Jan 31, 2015; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Tyler Ulis (3) dribbles the ball against Alabama Crimson Tide guard Retin Obasohan (32) in the second half at Rupp Arena. The Kentucky Wildcats defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide 70-55. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Outside of Kentucky, the SEC playoff picture is very muddy. The way that the rest of the SEC beats up on each other makes it difficult to evaluate teams against other bubble-bound teams across the nation. Bear with me as I attempt to sort out this pile-up that we call SEC Basketball.

Kentucky Wildcats: Lock

The Kentucky Wildcats, sitting at first place in both the SEC and National rankings, are locks for the NCAA Tournament. No other team in the SEC (or even the nation for that matter) has been able to compete with the size, length and talent level that the Wildcats bring to the court every night.

When Alex Poythress went down with a season ending injury, many thought that the young Wildcats would struggle. The result has been the exact opposite, as the plethora of talented post players have helped Kentucky dominate the boards and defend the rim at an elite level. Even with Trey Lyles dealing with illness recently, the Wildcats continue to amaze with their depth of talent, especially in the front court.

Despite this dominance in the paint, John Calipari’s squad has a tough road section of the SEC conference schedule upcoming. February 7th, the Wildcats take on the underperforming Florida Gators on the road, and then turn around and head to Baton Rouge to take on LSU, a team that may match up the best with Kentucky in the front court. Either way, there is no doubt that the SEC’s flagship basketball program will a factor in March Madness.