No. 23 Kentucky Basketball just kicked off its season Tuesday night, and while the 85-57 win over Manhattan was a strong start, Milan Momcilovic’s absolutely insane 6-for-9 performance from downtown is the real headline. He tied a school record, and it’s got everyone talking about what this Kentucky team could become.
Pope’s 3-Point Philosophy Already Paying Off
Coach Mark Pope made it clear he wants this team living and dying by the three ball, aiming for 30 to 35 attempts per game. In the season opener, he got his wish, and then some. The Wildcats fired up 31 shots from beyond the arc, sinking 12 of them for a hot 38.7% clip. That’s a good number, especially for an opener! We saw the offense start slow, but once they found that rhythm, they started knocking down shots. This wasn’t just a good outing, it was a record setter too. Those 12 made threes are the most Kentucky has hit in a season opener since back in 2010 against East Tennessee State, when they nailed 13. That’s the kind of high-octane offense we wanna see.
Momcilovic’s Record-Setting Night and Who Else Stepped Up
While the team’s overall shooting was solid, Momcilovic was straight up unreal. Finishing 6-for-9 from three is a ridiculous 66.7% mark, way beyond what anyone considers “excellent.” He not only tied Antonio Reeves’ record for the most 3-pointers made by a Wildcat in a regular-season debut, but he also tied the school record for most made threes in a season opener. That’s a serious statement right out of the gate. Alex Wilkins also showed he’s got that deep ball touch, making 3-for-6 from downtown for 50%. It’s encouraging to see a couple of guys torching the nets like that.
The big question now is if they can keep this up and get more players to contribute. Relying on just Momcilovic and Wilkins for all the deep shots isn’t sustainable long term. But for an opening night, this was an excellent start for Kentucky. If this offense keeps clicking and they can maintain that dangerous 3-point range, this team is going to be a tough out for anyone. We’ll be keeping an eye on them to see if they can develop that consistency as the season progresses.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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