This Kentucky basketball team entered the season looking, on paper, like it lacked the shooting firepower of last year’s roster. That perception briefly shifted in September when Mark Pope shared impressive shooting numbers from practice, raising optimism that the Wildcats might be better from the perimeter than expected.
“That translates to a game. It always has for us,” Pope said at the time.
Through the early part of the season, that translation hasn’t happened.
Kentucky’s most recent win over Indiana was a clear example. The Wildcats shot just 3-for-15 from three-point range—the lowest mark of the Pope era—yet still found a way to win. The victory wasn’t fueled by shooting, but by effort, defensive intensity, and physicality.
Kentucky forced 18 turnovers, scored 23 points off those mistakes, and held Indiana to a season-low 4-for-24 from beyond the arc. The Wildcats also took care of the ball and consistently attacked the rim, particularly in the second half, generating offense without relying on perimeter shots.
Meanwhile, practice data continues to paint a different picture. Using the Noah shooting system, several Kentucky players are posting strong numbers, suggesting the shooting potential is there—even if it hasn’t shown up during games yet.
Despite the early struggles, Pope remains confident that will change.
“Listen, by the end of the year, I think we’re going to be really dangerous shooting the ball. I do,” Pope said. “I’ve never been on a team where the Noah numbers don’t eventually transport their way into games. I just have never seen that. We have guys that are doing that consistently in the mid-70s that have not exploded onto the scene in games yet—but they will. That’s just a matter of time.”
For that belief to become reality, players like Trent Noah, Kam Williams, and Collin Chandler will need to take steps forward, particularly Noah and Williams. That production hasn’t arrived yet, but Saturday’s win showed Kentucky can survive—and succeed—without relying solely on the three.
“I think we can win games when we have that type of commitment to our team and that type of grit,” Pope said. “It’s not the way we want to have to win every game, but certainly that’s something we should be able to fall back on.”
If the shooting eventually matches the practice numbers, Kentucky could look like a completely different team by season’s end. For now, though, the defensive identity that was hyped throughout the offseason is starting to show—and it’s already making a difference.
