Kentucky’s Shooting Struggles Are Real - But So Is Its Grit, and That Might Be the Key
Right now, Kentucky’s three-point shooting numbers are what they are - and what they are is rough. Nationally, the Wildcats sit at No. 138 in total threes made and No. 243 in three-point percentage. That’s not just middle of the pack; that’s deep into the bottom half of college basketball, especially for a program that typically expects to light it up from the perimeter.
And when you strip away the stat-padding from early-season buy games and focus on the matchups that matter - Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina, Gonzaga, Indiana - things get even more concerning. Against those high-major opponents, Kentucky is shooting just 24% from beyond the arc.
That’s not a cold streak. That’s an identity crisis.
Individually, the numbers don’t offer much more hope. Brandon Garrison leads the team in three-point percentage against power-conference foes, but he’s only taken four shots from deep - hitting two.
Among players with at least a dozen attempts, Otega Oweh is the most reliable at 37.5% (6-for-16). That’s solid, but it’s also not the kind of volume or consistency that puts fear into opposing defenses.
So where does that leave Kentucky? Surprisingly, in a pretty good place - at least if you ask head coach Mark Pope.
Because while the shots haven’t been falling, the toughness has. And that, more than anything, was the defining trait in the Wildcats’ recent win over Indiana.
Kentucky shot just 20% from three (3-for-15), but still walked away with a double-digit victory. How?
Defense. Grit.
Physicality. The kind of effort that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet but wins games when the shots don’t drop.
“Yes, I think we can win games when we have that type of commitment to our team and that type of grit,” Pope said after the game. “It’s not the way we want to have to win every game, but certainly I think that that’s something we should be able to fall back on.”
Translation: No one’s thrilled about the shooting numbers, but this team is learning how to win ugly - and that’s a skill that tends to pay off in March.
Pope’s leaning into it, too. He’s tweaking the system, making adjustments to create more comfort for his players - even if it means embracing a more physical, less fluid style of play.
“We’re making some adjustments where the game’s a little more mucked up - which I don’t love aesthetically, but I love in a very spiritual way,” Pope said. “It’s really physical and intense and combative, and I think we can exist in that type of game.”
That’s not to say Pope is giving up on the idea of this team becoming a high-level shooting squad. Far from it. In fact, he’s adamant that the shooting breakthrough is coming - and he’s got the practice data to back it up.
At the Joe Craft Center, Kentucky’s players are reportedly knocking down threes at a high clip during practice sessions, with several guys consistently hitting in the mid-70% range. The Wildcats use the NOAH Shooting System - a high-tech tool that tracks arc, depth, and accuracy down to fractions of an inch - and the numbers coming out of it suggest this team can shoot. It just hasn’t translated to game action yet.
“I’ve never been on a team where the NOAH numbers don’t actually eventually transport their way into games,” Pope said. “With that history, I have every expectation that this team is going to be really dangerous. I think for us, mostly it’s finding some continuity.”
That’s the key word: continuity. The talent is there.
The mechanics are there. But the chemistry, the rhythm, the confidence - those are still works in progress.
Pope believes it’s just a matter of time before the switch flips.
“We have guys that are (making shots) consistently in the mid-70s, that have not exploded onto the scene in games yet,” he added. “That’s just a matter of time.”
Until then, Kentucky is proving it can win in other ways. The Indiana game was a prime example - a physical, grind-it-out battle that tested the team’s toughness and resilience. And that’s the kind of game that often defines postseason success.
“I thought we took a step forward in understanding how hard we have to play to win,” Pope said. “As we have a little bit of success, I think that the game will loosen up a little bit for us. Guys will feel more confident and safe moving forward.”
That’s the blueprint: win with effort now, and let the offense come around as the season progresses. Because when the shots do start falling - and Pope remains convinced they will - this team could be dangerous on both ends of the floor.
“We’d like to be able to do both of those things,” Pope said. “Be an elite-level, explosive scoring team. And we’re working on getting there.”
For now, Kentucky is surviving with grit and grind. But if the numbers from practice ever start showing up under the lights, this team could become a whole lot more than just tough - it could be a real threat come March.