WHAT THEY BRING (defensively)

Also, a strangely un-Kentucky-like defense

Normally, this is the side of the ball you can always rely on to be phenomenal. Every Kentucky defense since the aborted Nerlens Noel season has finished in the KenPom top 40, and three of the last five have finished in the top ten. There’s always a few commonalities, just like the offense: they block a lot of shots, they hold your 2PT% low, and they attempt to force you into one-on-one battles. If you don’t have the athletes or individual scorers, you’re not going to beat them in all likelihood.

This year, though, seems different. Kentucky’s defense ranks 59th on KenPom, easily their worst outing since the Noel year. They never were good at forcing turnovers, but they’ve also lost their defensive rebounding advantage from last year and have struggled across the board at times with fouls.

As usual, the eFG% allowed looks good, but the highs simply aren’t as high this year. Last year’s Kentucky defense held opponents to 0.85 PPP or less ten times; they’ve done that just four times this season. They’ve yet to have a true implosion defensively – only one game worse than 1.084 PPP – but they simply aren’t having those Kentucky nights you’ve come to expect.

Interior defense is leaking big time

The clearest drop, shockingly, is interior defense. Last year, Kentucky ranked 28th in opponent FG% at the rim; this year, they rank 241st. They aren’t blocking as many shots at the rim as they’re used to, largely because Richards is the only guy doing much against his big men opponents.

All of Montgomery, Sestina, and Richards average at least 4.2 fouls per 40, meaning none of Richards’ backups can stay on the court for as long as Calipari would probably like. (Richards had to go for 38 minutes despite four fouls against Auburn last Saturday and was gassed by the end.)

It’s kind of stunning, but Kentucky’s gotten demolished on basket cuts this year and hasn’t displayed a proficient pick-and-roll defense at all.

Their mid-range defense is the saving grace

Both Richards and Montgomery are dominant outside of the paint; these shots feel entirely pointless as soon as they go up.

Kentucky’s holding teams to just a 27.5% hit rate on non-rim twos, which is right in line with what their block percentage on these shots (13.9%) would suggest.

They’ve sacrificed rim protection for overall mid-range protection; it’s certainly an interesting strategy.

Perimeter defense seems great, but a defense doesn’t really control 3PT%

Kentucky’s 3PT% allowed looks great at 28.9%…

But they allow a solid amount of threes in the first place (178th in 3PA/FGA) and don’t guard them particularly well, per Synergy (49/51 Guarded/Unguarded split).

You can beat this Kentucky team from downtown. Just ask Utah (8-of-15), South Carolina (7-of-19), and, very nearly, Utah Valley (11-of-31). Tennessee just strung a 10-of-22 performance from downtown with a 2-of-18 one, so I have no idea if this will even be a serious positive factor either way.

NEXT PAGE: Tennessee can have a little win over Kentucky as a treat. Sorry not really sure how that meme structure works to be honest