Kentucky

Mark Pope says Kentucky got ‘punished’ for ‘not playing the right way’

Published

4 months ago

November 12, 2025

Mark Pope says Kentucky got ‘punished’ for ‘not playing the right way’

Mark Pope began his press conference with congratulations for Louisville, but quickly turned to a brutally honest assessment of his own team, calling the performance “extremely poorly” and an “incredibly disappointing” product for Kentucky basketball.

But the entire game —and Kentucky’s core issue —was summed up by one stat line.

Louisville had 20 assists and 6 turnovers. Kentucky had 14 assists and 14 turnovers.

“The 20 to 6 compared to the 14-14 tells the really the whole story of the game,” Pope said.

The Wildcats were “sticky with the ball,” as Pope put it, and completely abandoned their offensive principles. The result was a 20-point deficit and a final score that wasn’t as close as it looked. The Cats were able to get it to 4, but bad shot selection and bad defense allowed the Cardinals to end on an 8-4 spurt over the last 3 minutes.

How Kentucky got “punished”

Pope was clear that this wasn’t just a bad shooting night; it was a failure of execution that led to a confession you hate to hear, but know it is true:

“We’re going to lose a 20-to-6, 14-to-14 game. We’re just going to lose it,” Pope said. “And… we got punished for not playing it the right way.”

That punishment was clear. Louisville scored 19 points off turnovers and had 11 steals, constantly hounding Kentucky’s primary scorers. Otega Oweh, who finished with 5 turnovers on 4-for-13 shooting, was a primary target of the Cardinals’ defense.

“I thought they were physical with them. I thought they brought a crowd. They did everything we didn’t do,” Pope said of the plan against Oweh. “They were really good at bringing a crowd and… making them play through multiple defenders.”

Kentucky has a tune-up against Wright State on Friday, and it is really needed after the overall display put on tape last night. The good news is they still were in the game after playing so badly for long stretches. So, if you are a silver lining kind of fan, there you go.

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Kentucky

Kentucky vs. Texas A&M Injury Report: The usual suspects are out

Published

3 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

As for the Aggies, the only name on the report is Mackenzie Mgbako, a one-time Kentucky target who remains out for the season after undergoing foot surgery. Texas A&M head coach Bucky McMilan said today that Mgbako will return next season, which would be a big boost for the Aggies before the offseason begins.

Kentucky vs. Texas A&M Injury Report

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Kentucky

Watch: Blast brings down Northern Kentucky bridge

Published

15 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Watch: Blast brings down Northern Kentucky bridge

COVINGTON, Ky. (WKRC) – The Licking River Bridge was demolished Monday morning in a controlled blast, clearing the way for a replacement structure.

Authorities established a 1,000-foot safety perimeter, closed nearby roads and asked residents to shelter in place before the demolition. The bridge collapsed within seconds of the blast.

“Today we say goodbye to a bridge that has served Kentuckians for nearly a century and we make room for something new. A signature bridge that is safer, stronger and we make room for something new,” Gov. Andy Beshear said. “This region, like the rest of the commonwealth, is evolving, it is booming, it’s economy growing every day. What we’re doing together is building our new Kentucky home.”

The Licking River Bridge is now history after crews brought it down with a controlled demolition Monday morning. (WKRC)

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Crews will begin construction on the new bridge after debris removal is complete. The replacement bridge is expected to open in the summer of 2028.

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Kentucky

Kentucky Lottery Cash Ball, Pick 3 Evening winning numbers for March 1, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Kentucky Lottery Cash Ball, Pick 3 Evening winning numbers for March 1, 2026

The Kentucky Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Sunday, March 1, 2026 winning numbers for each game.

Cash Ball

03-07-16-32, Cash Ball: 25

Check Cash Ball payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 3

Evening: 4-5-5

Midday: 3-1-4

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 4

Evening: 3-8-0-2

Midday: 6-2-3-9

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Millionaire for Life

10-11-12-35-56, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Courier Journal digital producer. You can send feedback using this form.

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