Two months ago, the idea of Kentucky making a deep NCAA Tournament run felt unrealistic. Now, even after a tough road loss to Florida, that possibility is very much alive — and national voices are starting to say it out loud.
One of those voices is Jeff Goodman.
For years, Goodman wasn’t exactly a fan favorite in Lexington due to his rocky relationship with former head coach John Calipari. But with Mark Pope now leading the program, the dynamic has shifted. Goodman and Pope share a strong bond, and that connection has led to more candid evaluations of this Kentucky team.
Following the Wildcats’ nine-point loss in Gainesville, Goodman shared his thoughts on The Field of 68 podcast — and they were surprisingly optimistic.
“I thought Kentucky could get run out of the gym,” Goodman admitted. “But they made a huge impression on me. Playing the hottest team in America on the road and not folding — that said something. When adversity hits against a really good team, this team has kind of flipped their mentality over the last month.”
That kind of praise rarely follows a loss, especially on the road in the SEC.
But Goodman didn’t stop there. He went even further, suggesting Kentucky’s ceiling in March might be higher than most realize.
“I think Kentucky could really be a Sweet 16 team, maybe Elite 8,” he said. “If the constant with this team is they play hard all the time, they’ll have a good chance to go far in the NCAA Tournament.”
Co-host Dalen Cuff echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that Kentucky’s fight — particularly in tough environments — is what makes them dangerous. Effort, consistency, and unity are starting to define this group.
Yes, the Wildcats dug themselves into a 32-17 hole early. Yes, turnovers were costly. And yes, there were frustrations with missed calls. But after that brutal start, Kentucky actually outplayed Florida the rest of the game.
That’s the type of loss you can build on.
It wasn’t a lack of heart. It wasn’t a lack of fight. It was execution — something that can improve.
For Kentucky to truly reach that Elite 8 ceiling, Otega Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen will need to become more efficient in key stretches. Early-game focus must improve. You can’t consistently spot elite teams big leads and expect to recover.
But the growth over the past month is real. The buy-in is obvious. And the mentality shift Goodman referenced is visible.
Two months ago, this team wasn’t in the postseason conversation.
Now, national analysts are openly discussing a potential Elite 8 run.
That’s progress — even in defeat.
