What a difference a week makes.

One week ago, plus a few hours, Kentucky scored 83 points against one of the toughest defensive teams in the country in a upset win that changed the course of the season.

Fast forward to Feb. 3 and those same Cats could not score more than 60 points against Missouri, as they fell to the Tigers 69-60. The loss was one of their worst offensive performances this season and brought fans down from the excitement they felt last week. 

Recap: UK loses to Missouri for the first time ever

The Cats scored their lowest point-total, and had their lowest field goal percentage of the season against the Tigers. UK was also in jeopardy of losing their streak of most consecutive games with a made three-pointer until Wenyen Gabriel swished in a three with 2:53 remaining.

Despite the disappointing performance, it’s not appropriate to be harsh on Kentucky for their offensive performance. The Cats won’t struggle that bad offensively for the rest of the season, and if they do, they have bigger problems to worry about then dropping a road game to a much-improved SEC team.

The area that should be alarming for Cats fans is their consistency. The Cats have not shown it all season, and until they do, they won’t be a clear favorite in all their remaining games.

All of UK’s big wins, like the 29-point win over Louisville and the win over Virginia Tech, was followed up with performances that left people scratching their heads. UK’s inconsistency has forced them to be ranked near the bottom of the top 25, which many fans disagree with since UK is usually in the top 10.

But in reality, treading on the edge of the top 25 is right where UK should be ranked until they start showing consistency. The teams who are ranked in the top 10 have mostly been consistent all season, and don’t lose games they should win. 

Being consistent is what helps you win in the NCAA Tournament, and right now, there is no way you can be confident in any game UK plays in, because they have not shown the ability to put together good performances in different days.

It also takes talent to win big games, which UK has plenty of. We saw that in stretches against West Virginia and Louisville, but in order for UK’s tournament projections to be brighter, we need to see consistency on a nightly basis.