

Both teams have records that would have been unthinkable due to their circumstances at the begninning of the year. Both fan bases should be proud. Each team has it's flaws, but they are playing hard, they are playing together, and niether team really has anyone considered a villain this season. Except Terrence Jennings. I'm not "shocked" that the man has been awful all season.