John Clay: What will new Kentucky coach Mark Pope's offense look like? Bombs away!

LEXINGTON, Ky. — If it’s a modern offense Kentucky basketball fans want, then new coach Mark Pope is here to deliver.

In his four seasons at BYU, Pope tweaked his offensive strategy from time to time, but in 2023-24 the Cougars featured a five-out, well-spaced offensive attack that averaged 81.4 points per game and attempted more 3-pointers per game at 32.0 than all but one team in the country — North Florida at 33.2.

(New Louisville coach Pat Kelsey’s offense at Charleston finished third nationally in 3-point attempts per game at 30.6. Yes, Cats-Cards next December at Rupp Arena is going to be bombs away.)

“I know it’s a cliché, but they live and die by the 3-pointer,” said Jay Drew, who covers BYU basketball for the Deseret News. “It wasn’t always that way. When they got the invitation to the Big 12, he basically reinvented the wheel, so to speak at BYU. He said, ‘Hey, the only way that we can narrow the talent gap with Big 12 teams is by playing this style.' ”

Pope’s stated goal was to take 35 3-point shots per game. BYU made 34.8% of those 3-pointers. The Cougars attempted more 3-pointers (50.4%) than 2-pointers (49.6%).

“BYU is unique,” Houston coach Kelvin Sampson said this season. “I mean they’re just different than everybody we play because of the 3-point line.”

“If you’ve watched Alabama play, I think that most closely resembles BYU’s offensive style, or what it was this past season,” Drew said.

The more people you talk to about the BYU offense the more you hear the Alabama comparison. Heavy on analytics and 3-point shooting — Alabama averaged 29.9 3-point shots per game in 2023-24 — Oats coached the Crimson Tide to its first Final Four appearance this season, with Bama finishing No. 1 nationally in points per game at 90.1 and No. 2 in adjusted offensive efficiency, according to Ken Pomeroy’s numbers. BYU finished 14th in efficiency.

“Stylistically apt, and what a fitting reminder that March does whatever it wants,” ESPN college basketball analyst John Gasaway said. “The similarities resulted in very different tournament outcomes. Still, both Alabama and BYU attempted a high number of threes and both ranked No. 1 in their leagues for two-point accuracy. The Crimson Tide preferred to do all of the above at a somewhat faster pace.”

The Tide ranked 14th in adjusted tempo, compared to the Cougars’ 84th. Alabama ranked third in average possession length. BYU ranked 63rd.

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