Thankfully, the Kentucky Wildcats ended their three-game losing streak against the South Carolina Gamecocks on Tuesday night. The game was closer than most people had predicted. Unfortunately, Trent Noah’s struggles over the past few weeks prevented it from being close.
Over the past few weeks, Noah hasn’t played well, although still shooting 36.4% from the field. It has been six games since January 31 that he has failed to make a field goal. He has gone 0-for-7 from downtown and 0-for-9 from the field throughout that time. There is undoubtedly more history to come for Mark Pope and company, as he has shot 34.1% from beyond the arc this season.
Pope is still riding with Noah, even though some coaches might have given up on a player during this kind of run. A young player must feel more confident knowing that his coach is supporting him. Pope gave Noah six minutes on Tuesday, and this is exactly how he put it.
Noah is well-known in the Bluegrass state, having played in high school at Harlan County. The 6-foot-6 forward can stretch the floor when he’s making jumpers, and his stature will be a force on the glass. Noah needs to get into his groove for the Cats without Kam Williams, especially since he’s been playing more since the former Tulane forward’s injury.
Noah was the second-best player in the state of Kentucky in the Class of 2024 and a three-star recruit when he graduated from high school. Travis Perry of Lyon County, who also attended Kentucky as a freshman before transferring, was just behind him.
Pope and Noah will return to action on Saturday when the Wildcats play the Vanderbilt Commodores at home. A victory would be a major victory. The tip is scheduled for 2:00 PM ET.
