Mark Pope wants the moment, he wants all the critics to come out and direct that at him. He reminds everyone he understands the assignment.
After Kentucky pulled away late in a sometimes ugly 72-63 win over Ole Miss, the head coach was in a reflective mood. The game wasn’t a work of art; it was a fist fight. The Cats shot just 36% from the floor, but Pope isn’t interested in style points right now. He is interested in mentality, wins, and a former Cat turned NBA MVP.
“It’s not really about fixing it and making it beautiful,” Pope said postgame. “It’s about, can you keep your mentality focused, even through the frustration? And our guys are doing a good job doing that.”
The SGA comparison
The biggest headline of the night, however, came when Pope was asked about freshman Jasper Johnson, who continues to show growth after a slow start to the year…