Kentucky Wildcats fans were left stunned Saturday night after a heartbreaker at Auburn, and head coach Mark Pope made it perfectly clear how furious he was — even if he didn’t say it at the podium.
With just seconds remaining, Kentucky held a slim one-point lead and the ball inbounds. Collin Chandler, tasked with keeping Kentucky’s hopes alive, was called for a push-off on Auburn’s Kevin Overton — a call that would ultimately determine the outcome of the game. The foul sent Overton tumbling to the floor and handed Auburn the chance they needed. Just moments later, Elyjah Freeman tipped in the game-winning basket as time expired. Auburn 75, Kentucky 74.
The Call That Shook the Game
Replays tell a complicated story. Chandler clearly extended his arm during the inbounds, but Overton appeared to grab Chandler first. In similar situations, late-game fouls like this are usually ignored by officials, letting the players decide the game. This time, though, the whistle blew — and the timing could not have been worse for the Wildcats.
Kentucky fans quickly took to social media to debate the call, with many insisting that the foul was questionable at best. “Officials inserting themselves and affecting the outcome,” one fan tweeted, alongside a clip of the sequence that would ignite controversy.
Pope’s Carefully Measured Response… Until the Hallway
During his postgame press conference, Pope was visibly frustrated but careful not to directly attack the referees. “We’re not allowed to talk about the referees,” he said, “but you guys saw it, and I think sometimes it’s just super personal.” He added, tongue-in-cheek, that Kentucky doesn’t make excuses:
“…Regardless of how disgraceful things are, we don’t give away our power… Regardless of how embarrassing, personal, awful, unacceptable…”
The coach ended the press conference without making any explicit accusations. But the real fireworks came moments later. As Pope walked down the hall out of the media room and spoke with Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart — in clear earshot of reporters — he let loose:
“Mitch, if those MFers try to fine me, screw ’em. I did not say a WORD about how they cheated us.”
Video of the exchange quickly spread online, giving fans a rare glimpse at Pope’s unfiltered emotions after a highly controversial finish.
The Fallout and What It Means for Kentucky
It wasn’t just the loss that stung — it was how it happened. A split-second call, a one-point lead, and a last-second tip-in combined to create one of the most debated finishes in the SEC this season. Kentucky fans are left asking the same question: Was it a foul? Or was it another example of officiating tipping the scales in a crucial moment?
For Mark Pope, the message was clear: he may be careful in public forums, but he isn’t afraid to voice his frustrations when the stakes are highest. And while Kentucky now moves forward in SEC play, this loss — and the controversial call that decided it — is bound to be a topic of conversation for weeks.
One thing is certain: the Wildcats aren’t going to quietly accept it. And neither is their coach.
