Kentucky’s 67–64 loss to North Carolina on Tuesday night wasn’t just another frustrating defeat — it exposed a troubling offensive trend that hit a brand-new low under Mark Pope.
For the first time in Pope’s 44 games coaching Kentucky, the Wildcats went an entire half without making a single three-pointer. UK missed all eight attempts from deep in the first half and finished the night just 1-for-13 from beyond the arc. The team’s lone make came nearly 27 minutes into the game, when junior forward Brandon Garrison finally connected.
“It’s uncommon for us to be 1-for-13 from 3,” Pope said. “That’s not really who we are.”
A Rare Meltdown for a Pope Offense
Not since February 2023 — back when Pope was still at BYU — had one of his teams gone a full half without a made three. That’s especially shocking given his offensive philosophy: shoot, shoot, and shoot some more.
In his final season at BYU, his team attempted 32 threes per game, the second-most in the nation. Since arriving at Kentucky, Pope and lead assistant Cody Fueger have even talked about trying to push the Wildcats to 35 attempts per game.
But that dream hasn’t come close.
Last season: 25.3 attempts per game
This season: 26.7 attempts per game
Against UNC: 13 attempts total
Just as concerning, the efficiency has dipped. Pope’s first UK team shot 37.5% — top-25 nationally. This year’s group is down to 33.6% (166th nationally).
Roster Construction Questions Are Back
Kentucky entered the season without many proven shooters, and the numbers are now showing it. Sophomore wing Kam Williams, expected to be the top returning threat, is shooting just 26.1% from deep.
Four different Wildcats missed multiple threes vs. UNC.
Senior guard Otega Oweh said part of the problem was simply failing to generate quality looks:
> “We weren’t making shots, but we didn’t see the opportunity. We were getting to the paint and being aggressive… but we weren’t playing off two feet to hit guys for open shots.”
Kentucky finished with eight assists — a painfully low number Pope also highlighted postgame.
UNC Had a Plan — And Executed It
North Carolina’s defensive game plan was built around taking away Kentucky’s threes and preventing transition opportunities.
“We knew they were an elite 3-point shooting team,” UNC head coach Hubert Davis said.
Freshman guard Caleb Wilson added the Tar Heels focused on ball pressure and discipline, using their length and physicality to disrupt UK’s flow.
That strategy worked. Kentucky’s spacing suffered, passing lanes shrank, and shooters rarely found clean looks.
Kentucky Dominated Inside — But Lost the Math
For all their issues from deep, Kentucky actually won the battle inside, outscoring UNC 42–34 in the paint and hitting 55% of their shots inside the arc.
But UNC made five more threes — a 15-point swing that essentially decided the game.
“I wish it was one thing,” Pope said. “We just need to get better. We’ve got to find the balance between me meddling with the game and the guys feeling it.”
Kentucky now faces a clear reality: unless the Wildcats fix their perimeter shooting — or at least the process behind it — tough nights like this may continue.
