ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Ask each Kentucky player to close her eyes and imagine the game where she couldn't miss, when every shot she threw up seemed to fall softly and easily through the net.
In the two weeks leading up to the NCAA Tournament, Coach Matthew Mitchell has had each player remember that game and then go back there before she takes the floor this week.
"He's told us to visualize and go back to a time when we felt really confident and good about our shot," freshman guard Bernisha Pinkett said. "If you go back there in your mind, it helps you relax when you're shooting and not worry about missing."
Mitchell hopes this little mental exercise will help his Cats break out of a pseudo-shooting slump as they prepare to take on fifth-seeded North Carolina in the second round Monday night at The Pit. Against the Tar Heels, fourth-seeded Kentucky is going to have to make every shot count.
That's been a struggle in the last 10 games, when UK has been able to shoot better than 40 percent only twice. By contrast, North Carolina (27-8) has shot better than 44 percent in six of its past 10 contests.
Kentucky hasn't just struggled shooting from inside, but from the outside, too.
In the last 10 games, UK has shot better than 30 percent from three-point range only twice. In the Cats' three Southeastern Conference Tournament games, they hit just 18.8 percent from long range.
The Cats' coach said he doesn't believe he has a "poor shooting team."
"At this time of year, as far as shooting goes, you just have to have a real positive mind-set and a real belief in your ability to shoot," Mitchell said before the tournament started. "We've all here seen our players have good nights shooting. ... We have shot it poorly in a few games lately."
His players agreed.
"We have plenty of games where we shot the ball very well and those last two games (in the SEC Tournament) are not a real testament to how well we can shoot the ball," sophomore guard A'dia Mathies said. "We just have to let our defense contribute to our offense and take it from there."
The good news for Kentucky (25-8) is that it found some rhythm from beyond the arc here in Albuquerque. Against Hampton on Saturday, UK hit 42.1 percent from three-point range, making six threes in the first half alone. It was the most three-pointers the team has made in a first half since the end of December, when it hit eight against Middle Tennessee State.
Keyla Snowden, who had four three-pointers Saturday, said UK must hit outside shots to open up the inside for players like Victoria Dunlap. North Carolina has a size advantage with 6-foot-3 senior Jessica Breland, 6-5 junior Chay Shegog and 6-6 sophomore reserve Waltiea Rolle.
"It will be very important," Snowden said. "Making shots will definitely help open things up for (Brittany Henderson and Dunlap) and our other post players, but also attacking the basket and trying to draw some fouls will be key."
The fact both UNC and UK will be trying to turn Monday's game into a track meet of sorts could help the Cats, who have struggled in the half court.
"When we've been good lately, we've been able to get some things going in transition offense, and hopefully that would help us a lot offensively," Mitchell said. "Any kind of easier opportunities or easier reads ... could benefit us."
Snowden thinks Kentucky is just one game away from shooting itself out of any perceived slump.
It helps her visualize a win over the Tar Heels.
"We shot the ball well earlier in the season, I think that's mainly confidence," she said. "We will do a lot better with that as the tournament goes on."
