One of the major storylines this 2024-25 college basketball season has been the contrast between new Kentucky head coach Mark Pope and John Calipari, who is now at Arkansas. While the Razorbacks have improved recently, they’re unlikely to make the NCAA Tournament.
On the other hand, the Wildcats remain a national contender. Kentucky is ranked No. 15 in the latest AP Top 25 poll and is in the hunt for a 2-3 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Despite facing multiple injuries, Kentucky secured a 75-64 home victory over No. 5 Tennessee on Tuesday.
That victory marked Kentucky’s sixth win over a ranked opponent this season, with five of those wins coming against top-10 teams. Notable victories include non-conference wins over Duke and Gonzaga, as well as wins against Florida, Texas A&M, and Tennessee, completing a season sweep of the Vols.
For Mark Pope, his first year at Kentucky has been remarkable. The SEC is loaded with talent, including five teams ranked in the top 10 in this week’s poll, providing more opportunities for top-10 victories than during the Calipari era.
Despite a completely new roster that needed time to come together and injuries, including to Lamont Butler, arguably the team’s MVP, Kentucky keeps finding ways to win. With key players like Jaxson Robinson and Kerr Kriisa sidelined, the Wildcats still have a chance to build on this historic season. They’ll face No. 2 Alabama on February 22 and No. 1 Auburn on March 1, with hopes of having some injured players back by then.
In the meantime, while Coach Cal and Arkansas can celebrate their win over Kentucky last week, Pope has clearly won the head-to-head matchup between them this season.
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