Kentucky’s towering roster: 11 players 6-foot-6 or taller as Pope eyes a deeper run

Mark Pope enters his third season at Kentucky with a roster featuring 11 players taller than 6-foot-6, including four who are 7-foot. It's the tallest roster Pope and his staff have assembled entering his third season with the Wildcats. Pope has compiled a 46-26 record in his two seasons and has won three NCAA Tournament games. Fans are eager to see the team move past the second round, a feat that has only been accomplished twice in the past seven years, with Pope guiding Kentucky to the Sweet Sixteen in his first season.

Forward Malachi Moreno, an All-SEC freshman, is back for a second season. Moreno averaged 7.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game last season. ... Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic gives the Wildcats a potent outside threat, a key component missing last season. Momcilovic averaged 13.2 points per game last season and made a school-record 136 3-pointers. ... Zoom Diallo transferred from Washington and will be a driving force for Kentucky at point guard. Diallo averaged 11.3 points and 2.7 assists per game for the Huskies last year. ... Furman transfer Alex Wilkins, the top freshman in the Southern Conference last year, brings in an impressive resume (17.8 points per game and 4.7 assists last year). ... Kam Williams and Trent Noah have been hobbled by injuries during the offseason and Pope is hopeful his two veterans can return sooner rather than later.

Frank Kepnang, who has extensive experience at Washington and Oregon, gives Kentucky help in the post where the Wildcats also struggled last season. ... James Madison transfer Justin McBride was a third-team All-Sun Belt player last season and averaged 15.3 ppg. He also played at Nevada. ... Junior Ousmane N’Diaye will be counted on to provide experience after a successful playing career overseas, playing in Germany, Italy and Spain. ... Collin Chandler transferred to BYU after scoring 9.7 points per game. ... Otega Oweh headed to the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder before suffering a season-ending Achilles injury. .... Brandon Garrison transferred to Alabama, while Denzel Aberdeen returned to Florida and Mo Dioubate is now at LSU.

Kentucky will open against Manhattan on Nov. 3, before taking on Kansas in the Champions Classic on Nov. 10. Other notable games are against Indiana at Indianapolis on Nov. 20 and a home game with instate rival Louisville on Dec. 12. Kentucky will play North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic in New York on Dec. 19.

Kentucky is projected to finish seventh in the Southeastern Conference, a traditionally low preseason spot for the Wildcats. They must improve their 3-point shooting and avoid injuries, which have crippled Pope’s squad the first two seasons of his tenure. Point guards Lamont Butler (shoulder) and Jaland Lowe (shoulder) suffered significant injuries that left the Wildcats scrambling for answers.

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