By Kyle Randow, Nov 9, 2024
In the last in-season warmup before a marquee matchup with Duke, the Kentucky Wildcats continued their impressive play in front of the Lexington faithful. Mark Pope’s offensive tempo and dedication to the three-point shot have led Kentucky to surpass the 100-point mark in three of four games this season (the second exhibition game reached 96 points, and the trio of Perry, Noah, and Horn closed out the last four minutes of the game). The scoring has not been limited to one player. We’ve seen Jaxson score over 20 points, while Otega has led the team offensively with his three-level scoring ability. Today, Brea reminded college basketball that the title of the deadliest perimeter shooter in the country still hangs from his waist.
Let’s talk offense real quick. Here are some standout numbers, both good and not so good:
- 38-79 (48%) from the field (Good)
- 23 assists on 38 made baskets (Good)
- 22 offensive rebounds (Darn good)
- 46 points off the bench (Damn good. Thank you, Koby!)
- 36% from three on 13 of 36 (Uhhh, not great… but we won by 28, so who cares?!)
This band of slept-on transfers continues to play unselfish basketball, which was on full display. In the second half, Koby Brea passed up a contested shot to make a pass to the right corner. The ball has energy, and when you make a good play, it has a way of finding you. Three passes later, Kerr Kriisa found Brea, who pump-faked a defender and nailed a three from behind the arc.
Big Blue Nation and pundits around the country will rave about Kentucky’s offense—and they should. The ‘Cats have the ability to drop triple digits on a nightly basis. But the offensive output isn’t the side of the ball fans should be most excited about. Shots raining down in Rupp are great for Kentucky fans’ spirits, but they won’t win us the ninth title in program history.
The most impressive attribute of this team is what they bring on the defensive end. Without exaggeration, Mark Pope has three players who could be on the mid-season All-Defensive team watchlist. Butler, Oweh, and Williams are defensive STUDs. LB and Double O are two of the best on-ball defenders in the country and can commit legal theft at any time. Amari Williams is an elite rim protector who can defend a big man at the top of the key and lock down the defensive boards. It’s an old-school belief that defense wins championships, but the fact is—it’s true. Defense travels, and tournament games will rarely be played in the Commonwealth.
Lockdown D and dropping bombs from THREE—the 90s era of Kentucky Basketball has “Back to the Future”-ed itself to 2024. And we’re ‘bout it, BBN!
