Mark Pope knows the three freshman will have a big impact

The freshmen have looked really good so far.

Oct 23, 2024; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) reacts during the second half against the Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Kentucky basketball has the most experience on the team they have had in a very, long time. Mark Pope came in as the new head coach with nothing but the transfer portal to use to build his first roster in Lexington. That turned out to work really well, as the Wildcats have a nice blend of shooters along with some of the best defenders in the entire country. Plus, all of the players fit his system.

That's also true for the few freshmen he has this season. Collin Chandler, Trent Noah, and Travis Perry are all new to college basketball, but they looked the part in Kentucky's first exhibition last week against Kentucky Wesleyan. Mark Pope knows just how big of an impact the three will have on them, not just this season, but in the future, too. This is coming off a game where Noah exploded going 4-5 from three-point range.

"Trent is not shy. It's really great to have him on the floor. Our guys love him. Everybody on the bench was losing their mind. Kerr (Kriisa), I thought Kerr was going to... I thought he was going to start ripping his clothes off. He was so excited. Listen, they are a really important part of our team. We are really blessed that we can have three freshmen that could play every minute of the game. I think Travis Perry has been really extraordinary, and it's hard to be a point guard for me. ...What are we at? 32 and 5 (assists to turnovers). That's with TP playing, TP is playing 15 minutes at the point guard spot. That's really impressive. I am super proud of both those guys. Collin Chandler was excellent tonight. He took a real step forward and he's going to be a special player. Those three freshmen are going to have a big impact on us this year and next year. It makes you feel good to have those three guys here and know they are going to continue with this program."

- Pope on Kentucky's freshmen.

Pope knows the importance of having guys who know what it means to represent Kentucky, and in-state freshmen Trent Noah and Travis Perry understand that. Add in that they'll make a big impact and Collin Chandler has a really high ceiling, there's a lot to like about the three freshmen this season.