Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - I was hoping that was vodka, Kansas coach Bill Self said after taking a sip of water in a press conference following his teams 72-40 loss to Kentucky on Nov. 18. Self isnt the only coach thats needed a swig after having to play the Wildcats this season. Kentuckys not only looking to run the table, it may break the bank. But can a bunch of teenagers and 20-somethings really become the first team since Indiana in 1976 to finish a season undefeated? Its possible. Coach John Caliparis Cats sport an NCAA-record nine former McDonalds All- Americans and have more size than some NBA teams, with six players on the roster 6-foot-9 or taller. Due to that length, Kentucky is on pace to become the most efficient defense in NCAA history -- at least since KenPom.com has tracked the statistic. The Wildcats are allowing opponents to score just 82.3 points per 100 possessions. So basically once you struggle to successfully navigate past one Wildcat defender who is 6-foot-10, youve got a 7-footer behind him ready to swat your shot several rows into the seats. The Wildcats, who are outscoring their adversaries by 25.7 points per game, are blocking a nation-leading 7.9 shots per game and allowing opponents to shoot just 31.7 percent from the floor. Since Kentucky was drowning with stars after several players from last years national championship runner-up team returned, Calipari employed two five-man platoons. The Blue Platoon is made up of starters, while the White Platoon features what Calipari likes to call reinforcements. If you take their first and second teams and split them up, theyd probably have the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the nation, SMU coach Larry Brown told USA Today in a November article concerning the Wildcats. We got our first good look at the platoon system in the Champions Classic against Kansas. The Jayhawks made only 11 field goals -- just three in the second half -- had 11 shots blocked and shot 19.6 percent from the floor. More blowouts followed. Kentucky defeated then-No. 6 Texas -- one of the handful of squads that comes close to matching the Wildcats size -- 63-51 on Dec. 5, rolled past North Carolina 84-70 on Dec. 13, beat UCLA in a laugher, 83-44, on Dec. 20 and took care of its Bluegrass rival and the then-No. 4 Cardinals 58-50 on Dec. 27 in Louisville. I dont know in my 20 years coaching at the Division I level that Ive coached against a better team than what this team looks like, Bruins coach Steve Alford said following his teams loss to UK. Im a firm believer theyve got a chance to run this thing out. Theyre that good. Theyre that talented. The Wildcats got off to a 24-0 start in that one and were up 41-7 at the half. UCLA was 3-of-37 from the floor in the opening 20 minutes. If there is a weakness, its the youth. The young Cats have gotten up for the big programs, but have also played down to lesser competition. Kentucky trailed by five against Buffalo at halftime before pulling away for a 71-52 win on Nov. 16 and Columbia held a 25-23 edge at the break in Lexington on Dec. 10. The Wildcats eventually prevailed 56-46 in that one. Then conference play began and Kentucky looked even more vulnerable. It needed overtime to dispatch Ole Miss 89-86 on Jan. 6 and a pair of extra sessions to take down Texas A&M 70-64 in College Station four days later. The Wildcats have responded, though, winning their next two SEC games by a combined 71 points. They thrashed Missouri 86-37 on Tuesday, then walloped Alabama 70-48 in Tuscaloosa on Saturday. The question has been posed, does Kentucky have a go-to guy that it can turn to in the waning minutes of the close game? Its a fair question, but Aaron Harrison is used to hitting big shots. His NCAA Tournament run last season speaks for itself. And with all the length inside, the Wildcats snatch an NCAA-leading 43.8 percent of missed shots and will therefore be attempting more field goals down the stretch in potential close encounters. While nobody has gone through a season unscathed since the Hoosiers, a few have come close, although just two have made it to the NCAA Tournament without a loss. A stacked UNLV team, which featured five future pros including Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony, was 34-0 before falling to Duke in the Final Four. Last years Wichita State squad, of course, fell to eighth-seeded Kentucky in the third round in what turned out to be the game of the tournament. Saint Josephs began 27-0 during the 2003-04 campaign prior to an 87-67 loss to Xavier in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 Tournament. The Hawks then fell to second-seeded Oklahoma State in the Elite Eight of the Big Dance. Tony Allen nailed a go-ahead 3-pointer with 6.9 seconds remaining to lift the Cowboys, 64-62. Illinois was 29-0 in 2004-05, but lost its regular-season finale to Ohio State when Matt Sylvester knocked down a go-ahead triple with 5.1 ticks to play to vault the Buckeyes to a 65-64 triumph. Calipari has flirted with perfection before. His 2007-08 Memphis team started 26-0 before losing to rival Tennessee. The Tigers werent defeated again until Kansas nipped them in the title game. The Wildcats are still 23 games away from perfection, but if they can keep it going, itll be Calipari taking swigs. His youngsters wont be allowed to. Cutting down the nets will have to do. PROJECTED BRACKET MIDWEST (Cleveland) 1. Kentucky* vs. 16. Monmouth*/Alabama State* winner 8. Oklahoma State vs. 9. SMU 4. Louisville vs. 13. Northeastern* 5. VCU* vs. 12. Western Kentucky* 6. Stanford vs. 11. Tulsa* 3. Maryland* vs. 14. UL Monroe* 7. Providence vs. 10. Colorado State 2. Kansas vs. 15. North Dakota State* WEST (Los Angeles) 1. Duke vs. 16. Albany* 8. Iowa vs. 9. LSU 4. West Virginia vs. 13. Sam Houston State* 5. Seton Hall vs. 12. Harvard* 6. Baylor vs. 11. Miami-Florida/St. Johns winner 3. Utah vs. 14. Eastern Kentucky* 7. Cincinnati vs. 10. Michigan State 2. Gonzaga* vs. 15. Bryant* EAST (Syracuse) 1. Virginia* vs. 16. Colgate*/Grand Canyon* winner 8. Georgetown vs. 9. Dayton 4. Wichita State* vs. 13. NC Central* 5. Oklahoma vs. 12. Wyoming* 6. Butler vs. 11. NC State/George Washington winner 3. Iowa State vs. 14. Coastal Carolina* 7. San Diego State vs. 10. Washington 2. Wisconsin vs. 15. Sacramento State* SOUTH (Houston) 1. Villanova* vs. 16. North Florida* 8. Old Dominion vs. 9. Indiana 4. North Carolina vs. 13. UC Davis 5. Texas vs. 12. Buffalo* 6. Arkansas vs. 11. Kansas State* 3. Notre Dame vs. 14. Cleveland State* 7. Northern Iowa vs. 10. Xavier 2. Arizona* vs. 15. Mercer* FIRST FOUR OUT Syracuse Ohio State Wofford Georgia NEXT FOUR OUT BYU Alabama Temple Tennessee * - denotes conference leader. 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The first of the three games will be played in Week 4, when the Oakland Raiders will take on the Miami Dolphins on Sept.ATLANTA -- Kirk Hinrich made all the right moves for the Chicago Bulls in the final minute of the game. Not so much for Jeff Teague and the Atlanta Hawks. Hinrich buried six big free throws down the stretch and Teague had a couple of costly turnovers as the Bulls held on for a 107-103 victory at Atlanta on Tuesday night. Mike Dunleavy scored 22 points for the Bulls, who have won six of seven. Joakim Noah had 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Carlos Boozer finished with 17 points and 11 boards. Dunleavy also had eight rebounds and four assists. He was covered in ice bags as he sat slumped at his locker after playing all but nine seconds in the game. "I appreciate (coach Tom Thibodeau) giving me that nine-second breather at the end of the half," Dunleavy said with a laugh. "That made a big difference." The Bulls won after trailing by 14 points in the first quarter. "They put us in a hole; we fought out of it," Dunleavy said. "We just had to battle the whole game." Since Jan. 1, Chicago is 12-1 when holding its opponent under 90 points. No other team in the league has kept as many opponents under 90 in that span. Teague had 26 points for the short-handed Hawks, who have lost nine of 10. Shelvin Mack scored 17. The Bulls led most of the second half but never pushed the advantage to double figures. "I think they really wanted that game today," Noah said of the Hawks. "We really wanted that game, too. It wasnt pretty at times. Im just happy we were able to come out with the win." DeMarre Carrolls fast-break basket gave Atlanta a 100-99 lead, but Dunleavy answered with a layup. With 1:03 remaining, Carroll sank a 3-pointer to give Atlanta a 103-101 lead. With 43.2 seconds remaining, officials reviewed and confirmed a questionable foul called on Carroll on Hinrichs 3-point attempt. Hinrich made the three free throws to put Chicago in front again. Noahs steal from Teague got the ball back for the Bulls with 20 seconds remaining. Atlantas Kyle Korver stole the inbounds pass, giving the Hawks a chance to take the lead, but Teague stepped ouut of bounds behind the basket.dddddddddddd Hinrich then made two free throws. Noah stripped Mike Scott of the ball on Atlantas next possession, setting up another foul shot by Hinrich. Coach Mike Budenholzer and the Hawks argued that Noah fouled Scott. "Do I think he was fouled?" Budenholzer asked after the game. "I just looked at it, and yes I do." Scott said Noah hit his arm but added "Cant do nothing about it now." Budenholzer also protested Carrolls foul on Hinrich but said after watching the replay he agreed with that call. Hawks All-Star forward Paul Millsap missed his second straight game with a right knee contusion and also will be held out on Thursday at Boston. The Hawks also were without centres Pero Antic (stress fracture, right ankle) and Gustavo Ayon (right shoulder), who had filled in following Al Horfords season-ending torn pectoral muscle. Budenholzer said morale isnt a problem. "I thought our group competed at a very high level for 48 minutes tonight," Budenholzer said. "Thats what were looking for, and thats what is most important to us." Korver hit 3-pointers on Atlantas first two possessions, extending his NBA record to 125 straight games with a 3. Korver added a third trey a couple minutes later, and his strong start seemed to spark the Hawks, who jumped to a 26-12 lead. Chicago closed the deficit with a 13-2 run in the final minutes of the opening period and start of the second quarter. The Bulls led 54-51 at halftime. Mack sank a short jumper with about 2 seconds remaining in the third period. D.J. Augustin, who had 10 points, then banked in a half-court shot for Chicago, lifting the Bulls to an 80-75 lead heading to the final period. NOTES: Glenn Frey of the Eagles, who played at Philips Arena on Monday night, had a second-row seat near midcourt. ... NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving had a front-row seat and tipped his cap when called out by the P.A. announcer and cheered by fans. ... Bulls guard Jimmy Butler missed his second straight game with bruised ribs. ... Korver had 16 points and Carroll had 13. 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