Kentucky basketball returns to Rupp Arena on Friday night with another opportunity to build momentum as Mark Pope and the No. 23 Wildcats prepare to take on James Madison.
After opening the season with an 85-57 victory over Manhattan, Kentucky will be looking to deliver another convincing performance in front of its home fans. However, while the Wildcats are heavily favored, there is one important thing Pope will want to see from his team before next week’s showdown against Kansas.
Consistency.
Kentucky had a somewhat shaky start against Manhattan before eventually taking control of the game. The Wildcats demonstrated their offensive potential, but Pope will want to see his players put together a more complete performance against James Madison.
One player who will undoubtedly attract plenty of attention is Milan Momcilovic.
The Iowa State transfer was sensational in his Kentucky debut, finishing with 24 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including an outstanding 6-of-9 from beyond the three-point line.
His performance offered an early glimpse of what he could bring to Kentucky’s offense this season. With his ability to stretch the floor and knock down difficult shots, Momcilovic could become one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the SEC.
James Madison will have a difficult assignment trying to contain him, especially considering the Dukes have only one player taller than 6-foot-9.
That could give Kentucky opportunities to take advantage of its size, create mismatches, and establish an offensive rhythm.
However, the biggest thing to watch will be whether Kentucky can maintain its intensity throughout the entire game rather than relying on individual performances to get the job done.
Pope also needs to see improvements in ball movement, defensive consistency, and contributions from multiple players. Those details could become extremely important when Kentucky faces stronger competition.
The timing of this matchup is also significant.
Kentucky will face Kansas in the State Farm Champions Classic next week in Atlanta. That contest will provide a much bigger test of where this team stands, making Friday’s game an opportunity to work out any remaining issues.
The Wildcats enter as 25.5-point favorites, according to DraftKings, while ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives Kentucky a 97.1% chance of winning.
Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.
Kentucky has already shown what it can do offensively. Now, Pope has an opportunity to see whether his team can deliver a more complete performance before the competition gets considerably tougher.
