Kentucky is near the top of SEC in a few important offensive categories

Kentucky has no shooters! The ‘Cats are good for at least one airball 3-pointer a game! These guys aren’t hustling either! They can’t rebound! All of these exclamations have been true for most of the 2025-26 season. But good luck convincing math and science. Five games into conference play, Kentucky leads the SEC in three important statistical categories that have helped salvage a 3-2 record: 3-point shooting percentage, fast-break points, and second-chance scoring.

Kentucky has been more selective with 3-point attempts, but has made them

Let’s start with Kentucky’s sudden efficiency from behind the arc. While the ‘Cats are still prone to droughts, they have countered dry spells with bonfire-quality hot streaks on shots from deep. Kentucky is shooting an SEC-best 38.7 percent from 3 in conference play, a stat that no one saw coming after the team shot just 33.7 percent from deep in non-conference games.

Five players are shooting at least 43 percent from 3, with a couple more hitting half their shots:

• Andrija Jelavic: 50% (4/8)
• Jasper Johnson: 50% (3/6)
• Denzel Aberdeen: 47.1% (8/17)
• Collin Chandler: 47.1% (8/17)
• Otega Oweh: 43.5% (10/23)

Kam Williams is shooting just 31.6 percent in conference play, but he is another player very capable of getting hot from the outside, as demonstrated by his eight 3-point performance against Bellarmine.

Despite the efficiency, Kentucky is not shooting 3s at a high volume in conference games. The ‘Cats are hoisting an average of 21.2 shots from behind the arc per game, which ranks 14th out of 16 SEC teams. This lines up with a 3-point attempt rate of 36.3 percent, also 14th in the league.

Mark Pope has said he wants his teams to shoot 30-plus 3s per game, but he seems to have traded quantity for quality, and the rate of shots going in has spiked accordingly.

Kentucky is generating a lot of fast-break points and giving up very few

For whatever reason, this Kentucky basketball team struggles in the half-court. That is putting it mildly. Whether they stand around, dribble the air out of the ball, or throw passes at teammates’ feet, extended minutes with zero field goals are all too commonplace. That means Kentucky has to generate offense in different ways, and they have had some success in transition.

Kentucky is averaging 16.4 fast-break points per game in SEC play, which is 5th-best in the conference. Turnovers help spur these fast-break opportunities, forcing opponents into a turnover percentage of 16 percent, good for the 2nd-best in the SEC. It all adds up to 16.8 points off turnovers, which ranks 3rd in the SEC.

What makes these numbers even better for the ‘Cats is the net-point differential they generate. They are giving up a league-best 7.4 fast-break points per game, which equates to a positive nine net points in transition. This is best in the SEC, and while Florida is a close second with an 8.6 net in fast-break points, no one else is even close, with Arkansas in a distant third at 3.6.

Points in transition help juice up Kentucky’s overall 12.8 points off turnovers, which is four points better than their opponent on average.

Keeping these transition opportunities frequent on offense while limiting opponents’ chances will be key as this team churns through the SEC schedule.

Kentucky is making up ground in second-chance points

With a limited half-court offense, the other way Kentucky looks to score is on the offensive glass. The team ranks 5th in the SEC in second-chance points, posting 15 per game, good for 19.3 percent of the team’s overall total.

Similar to fast-break points, the most impactful aspect of this stat comes not only in what Kentucky is producing, but also in what they are giving up. The ‘Cats lead the SEC in fewest second-change points allowed at just 8.2 points per game, or 10.7 percent of opponents’ total points. That’s not bad for a team ranked dead last in the league in defensive rebounding.

It all culminates in a net difference of 6.8 points in second-chance opportunities, the second-best rating in the SEC behind only Florida.

Between the 6.8 point difference they get from second-chance points and the 9.0 net points they get in fast breaks, Kentucky is making up for its lack of a consistent half-court offense by outscoring their opponents by 15.8 points in other aspects of scoring.

Combine that with a more efficient shooting clip from deep, and you have the recipe for what Kentucky wins:

• Make open 3s, but only shoot them when you’re open
• Maximize every transition opportunity by scoring on fast breaks
• Attack the glass offensively to put up second-change points while limiting opponents’ 2nd-chance points

The sample size is still small-ish with only five games of SEC play under their belt, but statistical trends are starting to form. Let’s just hope the ‘Cats can pair their easy buckets with a better half-court offense before the season ends.