Mark Pope didn’t need to make any game-time pivots Wednesday night - his Kentucky squad came in with a plan, and they executed it with precision. Against a Texas defense that thrives on drop coverage, the Wildcats knew exactly where the soft spots were, and they attacked them relentlessly.
Let’s break down what that means and why it worked so well.
Kentucky vs. Texas: A Tactical Chess Match
Texas likes to sit back in pick-and-roll defense. In basketball terms, that’s called drop coverage - where the big man defending the screener doesn’t hedge or switch, but instead drops back toward the rim to protect it.
The goal? Force the ballhandler into taking tough, mid-range shots over length.
But Kentucky wasn’t interested in settling.
Mark Pope and his staff saw it on film and built a game plan tailored to exploit it. And it showed from the opening tip.
“We were prepared for that kind of defense that they were going to throw at us,” forward Mo Dioubate said after the game. “It made it easier for us on the offensive end.”
That preparation was obvious to everyone watching - including Texas head coach Sean Miller.
“I thought they did an outstanding job of attacking our drop coverage,” Miller said. “They became too comfortable.”
Too comfortable is right. Kentucky’s guards weren’t just navigating the pick-and-roll - they were dictating terms. And that’s where the snake dribble came into play.
The Snake Dribble: Kentucky’s Secret Weapon
If you caught the broadcast, you probably heard the term “snake dribble” thrown around a few times. It’s one of those moves that doesn’t always get the spotlight, but when used correctly, it can completely dismantle a defense like Texas’.
Here’s how it works: the ballhandler comes off a screen and instead of continuing downhill in a straight line, they curl back across the screener’s body - almost like weaving through traffic - and head toward the middle of the floor. That forces the defender to chase, keeps the big man in drop coverage guessing, and opens up a world of options.
It’s a subtle move, but devastating when executed well. And Kentucky’s guards, especially Otega Oweh and Denzel Aberdeen, ran it to perfection.
They weren’t just probing - they were slicing right through the gaps, keeping defenders on their hip, and putting pressure on the back line of Texas’ defense all night long.
Mark Pope’s Postgame Breakdown
Pope, ever the tactician, broke it all down after the game with the kind of detail that shows just how prepared his team was.
“They’re in a drop ballscreen defense,” Pope said. “Which means (Matas) Vokietaitis at the five will not come out to the point of the screen, and he’s gonna stay kinda free-throw level, and then as our guard attacks downhill, he's going to back up.
“And what they’re hoping is to get a one-on-one possession with our guard against their seven-footer at like six feet, seven feet. The way we combat that is we’ll get a driving line, let our big roll into contact, and if our guards are smart enough, they can make a second move.”
That “second move” - often the snake dribble or a hesitation into a change of direction - is what gave Kentucky the edge. It allowed their guards to stay in control, keep the defense off balance, and either finish at the rim or kick out to shooters.
The Bigger Picture
This wasn’t just a win on the scoreboard - it was a win in the film room, in the practice gym, and in the subtle nuances of in-game execution. Pope has talked throughout the season about being reactive, about needing to adjust on the fly. But this time, Kentucky came in with the answers before the test was even handed out.
And when you combine smart scouting, disciplined execution, and a team that buys into the plan? You get a performance like this one - where the Wildcats didn’t just play well, they outthought and outmaneuvered their opponent every step of the way.