We’re just four days away from kicking off the 2009-10 UK men’s basketball regular season Friday in Rupp Arena vs. Morehead State.

I’d be ignorant if I didn’t say that the budding tension and hype surrounding this year’s team is unlike anything we’ve felt in a long time.

Sure, when Billy Gillispie arrived here two years ago, the expectations hit the roof. But with two-time Final Four coach John Calipari at the helm and the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class at his disposal, those very same expecatations have blown the roof off.

That much is evident in ESPN’s first power rankings of the season. Despite a trip to the National Invitational Tournament and losing its top scorer, Jodie Meeks, from a year ago, ESPN’s panel of analysts and columnists have ranked Kentucky No. 4.

Kansas, Michigan State and Texas sit above UK, respectfully, with the Jayhawks picking up nine of the 10 first-place votes.

Here’s how the experts ranked UK:

Jay Bilas: No. 5Pat Forde: No. 3Fran Fraschilla: No. 7Doug Gottlieb: No. 3Andy Katz: No. 7Joe Lunardi: No. 4Dana O’Neil: No. 5Mark Schlabach: No. 5Dick Vitale: No. 2Jay Williams: No. 2