Every year there is at least one college basketball player that gains recognition as being above the rest.

This year, that player is Kentucky’s John Wall.

When the number two-ranked Wildcats travel to number thirteen-ranked Tennessee this Saturday, the nation’s most highly touted player will attempt to lead his team to its eighth straight victory. A win would also mean a perfect February for Kentucky. Wall is a big reason why the college basketball odds are in its favor.

Wall has it all. Strength, speed, hops, and a smooth stroke from mid range are a few of the wide variety of attributes in the freshman’s arsenal. His transition game and driving ability have helped him to record an average of 16.8 points, 6.3 assists, and four rebounds per game in leading Kentucky to 27 wins in 28 games this season.

The Wildcats will face a Tennessee team attempting to bounce back from a loss to Florida that pushed them one game back of the Gators in both conference play and overall.

Head coach Bruce Pearl’s Volunteers have done an excellent job remaining competitive in the SEC East. Many critics had Tennessee written off after the school suspended four players, including the dismissal of forward Tyler Smith, but the team has persevered. Injuries, in addition to the aforementioned changes have forced Pearl to change the way his team plays, a task the fifth-year coach of the Volunteers has proven capable of handling.

This will be the final of two games these teams will play against one another this season. Kentucky took the first at home, 73-62 on Feb. 13.

Defending not only one of the best players in the country, but one of the top teams in the nation will be a monumental task for Tennessee. But the Volunteers have experienced adversity, and that adversity has prepared them for the task at hand.