Milan Momcilovic made an immediate impact in his Kentucky debut, scoring 24 points and grabbing five rebounds while shooting 6-of-9 from three-point range in an 85-57 victory over Manhattan on Tuesday night. The 6-foot-9 forward, who transferred from Iowa State after three seasons, reportedly secured a name, image, and likeness deal worth around $6 million for what could be a make-or-break season for third-year coach Mark Pope.
Momcilovic's shooting pedigree was on full display; he entered the game having shot 48.7% from beyond the arc on 7.5 attempts per game last season while helping Iowa State reach a second Sweet 16 in three years. After Tuesday's performance, he is now shooting 49.3% from three-point range over his past 38 contests.
"I would like him to take 15 [3-pointers per game], if we can get him there," Pope said after his third straight season-opening win with the Wildcats. Kentucky's next game is Friday against James Madison.
In the updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings released Wednesday, Kentucky remains at No. 20. The Southeastern Conference continues to dominate the rankings with eight teams in the top 25 — No. 1 Florida, No. 6 Texas, No. 10 Arkansas, No. 16 Tennessee, No. 21 Alabama, No. 23 Missouri, and No. 25 Vanderbilt joining the Wildcats. No other conference has more than six teams ranked.
