Kentucky is converting on 2-point shots at a record-setting level

During the offseason and through the first seven games of the season, much has been made about Kentucky’s excellent three-point shooting capabilities.

Even after back-to-back outings of sub-30 percent shooting from deep, the Wildcats still rank among the nation’s best. UK is currently 36th in the country in three-point shooting at 38.2 percent on 29.1 attempts per outing, which also ranks among the top 50 in Division I hoops. Four Wildcats are shooting 40 percent or better from long range, including the SEC’s overall leader Koby Brea at 61 percent. Mark Pope promised lots of threes when he took over as head coach and he’s delivered.

But the primary strength of Pope’s first Kentucky team actually isn’t the impressive outside shooting numbers. It’s certainly one of the reasons this group has yet to lose a game, but without an unbelievably efficient (and record-setting) start from inside the arc, that undefeated mark likely has a blemish or two.

Kentucky is currently shooting 61.9 percent from two-point range, which ranks as the seventh-best figure in the entire country. The Wildcats don’t shoot a high volume of two-point shots compared to other teams (120th-most, according to Sports-Reference), but whenever they go inside, the results are overwhelmingly positive.

Take Kentucky’s last two wins over Western Kentucky and Georgia State as a couple of examples. UK shot a combined 15-55 (27.3 percent) from deep in those two victories. But to make up for it, the Wildcats went a combined 50-74 (67.6 percent) from inside the three-point line.

Kentucky was especially dangerous from that area against Georgia State, shooting 33-41 from two-point range for an 80.5 percent success rate. According to BigBlueHistory, that’s the highest percentage from two-point range that UK has EVER shot during a single game in program history.

Kentucky vs. Georgia State tonight shot 7-26 from three and 40-67 overall. That means they shot 33-41 from two, or 80.5%.

This is the highest percentage from 2-point range that UK has EVER shot in their history.@KySportsRadio @BillyRsports pic.twitter.com/3xdLEJrOAK

— bigbluehistory (@bigbluehistory) November 30, 2024

Just as notable, this Kentucky team shot 75 percent from two-point range (24-32) in the win over Jackson State on Nov. 22. That number alone qualifies as a Top 10 mark in program history, checking in at eighth-best. It took Pope just seven contests to produce two of the most efficient scoring games in school history.

Considering we’re only seven games into the season and the only high-major opponent played so far is Duke, we can assume that Kentucky’s red-hot shooting percentages will come down a bit as the schedule rolls along. But we at least know this isn’t a team that has to rely on outside shooting. Kentucky is shooting 51.7 percent overall, which would rank third in program history if it holds all season.

Couple that with what is currently a Top 20 defense in the country and you’ve got a recipe for a deep postseason run in March.