Just a week ago, Big Blue Nation was celebrating. The Wildcats looked unstoppable after crushing No. 1 Purdue in their first exhibition game under head coach Mark Pope.
But on Thursday night, that early optimism vanished inside Rupp Arena.
The Georgetown Hoyas — a team picked to finish sixth in the Big East and not even projected for the NCAA Tournament — came into Lexington and stunned No. 9 Kentucky 84–70, snapping the Wildcats’ 11-year exhibition win streak and delivering Pope’s first major wake-up call in his young tenure.
“I Hate Every Bit of It.”
Mark Pope didn’t sugarcoat a thing after the loss.
> “I hate every bit of it,” he said, his voice hoarse and filled with frustration. “But if we treat it right, it will serve us well.”
This wasn’t a one-possession nail-biter — Georgetown outplayed Kentucky from start to finish. The Hoyas took control midway through the first half and never let the Wildcats back in it, leading by double digits for the final 17 minutes.
Junior forward Mouhamed Dioubate, one of the few bright spots with 13 points and seven rebounds, admitted it was a hard lesson to learn.
> “We got film tomorrow morning,” Dioubate said. “It’s gonna be a long film session.”
Hoyas Bring the Fight — Wildcats Fold
Georgetown head coach Ed Cooley had his team locked in and ready for war. The Hoyas shot 55.4% from the field, including 65% on two-point attempts, while bullying Kentucky 38–24 in the paint.
Their star point guard, Malik Mack, led the charge with 22 points on 7-of-9 shooting inside the arc.
> “When I have a lane, I feel like I’m quick enough to get to the basket,” Mack said. “It wasn’t planned — just what the defense gave me.”
And the defense gave him plenty.
Pope has made defense his top priority entering this season, but on this night, Kentucky looked soft. The Wildcats were missing both primary point guards — Jaland Lowe and Denzel Aberdeen — due to injuries. Still, Dioubate refused to make excuses.
> “That’s not an excuse for the way we played on defense,” he said. “We gotta bring that dog, and we didn’t bring it today.”
Cold Shooting, Costly Mistakes
Kentucky’s offense wasn’t any better. The Wildcats shot just 33.3% from the floor and an ugly 7-for-30 (23.3%) from three-point range. In the second half, they missed all 13 attempts from deep.
Freshman sensation Jasper Johnson, who shined against Purdue, struggled this time around — going 3-for-10 overall and 1-for-6 from beyond the arc.
> “Jasper was put under real duress tonight, which is exactly what he needs,” Pope said. “That’s how you grow and get better.”
Sophomore Kam Williams, expected to be one of Kentucky’s top perimeter shooters, went 0-for-5 and was held scoreless in 24 minutes.
> “Kam got a chance to feel the physicality of the game,” Pope said. “And he’s going to grow from that.”
“No Days Off” — The Lesson Hits Home
If the Wildcats learned anything Thursday night, it’s that the Kentucky name doesn’t win games — toughness does.
> “We can’t take no team for granted,” Dioubate said. “At the end of the day, we’re all Division I basketball players. Everyone wants to beat Kentucky. There’s no days off.”
Meanwhile, Georgetown coach Ed Cooley admitted his team came into Rupp Arena fully prepared for the upset.
> “I’d be lying to you if I said we didn’t prepare,” Cooley said. “If you don’t prepare, don’t expect to win.”
Pope’s Painful Truth
For Mark Pope, this was a hard but necessary moment of truth.
> “I’ll be honest with you, this is painful. We’re not going to sleep,” he said. “This is never acceptable here. But I’m grateful it’s happening now, because it gives us a chance to learn and grow.”
Kentucky’s real season starts Tuesday night against Nicholls, and the schedule heats up quickly — including the rivalry showdown with Louisville on Nov. 11.
The loss exposed flaws, sure. But Pope believes it also revealed the team’s potential to respond.
> “I’ve got unbelievably competitive guys,” he said. “They care. They’re smart. And we’ll really learn from this.”
It wasn’t pretty — but maybe, just maybe, this humbling night in Rupp Arena will be the fuel that turns Kentucky’s talent into toughness before the real battles begin.
