Kentucky coach Mark Pope showed last season that he has the X’s and O’s to compete at the highest level. This season, still in its early stages, will reveal whether he can truly cut it in the pressure cooker that is Kentucky basketball.
The No. 13 Wildcats did what they were supposed to do Friday night, bouncing back from a humbling 17-point loss to Michigan State by hammering Loyola Maryland 88–46 at Rupp Arena. A similar result is expected Wednesday when Tennessee Tech arrives as the final tune-up before things get serious.
And December gets very serious.
Kentucky will face four ranked opponents in its first five games next month:
– No. 19 North Carolina
– No. 12 Gonzaga
– No. 25 Indiana
– No. 16 St. John’s
So far, the Wildcats haven’t responded well to ranked competition, falling behind by double digits early in losses to both No. 6 Louisville and No. 18 Michigan State.
Still, Pope embraces the climb.
> “I’m actually so happy in the misery of it,” he said. “We’re a little bit in a hole. We get to get ourselves out. That’s inspiring.”
Coaching at Kentucky Isn’t Just About Basketball
Pope’s biggest challenge hasn’t been strategy — it’s been managing the unique chaos that surrounds the program. After hinting that “something” threw his team off before the Louisville game, he declined to explain further. That silence became fuel for speculation, allowing rumors and narratives to flourish in the absence of clarity.
At most schools, early-season bumps vanish quietly. At Kentucky, they become controversies.
Guard Otega Oweh knows the reality all too well.
> “We’re in a position where there’s a comment on everything we do,” Oweh said. “We just can’t worry about it.”
On-Court Progress — but Bigger Tests Ahead
On the floor, Kentucky looked sharper against Loyola, shooting 48.7% and knocking down 10 threes after a season-low showing from deep against Michigan State. That improvement was expected — and that’s the point. The easy games aren’t the issue.
Pope has already shown he can coach. Last year’s win over Duke included a now-viral huddle moment in which his instructions perfectly predicted the Blue Devils’ final play. His BYU teams routinely ranked in the top 25 in adjusted offensive efficiency, and Kentucky finished 10th nationally in that metric last year. Heading into Friday, this year’s team sat at 13th according to KenPom.
Analytics? Pope has those mastered.
What he can’t quantify is chemistry — the human side of the game.
> “I’m not really a message guy,” Pope said. “Everything we do is direct and intentional.”
His lineup decisions reflected that. Pope started freshman center Malachi Moreno over Brandon Garrison, believing Moreno paired better with first-time starter Kam Williams, who was filling in for injured forward Mouhamed Dioubate.
Moreno rewarded him with 10 points and eight rebounds, continuing the consistency he showed off the bench. Garrison, after struggling mightily against Michigan State, responded with a season-high 11 rebounds.
The Kentucky Bubble Doesn’t Get Quieter
Nothing about Kentucky’s blowout win will stop the questions. Fans, talk radio hosts, podcasters, and social media will keep dissecting every rotation change, every rumor, every flaw.
That’s life inside the UK basketball bubble — and Pope can’t shield his players from it.
Guard Collin Chandler, who tied for a team-high 13 points Friday, sees the upside.
> “As bad as he is at losing, he’s great at learning from it and helping us learn,” Chandler said.
Now the Real Test Begins
Last season, Pope coached with the grace of low expectations — a roster built from scratch buys a lot of patience. This year is different. From his first day on the job, Pope said he “understands the assignment” at Kentucky: chase banner No. 9.
But with a tougher roster, tougher opponents, and a tougher spotlight, the coursework just got a lot heavier.
This December will show if Mark Pope can truly cut it at Kentucky.
