Mark Pope said his team was a Ferrari, and that he was ready to just turn them loose. They kind of look like a used Chevy pickup that has seen its fair share of weather. Kinda rusty, broken a little, but still hanging on. The fact that all four wheels are rolling in the same direction is a plus at this point.
After the Mississippi State game, Pope spoke with Tom Leach about what this team has to do to be the team everyone thought they'd be before the season.
Kentucky must become a great 'turn-down' team
The only way for Kentucky to come together and get something truly special going is if they make plays for each other. They have to be a team willing to turn-down good things for themselves for great things for their teammates.
After being "beside himself" during the opening 5 minutes when Kentucky looked totally lost, Pope told Leach during his post-game radio interview:
"If we can become a great turn-down team, we can be an elite-level offensive team."
When asked what he meant, Pope explained that if a guy drives to the basket, he can shoot it at any time, but he should turn it down and give other guys a chance at a better shot. He said they became that tonight, specifically praising Denzel Aberdeen's 4 assists. He reminded everyone that it is a hard process and a very slippery slope. He mentioned how great last year's team was at it, and that this team is just now getting there.
Steals are where this team needs to live
Mississippi State is a team that turns it over a lot, and they did that Saturday. Kentucky had 14 steals, forcing Mississippi State into 15 total turnovers. That led to Kentucky getting out on the break, with 19 fast-break points. Malachi Moreno had 4 steals, while Oweh added 5 of his own.
This team is not going to magically turn into a great shooting team, but they can ramp up their pressure on the defensive end and get some easy buckets.
Pope said that Saturday, Kentucky "earned" their 21 assists, which allowed them to get better shots. If Kentucky keeps turning things down, they may find their groove yet.