Imagine Kentucky basketball’s defense in early January 2025: a sieve letting opponents pour in points like it’s an all-you-can-score buffet. After a brutal 102-97 loss to Alabama on January 18th, the Wildcats hit a low—KenPom ranked them 109th in defensive efficiency at 105.1 points per 100 possessions. Big Blue Nation had accepted this was just a bad defensive team. Fast forward to February 21st, 2025, and Mark Pope’s crew has flipped the script. They’re now 69th in KenPom at 101.6, slashing points allowed from 88.6 PPG to 72.4 PPG in a month. How’d they turn a dumpster fire into a brick wall? Let’s break it down with the numbers.
Back in early January, Kentucky’s defense was a punching bag. From January 4 to January 18, they faced Florida (100), Georgia (82), Mississippi State (90), Texas A&M (69), and Alabama (102)—an average of 88.6 PPG allowed. Opponents shot 47.8% from the field, per NCAA stats, and Kentucky’s turnover rate was a league-worst 13.9%. Injuries didn’t help—Lamont Butler was hobbling, Andrew Carr’s back was creaking, and the paint looked like a free parking lot. Pope had to be grinding his teeth.
A switch is flipped for the Cats
Now check the last five games, February 4 to February 19: Ole Miss (98), South Carolina (57), Tennessee (64), Texas (82), and Vanderbilt (61)—down to 72.4 PPG allowed, a 16.2-point drop! Field goal defense tightened to 43.2%, and turnovers inched up to 15.1%. That Vanderbilt game? A 61-point lockdown, their stingiest since December. Even Texas, a good offense, needed OT to hit 82. KenPom’s 40-spot jump (109th to 69th) backs it up—Bart Torvik’s ratings echo it, dipping from 104.8 to 101.9.
What sparked this? The team has bought in, you can see them talking and switching much better. Carr’s three blocks against Vandy show his paint revival. Pope’s tweaks—tighter rotations, more hustle—have young bucks like Travis Perry, Trent Noah, and most recently Collin Chandler buying in. It’s not Tennessee’s No. 1 defense, but it’s night-and-day from January’s mess. There is no doubt the Wildcats are surging.
With Alabama looming tomorrow February 22nd, this grit could be Kentucky’s ticket to a March Madness run. From leaky to lockdown, the Wildcats are clawing their way up—and the stats don’t lie.
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