The Pinkie Previews: #1 Kentucky (33-2) vs. #9 Wake Forest (20-10)

That was fun, wasn’t it? A cake walk through the first round. The ‘Cats haven’t blitzed a first round opponent like that since 2003 when they handled IUPUI with a crushing performance, 95-64 in the opener. Scary thing is that Kentucky could have scored anytime they wanted underneath and they didn’t even have to. This team is crazy talented and they share the basketball. That’s a good combination.

Now it’s on to the No. 9 seeded Wake Forest Demon Deacons and you can expect a lot more blue to be in the crowd than there was on Thursday night.

The Deacons entered postseason play reeling, losers of five of their last six, including a first round loss to Miami in the ACC Tournament. At 19-10, and 9-7 in the ACC, they had reason to be nervous about even getting into the NCAA tournament. But, apparently early wins over both Gonzaga and Xavier were enough to earn them entrance into the dance.

Then in the first round they faced a Texas team that was in even more of a downward spiral. It took overtime, but Wake Forest downed the Longhorns, 81-80, to earn their first NCAA Tournament victory since 2005. It also marked head coach Dino Gaudio’s first ever tournament victory. Prior to Thursday night’s win he had yet to even record a victory in the ACC Tournament.

According to Guadio, energy levels and a lack of emotion can be attributed to their recent lack of success. But, they are coming off a tourney win and they have the size underneath and the guard play that could foreseeably give the Wildcats issues.

With 6-9 Al-Farouq Aminu, 7-0 Chas McFarland and 6-11 David Weaver all in the starting lineup, Wake Forest was forced to insert a clearance sign simply for their starting lineup introductions. They also have 6-11 Tony Woods coming off the bench. Clearly the Deacons have plenty of guys that have the size to bang with Kentucky’s bigs. Something that UK is not accustomed to.

AP Photo/Lynn Hey

Aminu, just a sophomore, is the best of the bunch as he leads the team in scoring (15.8 ppg) and rebounding (10.8 rpg) and has recorded a double-double in all but 11 games this season. He struggled during their recent stretch of bad play but was good on Thursday night, finishing with 20 points and 15 rebounds. He did however shoot just 6-for-18 from the field.

Senior Chas McFarland averaged 8.4 and 5.8 as a sophomore and his numbers the last two seasons have been kind of stagnant. He enters Saturday’s contest, averaging 7.2 points and 7.1 rebounds. Still, if he can stay out of foul trouble against UK’s bigs, he provides Wake Forest with another competent body underneath. That, however, is a big “if”, as he has been called for at least three fouls in 11 consecutive games and has fouled out in two of their last three.

Senior guard Ishmael Smith leads the charge for the Deacons and he could have the quickness necessary to have some success against Kentucky’s backcourt. In UK’s first round crushing of the Bucs, one area where they struggled defensively was keeping Micah Williams out of the lane. So Smith could be a concern.

He is averaging 13.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game, so he does a little bit of everything for the Deacons. He has scored in double figures in all but five games this season. In those five games, Wake Forest is 4-1, their lone loss was at Duke. However, he is not that great of shooter and is prone to turn the ball over. He is shooting just 22-percent from beyond the arc and he stuggles at the line as well, shooting just 50-percent.

For Wake Forest to have success, they need Smith to be “that guy” and he was “that guy” against Texas. In 44 minutes of action he finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. He also had eight turnovers.

Aside from Smith, Wake Forest’s backcourt becomes inexperienced if senior L.D. Williams struggles from the field and he has really been struggling of late. He is averaging 8.8 points on the season, but since his 9-for-11 performance against Virginia Tech on February 16, he is shooting just 14-for-51 from the field.

Like ETSU, the Deacons just do not have anyone who scares you from deep. On the season they are shooting just 31-percent and have connected on just 132 three-pointers. Their best shooters are C.J. Harris and Ari Stewart, but neither one of those guys really scare you. Harris is shooting 33-percent from deep and has connected on 34 threes, while Stewart is shooting 38-percent and has made 42.

Kentucky has not seen a frontline that matches up with theirs size-wise all season long and Wake Forest presents that. However, their bigs are nowhere near as talented as UK’s. Still, expect Wake to be physical with the ‘Cats underneath because they have the bodies necessary to attack and not worry about foul trouble.

If Smith can get into the lane and Williams, Harris and Stewart can make some shots, the Deacons could potentially stay in the game. I just don’t see it happening.

It is tough to turn it off and turn it on and the Deacons entered the tournament with it off. They just ran into a team in the first round that lost all power two months ago. This Kentucky team is on a mission and I don’t believe Wake has the talent necessary to derail them.

Kentucky 82, Wake Forest 68