The one thing that could derail Kentucky’s march toward title no. 9
There’s no question Kentucky enters the 2025–26 season with momentum and as a real threat to cut down the nets. Between a top-10 recruiting class, high-profile transfers, and renewed energy under second-year head coach Mark Pope, expectations are rightfully high. But if there's one thing that could keep the Wildcats from making a deep March run, it's the same issue that’s haunted them before: shooting consistency.
Here’s the snapshot via TeamRankings:
- Otega Oweh shot an average 35.5% from deep on modest volume. His physicality and slashing are strengths, but he’s not a pure floor spacer.
- Brandon Garrison was just 30% from three and under 54% at the line, making him a liability late in close games.
- Trent Noah connected at 33.3% from deep—an okay figure for a freshman—but must improve.
- Collin Chandler struggled with efficiency, shooting 36.1% from the field but posted numbers closer to Noah from deep at 34.7% while hitting 86.7% at the line.
- Jaland Lowe brings great pace and leadership, but shot just 26.6% from three.
- Denzel Aberdeen was steady at 35% from deep, making him one of UK’s more best perimeter threats and that's not great.
- Reece Potter, a 7-footer, hit 45% from deep—impressive for a big guy, but in limited action only shooting 22 of 60 in 15 minutes a game.
- Jayden Quaintance hit just 18.8% from beyond the arc and 47.9% at the line.
- Mouhamed Dioubate posted a great 46.2% from deep, but it came on very low volume (12-26)
- Kam Williams may be the most consistent of the players at 41.2% from deep.
Collectively, this group shot around 33.8% from three last season. That is terrible. In fact, if that was last year, the Cats would be sitting at 175th in the nation tied with Tulane, Stony Brook, Arizona, St Francis PA, VCU, Columbia, UCF, Winthrop and Tennessee, If Kentucky finds itself in a slugfest come March, that could be the difference between a Final Four and a second-round exit.
Kentucky doesn’t yet know what it’s getting from highly-touted freshman Jasper Johnson, whose volume scoring in high school hasn’t been tested in college, or international import Andrija Jelavic, whose shooting could make him a weapon—if it translates. Braydon Hawthorne and Malachi Moreno have shown flashes from midrange, but neither is a proven deep threat yet.
The good news? Pope’s offense will give guys open looks. The question is: who will knock them down?