UK Athletics Photo
If you could point out one frustration with Kentucky basketball over the last few seasons, what would it be? Underperforming in the postseason? Not being able to close out close games? Missing out on several big-time recruits? All of those would be good answers. But you can argue nothing has been more frustrating than Kentucky’s offense and the lack of adaptation to the style of modern basketball that’s flooded the sport.
Well, that frustration appears to be no more. Kentucky’s start to the 2023-2024 season is clear evidence of that, with their 101-67 win over Stonehill as the most recent example. The Wildcats have attempted 122 three-pointers through four games and made 46 of them. They have 69 assists and have turned the ball over only 31 times. Their pace has picked up significantly and that’s led to a much better flow to the team’s offense in all phases.
Kentucky is averaging 88 points through their first four games, which is the second-highest average (only to 88.75 points last season) over the first four games of a season during John Calipari’s time in Lexington. This is in large part to the all-around play of Reed Sheppard, scoring ability of both Antonio Reeves and Rob Dillingham but also the team’s overall chemistry. They appear to genuinely enjoy playing basketball together.
If you add in the fact that star recruits DJ Wagner and Justin Edwards haven’t played very well to start the year, plus the Wildcats are missing their three 7-footers, Kentucky’s ceiling all of a sudden becomes even higher.
Now, this will probably change a bit when Kentucky does get their big men back and in the rotation. A large part of Kentucky’s ability to play fast and fluid on offense has been the fact that aside from Tre Mitchell, the Wildcats are playing all guards in their lineup. That allows for better ball handling, distribution and three-point shooting.
As long as Calipari and his staff can insert their big men into this lineup without disrupting too much of their offensive chemistry, the Wildcats have a real chance to become even better. Kentucky played like a top-10 team in the country earlier this week against Kansas and followed that up by putting away a small school like Stonehill.
In recent years, Kentucky has struggled mightily to score against better teams or found it difficult to blow out smaller schools that come to Rupp Arena. This team is playing much different than what fans have been used to and it appears there could very well be a big-time season on deck for Kentucky and Big Blue Nation.
3 Responses
Sheppard and Dillingham have earned more PT, even if Calipari does keep his pets as starters.
I absolutely love a team that can pass.. Its so pretty to see. You have a better chance of seeing a unicorn than seeing a team in today’s basketball that moves it so easy.. I’m enjoying the heck out of this team.
Zvonimir has already been practicing with the team, so as a group they are already adjusting to having a seven-footer in the lineup. IT will be exciting to see the result, though I certainly hope Zvonimir will NOT go the way of Enis Kanter in years past.