Kentucky’s 14 SEC wins is part of its strong NCAA Tournament  resume (Charlie Healy, UK Athletics)

HOOVER, Ala. – With its resume, it shouldn’t be over. Despite a 6-3 loss to Auburn in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Tuesday, the Kentucky baseball team has a strong case to make the NCAA Tournament.On the bubble for an NCAA berth, UK’s resume speaks for itself. Kentucky (30-25) has an impressive list of victories, including several series wins, over ranked opponents.Taking two of three at No. 1 LSU highlights that list. The only series the SEC champion Tigers lost in 2015, UK’s two wins in Baton Rouge marked one of five series victories for the Wildcats vs. league foes.Adding to that list are 2-1 weekends at No. 5 Florida, vs. No. 20 Mississippi State and at Missouri, along with a sweep of Tennessee.In total, Kentucky racked up 14 wins in SEC play.Historically for the NCAA Tournament selection committee, the 14-win mark acts as the Mendoza Line. Just one team has failed to make the tournament in the last 12 years with at least 14 SEC victories.Kentucky has a strong resume, but head coach Gary Henderson hasn’t thought much about it. He, and his team, just want to keep on playing.”Well, I haven’t looked at [our postseason chances], but I’ve had a couple people around me look at it and spend a little bit of time on it,” Henderson said after Tuesday’s game. “I know that there’s only one team in the last dozen years with 14 league wins that didn’t make the NCAA tournament. So we certainly feel good about that. But I haven’t studied it. I don’t know. I’m just hoping that we get the chance to continue to play.”Henderson just wants that chance to keep on playing. To prove that Tuesday’s loss was an anomaly and to continue to make history.Make the NCAA Tournament and the Wildcats will have earned back-to-back NCAA bids for the second time in program history and for the first time since 1949-50.Road wins, upset wins, an 11-game winning streak and another streak that went six games. Make the tournament, and UK knows anything can happen.All those wins are impressive, and it gives Kentucky a strong case for inclusion in NCAA play. Add to it that all those wins came in arguably the toughest conference in the country, and UK’s case gets even stronger.

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