Just In: The offence at Kentucky is great, but the defence is also near the top of the country in a number of important categories.

A lot of the talk about Kentucky basketball in 2024 has been about the team’s fast-paced offence, which is fair. However, it’s the Wildcats’ defence that has quietly made them a national threat.

The Cats have become very defensive under Mark Pope’s leadership, and they are now among the best teams in the country in a number of important ways. Defensively, players like Otega Oweh and Lamont Butler never give up.

Here’s a look at why Kentucky’s defence has been better than expected:

The best defence for three points

Kentucky has the second-best opponent three-point percentage in the country, letting teams make only 21.2% of their shots from beyond the line.
It’s only Furman (21.0%) who can beat them, which makes Kentucky’s perimeter defence one of the most feared in the game.

Big time rim protectors

So far, the Wildcats have the seventh most blocks in the country with 6.7 per game.
When rim guards like Amari Williams and Brandon Garrison are in the paint, it’s hard for opponents to score close to the basket.

Lockdown defence against shooting

Teams that play Kentucky are only making 36.5% of their shots, which ranks them 20th in the country in overall field goal percentage defence.
Because of this, teams are forced to fight shots a lot of the time.

Getting the boards clean

With an amazing 35.2 defensive boards per game, Kentucky has the most defensive boards in the country.
Controlling the glass has made it harder for opponents to get second chances, which has helped Kentucky set the pace of the games and start fast breaks.

Other efforts to defence

With an average of 8.4 steals per game, the Wildcats show how good their hands and defence are.
They are also in the top 50 in turnover margin, which means that when they stop the offence, they turn it over and get a fast break.

Mark Pope has created a culture of hard work and protective discipline.If you want to play in Kentucky. After that, you’ll play for forty minutes. We’re not leaving. We’re not giving up. We’re not going to change. Cats fans were worried about Pope’s focus on defence before the season started.

This defensive strength has gone well with Kentucky’s strong offence, making a well-balanced and strong team.

The Wildcats haven’t lost a game yet, and they look like real Final Four contenders—not just because they can score, but also because they can stop any team they play.