Kentucky freshman guard Collin Chandler is beginning to find his rhythm just in time for postseason play, and head coach Mark Pope is taking notice. As the Wildcats gear up for the SEC Tournament, Chandler’s recent performances have caught the attention of his coach and fans alike.
Chandler, who is averaging 2.3 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game across 25 appearances this season, has had his share of ups and downs. But recently, he’s shown flashes of the player Kentucky hoped he could be. His late-season surge began with a seven-point outing against Vanderbilt inside Rupp Arena in Feb., then scoring 11-points against LSU on Senior Night, in Kentucky’s last game at Rupp Arena. He capped off the regular season with eight points in the season finale against Missouri, solidifying his spot as a key contributor heading into March.
“He’s getting more and more comfortable on the floor,” Pope said Wednesday. “He gives us some things that we don’t have a lot of on the roster. He’s doing so much defensively, and we’re gonna need him to be great on the defensive side.”
Pope emphasized the importance of Chandler’s growing confidence on the offensive end, too, as the freshman has begun attacking more aggressively while still playing within the team’s system.
“He’s getting more aggressive and comfortable on the offensive end where he’s in attack mode, but attacking the way we do it,” Pope said. “We need that. We need both those things. He’s gonna be a big key to this.”
While Chandler’s statistics may not leap off the page, his impact goes beyond the numbers. His energy on defense and newfound assertiveness on offense have helped Kentucky close out the regular season with important wins. With postseason basketball now in full swing, Pope knows his lineup’s depth will be tested, and Chandler’s continued improvement could be crucial.
“Our lineup is not super deep. We need everybody to be really big, and of course we need Collin,” Pope added.
For a Kentucky team looking to make noise in both the SEC and NCAA Tournaments, Chandler’s emergence could not have come at a better time. If he can continue to build on his recent performances, the Wildcats might just have an unexpected x-factor ready to make an impact on the biggest stage, and could come up with a key defensive stop at the end when Kentucky needs it the most.