Kentucky must expose #1 Purdue's biggest weakness to beat the Boilermakers

This is how the Kentucky Wildcats must attack the Purdue Boilermakers.

Oct 14, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Heading into the 2025-26 season, Purdue is considered the best team in the nation, which is why the AP Poll has the Boilermakers ranked first. The Kentucky Wildcats will be the first tough test for Purdue as Mark Pope's team will host Purdue in an exhibition game on Friday.

The clear strength of this Purdue team is the offense. Returning Preseason Player of the Year Braden Smith, 20 points per game scorer Trey Kaufman-Renn, and sharpshooter Fletcher Loyer have this Purdue offense looking elite.

While the offense will be elite for Purdue, there are a lot of questions surrounding the defense for this team.

Mar 28, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) dribbles the ball against the Houston Cougars in the first half during a Midwest Regional semifinal of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Here are the questions Isaac Trotter of CBS Sports has for the Boilermakers' defense: "Functionally, it will show up the most on defense. Can Purdue find someone to handle those tough assignments against big wings? Is the combination of Cluff and Kaufman-Renn mobile enough defensively? Can Purdue's defense be disruptive? Or is this just a defense forced to play a barrage of drop coverage and hope to win the shot-quality game?"

KenPom has Purdue's offense ranked first overall in their rankings, but the defense is ranked 29th. Obviously, these are preseason rankings, and it doesn't matter a ton, but the defense will be how Kentucky has to try and expose the Boilermakers.

Purdue lacks some athleticism, which is why Otega Oweh needs to play well in this basketball game. This is the type of game where Oweh should be able to get to the rim with ease.

Oct 14, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Otega Oweh talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Kentucky's defense is top five in KenPom, so it's not to say Purdue, despite being so elite on offense, will walk all over the Wildcats, but the other end of the floor is where the Wildcats will have an advantage.

This game will likely involve a lot of scoring, so if the Wildcats are going to come out with the win, they will have to make a lot of threes. The threes are great, and Pope wants to shoot a lot of them, but in this game, it wouldn't hurt to try and get down low and utilize this team's athleticism.

Pope is one of the best coaches in the nation when it comes to breaking down film, so he will have an elite game plan ready for this game. Kentucky knows where they have an advantage in this game, and even shorthanded, the Wildcats have a shot to shock the #1 team in Rupp Arena in front of a rowdy crowd.