By Neil Schmidt
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The player UK will turn to:
Gerald Fitch, a senior guard, is one of the top 25 scorers in school history and unquestionably the go-to player on this team. He's the top perimeter threat, hitting 40 percent of his 3-pointers. Fitch leads the team with a 15.8-point scoring average. He had a midseason slump and injured his finger, but he has been hot recently, averaging 19.5 points over his last six games.

The Wildcat who must be playing well:
Senior guard Cliff Hawkins has hit his stride in recent weeks, coinciding with UK's nine-game winning streak. Coach Tubby Smith recently began allowing Hawkins to call his own plays during the game, and the point guard has controlled tempo adeptly during this span. Hawkins is averaging 13.3 points in his last seven games, twice setting new career highs, and is averaging 6.1 assists in his last nine games. He shot 41.4 percent on 3-pointers (12-of-29) the past six games, well above his 33 percent mark for the season.

The team UK doesn't want to face:
Pittsburgh. UK wouldn't see Pitt until the Final Four, but the Panthers are a physical matchup in the mold of Georgia, which gave UK fits this season.

What gives UK its best shot at San Antonio?
Senior guard play. The Wildcats won't meet a team with more experience, and Hawkins has the ability to break down opponents off the dribble when needed. And don't discount the value of reliable defense. No opponent has shot 50 percent against UK.

What could get UK bounced in the first round?
This is a stock question; a No. 1 seed has never lost to a 16. So, what could make UK vulnerable in a later round? UK hasn't had to deal with severe foul trouble often. The Wildcats' 66.6 percent foul shooting during Southeastern Conference play ranked 11th in the league. And UK averages 14.5 turnovers, including six games with 20 or more.

Where is UK now, compared to November?
Light years better. Erik Daniels learned to bang bigger bodies in the post. Kelenna Azubuike has gone from timid to tough. Antwain Barbour became an occasional scorer. The bench became trustworthy. On the whole, the team is playing with untold confidence and energy.

Neil Schmidt