Three New Year's Resolutions for the Kentucky Basketball team

Here are three things Kentucky needs to work on as SEC play approaches.

Dec 11, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope reacts to the action on the court during the first half against the Colgate Raiders at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

With only one game left in non-conference play, a win over Brown would lead the Wildcats to an 11-2 record heading into SEC play with two big wins over Duke and Gonzaga.

This record will have all Kentucky fans feeling good leaving non-conference play, but the sad reality is SEC play is going to be extremely difficult for this basketball team. The good news for Mark Pope's team is that it is experienced, which will hopefully make the gauntlet of SEC play a tad easier.

Kentucky's Tuesday matchup with Brown will take place on New Year's Eve, so let's discuss three New Year's Resolutions for this basketball team.

Three New Year's Resolutions for the Kentucky Basketball team

1) Get back to over passing the ball

Early into the season, the Kentucky Wildcats seemingly overpassed the basketball, turning up good shots for great ones. This helped the Kentucky Wildcats shoot the ball well from deep early in the year. It does feel like the Wildcats, at times, in their half-court offense, have gotten away from this, and it needs to be a part of the way this team plays in SEC play.

2) Shoot the three-ball more

Heading into the season, Coach Pope wanted his team to be atop the nation when it came to three-point attempts per game, and toward the end of non-conference play, the Wildcats are 52nd in this metric, shooting 27.5 threes per game. At times, the Wildcats have missed some open threes, but shooting the three-ball is the identity of this team, and they need to keep letting it fly.

3) Continue to improve on the offensive glass

Knowing Kentucky is a team that shoots three balls a good amount, they should be getting a solid number of offensive rebounds. That has not been the case early into the season, and Coach Pope has been imploring his team to keep improving in this aspect of the game. Offensive rebounds often lead to open kick-out threes, which are perfect for this Kentucky team. The Wildcats need to keep working on getting second-chance opportunities which will be key in SEC play.