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Kentucky basketball: 5 encouraging signs that this is Calipari’s best team since … 2015?
By Joe Cox
Published:
For Big Blue Nation, 2015 was almost a dream. The Wildcats completed a perfect regular season, reached the program’s 17th Final Four, and aside from that little stumble against Wisconsin in the national semis, were the toast of college basketball. Kentucky fans probably don’t need a lot of help in recalling that squad was Kentucky’s last Final Four appearance. While UK reached the NCAA Elite 8 in 2017 and 2019, Kentucky basketball hasn’t been back to consistent national heights since 2015.
Until … well, possibly now?
Granted, Kentucky’s 2-point win at Florida wasn’t exactly a masterpiece (really, 3 consecutive fouls defensively to finish a close game?). But aside from a bizarre loss to UNC Wilmington, this Kentucky squad looks like the real thing — ranked No. 6 and possibly UK’s best team since 2015. Here are 5 signs that the Wildcats really could be back to Final Four caliber.
1. The perimeter shooting is real
For several years, fans have criticized John Calipari’s dogged reliance on old-school basketball — posting up players, putting multiple non-shooters on the floor together, and generally acting as if 3-point shots were 1-point shots. Well, that was then.
Entering Tuesday’s game against Mizzou, Calipari’s ‘Cats are averaging 10.2 3-pointers per game, which is not only a Calipari-high, but a Kentucky-high. The 40.6% shooting rate from distance is 4th-best in the nation. Kentucky getting comfortable in the modern offense is like Happy Gilmore learning to putt — it might not be what everybody came to see, but it’s a definite weapon.
2. Reed and Rob could be the Booker and Ulis of this bunch
Backcourt depth is a fine thing. But few teams — OK, no teams — can match Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham off the bench. Even aside from Sheppard’s 3-point bombardment (connecting on 55% from long range), the pair combine for over 26 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists and 4 steals per game. Again, off the bench.
This does call to mind the 2015 backcourt reserves of Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis. Two future NBA guys, just coming off the bench. Incidentally, they combined for just under 16 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds per game — just for perspective’s sake.
3. No turnovers (no trouble)
With a coach who tends to feature young players in prominent roles, it’s not shocking that Calipari’s teams tend to struggle somewhat with turnovers. Even his better teams — like the 2010 John Wall team (14.4 per game), or to some extent, even the 2012 NCAA title team (11.3 per game). This UK team ranks 349th in D1 basketball, giving the ball up just 9.4 times per game. Cal’s lowest turnover team? So far, the current one. His 2nd-best at UK? That 2015 team, which gave the ball up just 10.4 times per game.
This might also be a good time to mention Kentucky’s 18.4 assists per game, which ranks 12th in the nation. That’s about 3 assists per game ahead of any of Cal’s other Kentucky teams. While the old axiom is that defense wins championships, not turning the ball over while converting passes into baskets certainly doesn’t hurt.
4. The veteran experience
Even Kentucky can’t win with just a team full of freshmen. The Wildcats have come close a couple times, but even that talented 2012 title team needed veterans like Darius Miller and second-year starters Doron Lamb and Terrence Jones. The 2015 squad had junior All-American Willie Cauley-Stein, fellow junior Alex Poythress (whose injury may have doomed the team’s title hopes), and sophomore guards Aaron and Andrew Harrison, who were following off a run to the NCAA title game the previous season. While Antonio Reeves (19.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game) and Tre Mitchell (12.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game) might not be quite as flashy, the veteran anchors outside and inside have kept Kentucky moored this season — which is a good precedent.
5. The post game is improving
Back when Kentucky gave Kansas all it wanted to handle in November, the Wildcats were playing without post standouts Aaron Bradshaw or Ugonna Onyenso. Both are now solid contributors in good standing. Witness Bradshaw’s crucial free throws against North Carolina or his dagger 3-point shot against Florida. Onyenso is more of the rugged traditional post guy. Suffice to say, Kansas’ Hunter Dickinson would probably find the Wildcats a bit different now. Now, it’s not quite Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns, but for a guard-heavy Kentucky team, the post players are showing signs of genuine development. Which could lead UK back to the promised land.
Joe Cox is a columnist for Saturday Down South. He has also written or assisted in writing five books, and his most recent, Almost Perfect (a study of baseball pitchers’ near-miss attempts at perfect games), is available on Amazon or at many local bookstores.