Kentucky
Does Kentucky basketball have ‘hope with Pope’? The rest of the SEC will have a say.
This is an opinion column.
There’s only one conclusion to draw after more than 20,000 Kentucky basketball fans filled Rupp Arena on Masters Sunday to welcome former Kentucky basketball player Mark Pope home as the new Kentucky basketball coach.
Kentucky loves basketball. Do not stop the presses. Do not hang the banner.
This was true the day Kentucky introduced John Calipari, Billy Gillispie, Tubby Smith, Rick Pitino, Eddie Sutton, Joe B. Hall and Adolph Rupp, which is the entire roster of UK head coaches since the SEC played its first season in 1932-33.
Some things don’t change. While Kentucky basketball ain’t what it used to be – South Carolina (2017), Auburn (2019) and Alabama (2024) have been to a Final Four more recently from the SEC – ain’t nothin’ like Kentucky basketball passion nowhere.
To call Sunday’s event an introductory press conference is as inadequate as the Wildcats have been in their valedictory NCAA Tournament performances since Auburn stole a piece of their soul in the 2019 Elite Eight. In a brilliant bit of showmanship, Pope arrived inside Rupp Arena riding on a bus with a bunch of former teammates. He burst through the doors and onto the floor carrying the 1996 national championship trophy.
Kentucky
Otega Oweh setting the tone is a key factor in his hot start to the season
Kentucky basketball is through its first four games of the season, coming off a blowout 97-68 victory over Lipscomb on Tuesday. The Wildcats have the type of team were any given night, a different player may step up in the stat sheet. Through these four games, though, the most consistent has been Otega Oweh, who has been near the top of the stat sheet in every game so far.
Last game out, Oweh had 14 points on 5-6 shooting, 4 rebounds, an assist, and 2 blocks. Mark Pope spoke with the media ahead of Kentucky’s matchup with Jackson State on Friday, and he said a key part of Oweh’s hot start to the season is his “knack” for really setting the tone to start games and help Kentucky come out strong, which will be crucial when the opponents get tougher.
“Otega (Oweh) has been unbelievable. I don’t know if he’s the headline guy of any game, but he’s the best player in every game almost, give or take. He gets us off to unbelievable starts. Man, he has a knack to start the game. It’s been brilliant, actually. He has an impact. His conditioning has gotten better and better. He’s not getting fatigued on the floor. He’s understanding us better. He’s making a defensive impact. …Otega’s been incredible. I’m so proud of him. He might not have been the most highly heralded guy coming in in this portal class, but he’s been beautiful with his teammates. He’s been really mature about taking advantage of every opportunity he’s given and earning them. He’s grown immensely since the summer.”
– Pope on Otega Oweh’s hot start.
Oweh has been electric in Kentucky’s backcourt, and will be absolutely important in the team’s success throughout the season, especially with his hot starts to games to begin the season.
Kentucky
Kentucky vs. Texas Injury Report: Things stay the same
We are less than 48 hours away from the Kentucky Wildcats kicking off their week 13 matchup with the Texas Longhorns in Austin.
In what is going to be a tough matchup for the Cats, but for the first time this season the Cats will be the closest to healthy as they have been all season. Now it will feature some big players that will miss the marquee matchup with the Longhorns, but it appears the Cats could return some key players.
In tonight’s update, the UK staff had the report hold the same as Courtland Ford and Kahlil Saunders remain questionable and JJ Weaver stays in a probable status.
The Cats will need all the help they can get this weekend if they hope to pull off the upset. Adding a player back like Weaver to the defense can only help the Cats’ chances of a monster road upset.
Kentucky
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