Key to Kentucky is ‘Unbelievable Depth,’ Says Dick Vitale [AUDIO]
The undefeated Kentucky Wildcats beat the upset-minded Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday night to solidify their spot in the Final Four. Kentucky needed a late surge, spurred on by a clutch 3-pointer by Aaron Harrison and the dominating post threat that is Karl-Anthony Towns to win the game.
Even though they may be the most talented team in America, Kentucky also has the advantage of having fresher legs on the court due to their incredible depth on their roster. John Calipari routinely plays 11 guys compared to other teams that may play eight or nine at most. This depth is a huge advantage come tournament time and Kentucky has shown it.
Dick Vitale joined Armen and Levack on 104.5 the Team to help explain just how important the depth of this Kentucky team is to their overall success.
"It's been a big factor for them all year long, I think fatigue sets in and they wear you out with that incredible ability of size and length. It does become a major problem," Vitale said. "It's unbelievable what they do with the depth factor."
Could the Wildcats' depth be the main factor in their team remaining the lone undefeated team in the country? So far, depth has been vital to their success in the tournament. In their matchup against Notre Dame, Irish point guard Jerian Grant played the entire game and was clearly fatigued when it came down to crunch time. It also didn't help that Kentucky had an immense height advantage, as well.
"They are so deep and so talented, and they find a way to win and keep their poise," Vitale said.
Dick Vitale joins Armen and Levack every Monday and Thursday at 5:15PM ET throughout the NCAA Tournament, thanks to McLane Food Service.