ESPN analysts: UK will lose games, but . . .

Kentucky’s dependence on freshmen will lead to losses this season, two ESPN analysts said on a teleconference Wednesday. But the experience those players gain through the season should make UK a formidable team in the post-season.

“They will get beat along the way on a number of occasions because someone is more experienced,” said Fran Fraschilla, a college basketball commentator for ESPN. “But by March 1st, they should be a very, very good basketball team capable of getting to the Final Four and winning it.”

Paul Biancardi, ESPN’s director of recruiting, saw the Kentucky freshmen  hitting a wall.

“Talent will win games for them,” he said, “but there’s going to be a point in the season when as freshmen they’ll hit that mental wall. They’ll be there physically, but mentally they won’t show up.

“And you’ll see that against experienced teams, especially in the SEC. That will come back and haunt Kentucky on those nights.”

Both analysts lauded Kentucky’s freshmen as superior talents.

Fraschilla noted how the top-level competition played in high school and the AAU circuit makes it easier for high school stars to adjust to the college level.

From watching Kentucky practice in September, Franschilla said he saw the kind of good attitude and willingnenss to learn as signs of a smooth adjustment.

“The guy that jumps out at me in terms of attitude and work ethic is John Wall,” said Fraschilla, who added that former UK star Tony Delk put in a good word for Wall. “When Tony Delk tells you someone has a great attitude, you can kind of take that to the bank.”