By Kyle Randow, November 4 2024
Coach Mark Pope and the Kentucky Men’s Basketball team treated Big Blue Nation to a two-game appetizer worthy of Jeff Ruby’s, but the exhibition games are over. Now, the games count in the win/loss column. The main course of the season starts now.
What did we learn from Coach Pope’s first real game as Kentucky’s head coach? The suit he walked out in tonight says it all: Coach means business. The fun of the offseason is history. If he wants to fulfill the prophecy of Assignment 9 and hang multiple banners in Rupp, every game from here on out matters. Whether the opponent is Wright State on opening night or Duke next week, the product Kentucky fans see on the court needs to meet the standard and legacy of Kentucky Basketball.
Now for what we saw on the court tonight. This Kentucky roster is deep. They are connected. And they are only scratching the surface of their potential. From the opening tip, the tempo matched what we saw in the first two preseason games. The Wright State defense made a concerted effort to take away the 3-point line from the start, but the veteran play of Otega Oweh and Lamont Butler took what the defense gave them, driving to the basket and allowing Kentucky’s big men to leverage their size. At the under-16 timeout, the Wildcats led 15-8, with Jaxson Robinson accounting for the only three-point basket made for the home team.
As the huddle broke from the TV timeout, last year’s top sharpshooter, Kobe Brea, entered the game and hit a big three off a feed from Brandon Garrison with just under 13 minutes left in the first half. About 90 seconds later, Kobe dropped another three off a pass from Amari Williams. The ‘Cats went up 25-11. The unsung moment of the game came during the stretch from the under-eight timeout until just under four minutes remaining in the first half. The Kentucky offense went through a scoring drought, managing fewer than 10 points in that span. However, the defensive play of Butler, Oweh, and Williams prevented Wright State from going on a run. They recorded three consecutive stops, or a “kill” as it’s called in college basketball, which led to easy transition scores. The second half opened with an early three from Otega, and the offensive onslaught didn’t stop until the final horn sounded in Rupp.
Kentucky finished the game 39/65 (60%) from the field and 11/24 (45.8%) from three. Thirty of the 39 made baskets were assisted, with only seven total turnovers. Kentucky’s defense blocked four shots and recorded 11 steals. However, there’s room for improvement, as Coach Pope’s team shot only 73% from the free-throw line.
The transfers that Coach Pope recruited and has coached over the past six months are each impressive in their own way. Jaxson Robinson’s lethal offensive ability will be matched by very few in the SEC. Lamont Butler’s ability to lock down any guard in the country will propel Kentucky deep into postseason play. But the anchor of this team is Amari Williams. His rim protection, fast-break running, and uncanny passing ability from the center position drive Coach Pope’s offense. His health and growth in Pope’s system will be the difference between a good season and a historic one.
