By Joshua Huff

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If UK Hoops’ exhibition game against Pikeville last week could indicate anything, it would be that the Cats are in for a heck of a ride this season.

Granted, UK’s thrashing of an overwhelmingly overmatched Pikeville team doesn’t move the emotion meter, but the skill and talent displayed during the first actual competition of the season leaves goosebumps and the prospect of something special.

How special?

Considering how far UK got in the NCAA Tournament last year, which happened to be its fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, and the return of core talent from that team, the Cats should be squarely set toward a sixth consecutive tournament birth.

However, UK has the misfortune of playing in a conference that includes South Carolina and Tennessee.

The Volunteers currently hold the SEC Tournament crown after they won their 17th conference title, beating UK during the championship game in March.

UK will be facing another uphill battle this season to return to the championship game down in Georgia.

South Carolina is ranked the consensus preseason No. 1 in the SEC, and that ranking is well deserved. The Gamecocks return all five starters from last season and lost just two letterwinners from a team that went 29-5 and went to the Sweet 16.

The Gamecocks are led by the SEC Preseason Player of the Year Tiffany Mitchell, who averaged 15.5 points per game and stepped up during the NCAA Tournament with 18.3 ppg.

Yet, UK doesn’t suffer from a lack of talent. The Cats are locked into a roster that has speed, size and ability from top to bottom. Senior guard Jennifer O’Neill has started off this season playing relentless basketball. Her 20 points against Pikeville has set the tone for a UK team that will focus on up-tempo, high-pressure basketball. Complementing her is a roster that has a mixture of defensive specialists and offensive gurus.

Freshman forward Alexis Jennings started Thursday and scored 20 points, showing a deft touch from beyond the arc. At 6-foot-2, her size and ability to shoot the ball will create matchup problems for most teams, and opens the door for fellow freshman center Alexis Rice and senior center Azia Bishop, who racked up 14 points and eight rebounds while towering over the Bears.

The size advantage alone in the paint and the ability of the bigs to run in transition will play well into the “40 minutes of dread” that UK head coach Matthew Mitchell focuses on.

After injuries hit the team hard last year, the Cats are primed to make a run through the SEC and UK’s calling card will be on defense. If the 37 turnovers UK created against Pikeville mean anything, the only way teams will be able to crack UK’s pressure will be a combination of ball-handling and experience, which South Carolina has in abundance.

UK was ranked fourth in the SEC preseason poll, a ranking based on returning talent and potential. The Cats contain both and will look to combine those aspects into one balanced team that should surprise a few people this season.