The University of Kentucky’s men’s basketball team saw their season come to an end on Friday night, falling to Tennessee 78-65 in the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional round of 16. Despite the loss, first-year coach Mark Pope’s debut season was deemed a success by many.
Tennessee dominated the Wildcats on the offensive glass, outrebounding them 14-7 and scoring 19 second-chance points to Kentucky’s 5. The Volunteers’ point guard, Zakai Zeigler, controlled the game with 18 points and 10 assists.
“We knew their actions really well,” said UK center Amari Williams. “None of the cuts or handoffs were really working in the first half. That’s when (Tennessee) went on their run. By the time in the second half we figured out we had to be more aggressive, it was too late.”
Pope’s first season at Kentucky ended with a 24-12 record, which, by Kentucky standards, is not exceptional. However, the team’s performance exceeded expectations, and Pope’s ability to coach and recruit at a high level was validated.
“I think it will be really easy for kids to want to come here and play for him,” said UK super-senior guard Jaxson Robinson.
Pope’s recruiting efforts, which were initially questioned, yielded a roster of talented players who were capable of competing with elite teams. The Wildcats’ offense, which was a question mark entering the season, proved effective against high-level foes, with the team averaging 85.0 points per game.
While there are still questions surrounding Pope’s ability to consistently attract top talent and achieve consistency, his first season at Kentucky has laid a solid foundation for the program’s future.
“I’m proud of our guys,” Pope said. “We had a great season, and we’re going to learn from this and get better.”
