Which Kentucky basketball team will make it furthest in NCAA Tournament? Vote now

Kentucky is a basketball state, and the data backs that up.

Kentucky is the fifth-most-obsessed state with March Madness, and Louisville is the fifth-most-obsessed city, according to a study by Solitaire Bliss,

UK ranks No. 8 on the list of most-obsessed fan bases during March Madness.

Louisville had the highest local market ratings for the men's NCAA Tournament in 2023, The Courier Journal previously reported.

Louisville's local rating was 13.3, and Cincinnati ranked second at 11.4.

Kentucky has four schools playing in March this year. If one or more of its teams makes a championship run, the state would surpass last year's ratings.

Which Kentucky basketball team will make it furthest in NCAA Tournament?

Kentucky men's basketball

Entering the NCAA Tournament, the third-seeded Wildcats rank among the top five nationally in 3-point percentage (first), scoring (second), blocks per game (third), fast-break points (fourth) and field-goal percentage (fifth).

If UK beats 14th-seeded Oakland (23-11) on Thursday night in Pittsburgh, the Wildcats (23-9) will advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the 32nd time in program history and the 10th time under coach John Calipari.

Kentucky would face the winner of sixth-seeded Texas Tech (23-10) and 11th-seeded N.C. State (22-14) in the second round. If they win that game, the Wildcats would be in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019.

Kentucky's last three NCAA Tournament appearances in the South Region were in 2018, when it lost in the Sweet 16; 2017, when it lost in the Elite Eight; and 2012, when it won the national championship.

Louisville women's basketball

Sixth-seeded Louisville women's basketball (24-9) will play 11th-seeded Middle Tennessee in the first round Friday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

In a regular-season game during the 2022-23 season, Middle Tennessee beat the Cardinals by 18 points.

This is Louisville's 26th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and the 15th appearance under head coach Jeff Walz.

Under Walz, the Cardinals are 40-14 in the tournament, have advanced to 12 Sweet 16s, eight Elite Eights, four Final Fours and have played in two national championship games.

The last time the Cardinals played in Baton Rogue was 2009, and they made it to the national title game for the first time in program history.

If they advance to the second round, they could potentially face third-seeded LSU (28-5) and former Cardinal Hailey Van Lith.

Morehead State men's basketball

Fourteenth-seeded Morehead State (26-8) will face third-seeded Illinois (26-8) in the first round Thursday in Omaha, Nebraska. It is the Eagles' ninth NCAA Tournament appearance and second in the last four seasons.

Eagles coach Preston Spradlin is in his eighth season, leading Morehead State to four consecutive 20-win seasons for the first time in program history.

The Eagles broke numerous records in a historic 26-win season.

Western Kentucky men's basketball

Fifteenth-seeded Western Kentucky (22-11) will face second-seeded Marquette (25-9) on Friday in Indianapolis.

In program history, the Hilltoppers have advanced to the second round 11 times and to the Sweet 16 six times, the last time in 2008.

Western Kentucky and Kentucky are both in the South Region. If both teams win their first two games, they would meet in the Sweet 16.

The teams have met seven times, with Kentucky winning five. The last time they faced each other in the NCAA Tournament was in 2012, when Kentucky beat the Hilltoppers in the second round.

Reach sports reporter Prince James Story at pstory@gannett.com and follow him on X at @PrinceJStory.