While Kentucky couldn’t pull off a win Tuesday night, there was still some history made inside the KFC Yum! Center. For the first time in program history, Kentucky has scored 86 or more points in four straight games against Louisville, but the headline belongs to Collin Chandler. He is is on an all-time heater.
The sophomore guard’s hot streak from deep has turned into something historic. Chandler went 4-for-6 from three Tuesday night, marking his third consecutive game to start the season with at least four made threes, something no Wildcat has ever done. Not Koby Brea, not Doron Lamb, Reed Sheppard, or Travis Ford accomplished that feat to start the year.
Collin Chandler's elite shooting by the numbers
Even more impressive, Chandler is now 24-for-44 (54.5%) from beyond the arc since March 1 of last season, including 12-for-21 (57.1%) this year. That’s not just streaky, it’s elite-level shooting that has carried over from the postseason into the new campaign.
For a player who shot just 34% from deep last year, this improvement has been staggering. If Chandler can sustain anything near even 45%, he’ll not only be one of the most efficient shooters in the country, but arguably Kentucky’s best overall player right now. That is something that you really need with this team, because Chandler was 4-6, the rest of the team was 8 for 28 against the Cards.
And for Mark Pope, that’s the kind of consistent offensive weapon he desperately needs as the Cats work through early identity issues that are cropping up on both sides of the court.
Drew Holbrook is an avid Kentucky fan who has been covering the Cats for over 10 years. In his free time he enjoys downtime with his family and Premier League soccer. You can find him on X here. Micah 7:7. #UptheAlbion