“I love this Kentucky team”: NCAAB analyst is “high” on the Wildcats because of Mark Pope
Mark Pope started his tenure as the new Kentucky coach with a convincing 103-62 victory over the Wright State Raiders on November 4. It was an impressive start for the coach, who has a lot of preseason hype to live up to after replacing John Calipari.
Pope's work in the Wildcats' season opener caught the attention of NCAAB analyst Mark Titus, who praised the 51-year-old on Tuesday's episode of his podcast, the "Mark Titus Show."
Titus was amazed by the Wildcats' stats in their game against the Raiders, using them to highlight Pope's impact on the program.
"The Kentucky Wildcats, I'm very high on," said Titus. "And I'm high on them because I'm very high on Mark Pope as a coach. They play a ton of guys. They had, I think, six guys in double figures and a seven scored eight points. 30 assists, seven turnovers, they hit 11 threes, shot 46% from the field.
Titus noted how the Wildcats won by double the 20 or so points they were favored by. He was also impressed with the team's tempo, depth, and unselfishness. He also singled out Koby Brea for praise, calling him one of the best shooters in the country.
"They got dudes and I am fascinated or drawn to I should say, that's a better way to put it. I'm drawn to teams that have the depth, that have the pace, that have the shooting, which is why those teams are the ones that stand out to me, and that's why I love this Kentucky team."
Team effort comes to the fore in debut game for Mark Pope
Mark Pope injected his philosophy into every part of Kentucky's basketball program, including recruitment. Although their signing class ranked 42nd in the country, they showed incredible teamwork in their win over the Raiders, which could bring them immense success this season.
Oklahoma transfer Otega Oweh led six Wildcats in double digits with 21 points, with Brea coming off the bench to produce a solid 18-point effort. San Diego State transfer Lamont Butler Jr. produced a fine all-round display, recording 14 points, five rebounds and five assists to steer the Wildcats to an emphatic victory.
Pope will be keen to keep the early momentum going in their next game, with the Wildcats taking on the Bucknell Bison at the Rupp Arena on November 9.