In a battle that tested Kentucky’s resilience, head coach Mark Pope addressed the media after the Wildcats’ 91-83 win over Missouri. Pope praised his team’s defensive fortitude, individual efforts, and the significance of yet another top-15 victory.
On Kentucky’s First-Half Defensive Struggles
Pope didn’t shy away from crediting Missouri for making Kentucky uncomfortable early.
“We were pretty rattled offensively, and it’s a credit to Missouri, man,” Pope said. “They don’t lose here. They have a terrific team. I’m maybe the world’s No. 1 Dennis Gates fan. I think he’s really special, and after what this group went through last year, for them to respond this year is pretty amazing. They had us really uncomfortable on the offensive end to start the game.”
Despite the early struggles, Pope urged his team to trust their defense, knowing the offense would eventually come around.
We know we don’t feel great on the other side of the ball. We will eventually get there,” Pope said. “But for these guys to step up and make tough, physical plays on the defensive end to kind of keep us alive was incredibly encouraging.”
On Key Defensive Performances
Two Wildcats, in particular, stood out defensively—Amari Williams and Collin Chandler. Pope highlighted their work in limiting Missouri’s Caleb Grill.
“This [Caleb] Grill, I think he’s a terrific player,” Pope said. “He comes off [the bench] and plays with so much energy. He cuts and runs so hard. He’s so confident. Like everybody, he was a point of emphasis for us, and I thought between Otega [Oweh] and Collin Chandler, both of those guys worked so hard to kind of keep him just to six shots. It was a huge effort and really, really important.”
On Tightening the Rotation
Foul trouble in the first half led to a deeper rotation, but Pope leaned on his key players down the stretch.
“The first half, we were kind of managing fouls. So we got all the way through the rotation,” Pope explained. “And in the second half, we didn’t have as many fouls, we had fresher guys.”
Three freshmen in particular stepped up, showing poise under pressure.
“There were three or four possessions where we were getting late in the shot clock, and they just stayed diligent and aggressive, trying to get downhill with two feet in the lane and then finding the next guy,” Pope said. “I was getting nervous. I was like, ‘Guys! The shot clock’s running down!’ But they were super poised.”
On Earning an Eighth Top-15 Win
The Wildcats set a historic mark with their eighth win over a top-15 opponent this season.
It’s just an insane number,” Pope said. “I mean, if you come to Kentucky and you can do something all-time at the University of Kentucky as a team, like all-time, at Kentucky, and you think about the people who have rolled through here… For this group now to hold that record is just insane.”
Pope acknowledged the adversity Kentucky has faced this season, from injuries to rotation challenges, and credited his team’s toughness.
“These guys just keep raising up to it,” Pope said. “It’s been pretty fun.”
On Travis Perry’s Hustle Play
A defining moment of the game came when Travis Perry made up for getting blocked at the rim by immediately coming up with a steal.
Yeah, we had two of those. Otega was the lucky beneficiary, and I think Drew [Carr] came up with a loose ball,” Pope said. “Our guys were really good with 50-50 balls. We didn’t win them all, and this Missouri team, that’s their DNA.”
On Andrew Carr’s Return to Form
After dealing with injury setbacks, Andrew Carr’s presence is once again making a major impact.
“I can’t overstate how important it is,” Pope said. “You think about what Drew did for us the first two months of the season, pre-injury, and then it got really complicated for us as we tried to deal with it during injury and post-injury. Things are pretty good in our world right now.”
Carr’s 12-rebound performance was vital to Kentucky’s success.
“You talk about a Herculean effort, I mean he had 12 rebounds and they were contested, violent, physical, combative rebounds,” Pope said.
On His Staff’s Hard Work
Pope ended his press conference by giving credit to his coaching staff, especially assistant coach Mark Fox, who had the scout for this game.
Our staff, man. These guys work really hard. We have an unbelievable staff,” Pope said. “Tonight, Coach [Mark] Fox was the lead scout on the game. This gym is really special to him. Fox actually had to bury his dad and then came straight here the next day to play a game in 2014. We won that game. He led our staff in doing a great job on the scout, and I’m glad we can get this one for him. It’s a special place for him.”
Looking ahead to SEC Tournament in Nashville
With the SEC Tournament looming, Pope’s Wildcats have once again proven they can compete with anyone. Their resilience, defensive grit, and ability to close out tough games make them a dangerous team heading into the postseason.
