Mark Pope needs NCAA success to be the success of the first year
Nashville – everything depends on it Kentucky basketball. And especially, Mark Pope.
With Great Britain, the door showed on Friday evening at the SEC tournament, puzzled by AlabamaThe only thing left over to Pope and the Wildcats is the event that the nation captivates every year at this time.
Name what you want.
The NCAA tournament. The big dance. March Madness.
For Pope it is similar to the day of the court.
Like his first season, which his Alma Mater leads, the prism of the Kentucky tournament is always viewed in the NCAA tournament.
Of course, he will always have the victory over Duke of Come-from-Behind victory. The overtime victory against Gonzaga in the (so -called) neutral environment of Seattle. The sweep from Tennessee. And the first blood against the first coach of the first year, Pat Kelsey, in the battle on the Bluegrass.
There is nothing to mock eight victories against enemies who rank in the top 15 of the AP survey at the time of the matchup. In fact, it is something to praise. A record that corresponds to the balance of the top 15 conquerences duke (1978-79) and Indiana (1992-93) for most in one season.
But do you bow to the opening weekend of the big dance?
Only fans who wear the bluish glasses that carry possible glasses will take care of the achievements of the regular season.
And it would remind the most pessimistic of those in the man’s fan base he replaced.
After everything he has achieved in 15 years at the top, the March weaknesses of John Calipari made him for the last five seasons for such a splitting figure among British followers. And what forced him to bend from SEC for another outpost: Fayetteeville, Arkansas.
Great Britain has not reached Sweet 16 since 2019, a period of time that includes a canceled tournament in 2020 and the worst season in the modern history of the program (9-16 in 2020-21). The three years in which the Wildcats were part of March Madness? Unforgettable. (UK fans would use far colorful words.) Two shocking rounds in the first round by double-digit seeds for schools in Oakland (in Michigan) and Saint Peters (most people could not be on one card properly. The other setback came to a higher foe (Kansas.
Instead: more March sadness for the cats.
Pope, full of vim and strength, was brought in to save it.
From day 1 he said to everyone who borrowed their ears National title Banner No. 9.
Now he has to carry out the task.
Reach the basketball and football reporter from Kentucky Herren, Ryan Black, at rblack@gannett.com and follow it on X at @Ryanablack.
