LEXINGTON — Kentucky’s yearly pursuit to add banners to the rafters of Rupp Arena begins anew in less than two weeks.
New Mexico State comes to town Nov. 6 as UK tips off its 2023-24 season.
The Wildcats’ bottom-line goal: reach the Final Four for the first time since the legendary 38-1 squad of 2015. Then potentially capture their ninth national championship, their first since 2012.
To book a trip to Phoenix for the Final Four, here are three keys for the 2023-24 Kentucky basketball team with the season fast approaching:
Shot-blocking resurgence crucial to defensive improvement
Kentucky’s defense was noteworthy on two fronts last season. Neither was beneficial. The numbers tell the story: For the first time in John Calipari’s 14 seasons as coach, the Wildcats finished outside the top 100 in the country in field-goal percentage defense and blocks per game. Prior to the team’s summer trip to Canada for the GLOBL JAM event, Calipari went to great lengths to repeatedly mention “my best teams have blocked shots.” And he’s right: The seven times during Calipari’s tenure UK advanced to the Elite Eight (or further) in the NCAA Tournament, the team ranked among the top 25 nationally in blocks per game each occurrence.
Up the tempo offensively
Gifted as Oscar Tshiebwe was grabbing every rebound in sight and scoring around the basket, fleet of foot he was not. That held back the offense, as the Wildcats rarely got out and ran. They averaged 10.56 fast-break points per game — middle of the pack in the 14-team SEC but underachieving for a squad that featured four players now on NBA rosters (Tshiebwe, Chris Livingston, Jacob Toppin and Cason Wallace). And UK’s … offensive … pace … was … deliberate.
Of 363 schools in Division I, Kentucky tied for No. 252 in adjusted tempo (65.8 possessions per 40 minutes), per KenPom.com. The Wildcats picked up the pace during GLOBL JAM, using opponent turnovers as an opportunity to attack in the open floor. In turn, spacing and ball movement improved, too, as the Wildcats averaged just a shade under 26 assists per game during their 4-0, gold-medal showing north of the border. This season’s team, especially with its guards and wings, is built to run and employ the free-flowing style of offense that embodies modern basketball.
Back to the future: Freshmen must flourish
For Kentucky to return to the heights it achieved in the early portion of Calipari’s tenure, when it reached the Final Four four times in six years, it needs a superstar freshman to emerge. But not just any freshman; it requires a top-overall-pick-in-the-NBA-draft type of talent. Look at Calipari’s three best UK teams. The 2009-10, 2011-12 and 2014-15 squads combined to go 111-6 overall. Later that year, a Wildcat was the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft (John Wall in 2010, Anthony Davis in 2012 and Karl-Anthony Towns in 2015). Freshman wing Justin Edwards already has been bandied about as the top selection in the 2024 draft. If he comes close to matching those expectations, it should bode well for Kentucky’s hopes of ending its Final Four drought.
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Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.