Kanter helped to prepare Harrellson

When Enes Kanter was ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA earlier this season and his dream of playing college basketball died, many believed that Kentucky's Final Four and national championship dreams died right along with it.

But just because Kanter has yet to take the floor, score a point or grab a rebound for the Cats this season doesn't necessarily mean he hasn't aided in UK's late-season turnaround and improbable tournament run.

One of the keys to Kentucky's development over the course of the season has been the development of senior big man Josh Harrellson, who has had to battle the 6-foot-11, 260-pound brutish Turkish import every day in practice.

"Of course," junior guard DeAndre Liggins said. "He is unstoppable down low, hard to guard, and I think that he is making Josh better."

Freshman guard Brandon Knight agrees and says you could see Harrellson progressing as the year went on just judging by his success against Kanter every day in practice.

"It has helped us big time," Knight said. "He is one of the best big men in the country. For Josh to go up against him each and every day, it helps out. When you do it against the best of the best, you know what you can and can’t do. You can see how he got better. He has just continued to improve against him."

By his own admission, Kanter, who is projected as a top five pick in this summer's NBA Draft, has helped Harrellson stand toe to toe with some of the best big men in the country: Ohio State's Jared Sullinger in the Sweet 16 and North Carolina's Tyler Zeller in the Elite 8.

Saturday, Harrellson will face off against UConn's Alex Oriakhi once again in a rematch from November's Maui Invitational. Harrellson describes Kanter as a composite mixture of all three.

"Enes is almost like all of those three combined," Harrellson said.

"Sullinger is a big guy, knows how to use his body really well and finishes around the rim. Oriakhi is really explosive, really strong and physical. Zeller is tall, he is 7-foot and runs the floor almost better than any big man I have ever seen run. (Kanter) can run the floor, he has a big body and knows how to use it and he can even step out and shoot the 17-foot shot like Zeller. He is kind of like all three combined and going against him gives me a good advantage."