John Clay: Mark Pope and Kentucky basketball have some issues to fix to snap out of this mini-skid

John Clay, Lexington Herald-Leader on Jan 26, 2025

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — It was bound to happen sooner or later, but this Kentucky men’s basketball team has hit a rough spot.

Saturday’s 74-69 loss to the Vanderbilt Commodores was the second straight defeat for Mark Pope’s club, following the 102-97 home loss to Alabama at Rupp Arena the Saturday before. The Wildcats have now lost three of their last five. They are 14-5 overall, 3-3 in the SEC.

They’re not reeling. That would be an overstatement. It would also be unfair, considering these losses have come in the nation’s best basketball conference. Still, with a trip to Tennessee on tap for Tuesday and the highly anticipated return of John Calipari to Rupp Arena with Arkansas on Saturday, you can’t dismiss UK’s recent results with a shrug.

“We’re not far away,” Pope said on Saturday after the Vandy students had stormed Memorial Gym. “We have some real issues that we have to find some creative answers to, but we’re not far away.”

Defensive issues top the list. This has been such an entertaining team offensively, we have downplayed the fact Kentucky ranks 80th in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to Ken Pomeroy’s analytics. While the Cats are among the nation’s best 3-point defenders (20th nationally), they are one of the worst in defending the 2-pointer (214th nationally).

A sorer thumb is UK’s inability to force turnovers. The Cats currently rank 336th out of 364 Division I teams in that department. Saturday’s loss was a prime example of why that matters.

Vanderbilt did what this Vanderbilt team does. Under coach Mark Byington, the Commodores’ pressure forced the Cats into 17 turnovers. The visitors might have been able to live with that number were it not for the fact it forced but five Vanderbilt turnovers. UK grabbed 13 more rebounds than the smaller ‘Dores, but it took 12 fewer shots (66-54). Vandy made three more field goals (29-26), including three more 3-pointers (12-9). Ball game.

Those 3-pointers are another issue. At the start of the season, Pope’s professed goal was to average at least 30 attempts, if not 35 attempts, from 3-point land a game. The Cats have fallen short of that. Through 19 outings, they’re averaging 27.4 attempts per game. Through six SEC games, UK has taken 163 shots from 3-point land. Its opponents have taken 194. That’s not the way Pope wants to play.

Health is one issue beyond Pope’s control. Starting forward Andrew Carr missed Saturday’s contest. Starting point guard Lamont Butler is playing through bumps and bruises. And a foot injury has kept veteran backup point guard Kerr Kriisa sidelined since Dec. 7.

Carr’s size and leadership were missed Saturday. But with his bad back “trending in the wrong direction” Pope and his staff felt it best to rest the 6-foot-11 forward now in hopes that he’ll be ready — really ready — sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile, Butler’s times literally hitting the floor are taking a toll. The San Diego State transfer scored six points and committed six turnovers before fouling out at Vanderbilt. In his last three games, he has committed 13 turnovers.

Bright spots do exist. Otega Oweh was terrific Saturday, compiling 21 points and 12 rebounds for his second career double-double and first at UK. Subbing for Carr, Ansley Almonor was 4 for 5 from beyond the 3-point arc. Down 41-27 at the half, the Cats put together two 10-0 runs in the second half to take a seven-point lead (58-51) with 8:39 remaining.

They failed to finish the job, however. The job figures to get much tougher Tuesday night in Knoxville against the Vols, who for an earlier five-week stretch were ranked as the No. 1 team in the AP Top 25.

My guess: Things will improve. Given the SEC’s degree of difficulty, it would have been foolish to believe the Cats would handle their conference schedule free from adversity. In many ways, this first Pope edition has exceeded expectations. And it still can, if the Cats can find the answers to pull out of this mini-skid. The desire is there.

Said the coach: “We’re just hungry to get better.”

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