Kentucky basketball on historic defensive pace

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Just six games into the season, back in November, John Calipari said if his University of Kentucky basketball team committed to it, the Wildcats would have "a chance of being one of those teams you talk about defensively, like, (best) of all-time."

Now, approaching what they hope is just the halfway point of a championship season, and even after Vanderbilt's second-half offensive blitz Tuesday night, Kentucky's defense remains on an historic pace.

The Commodores hit just 4 of 17 shots to start the game and had made only 35 percent of their attempts with 13 minutes remaining before Riley LaChance and Eric Fisher-Davis unleashed a barrage of jumpers. Vanderbilt hit 8 of 10, including four 3-pointers, in one blistering stretch to keep it close. But UK got back to its suffocating ways and the 'Dores made just 2 of 9 over the final five minutes to seal their fate.

Vanderbilt's 41.5 percent shooting was the fourth-best mark against the top-ranked Wildcats (18-0, 5-0 SEC) this season, but Kentucky still finished with nearly as many combined blocks and steals (19) as the Commodores made field goals (22). And the march toward history rolls on.

The latest number crunch on the Cats' defensive prowess: Their 82.1 points allowed per 100 possessions would be the fewest in 14 seasons. Stat guru Ken Pomeroy has been tracking that pace-free calculation (adjusted for opponents), while the 32.2 percent shooting by opponents would be the lowest in college basketball since 1978 and the 50.8 points per game allowed would be third-fewest since the 3-point line was adopted in 1986-87.

Kentucky also leads the nation with 146 blocks, which is 8.1 per game, which puts these Cats just off the pace to break the 2012 national championship UK team's NCAA single-season record of 344. Here are the pertinent lists to put this group's defensive dominance in historical perspective:

POINTS PER 100 POSSESSIONS ALLOWED (SINCE 2002)

(Adjusted based on opponents)

Kentucky 2015 (82.1)

San Diego State 2015 (84.0)*

Memphis 2009 (85.1)

Virginia 2015 (85.4)*

Wisconsin 2012 (85.6)

Louisville 2012 (85.6)

Southern Cal 2010 (86.2)

Georgetown 2013 (86.3)

Louisville 2013 (86.4)

Louisville 2015 (86.6)*

* Season still in progress

FIELD-GOAL PERCENTAGE DEFENSE (SINCE 1978)

Kentucky 2015 (32.2)

Stanford 2000 (35.2)

Marquette 1994 (35.8)

Kansas 2013 (36.1)

Marquette 1997 (36.2)

Temple 2000 (36.2)

SCORING DEFENSE (SINCE 3-POINT LINE ADDED IN 1986-87)

Princeton 1992 (48.2 ppg)

Princeton 1991 (48.9 ppg)

Kentucky 2015 (50.8 ppg)

Air Force 2004 (50.9 ppg)

Princeton 1990 (51.0 ppg)

Stephen F. Austin 2013 (51.2 ppg)

* For instant updates on the Wildcats, follow me on Twitter @KyleTucker_CJ. Email me at ktucker@courier-journal.com.