No UK Bashing Here, Just an Interesting Game of “What If”

I've been pondering the ankle injury Anthony Davis suffered last Saturday during a New Orleans Hornets workout. And I've been wondering how the dominoes would have fallen if that had happened during a certain week in March.

Oh, it's all a big "what if" scenario. And we all know that that and a dollar will get you a cup of coffee. "What if" considerations are merely for entertainment. But, consider this: What if Anthony Davis had incurred an ankle sprain--or injury of any kind--on March 12th, 13th, 14th, or 15th of this year?

I guess since it happened at all, it could have happened then. UK fans the world over would have collapsed in a heap, held their collective breaths until they passed out, or just turned off the TV and ignored the NCAA Tournament, altogether.

Seriously, there's a great amount of good fortune that was in play when Kentucky won the national championship. That was a "team" championship. Any cog that had gone missing--ESPECIALLY the cog named Anthony Davis--would have been unbelievably costly.

Here's what I think would have happened:

Kentucky would have gotten by Western Kentucky and Iowa State (just barely). But I think that Sweet Sixteen match-up with Indiana would probably have gone another way and the Hoosiers--not Kentucky--would have faced Baylor in the Elite Eight.

The winner of THAT game would have played Louisville, and I believe the Cardinals would have beaten either of those teams in the Final Four. And I also believe the 'Ville would have gotten by Kansas because of its defense and Rick Pitino's coaching acumen at that stage of the season.

Can you imagine?

And, seriously, I'm not making this prediction just to be funny or just to see how UK fans will react. That's really how I think it would have turned out. An Anthony Davis injury at the absolute wrong time could have given LOUISVILLE the title!

But, that never happened. Kentucky won its 8th championship and all is right with the Big Blue World. Again, it's just a "what if." It's just for fun.

But it also illustrates what great fortune the 'Cats were blessed with in 2011-2012.