Everything Kentucky coach Mark Pope said after short-handed win at Tennessee

Kentucky coach Mark Pope was beaming with pride after his team’s impressive 78-73 win over Tennessee, despite being shorthanded. Pope praised his team’s resilience, saying they believed in their ability to bounce back from adversity.¹

Pope specifically highlighted Amari Williams’ performance, calling him a “one of one” center in the country. He acknowledged that Williams was tasked with an impossible job, playing point guard without any true point guards on the roster.²

When asked about Koby Brea’s standout performance, Pope said, “Great shooters shoot and make shots… I think he’s arguably the best shooter in basketball.” Brea scored 18 points on perfect 5-5 shooting, including 3-3 from three-point range.

Pope also touched on the team’s strategy, saying they focused on taking care of the ball and making smart decisions. He noted that the team’s ability to shoot efficiently (50% from the floor and 12-24 from deep) was key to their victory.³

Overall, Pope was thrilled with his team’s effort, saying, “This is a team that we believed – from the outset, from the first few months – we believed that we would have resilience.” He praised his players for stepping up and making big plays when it mattered most.