Mark Pope knows having shooters allows Kentucky to play more free

Having capable shooters is really opening up the floor for Kentucky.

Dec 11, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks with guard Koby Brea (4) during the second half against the Colgate Raiders at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Kentucky has a team full of shooters, and although they haven't shot the ball particularly well the last few games, the threat of that has allowed the Wildcats to have more space on offense to work inside the paint. With guys like Otega Oweh, Lamont Butler, Andrew Carr, and Jaxson Robinson, Kentucky is able to take advantage of more space on the court.

Mark Pope knows that is a real advantage of having shooters, because when the shots aren't falling, they are able to score in other ways. Pope talked about how having shooters is allowing them to play free on offense when he talked with media on Thursday.

"What these great players have done with their ability to shoot the ball and extend the floor, is now you have teams that are guarding so much more space, and you have players with so much gravity away from the basket, and so it's actually allowing the beauty of the game to be pronounced. What really gets fun in this game is when you trick the defense and you do it by moving bodies, and moving players, and moving the ball. All those things happen better when defenses have to guard more space."

- Pope on shooters helping extend space.

The three-point shot has no-doubt helped space out offenses, and that's something the Wildcats are taking advantage of. Once the Wildcats start shooting better from deep, it will become even more of a prominent advantage. Kentucky has plenty of shooters to be threats from three-point range.