Kentucky may have walked away with an 89-80 victory over James Madison, but Friday night’s performance revealed a defensive problem that Mark Pope cannot afford to ignore before the Wildcats face Kansas.
While the victory gave Kentucky another win early in the season, the way James Madison attacked the Wildcats should have caught the coaching staff’s attention.
The Dukes attempted an astonishing 45 three-pointers at Rupp Arena, tying the record for the most three-point attempts by a Kentucky opponent. According to UK statistician Corey Price, the only other team to reach that number against the Wildcats was Tennessee in 2025.
James Madison understood that challenging Kentucky inside would be difficult. With the Wildcats holding a significant advantage in size and length, the Dukes decided to spread the floor and rely heavily on perimeter shooting.
That strategy created problems for Kentucky throughout the night.
James Madison connected on 15 of its 45 attempts from beyond the arc, allowing the Dukes to remain competitive despite the difference in talent and size.
The biggest concern was not simply how many shots James Madison attempted. It was how frequently the Dukes managed to find open opportunities.
Perimeter defense is the one thing Mark Pope must fix before facing Kansas.
Kentucky’s defensive rotations and communication will need to improve considerably. When opposing big men move away from the basket and become shooting threats, Kentucky’s interior defenders are forced into uncomfortable situations.
Franck Kepnang and Malachi Moreno had to deal with James Madison players capable of stepping outside and creating opportunities from deep.
That puts additional pressure on Kentucky’s guards to recognize screens, rotate quickly, and close out on shooters.
Against James Madison, those defensive responsibilities did not always work as effectively as they needed to.
Kentucky eventually took control, but the Wildcats cannot assume that every opponent will struggle to capitalize on those opportunities.
There were positives for Pope’s team, particularly its dominance inside the paint. Kentucky outscored James Madison 40-20 in that category, showing just how difficult the Wildcats can be to handle around the basket.
However, winning the battle inside will not always be enough when opponents are consistently making shots from the perimeter.
Now comes the Kansas challenge.
The No. 17 Jayhawks are next on Kentucky’s schedule for Tuesday’s Champions Classic, and the timing makes the James Madison performance even more important.
Kansas will present a significantly different challenge, with the offensive talent to punish defensive mistakes. If Kentucky allows the Jayhawks to generate the same quality of open perimeter opportunities, the consequences could be much greater.
Pope and his coaching staff have only a few days to address the issue.
The Wildcats need sharper defensive communication, better rotations, and more consistent pressure on opposing shooters. Those adjustments could prove just as important as Kentucky’s offensive production.
Ultimately, beating James Madison was important, but the performance also provided a valuable lesson.
Kentucky has the size, talent, and interior presence to compete with quality opponents. The question is whether the Wildcats can become more disciplined defensively when teams start attacking them from beyond the arc.
Kansas will offer an early opportunity to find out.
For Mark Pope, the message from the James Madison game is clear: Kentucky’s perimeter defense must improve before Tuesday night. Otherwise, the weakness exposed at Rupp Arena could become a much bigger problem against the Jayhawks.
