Kentucky Basketball sent an encouraging message in its season-opening victory over Manhattan, and one particular part of the Wildcats’ performance could become a major problem for the rest of college basketball.
Mark Pope’s team defeated Manhattan 85-57 on Tuesday night, overcoming a slow start before finding its offensive rhythm. While there were several positives to take away from the victory, Kentucky’s three-point shooting might have been the most encouraging development.
Pope has made it clear that he wants his team attempting between 30 and 35 three-pointers per game. Against Manhattan, the Wildcats showed exactly why he believes so strongly in that approach.
Kentucky attempted 31 shots from beyond the arc and connected on 12, finishing with an impressive 38.7% shooting percentage.
That kind of perimeter production could make this team extremely difficult to defend, particularly if the Wildcats continue finding ways to create open looks for their shooters.
The biggest standout was Milan Momcilovic.
Making his regular-season debut in a Kentucky uniform, the talented shooter delivered an outstanding performance, knocking down six of his nine attempts from three-point range. His 66.7% shooting performance tied Antonio Reeves for the most three-pointers made by a Wildcat in a regular-season debut.
Alex Wilkins also provided an important contribution, finishing 3-for-6 from beyond the arc.
Together, Momcilovic and Wilkins accounted for nine of Kentucky’s 12 three-pointers, giving Pope two players capable of punishing opposing defenses from deep.
However, the biggest takeaway goes beyond the individual performances.
Kentucky has the potential to become an extremely dangerous perimeter-shooting team. When opponents are forced to respect multiple shooters, it becomes much harder to crowd the paint, defend the ball screen, and limit driving opportunities.
That could create more space for Kentucky’s offense and give Pope additional ways to attack opposing defenses.
There is still room for improvement, though. The Wildcats need more players to become consistent threats from three-point range instead of depending heavily on Momcilovic and Wilkins.
The competition will also become tougher as Kentucky moves deeper into its schedule, particularly when SEC play arrives.
Nevertheless, the Manhattan victory was an excellent starting point.
If Kentucky can consistently shoot the three-pointer at a high level while developing more offensive balance, Mark Pope could have a team that gives opposing coaches plenty of headaches.
One game does not guarantee anything, but Kentucky’s opening-night shooting display offered a glimpse of how dangerous this team could become.
