Mark Pope's Kentucky pulls off major feat which even John Calipari couldn't do with the Wildcats
Mark Pope and the 15th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats entered the record books after Tuesday’s upset win over No. 5 Tennessee at Rupp Arena, pulling off a feat that even former coach John Calipari couldn’t accomplish during his long tenure in Lexington.
Kentucky made program history with the 75-64 victory, setting a new record for most top-15 wins in a single season. The Wildcats’ win over the Volunteers was their seventh against a top-15 opponent, breaking the previous record of six, which they had shared with the 2002-03 Kentucky team.
The Wildcats’ top-15 victories this season include wins over then-No. 6 Duke, then-No. 7 Gonzaga, then-No. 6 Florida, then-No. 14 Mississippi State, then-No. 11 Texas A&M and then-No. 8 Tennessee. Their only loss against a top-15 opponent came on Jan. 18 against then-No. 4 Alabama.
Otega Oweh and Ansley Almonor step up for Mark Pope in win over Tennessee
The Kentucky Wildcats extended their winning streak to two games with a come-from-behind, 11-point victory over Tennessee. Four Wildcats scored in double figures, improving their overall record to 17-7.
Otega Oweh and Ansley Almonor led Kentucky’s offense, each scoring 13 points. Oweh shot 4-for-11 overall and 4-for-6 from the free-throw line. He also recorded six rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 31 minutes of action.
Almonor was efficient offensively, going 4-for-5 from the field, including 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. He was perfect from the free-throw line, hitting all three of his attempts.
Koby Brea also contributed, scoring 11 points on 4-for-9 shooting. Trent Noah delivered some much-needed offense off the bench for Mark Pope, dropping 11 points. He made three field goals, all from 3-point range.
They stepped up in the absence of Jaxson Robinson, who was sidelined with a right wrist injury. Robinson, Kentucky’s second-leading scorer, averages 13.3 points per game. The Wildcats’ injury concerns worsened when Lamont Butler exited the game with 8:40 left, aggravating a shoulder injury.
The Wildcats wreaked havoc against the Volunteers' defense, shooting 50.0% from the field. They were red-hot from the 3-point area, going 12-for-24 from beyond the arc.
Zakai Zeigler scored 17 points in a losing effort for the Volunteers, who had their three-game winning streak snapped.