Kentucky is a player led program. They make the adjustments before the coaches get to the locker room and then the coach confirms their adjustments. Got to love it! #BIGBLUENATION 💪
So true that if Cal had been coaching this game would have had a totally different outcome! So happy that my Cats are back to what I love. Playing for the Kentucky on their jersey and for each other!
As a Kentucky fan I was hoping for a competitive season but this team is really really good with a bunch of talent and pope is a good game coach this team is very dangerous I don’t think anyone would want to play them in March the future is going to be very good for this program 🎉
Or if they blocked out and got a couple rebounds every now and then, or if they hit 1 more 3 and 2 more free throws, etc. Who cares? We could tun the “ifl game for any close loss/win
Or if Clemson’s center had been called for fouls. Impossible for him to have ended up with 20 rebounds and ZERO fouls - was knocking dudes to the floor and no whistles. None. Pathetic. Absurd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gentleman? The best point you made during this excellent commentary is this: Kentucky and BBN no longer have “a roster of hodge-podge 5-star players and the expectations, or lack there of, that came with Calipari’s low standards and results “! Exactly! BBN and the Commonwealth of Kentucky are thrilled to have Pope’s WILDCATS (look at our effort, purpose, and commitment ) back in KENTUCKY uniforms … and NO LONGER Calipari’s “FAT CATS” ( who played only for NBA DRAFT spots) and the continuous year after year humiliation and degradation of our program. Free at last… Free at last.. Good Bye Coach Calipari… we are free at last..
Exactly! It was so refreshing to watch a group of veteran players in crunch time instead of a thrown together team of unproven freshman who would've been standing around looking confused and throwing their hands up at refs because they're not getting their way like they did in high school. Now, my friend, we have a real team!
Truth is UK is the only real constant in the SEC. Barnes is on the way out, Oats won’t stay at Bama, Pearl is inconsistent and probably won’t stay, Kentucky under Pope is here for 15 years easily, and once again Kentucky proves why it’s the greatest program in history. The only program to have 5 coaches win titles. Kentucky is never going away. It’s hard to win titles all the time, but one constant in this game is other programs come and go, Kentucky never dies. “They had it before you, that had it during you, they’ll have it when you die” Al McGuire
Kentucky has the greatest collection of basketball minds ever. When you even put aside the HOF Coaches. It also produced both Pat Riley and Rajon Rondo. Just think of the IQ between those 2 alone
Then you would also have to include Billy Donovan, as Kentucky was his coaching training ground. Throw in Eddie Sutton, who had a great overall career...just a crappy tenure at Kentucky. You have at least 8 HOF Coaches who either coached there, won titles there, or at least learned there.
Pearl will probably retire at Auburn. Oats has a very nice contract with a fat buyout.. Maybe a major program could steal him? I could see him building a bball legacy there, though. That said, Kentucky will always be Kentucky. Much like Kansas will always be Kansas in the B12.
Newsflash my guy they rank 171 nationally in points allowed, which to their credit does seem significantly better than last season. They're still not gonna be winning when it matters most. Alabama same boat... Auburn or Tennessee could win it all from the SEC but the rest are overhyped as usual
Friends, we are ALL CATS here, we are ALL BLUE baby!!! You want something REAL? Somebody who REALLY CARES? A leader that UNITES instead of divides? Look no further than Coach Mark Pope! He CHECKS ALL THE BOXES. He’s gonna bring us #9 and more. Let’s list his accomplishments already: Top 5 transfer class. Done. Top 5 recruiting class - getting DONE. Top 5 ranking and wins over Duke and Gonzaga. DONE. 100 point games and 40 point blowouts. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT. So I want to ask all you FINE FOLK out there, when it comes time to MAKE YOUR COMMENT, don’t forget who is WORKING HARD day AND night for YOU! Coach Mark Pope and YOUR Kentucky Wildcats!!! Mark Pope 2024-2025!!! GO CATS!!! GO CATS!!!
If I was a Zags fan I wouldn’t worry, y’all have a great team. Let’s just say that I wouldn’t want to face you in March. At some moments in the first half I thought “dang, this might be the best team in college basketball.” Instant classic of a game, go Cats.
Haha good, hoping this is the beginning of a friendly rivalry (even though we are a few years into this series. This match up is great for the sport. As Few said in the post game, it’s not even a real zone. It’s a weird mock-zone lol. All the best to the Zags
It’s not like we came back from 18 to beat Colgate.We came back to beat Gonzaga!!That in its self is astonishing!We are still nowhere near playing our best basketball.I feel like come March we will be a force to be reckoned with.
As a born and raised Lexingtonian, I can tell you I do not give one shit about the NBA. I don't care about lottery picks or how many come from this university, I want to see this team be successful on the court. I'm glad the era of Calipari and the one-and-done is over.
I've learned a lot of people here really don't. Which always makes me question why people here say this is "basketball country" and things like that, when basketball at its highest level isn't wanted or appreciated... could have college and NBA, had ABA before... but small minded folks are fine with college, sigh.
Those times when kentucky is 'ON' it's like other teams don't even have time to breathe like they're out there confused on what's happening. If kentucky can start staying in that for a lot of the game or most of the game, this team is most definitely a team that can win it all.
That’s fact💯 every game Kentucky plays especially on the road it’s a packed house sold out Super Bowl arena every teams best shot oh yeah Kentucky has a lot of haters out there and just praying that Kentucky fails smh
The SEC is looking like it might be the most brutal conference seen in several years. Still, this whole season is being played with "house money", so there is no need for anything but optimism.
I still remember the LSU game. I left a bar because we were losing so bad and we stopped on our ride home to listen to the last 10 minutes on the radio...
They rank 171 nationally in opponents points per game and people think that's championship worthy. Probably same certified employed analysts who said they were Final Four worthy last year (even picked them in their bracket) despite allowing 100 points a game. It just needs to be said more often these days...defense is really, really important. Defense wins. Who cares how much you score...
Pope made it clear, its not the best athletically gifted players that make a good team, something as a UK fan we got to see year in and year out under Cal and we saw how that ended. The age of the One and Dones is ...well, done. So the results teams still going that route? Well we see what that looks like from afar now at UA. And its ugly. You need maturity (the lack of killed Duke against UK) along with the ability to learn. Imagine what Pope would have done with some of the teams Cal had? Think banners #9, #10 and #11 may have been accomplished.
Unfortunately they haven't played anyone else but Memphis and they lost. Still, though, beating Kansas is a HYOOJ win to build off of going into conference play - they could definitely end up ranked. Not precisely sure who to take out to put em in. I feel like you kinda gotta make the same argument for Clemson - in the elite 8 last year returning most of their roster and beat Kentucky.. but the only other team they played is Boise St and they lost that one. Idk tho, AP poll is kinda bs anyway
@@michaeljmobley Five losses in conference play (depending on how you lose them, obviously) and you're still a VERY good team capable of making a run to the Final Four - because the SEC is just that stacked. 8 ranked teams as of now, that doesnt include the one coached by HoF HC John Calipari - or the one that just gave Kansas a solid whippin. Insane. We're unlikely to dominate the conference like we did in days of yore, but if playing a gauntlet can't prepare you for March, well, what does?
Jones injury is 6weeks-6months recovery time. Say he’s back in 4-6 weeks. Now he’s completely out of shape and would have to recondition and reinsert himself in the teams flow… no he’s out for the season.
@ oh like when an nfl player is out for 4 weeks and comes back exactly the same way? Lmfao. These kids aren’t coach potato’s like you, they’re in shape. Taking 1-2 months off isn’t as big of a factor as you think.
As long as Tennessee is not 1 I’m happy because Tennessee has played a tough game was only Baylor and that’s it so they shouldn’t be ranked higher than Kentucky
The Gonzaga game was almost a carbon copy of the Duke game; only difference was the halftime deficit. Duke game's halftime deficit was 9, Gonzaga game's halftime deficit was 16. I love the fact the players get to work on solutions for problems before the coaching staff hits the locker room to make adjustments! We have a smart litter of Wildcats!💙🤍🏀🐈⛹️🤍💙
Kentucky is a player led program. They make the adjustments before the coaches get to the locker room and then the coach confirms their adjustments. Got to love it! #BIGBLUENATION 💪
So true that if Cal had been coaching this game would have had a totally different outcome! So happy that my Cats are back to what I love. Playing for the Kentucky on their jersey and for each other!
Woulda been Gonzaga by 30 (conservatively)
As a Kentucky fan I was hoping for a competitive season but this team is really really good with a bunch of talent and pope is a good game coach this team is very dangerous I don’t think anyone would want to play them in March the future is going to be very good for this program 🎉
Coach Pope analysis after the first half was brilliant! That’s coaching 101. Fix the problem to begin the second half. GO BIG BLUE💙😎🏀
The 4 point loss at Clemson doesn’t happen if UK’s Butler hadn’t missed the second half with an ankle injury.
Or if they blocked out and got a couple rebounds every now and then, or if they hit 1 more 3 and 2 more free throws, etc.
Who cares? We could tun the “ifl game for any close loss/win
Or if Clemson’s center had been called for fouls. Impossible for him to have ended up with 20 rebounds and ZERO fouls - was knocking dudes to the floor and no whistles. None. Pathetic. Absurd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And Kriisa was laying bricks that game. A lot of stuff went bad and they still lost by only 4.
Or if Brandon Garrison wasn't playing like he was on xanax
UK's Butler missed the entire game against Gonzaga....
Gentleman?
The best point you made during this excellent commentary is this:
Kentucky and BBN no longer have “a roster of hodge-podge 5-star players and the expectations, or lack there of, that came with Calipari’s low standards and results “!
Exactly!
BBN and the Commonwealth of Kentucky are thrilled to have Pope’s WILDCATS (look at our effort, purpose, and commitment ) back in KENTUCKY uniforms … and NO LONGER Calipari’s “FAT CATS” ( who played only for NBA DRAFT spots) and the continuous year after year humiliation and degradation of our program.
Free at last… Free at last.. Good Bye Coach Calipari… we are free at last..
Exactly! It was so refreshing to watch a group of veteran players in crunch time instead of a thrown together team of unproven freshman who would've been standing around looking confused and throwing their hands up at refs because they're not getting their way like they did in high school. Now, my friend, we have a real team!
Truth is UK is the only real constant in the SEC. Barnes is on the way out, Oats won’t stay at Bama, Pearl is inconsistent and probably won’t stay, Kentucky under Pope is here for 15 years easily, and once again Kentucky proves why it’s the greatest program in history. The only program to have 5 coaches win titles. Kentucky is never going away. It’s hard to win titles all the time, but one constant in this game is other programs come and go, Kentucky never dies.
“They had it before you, that had it during you, they’ll have it when you die” Al McGuire
Kentucky has the greatest collection of basketball minds ever. When you even put aside the HOF Coaches. It also produced both Pat Riley and Rajon Rondo. Just think of the IQ between those 2 alone
Then you would also have to include Billy Donovan, as Kentucky was his coaching training ground. Throw in Eddie Sutton, who had a great overall career...just a crappy tenure at Kentucky. You have at least 8 HOF Coaches who either coached there, won titles there, or at least learned there.
Pearl will probably retire at Auburn. Oats has a very nice contract with a fat buyout.. Maybe a major program could steal him? I could see him building a bball legacy there, though.
That said, Kentucky will always be Kentucky. Much like Kansas will always be Kansas in the B12.
Newsflash my guy they rank 171 nationally in points allowed, which to their credit does seem significantly better than last season. They're still not gonna be winning when it matters most. Alabama same boat... Auburn or Tennessee could win it all from the SEC but the rest are overhyped as usual
FUN FACT: Gonzaga only plays 1 ranked game for the rest of the year, uk has 10 ranked games
That’s every year with the ZAGS….weak conference. They need to move
SEC play is going to be brutal. A lot of experienced teams which is something we never had till now.
@@52BBN that's just delusional to say our conference is weak
So just like most years for Gonzaga lol?
@@Gregheffley1287WCC has 4 or 5 good teams. Do you all play home and away for each team in your conference?
I would much rather have 0 lottery picks and be a great team. Losing to Oakland and Evansville with first round lottery picks sucks.
Friends, we are ALL CATS here, we are ALL BLUE baby!!! You want something REAL? Somebody who REALLY CARES? A leader that UNITES instead of divides? Look no further than Coach Mark Pope! He CHECKS ALL THE BOXES. He’s gonna bring us #9 and more. Let’s list his accomplishments already: Top 5 transfer class. Done. Top 5 recruiting class - getting DONE. Top 5 ranking and wins over Duke and Gonzaga. DONE. 100 point games and 40 point blowouts. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT. So I want to ask all you FINE FOLK out there, when it comes time to MAKE YOUR COMMENT, don’t forget who is WORKING HARD day AND night for YOU! Coach Mark Pope and YOUR Kentucky Wildcats!!! Mark Pope 2024-2025!!! GO CATS!!! GO CATS!!!
If I was a Zags fan I wouldn’t worry, y’all have a great team. Let’s just say that I wouldn’t want to face you in March. At some moments in the first half I thought “dang, this might be the best team in college basketball.” Instant classic of a game, go Cats.
yeah absolutely, I am a zags fan, Im not worried its laterally December, great win for you guys I would thank you for showing us how to beat 1-3-1
Haha good, hoping this is the beginning of a friendly rivalry (even though we are a few years into this series. This match up is great for the sport. As Few said in the post game, it’s not even a real zone. It’s a weird mock-zone lol. All the best to the Zags
It’s not like we came back from 18 to beat Colgate.We came back to beat Gonzaga!!That in its self is astonishing!We are still nowhere near playing our best basketball.I feel like come March we will be a force to be reckoned with.
True but Check Gonzaga record there not that good of team over years NCAA over rates them!
As a born and raised Lexingtonian, I can tell you I do not give one shit about the NBA. I don't care about lottery picks or how many come from this university, I want to see this team be successful on the court. I'm glad the era of Calipari and the one-and-done is over.
I've learned a lot of people here really don't. Which always makes me question why people here say this is "basketball country" and things like that, when basketball at its highest level isn't wanted or appreciated... could have college and NBA, had ABA before... but small minded folks are fine with college, sigh.
Those times when kentucky is 'ON' it's like other teams don't even have time to breathe like they're out there confused on what's happening. If kentucky can start staying in that for a lot of the game or most of the game, this team is most definitely a team that can win it all.
Kentucky parameter defense is very good. They pass the eye test. So that defensive 3pr field goal percentage doesnt surprise me.
We Kentucky fans don’t care about that AP poll!! no matter what we’re getting everybody’s number one shot no matter where we are ranked!
That’s fact💯 every game Kentucky plays especially on the road it’s a packed house sold out Super Bowl arena every teams best shot oh yeah Kentucky has a lot of haters out there and just praying that Kentucky fails smh
Chillllllll I don’t want this juju on us. The SEC is insane as I’ve ever seen this year. Let’s see at the end of February
Agreed, the SEC is a juggernaught monster. Three teams in the top four of the AP poll, eight in the top 25.
As a UK guy, I hope we aren't getting too excited too early. I hope for the best, but let's see how things look in a month.
The SEC is looking like it might be the most brutal conference seen in several years. Still, this whole season is being played with "house money", so there is no need for anything but optimism.
I still remember the LSU game. I left a bar because we were losing so bad and we stopped on our ride home to listen to the last 10 minutes on the radio...
This is Kentucky team that wins championships
I was wishing for Mark Pope! As soon as I saw his name in the odds list I said HE’S the ONE!!!!
Heard this talk about teams in Nov and Dec! It takes playing to Feb that tells Who's Who built for March Madness!
No one said otherwise, but if these early games didn’t matter, they wouldn’t play them
They matter but last ten games and conference tournament games matter more because tells how solid teams are for March!
We won a game like that earlier this year with coach cal and Florida in 2020 😂😂 he don’t know us
Thanks for leaving Cal🤣🤣🤣🤣
If they can figure out how to play like they did in the second half more consistently they can win a championship this season.
Pope's best plays are "Gooooo" and "Ruuuuun". Ohhh wait wrong coach.
They rank 171 nationally in opponents points per game and people think that's championship worthy. Probably same certified employed analysts who said they were Final Four worthy last year (even picked them in their bracket) despite allowing 100 points a game. It just needs to be said more often these days...defense is really, really important. Defense wins. Who cares how much you score...
Our 3pt defense is not great. Jaxson Robinson does make tremendous close-outs, but as a team.. eh.
GO BIG BLUE!!!💙💙💙
Kentucky wildcats could be a final four team
Kentucky fans saved you from Merrick Garland on the supreme Court
Without Butler and with a Cresa injury... Throw in a wtf technical foul... Great job
That tech was aweful
Jaxson Robinson should have been td up
no dont play this bs game there was many times when your players put their hands on the ref
Pope made it clear, its not the best athletically gifted players that make a good team, something as a UK fan we got to see year in and year out under Cal and we saw how that ended. The age of the One and Dones is ...well, done. So the results teams still going that route? Well we see what that looks like from afar now at UA. And its ugly. You need maturity (the lack of killed Duke against UK) along with the ability to learn. Imagine what Pope would have done with some of the teams Cal had? Think banners #9, #10 and #11 may have been accomplished.
Tennessee is number 1 baby go big orange hey also football in playoffs wemons basketball 19 and baseball 1 it is great to be a volunteer GBO
What about wvu? They beat number 3 Gonzaga in overtime! And they beat number 24 Arizona in overtime!
Guys its December chill out
Mizzou should be ranked. They beat Kansas
Unfortunately they haven't played anyone else but Memphis and they lost. Still, though, beating Kansas is a HYOOJ win to build off of going into conference play - they could definitely end up ranked. Not precisely sure who to take out to put em in. I feel like you kinda gotta make the same argument for Clemson - in the elite 8 last year returning most of their roster and beat Kentucky.. but the only other team they played is Boise St and they lost that one.
Idk tho, AP poll is kinda bs anyway
Haven't seen that score but if that's true I believe Missouri has one loss that would be a head scratcher if they aren't ranked.
Mizz will be in the top 25
Pope wins 2 championships in 12 years
Give me 6
@@Alapaha89lol
@@Alapaha89 its December calm down
I don’t believe we will be #2… I’d say we will drop to #5 with the loss at Clemson
Let's don't get crazy. See how we do in the SEC, then we'll talk.
The SEC is a slaughterhouse. I have a hard time seeing anyone finish the conference schedule without having at least 3 losses.
Yep.
@@michaeljmobley Five losses in conference play (depending on how you lose them, obviously) and you're still a VERY good team capable of making a run to the Final Four - because the SEC is just that stacked. 8 ranked teams as of now, that doesnt include the one coached by HoF HC John Calipari - or the one that just gave Kansas a solid whippin. Insane. We're unlikely to dominate the conference like we did in days of yore, but if playing a gauntlet can't prepare you for March, well, what does?
Ok have fun not talking then 😅
Battle Cats
BLA BLA BLA !!! IT'S DECEMBER PEOPLE! FEBRUARY WILL TELL WHO'S WHO IN TOP 10!
Kerr Kriisa out for the whole year 😢😢😢
he’s out 3-6 weeks.
Jones injury is 6weeks-6months recovery time. Say he’s back in 4-6 weeks. Now he’s completely out of shape and would have to recondition and reinsert himself in the teams flow… no he’s out for the season.
@ oh like when an nfl player is out for 4 weeks and comes back exactly the same way? Lmfao. These kids aren’t coach potato’s like you, they’re in shape. Taking 1-2 months off isn’t as big of a factor as you think.
He will be back first of the year
He'll be back in 6 weeks.
Don't jump right now people been a UK fan for years don't talk to soon people love it though go cats the poor people love you pope
Do you actually think that! Der da der.
Only if REED would of stayed , he's not playing in NBA , I bet he wishes he would of stayed one more year
Kentucky fans voted for Trump
that’s an added W to their resume.
Yes we did
All we do is win!
@@essentialss Ya Got Dam ➡️
Most of us yes. Matt Jones definitely didn’t.
Love the copium in these comments, no matter what the other fans voted we have Pope-ium😂
That skin of our teeth victory didn't prove anything. It just shows pope has a lot of work to do imo.
Kentucky Fans are MAGA!
?
As long as Tennessee is not 1 I’m happy because Tennessee has played a tough game was only Baylor and that’s it so they shouldn’t be ranked higher than Kentucky
Vols will be number 1 next week. Kentucky will not be. 😂
@@tdvolsshit earl, if you’re on here…then who’s watching the gosh dang flea market???
@@tdvolsyour team has played a cupcake schedule. I’d be embarrassed to brag about your out of conference schedule.
@@tdvols being number 1 in the middle of December means absolutely nothing. Just ask Rick Barnes. Or John Calipari.
These dudes are so boring
The Gonzaga game was almost a carbon copy of the Duke game; only difference was the halftime deficit. Duke game's halftime deficit was 9, Gonzaga game's halftime deficit was 16. I love the fact the players get to work on solutions for problems before the coaching staff hits the locker room to make adjustments! We have a smart litter of Wildcats!💙🤍🏀🐈⛹️🤍💙