#16 NORTHERN KENTUCKY
Northern Kentucky is a 16 seed in the Midwest region and will face a tough challenge in the first round against top-seeded Houston, who has a record of 31-3.
#6 KENTUCKY
The University of Kentucky men’s basketball team is set to extend its NCAA Tournament appearances record to 60 after being selected as the No. 6 seed in the East Region. The Wildcats will face off against the No. 11 seed, Providence, in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Friday.
This marks the second time that Kentucky has earned a 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the first being in 1982 when they fell to Middle Tennessee in the first round. The Wildcats finished the 2022-23 regular season with a 21-11 record, the 13th time in head coach John Calipari’s 14 seasons that the team has won 20 or more games.
Kentucky holds several NCAA Tournament records, including the most games played at 182, and the second-most wins at 129. The team boasts a .709 winning percentage in NCAA action, which is the fourth-best in NCAA history (min. 20 games). In addition, Kentucky has won 25 of its last 27 opening-round games and is set to play Providence for the fourth time in program history, the first time in NCAA Tournament action.
Providence finished the regular season with a 21-11 record, led by Kentucky transfer Bryce Hopkins, who is averaging 16.1 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. The Friars have been averaging 78.1 points per game, hitting 46 percent from the field and 35 percent from long range. Providence has been out-rebounding its opponents by six rebounds per game this season, and they will be looking to upset Kentucky in the first round.
If Kentucky defeats Providence, they will face the winner of the No. 3 seed Kansas State and No. 14 seed Montana State matchup. The Wildcats lead the all-time series with Kansas State 9-1, with their lone loss coming in the Sweet 16 of the 2018 NCAA Tournament. Kentucky and Montana State have only met once before, with Kentucky earning a convincing 86-28 win in Lexington in 2015.
The Wildcats will be looking to continue their dominance in the NCAA Tournament, with their eyes set on another deep run this year. The road to the championship begins on Friday, and fans are eagerly waiting to see what Kentucky has in store for this year’s tournament.
