Mark Pope Demands 10 3s a Night from Milan Momcilovic

The 10‑Shot Challenge Explained

Mark Pope has set an ambitious goal for Milan Momcilovic: 10 three‑point attempts per game. Spread across a full 32‑game regular season, that means 320 attempts before the SEC Tournament begins. The plan turns a single player into the focal point of Kentucky’s offense, a stark shift for a program that rarely relies on one shooter.

What Would the Numbers Look Like?

Three shooting scenarios illustrate the potential outcomes. At a 35% clip, Momcilovic would hit 112 threes—enough to rank as the third‑best single‑season shooter in UK history, just five shots shy of Jodie Meeks’ 117‑make mark from 2008‑09. Hitting 40% would produce 128 makes, vaulting him past all previous leaders and making him the new single‑season benchmark for the Wildcats. If he maintains his recent 48% efficiency, the total climbs to 154 makes, putting him within striking distance of the all‑time men’s record (seven short of Curry’s mark) and still about 50 behind Caitlin Clark’s Iowa tally.

Historical Context: Momcilovic’s Place Among Legends

Even a “bad” 35% season would land Momcilovic among Kentucky’s elite shooters. The raw‑make list is led by Meeks (117), Murray (113), Ford (101) and Miller (99). In attempts, Miller still holds the 298‑shot record from 1989‑90; Momcilovic’s proposed 320 would shatter that figure by more than 20 attempts. On the percentage side, only Travis Ford (52.9%) and Doron Lamb (46.6%) have posted higher marks for a season with at least 100 tries.

Why Pope Is Betting Big on Momcilovic

Coach Mark Pope is positioning Momcilovic as the engine of Kentucky’s attack, not a complementary piece. He is willing to sacrifice percentage for volume, believing that the sheer number of looks will stretch defenses thin. If Momcilovic can consistently get to 10 threes per night, the Wildcats’ record book will be rewritten, redefining what a single player can achieve in a season.

The next question is whether opposing teams will allow such a free‑throw line of three‑pointers. Kentucky’s schedule will test the credibility of Pope’s bold plan early in the campaign. Fans across the state are already buzzing, wondering if Momcilovic can live up to the hype and deliver a season that will be remembered for decades.