Kentucky Basketball: 5 Takeaways from Wildcats' Opening Games

Despite turning over most of their roster, the Kentucky Wildcats are off to a 3-0 start to the college basketball season. Although there is still a long way to go, we have already learned quite a bit from this squad.

This was a roster with a lot of uncertainty coming into the year, and major questions needed to be answered. Three games won't necessarily change your opinion, but Kentucky has silenced some of the doubts.

While there were solid wins over Albany and NJIT to begin the year, the 74-63 victory over Duke at the Champions Classic proved this young team is for real. It's one thing to have promising young talent, but it is quite another to actually beat good teams, and the Wildcats have done that.

Not everything has been perfect, of course, and the three wins offer a lot of teaching moments. This leads to a variety of both positive and negative takeaways from the first week of the 2015-16 season for Kentucky.

3-Guard Lineup Is Tough to Defend

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One of the biggest question marks coming into the year was how three point guards with little to no college experience would play together on the court. Through three games, the answer is extremely well.

Tyler Ulis, Jamal Murray and Isaiah Briscoe have each shown what they can do through three games, and the versatility has been impressive.

Murray was the star against Albany with 19 points, showcasing his aggressiveness with the ball. Briscoe came off the bench against NJIT but ended with 11 points and 12 rebounds, utilizing his strength and bulldog mentality. All three ended in double figures against Duke, but Ulis was the star with his 18 points, six assists and no turnovers, remaining in complete control of the offense all day.

The trio can each take over for a possession or quietly play off ball and try to get open. Even giving up some size is not an issue for this group. There might be questions about outside shooting and efficiency as the year goes on, but so far this experiment has been a rousing success.

Defense Is Still a Major Strength

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Kentucky created a historically good defense last season thanks to length all over the floor and two of the top interior defenders in the game in Willie Cauley-Stein and Karl-Anthony Towns. This year's squad is built a little differently, which led people to wonder whether it would live up to expectations defensively.

Once again it is still early, but the defense has been as good as John Calipari likely could have hoped for so far. 

According to KenPom.com, Kentucky is No. 1 in adjusted defensive efficiency through three games. That will happen when you hold Duke to 40.7 percent shooting and force 16 turnovers. In fact, all three opponents have turned the ball over at least 14 times, with the squads combining to shoot just 38.3 percent from the field.

At the individual level, Briscoe and Murray did a great job of shutting down Grayson Allen. Marcus Lee and Skal Labissiere have been quality rim-protectors. Alex Poythress is coming along slowly but remains a versatile defender who can guard multiple positions.

If this keeps up, the Wildcats will win a lot of games.

Defensive Rebounding Needs Work

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One thing that hasn't gone so well in the opening games is defensive rebounding. Albany got 13 boards on the offensive end, while Duke mostly stayed in the game thanks to its 15 offensive rebounds. Marshall Plumlee and Amile Jefferson finished with 12 of their own.

"What Duke was doing on drives is just throwing it over our big—whether they made it or not—and offensive rebounding the ball," John Calipari said after Tuesday's game, per UKAthletics.com.

Marcus Lee and others have shown the athleticism and aggressiveness to grab offensive rebounds, but securing defensive boards requires more discipline to find a man and box out. The team hasn't done this with enough consistency yet this season.

The ability is certainly there with the size and talent of the men down low. The guards also can get involved by going back for the ball instead of shooting out for fast breaks. If they can do this, the Wildcats will truly have a complete defense. Otherwise, top opponents will get too many opportunities each possession, which could lead to some rough games.

Labissiere Is Still Young but Has Great Potential

Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports

Against NJIT and a few times in the exhibition games, Labissiere showed why he is considered a potential No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. He has a polished offensive skill set with the ability to create down low and finish with either hand, along with a developing outside shot.

Once he gains confidence and consistency, he can be an unguardable weapon at the college level.

The problem is he is still a freshman. There will be mistakes and bad games in his first few weeks and maybe longer. He was almost invisible against Albany, shooting just 3-of-5 from the field and bringing in five rebounds. Against Duke, foul trouble limited him to 13 minutes on the floor.

Every so often he will provide glimpses of brilliance, but Kentucky fans will have to be patient while he develops into more of a complete player. Even if he never becomes a go-to option for Kentucky, he has a lot of potential.

Poythress Could Be the X-Factor

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Although it isn't easy to come back from a torn ACL, Poythress is an important player for this year's Kentucky squad. The senior not only provides leadership and rare experience at this level, but he is also a valuable contributor on both ends of the court.

He showcased his ability against Duke with his defense against Brandon Ingram, as he was the only Wildcat capable of matching up against the 6'9" perimeter scorer. This won't always be an issue, but Kentucky will face some bigger lineups this season, so Poythress will be a useful commodity as someone who can defend multiple positions.

Offensively, he is still coming along (3-of-10 from the field against Duke), but he has great athleticism and can be a serious threat as a slasher. In the meantime, he is doing all the little things to help his team, such as grabbing rebounds and diving for loose balls.

Although he might not be Kentucky's most talented player this season, Poythress' activity will play a major role in determining how good the Wildcats can be.

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