Kentucky will face worst offense in SEC on Saturday

Kentucky has a litany of problems on defense. The Wildcats have slipped to No. 108 in adjusted defensive efficiency as Mark Pope‘s team is allowing opponents to shoot 52.7 percent from two-point range and ranks No. 351 in turnover rate (13.4%). There are only 364 teams in college basketball.

In conference play, Kentucky ranks dead last in defensive efficiency, turnover rate, two-point field goal percentage allowed, and steal percentage. There are 16 teams in the conference. UK must find some answers on this end of the floor very soon.

Those answers might be found on Saturday afternoon at Rupp Arena.

South Carolina (10-12, 0-9) enters this weekend’s game winless in conference play and ranked No. 131 overall in adjusted offensive efficiency. The Gamecocks have the worst offense in the SEC. In year three under former Chattanooga head coach Lamont Paris, South Carolina plays slow (No. 288 in adjusted pace) and ranks last in the SEC in offensive efficiency. Ball security (No. 300 in turnover rate) is a massive issue along with shooting. South Carolina ranks No. 13 in the SEC in three-point field goal percentage and No. 14 in two-point field goal percentage.

Could Saturday be a get-right game for Pope’s squad? If the defense does not look improved against a laboring South Carolina offense that has scored less than 70 points in nine conference games, there could be some more ugly performances like the games against Arkansas and Ole Miss on the horizon.

Kentucky needs to generate more stops. Saturday could tell us where this group truly stands to begin the back half of the conference schedule.

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