Kentucky suffered an 82-78 loss to Texas, despite being shorthanded due to injuries to its point guards. The Wildcats’ struggles from beyond the arc were a major factor in their defeat, as they went just 6-24 (25%) from three-point range.
The stats are stark: Kentucky’s two-point shooting percentage was an even more dismal 4-22 (18%). Koby Brea, the team’s best three-point shooter, struggled to find his mark, going 0-6 from the floor and 0-4 from beyond the arc. His four points came from the free throw line.
The numbers don’t lie: in Kentucky’s eight losses this season, its three-point shooting has been a major issue, with Koby Brea failing to make more than two threes in any of those games. Tonight’s performance marked the end of his 39-game streak of making at least one three-pointer.
Coach Mark Pope attributed Texas’ physical defense to their success: “The physicality of the game on cutters, on holding and grabbing cutters, is pretty extraordinary.” The Wildcats struggled to overcome this physicality, committing 15 turnovers that led to 21 points for the Longhorns.
This loss marks a setback for Kentucky, which had previously beaten No. 5 Tennessee without its injured point guards. However, it’s clear that Koby Brea’s struggles from beyond the arc have been a major factor in their losses.
Source: https://www.on3.com/teams/kentucky-wildcats/news/kentucky-losses-common-denominator-three-point-shooting