Mark Pope’s odd practice move might have actually helped Kentucky take down Duke

Mark Pope has this sort of happy, laid-back demeanor, but as Big Blue Nation continues to get to know him, he is actually very meticulous. He cares about everything, even the little things, even what ball to practice with. He has an eye for the details, as even inconsequential as the ball may be, but truly, this could be one of the reasons Kentucky beat Duke. A small tweak in practice this week to help his players get used to a different ball.

How did this help them beat Duke? Well, balls do feel different, and as responsive as the basketball stroke is and as mental as the game can be, little things can make a big difference. If players constantly feel like something is a little off as they shoot (even if it's the feel of the ball), this can be the fraction of a difference that changes the outcome of a make and a miss.

The stats are startling enough to suggest that there may be something here. The only team (that we know of) that practiced with the Spalding ball did better shooting in the game. All of those teams are better at shooting than those percentages above, so maybe the ball does matter.

You may be asking what balls they usually play with, and as of 2023, the main ball used is either the Wilson EVO or the Wilson NCAA Solution. The EVO balls have been known to cause a bit of a controversy as players struggled to get used to them in the 2023 March Madness tournament. In a Sportico article about the balls, Jahvon Quinerly of Alabama said, "Yeah, I just feel like sometimes the balls are just a little too bouncy; I don’t think it’s affected me personally this tournament, but, you know, it’s been something that the guys talk about in the locker room.”

There might be something to this small tweak that Mark Pope employed in practice this week. Even if it's one of the only minor reasons they won, it is great to see a coach work on all the details to help his team be better.