NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The 18th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats are in a rough patch. They’ve dropped their last two games and three of their last five. Fans are feeling the tension.
After a tough 94-59 loss to No. 11 Gonzaga, boos echoed through the arena as Kentucky headed to the locker room. Their record now stands at 5-4, and the frustration is palpable.
Former Wildcat star DeMarcus Cousins didn’t hold back on social media, saying, “Can’t lie… this uk team has no heart! This is hard to watch smh.” Coach Mark Pope acknowledged the criticism, agreeing that he deserved some blame. “As a former player, I’m pissed at the coach, too,” he said.
The team’s shooting woes were evident. Kentucky missed its first 10 shots, and Gonzaga’s Graham Ike had more inside shots (10) than Kentucky did overall (nine). They finished shooting a dismal 26.7% from the field.
Pope addressed the struggles, pointing to indecision as a significant factor. “It’s all coming from me. It’s on me,” he admitted.
Though fans tried to rally behind the team, with cheers when Denzel Aberdeen hit a 3-pointer, the first half was still a disaster. Kentucky shot just 16% from the field, trailing 43-20 at halftime. “All the boos we heard tonight were incredibly well-deserved, mostly for me,” Pope responded.
This isn’t just a one-time occurrence. In their last game against North Carolina, Kentucky made only 1 of 13 attempts from three-point range. Against Gonzaga, they struggled even more, with many shots missing the target entirely.
Rebounding is another area of concern. Kentucky was out-rebounded 43-31 and outscored 46-18 in the paint. They also trailed in bench points, 32-19.
The pressure is on. With eight national championships to their name, expectations are always sky-high. Last season, Pope led the Wildcats to the Sweet 16 and ended with a 24-12 record. There was even excitement after a big win against top-ranked Purdue in October. But this season has been rocky.
Injuries have complicated matters. Starting point guard Jaland Lowe has missed five games due to a shoulder injury but returned in a limited role against Gonzaga. Another player, Mouhamed Dioubate, also missed his fourth game.
The Wildcats face a challenging non-conference schedule. Every loss has come against ranked opponents, including a defeat to in-state rival Louisville. “We have to dig ourselves out of it,” Pope said.
As of late 2023, college basketball statistically shows that teams with better overall shooting tend to have a higher success rate. Currently, data from the NCAA shows that teams shooting above 35% from three-point range significantly increase their chances of winning. For Kentucky, improving their shooting could be the key to turning this season around.
With their next game approaching, fans are left wondering if the Wildcats can regroup and regain their swagger. The stakes are high, and the pressure is on.
Source link
