Kentucky men’s basketball coach Mark Pope reacts to March Madness loss
Following a 78-65 loss to Tennessee in the 2025 NCAA men’s basketball March Madness tournament, Kentucky coach Mark Pope expressed pride for his players. “We’ll be talking about these guys 10 years from now,” Pope.
Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope inherited a team with no returning scholarship players in April 2024.Despite this, the Wildcats finished 24-12 and reached the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019.Pope emphasizes the importance of time spent together as a team, both on and off the court.During the offseason, he implemented one-on-one sessions with each player and allows players to lead practices at times.
LEXINGTON — Mark Pope took over a Kentucky basketball program in April 2024 that didn’t boast a returning scholarship player. So, he and his first-year coaching staff did what they had to do: overhaul the entire roster, bringing in a dozen newcomers. The results — while maybe not reaching the heights UK’s fervid fan base annually demands from the nation’s all-time winningest program — were stout and arguably exceeded outside expectations: A 24-12 overall record. A record-tying eight victories over teams ranked in The Associated Press’ top 15 at the time of the matchup. And the Wildcats‘ first appearance in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 since 2019.
Pope & Co. don’t have to replace nearly as much the second time around.
The Wildcats bring back four players from last season’s roster in guards Collin Chandler and Otega Oweh as well as forwards Brandon Garrison and Trent Noah.
Yet there are lessons learned from the entirely revamped roster Pope built in 2024-25 he believes will pay dividends. And they run counter to the thoughts of many of his coaching colleagues: Pope embraces what he calls “the beauty” of modern college basketball, where the transfer portal has led to unprecedented player movement, and athletes now can earn money via name, image and likeness deals alongside recently introduced revenue-sharing, with schools paying players directly.
Pope couldn’t be more captivated by the opportunities in front of him.
The way he sees it, one element solves every problem.
“There’s no substitute for time,” Pope said during a news conference July 21. “There’s just no substitute for time.”
True to his word, Pope pointed to a program he instituted this offseason. He held 1-on-1 sessions with every player on the roster for 30 minutes every week.
Valuing time extended to the floor. During the eight weeks of summer workouts allowed by the NCAA, four hours are allocated for on-court coaching. Kentucky isn’t going to try to expedite the process. When needed, Pope said the Wildcats “slow down the teaching.” And at times, they’ll turn over the practice to let the players coach themselves.
“After they teach the team, then (coaches) can add or subtract,” Pope said. “And then you teach the team the same principle.”
It’s not rocket science; it’s time.
“We just need more of it,” Pope said.
Finite resource though it may be, he won’t permit himself — or his program — to waste a precious second.
“There’s no substitute for time with our guys being together. There’s no substitute for time with me being with the guys, individually and on the floor. And there’s no substitute for time with our assistants and staff being together,” Pope said. “And so that’s probably the No. 1 thing is being really intentional in scheduling out all of our time so that we’re utilizing the most to know each other best and understand each other.”
Reach Kentucky men’s basketball and football reporter Ryan Black at rblack@gannett.com and follow him on X at @RyanABlack.