Kellan Grady has learned it is okay to take any open shot he has

Kellan Grady is hitting 47 percent from 3-point range and taking open shots when he has them. (UK Athletics Photo)

After Kellan Grady went 2-for-7 from 3-point range in Kentucky’s loss at Notre Dame, Kentucky coach John Calipari stressed to him — and UK’s other guards — being ready to shoot when he caught a pass and not to pass up open shots.

The advice has worked.

The Davidson transfer went 5-for-7 from 3-point range in a 29-point win over North Carolina and 6-for-9 from 3 in a 35-point win over Western Kentucky. He’s made 29 3-pointers in 11 games and is shooting 47.5 percent from 3-point range after his 23-point cutting against Western Kentucky.

“At Davidson, we were a 3-point shooting team, but there were some shots where we would rather use the shot clock,” Grady explained after the win over Western Kentucky last week.

“I realized quickly in the first half against Carolina that if I’m open, regardless of whether it’s 26 (seconds) on the shot clock or six on the shot clock, I’m supposed to shoot it. So that was really all I needed to hear.

“I guess I kind of should have known that already, but it’s great to have a coach that believes in you and wants you to shoot.”

Calipari joked after the Western Kentucky win he had personally gone to the gym with Grady to work on his shot before admitting it was just Grady was showing no hesitation on taking open shots.

“I’m trying to get Davion (Mintz) to do the same thing, because he drives by jump shots, and now you put yourself in jeopardy. And those turnovers end up being breakouts, so just shoot it,” Calipari said.

Grady’s shooting obviously has helped spread the court more Kentucky — one reason the Cats had a season-high 27 assists with seven players having an assist and three having six or more.

“You’re trying to win at the highest level. There are games you’re going to take 20, 15, maybe 22 (3’s). Any time my team has taken 30 3’s we’ve lost. Now, maybe it’s the way I coach, I don’t know,” Calipari said after the Western Kentucky game.

“What we did today was we continued to pass to each other. The reality is we had 27 assists. That’s how you play basketball and that’s how you create for each other.”