Collin Chandler’s start to the 2025-26 season was the kind of heater that turns heads - the kind that makes you check the box score twice just to make sure it’s real. Through seven games, the sophomore guard was shooting a blistering 48.8% from beyond the arc.
Stretch that out to include the final stretch of last season, and Chandler was hitting 50% of his threes over a 15-game span. That’s elite territory - the kind of rhythm that makes coaches game-plan around you and defenders second-guess every closeout.
But as any shooter will tell you, the basketball gods giveth, and they taketh away.
Over the last six games, Chandler’s shooting touch has cooled off - dramatically. Since Kentucky’s loss to North Carolina, he’s gone just 4-of-20 from deep, a 20% clip.
That’s a steep drop from the confident sniper we saw lighting it up earlier in the year. What’s more telling is how his volume has dipped.
He’s gone from nearly six attempts per game in the early stretch to just over three per game during this slump, despite logging similar minutes. That’s not just a cold hand - that’s a player clearly searching for rhythm and confidence.
The Wildcats, now 9-4 and riding a four-game win streak, are in the midst of a 10-day break as they transition from non-conference play into the SEC gauntlet. For Chandler, the timing couldn’t be better.
It’s a chance to reset - mentally and physically - before the intensity ramps up. Kentucky’s break isn’t just about resting bodies; it’s about recalibrating roles and re-establishing flow.
And Chandler, no doubt, is one of the key pieces they’ll need firing on all cylinders when league play begins.
Head coach Mark Pope hasn’t pulled the plug on Chandler. He’s kept him in the starting lineup throughout the season, even as the minutes have dipped slightly.
Against Indiana, Chandler played under 20 minutes for the first time all year - and then did so again in the next two games. His only scoreless outing came in the Dec. 20 win over St.
John’s, a game where his offensive hesitancy was noticeable. It’s also worth noting that Chandler’s role has shifted at times, bouncing between on-ball and off-ball duties - a tough adjustment when you’re already trying to find your shot and rhythm.
The inconsistency in Jaland Lowe’s availability hasn’t made that any easier.
But here’s the thing: even when the shots aren’t falling, Chandler hasn’t disappeared. Over this six-game stretch, he’s tallied 16 assists to just six turnovers and added nine steals - a sign that he’s staying engaged and finding ways to contribute.
His defensive activity has kept him on the floor in key moments, including crunch time against St. John’s, where he logged the final seven minutes during Kentucky’s second-half surge.
That kind of trust from a coach says a lot about a player’s impact beyond the box score.
Still, there have been some rough patches. Chandler’s performance against Bellarmine earlier this week had its struggles - on both ends.
But we’ve seen how quickly things can turn around. Just ask Kam Williams, who snapped out of his own slump with an 8-for-10 three-point outburst against Bellarmine.
Sometimes, all it takes is one game, one half, one shot to flip the switch.
Chandler’s 15-game sample size as a knockdown shooter in a Kentucky uniform isn’t just a hot streak - it’s proof of what he’s capable of. The Wildcats know what they have in him.
Now, with a little time to regroup and refocus, the hope is that Chandler rediscovers that rhythm just in time for SEC play. Because if he does, Kentucky’s offense gets a whole lot more dangerous.