After Kentucky’s SEC Tournament loss to Tennessee, the immediate news was all bad. The Wildcats hadn’t won the regular season title or the conference tournament. But with a few days and a new bracket out, the mood shifted again to optimism … and not just for UK fans. At the moment, a check of the most recent odds had Kentucky at 8/1 to win the NCAA title, with only Gonzaga and Arizona getting a better shot by the numbers.

Why the optimism? Here are 6 reasons the Wildcats can win it all.

1. The best player in the country

Oscar Tshiebwe has been not only the best player in the nation, he’s been the most consistent. Even limited by foul trouble (it was his first foul out of the year), Tshiebwe had his 27th double-double of the year against the Vols, which was his 15th game in a row with a double-double. Tshiebwe is the best rebounder the college game has seen in nearly 50 years. He’s been surprisingly good on offense, shooting over 60% and showing a deft touch on the mid-range jump shot. Few can match his skills, and none can match his intensity.

2. Veteran leadership

What’s one thing John Calipari hasn’t had at Kentucky? For much of the time, it’s veteran talent. For instance, Calipari’s 2012 title team had 7 players who played 10 minutes per game, and only senior Darius Miller wasn’t a freshman or sophomore in that group. The 2015 Kentucky that went to the Final Four without a loss had just a pair of juniors among its 10-man rotation. But this UK squad has graduate veterans Kellan Grady and Davian Mintz and juniors Tshiebwe, Sahvir Wheeler, Keion Brooks and Jacob Toppin among its significant contributors. Having guys who have been through March Madness before is not a small thing, and it might help Calipari settle the ship in any difficult times.

3. Quality shots

An observer might not know it from the Tennessee game, but this UK squad has been excellent at taking quality shots. UK’s 48.5% shooting percentage is 14th in college basketball. And only one Calipari team has shot the ball better — that’s right, the 2012 title team, which shot 48.8% for the season. Only Davion Mintz (of the team’s regular contributors) is shooting below 43.9% for the season — which seems to make another cold shooting game somewhere between unlikely and impossible.

4. Washington could be the next March star

Kentucky’s talented freshmen have made a habit of stepping up their game in the NCAA Tournament. From Brandon Knight to Anthony Davis to Karl-Anthony Towns or DeAaron Fox or Tyler Herro or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Calipari’s best freshmen have used the NCAA Tournament as a stepping stone to showcase next-level skills. This season that means TyTy Washington.

Washington is key to Kentucky’s mojo — in UK’s losses, he averages under 8 points per game and shoots 31%. But increasingly, he looks more comfortable as a late-game difference-maker, and the next guy in Calipari’s frosh phenom tradition.

5. They’re (finally) healthy

Kentucky, for a team without a significant major injury, has battled health issues all year long. Jacob Toppin and Keion Brooks missed some time early, as did Davion Mintz. Sahvir Wheeler got his bell rung on hard screens and missed a couple of games. TyTy Washington has a lower leg injury. For a team that usually plays 7 players, Kentucky doesn’t really have the ability to go without players. And for once, they’re healthy and ready to roll. The vast majority of Kentucky’s losses have come with a short-handed team. Knock on hardwood, that no longer is the case as the Big Dance arrives.

6. A solid bracket

The Wildcats didn’t get a bad NCAA draw. Murray State is a daunting team, but the Racers are a 7-seed. They’re perfectly capable of the upset, but they’re also missing several weapons within Kentucky’s arsenal. Purdue would be a fearsome Sweet 16 matchup — but the Boilermakers are 99th in Ken Pomeroy’s Adjusted Defensive rankings — which is death to NCAA Tournament hopes and to its chances of beating Kentucky. UK’s worst loss was to Notre Dame, which ranks 84th in the same category — every other UK loss was to a team in the top 45, with 4 of the 7 coming to teams in the top 9.

Baylor is good … but far from overwhelming as a 1-seed. Most years, Kentucky fans would say they’re surprised the Selection Committee didn’t put UK in the same region as 1990 UNLV and the 1980s Boston Celtics. This time, they got a pretty decent draw … and it certainly won’t hurt their chances.