"The only thing where they have ups and downs": Kentucky legend John Wall believes improvement in 1 aspect holds key to Wildcats' March Madness run

John Wall last played with the Kentucky Wildcats in 2010 and still follows and supports his alma mater fervently. With the Wildcats having a great run this season, the five-time All-Star has one piece of advice for the team as they prepare for the postseason.

In a conversation with Kentucky Sports Radio, Wall shared:

“I think this team is special. I think, this is probably the best shooting team that Cal has had completely. I think they have enough depth with big men and I think they have enough depth with guards."

"My ultimate goal for them is, whatever it is before March starts, just lock in on defense. That’s the only thing where they have ups and downs… If they lock in on that, even if they have nights when they’re not making shots, they’re too good offensively and have too much firepower to find a way to get themselves going.”

Kentucky (12-5, 22-8 overall) has an offensive rating of 122.8 and occupies the eighth position. However, their defensive rating is 102.5, occupying the 100th spot. It has been evident that the Wildcats' good run is largely a result of Rob Dillingham, Antonio Reeves and Reed Sheppard's scoring prowess.

The team has failed to contain their opponents and stop them from scoring. With March Madness and conference title games around the corner, John Calipari has his work set out to prepare his team.

John Wall shares his reasons for still supporting the Wildcats

As part of John Calipari's first class at Kentucky in 2009-10, Wall had the opportunity to play alongside DeMarcus Cousins, Daniel Orton, and Eric Bledsoe, all five-star recruits. They were known as one of Calipari's all-time best recruiting classes and entered the NCAA Tournament as the No.1 seed.

However, they failed to bring home the title, going as far as the Elite Eight. And to this day, John Wall regrets it. He shared in the same interview with Kentucky Sports Radio:

“I just wish I could have brought a championship there, you know, that was the ultimate goal. The way the fans was, the way they embraced us, the way we fell in love with it."

And this regret, coupled with the love that the fans have, is also one of the biggest reasons for Wall's continued support for his former team.

“I always try to come back and support, go to games, go to camps, just do anything like that because it’s a basketball town and they really love you and they give you that fun and make you feel like you’re not in college."

"We really enjoyed it. We felt like rock stars. For me, it’s the best college to go to and the best college to play for.”

The No.15 Wildcats will go into March Madness hoping to end their 12-year title drought. The odds are slightly in Kentucky's favor, as it has the pieces set for a good run. Working on containing opponents will make the Wildcats unstoppable.

Kentucky has one last game to prove its worth as it takes on Tennessee in Knoxville this Saturday.