Kentucky didn’t rely on the three-point shot in their 90-89 overtime victory over No. 7 Gonzaga on Saturday. With just a 7-25 performance from beyond the arc, the Wildcats focused their offense inside the paint and at the free-throw line. Of their 90 points, 48 came from the paint, while 15 were from free throws.
In the postgame interview, Mark Pope highlighted Kentucky’s commitment to cutting through Gonzaga’s defense, a strategy he emphasized following their loss to Clemson on Tuesday. The Wildcats executed this plan to perfection, leading to a crucial win.
However, Kentucky’s three-point shooting has been a concern over the last four games, following a strong start early in the season. Initially, the Wildcats shot 42.3 percent from deep over the first five games, making double-digit threes in each contest. But in the past four games, their three-point percentage has dropped to just 27.1 percent, with no more than eight three-pointers in any game.
“We will get to that. We have to fix it,” Pope said, addressing the team’s outside shooting struggles. “It’s going to be really important, but I believe we can turn it around. We’re learning, and we’re going to continue to improve.”
Despite the three-point woes, Kentucky still managed to defeat Gonzaga, but Pope knows that consistent shooting from the perimeter will be essential moving forward. The good news is that Kentucky is proving it can win in various ways, which is a hallmark of strong teams.
“I’m really encouraged by how we’ve learned to punish teams that pressure us. It was great to see the results of our work over the past few days,” Pope added.
