We arrive at a place in winter when fans aligned with a college team in Kentucky can bask a little, brag a little, second guess a little, plan a little and expect a lot more.

KENTUCKY

In Lexington it’s mid-Sweetheart month and the Wildcats have been all that. With a run of 17 wins in a row, Kentucky is Pontiff of all it surveys once more. A lofty perch in the national pecking order of underling courtiers called Duke, Syracuse and Tar Heel. A condo Big Blue Nation taxpayers expect to occupy every winter.

John Calipari’s Kentucky has not only beaten opponents, but bruised a psyche or two in Chapel Hill, Louisville, Knoxville, Nashville and Gainesville where the Gators may have had a nervous breakdown. In demoralizing ways. (See Anthony Davis’ blocked shots file), teams aren’t the same after Kentucky.

As UK rolls on amid gathering whispers of run-the-table, what certainly comes with current prosperity and win-out possibility and bandwagon delirium, is an echo from a time distant. “If we don’t win the national championship our season will be a disappointment,” – UK fan, 1978.

Fans, certainly Calipari, try to quell such alarmism with these things.

• St. Louis, March 27, 1978, thanks to Jack Givens, things turned out well enough.

• And, a reminder to savor a journey’s glimmer moments, let destination take care of itself.

MURRAY STATE

Over three and a half months, the Racers turned back all-comers, climbed the polls and became America’s Little Darling. Then, Tennessee STATE went to Murray. Before Steve Prohm could say “whaa’ happened?” the No. 7 ranked Racers had a loss at home and had a new title from ESPN, bubble team.

This week, moment of truth time for bubble team Murray and for its next opponent also, St. Mary’s.

To get a new EKG read on Murray State’s heart and St. Mary’s (23-3), the Gaels visit this weekend fresh off a 73-59 whuppin’ at Gonzaga.

LOUISVILLE

Borrowing a metaphor from nearby Churchill Downs and before the Cardinals played No. 2 Syracuse Monday, Rick Pitino’s team looks like a team come to the far turn in the Derby, two lengths off the lead … with fresh legs and nose in the wind. A team with a good run still in the tank and high seed hopes, Big East and beyond.

Wayne Blackshear added to his roster gives the man who loves options, new ones for a stretch run loaded with promise and Big East farewell implications. West Virginia won’t be back, neither will Syracuse.

So, King Kentucky, bubble team Murray State, and Big Mo Louisville, are all headed to a party in March.

Postscript: Here’s an NCAA Tournament hope Murray State is dispatched to what could be the best chance-to-advance region, out West.

WESTERN & HARPER HEADS

At Western Kentucky interim coach Ray Harper remains the people’s choice and received a ringing endorsement from a local newspaper recently, but it’s still wait-and-see for the man whose supporters have started to call themselves Harper Heads. I like it.

Still, John Pelphrey and Richard Pitino will be interviewed for the Hilltoppers job. For different reasons neither is a fit at Western.

As Ralph Willard did before him, young Pitino is shopping for a starter head job. And, as Willard job jumped to Pitt, Pitino would keep his bags packed.

Pelphrey has already done the Sun Belt, coaching at South Alabama before a too-soon (bad) job jump to Arkansas. Pelphrey never looked good wearing red. To regain career momentum and stay on track for chance at his dream job, the Paintsville native’s next head job should be at a school in a major conference, preferably in the south.

At Western in 2012, stability, recruiting and loyalty are priorities. Harper’s credentials fill the bill.

Besides, Harper is best candidate for a four-five year contract that ought to require of all other applicants, a lie detector test.

Now, about an endorsement from the Godfather, John Oldham?

CAROLE KING ‘N ME

Singer-songwriter extraordinaire Carole King had a milestone birthday last week. Me too.

King is old enough to have penned the You’ve Got a Friend classic for her pal, crooner James Taylor. Yet, at 70, she’s still a beauty.

As for me, a reader e-mailed last week with a reminder that I’m old enough to remember Adolph Rupp and able to skip past comparing Kentucky phenom Anthony Davis to Marcus Camby and go straight to Hall of Famer Bill Russell.

It’s true. At 19, Davis is ahead of Camby at any stage of the latter’s career and has far more than Russell’s shot-block instincts. Davis runs the floor as well as Russell did, and the kid has a soft-touch jump shot with range.

My advanced age allows the advantage of knowing University of Kentucky basketball has had 38 All Americans (chosen 56 times). A dozen played center including Hall of Famers Cliff Hagan and Dan Issel. Davis’ game is already broader and better rounded than all 12.

Tragedy is the decadent NBA will make Davis a millionaire too soon which squelches any argument on whether or not the 19-year-old is best of them all at Kentucky.

Meanwhile, Carole King is 70 and she’s still a beauty.

And so it goes.