There is a way to win, and then there is a way to win. Kentucky head coach Mark Pope expects specific standards from his players.
On Saturday, it was evident that Pope felt his players didn't live up to those standards, even though they defeated No. 22 St. John's 78-66, per CBS Sports.
With three seconds left in the game, the Wildcats managed to score ten points. A dunk by Mouhamed Dioubate led to words exchanged with Zuby Ejiofor of St. John's. Each of them received a technical foul.
Meanwhile, Pope looked completely unimpressed and disappointed even with the victory.
The victory puts Kentucky at 9-4 and renders St. John's their fourth loss of the season. Previously, the Wildcats secured a big 72-60 win over Indiana on Dec. 13. Afterward, Pope praised the support from the Kentucky fans. On Dec. 23, the Wildcats conclude 2025 by taking on the Bellarmine University Knights of Louisville.
From 1994-1996, Pope played for the Wildcats. In 1996, they won the national championship under Rick Patino.
In April 2024, Pope was hired as the Wildcats' head coach to replace John Calipari. Before then, Pope was the head coach at BYU (2019-2024) and at Utah Valley (2015-2019).
In his first year at Lexington, he compiled a record of 24-12. Ultimately, they made it as far as the Sweet 16.
Additionally, Kentucky set a new mark for recording eight wins against Top 25 teams.
The standards Mark Pope sets for his players
Overall, Pope has a unique approach to coaching. More than anything, he rejects the idea of “play harder” and focuses on playing smarter.
Altogether, he focuses on brilliant shot selection, relentless effort, and overall high efficiency. Plus, Pope goes out of his way to eliminate any distractions that could disrupt the system's flow.
The discipline side of things didn't come through in the final seconds of the St. John's game.
