Collin Chandler’s Confidence Keeps Kentucky Rolling in SEC Play
There’s something about Collin Chandler in crunch time. Whether it’s a pass, a steal, or a gutsy shot with the game on the line, the Kentucky sophomore has developed a serious habit of delivering when it matters most.
So when Chandler launched a step-back three in front of the Kentucky bench with under a minute to go against Ole Miss, no one wearing blue was surprised to see it splash through the net. It gave the Wildcats a six-point cushion, 66-60, and helped seal a 72-67 win - Kentucky’s fifth straight victory in SEC play.
What made the moment even more compelling? Chandler had been ice cold all game, hitting just one of his first nine shots.
The play wasn’t even drawn up for him. Head coach Mark Pope had designed it to get Otega Oweh a look - and with good reason.
Oweh had erupted for 20 of his 23 points in the second half. But when the ball found Chandler, Pope didn’t hesitate.
“I was going, ‘Shoot it.’ It’s what we do,” Pope said postgame.
“He’s an elite-level shooter, and he loved that little step back. Collin is interesting.
He loves the moment. He wants it.”
That’s becoming a theme. Chandler’s fingerprints have been all over Kentucky’s recent clutch moments.
Against LSU, he talked Pope into letting him make the game-winning pass that set up Malachi Moreno. At Tennessee, he jumped a passing lane to set up Oweh’s game-winner.
And earlier in the Ole Miss game, when Kentucky’s offense was sputtering, Chandler asked to take two technical free throws - and knocked them down.
This is a player who, just days earlier, dropped 18 points on Texas despite being so sick he missed shootaround. That’s the kind of mental toughness and competitive edge that’s hard to teach.
“He wants that shot,” Pope said. “You have to be wired a little different to do that.
It’s fun to watch him grow. Our guys are growing, and it’s really fun to watch him grow.
I was like, ‘Shoot it, let’s go.’”
Chandler, for his part, doesn’t see pressure - just opportunity.
“Basketball is a game,” he said. “We can put so much weight on it, but at the end of the day, it’s a game.
And I love gaming. I love winning.”
Even on an off shooting night - he finished 2-of-10 - Chandler still found ways to impact the game. He logged a team-high 34 minutes, grabbed seven rebounds, and scored 12 points. It was his first start since Kentucky’s road loss to Alabama on January 3, and he made it count.
“I will say when the game is being played, the game is being played, and I have to step up with my shots,” Chandler said. “I’m feeling better.
I know I may not sound great still, but my energy levels are great. I’m feeling a lot better.”
Winning tends to be a good remedy. And with Kentucky dealing with a rotating cast due to injuries, Chandler’s ability to adapt has been vital.
“It seems like our roster has been flowing the whole season,” he said. “It feels like we’ve been having to adapt every game to new rosters and new rotations. I think it’s just credit to everyone finding goals to win.”
While Chandler acknowledges his shot hasn’t always been consistent, the belief hasn’t wavered - not for him, and not for this team. Kentucky went just 8-for-27 from deep against Ole Miss, but the confidence is still there.
“I can’t tell you what led us to struggling for a bit in 3-point shooting because I know we can shoot the ball,” Chandler said. “We shot the ball really well before the season started. We had a little bit of a slow start to the season, but I think now people are seeing why we are confident.
“We are confident as a team and shooting, and that’s going to win us games. I am grateful we are now shooting it well.”
With Chandler’s poise, Oweh’s second-half scoring bursts, and a team that’s learning how to win in different ways, Kentucky is starting to look like a group that’s built for the big moments. And Chandler? He’s already living in them.