Mark Pope’s offensive system is designed to boost shooters’ confidence, and freshman Trent Noah experienced that firsthand in Kentucky’s blowout win over Kentucky Wesleyan. Although Noah didn’t play in the first half, he made a strong impression in the second, going 4-for-5 from beyond the arc, scoring 12 points in just 12 minutes of play. He also added one rebound and two assists in his college debut.
Noah electrified the Rupp Arena crowd as he repeatedly sank threes, making the most of his opportunity. When asked post-game about playing in Pope’s system against outside competition, Noah credited the coaching staff for instilling confidence in the players. “That’s what we do. I really credit Coach Pope and all the coaching staff. They instill confidence in us, and that’s what you need in a shooter,” Noah said, describing the freedom and excitement of playing in an offense that encourages shooting threes.
Kentucky fans expected this team to focus heavily on three-point shooting, and they delivered, attempting 42 threes and making half of them in the game. Noah emphasized that the key to this offensive success is the confidence Coach Pope and his staff give the players. He believes that Kentucky’s team will be the best shooting team in college basketball this season.
