UK HealthCare Mark Pope Show March 17th 2025

Hosted by the Voice of the Wildcats, Tom Leach. Coach Pope will take questions via X (@UKSportsNetwork) or Facebook.Watch the livestream on UKSN All Access.The show is broadcast in Lexington on 630 WLAP, online at UKathletics.com, on UK Sports Network affiliates,Fans can also download the show as a podcast through iTunes, Spotify and iHeart by searching “UK Sports Network Radio.” Additionally, you can locate the podcast at UKAthletics.com/audio.Show is live from 6-7pm ET.

Episode Transcript

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Ball right side?

Speaker 2 (00:25):
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Speaker 6 (00:26):
Drift guy?

Speaker 2 (00:27):
What makes us different than everybody else?

Speaker 5 (00:30):
Is U from the UK's Sports Network. This is the
UK Healthcare Mark Pope Show. To talk to Coach Pope
called the Clark's Pumping Shop phone line at eight five
nine two eight zero Cats that's eight five nine two
eight zero two two eight seven, or state wide at
one eight hundred six oh six game that's one eight

(00:53):
hundred and six oh six four two sixty three.

Speaker 4 (00:58):
Guys, guys, guy.

Speaker 5 (01:00):
Or you can tweet questions too at UK Sports Network
for Kent. The UK Healthcare Mark Pulp Show begins now
alongside the coach, here's the voice of the Cats, Tom Leach.

Speaker 7 (01:16):
Good day, everybody. Welcome in to the UK Healthcare Mark
Pope Show Tournament Edition NCAA Tournament Edition. As the Wildcats
are headed for Milwaukee and a spot in the Midwest
region as a number three seed. On Friday night at
seven ten Eastern, they will take on the fourteen seed
Troy Trojans. Champions of the Sun Belt Conference. It's at

(01:38):
the Five Serve Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks of
the NBA, and we will talk with Coach Pope about
the matchup and we will get to your questions about
Kentucky basketball. You can reach us on the Clark's Pumping
Shop phone line at one eight hundred and six oh
six four to two sixty three, or inside Lexington it's
a direct call at two eight oh cats that's two
eight oh two, two eight seven. On social media, you

(02:01):
can post your questions to at UK Sports Network on
x our NCAA tournament coverage presented by UK Healthcare, the
official healthcare partner of the Big Blue Nation and Kentucky's
number one hospital, and all of that coverage right here
on the UK Sports Network.

Speaker 5 (02:21):
You are listening to to the UK Healthcare Mark Pope
Show on the UK Sports Network.

Speaker 1 (02:27):
The Mark Pope Show is brought to you.

Speaker 5 (02:29):
By Coca Cola, Appalachian Regional Healthcare, Little Caesars and by
UK Healthcare Tell me Who's.

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In that house tonight, UK.

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By every single day, for every.

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Single one, The Mark Pope Collins Show is brought to
you locally in Lexington by Baptist Health, Chick fil A,
Skyline Chili and buy Toyota.

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Hey, Beautiful Gods, Cats, catch the Wildcats and Lexington all
season long on your home for Kentucky Basketball the UK
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First Watch, the Daytime Cafe is serving up good mornings
to wildcaf country. Here at First Watch, we begin each
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Use only the finest ingredients for the freshest taste around.
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is never compromised. First Watch is proud to be the
official breakfast of UK Athletics.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
Go Cats, Welcome back into the show BBN.

Speaker 7 (05:28):
Get your limited edition Coach Pope's Souvenir Cup at Central
Kentucky's Clark's Pumping Shop locations just five bucks includes a
free fill at purchase. This special cup honors Coach Pope's
nineteen ninety six national championship team that he was a
part of as a player. Here for the Cats and
celebrates his first season as the head coach at his
alma mater. Proceeds benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass,

(05:52):
helping families stay close when it matters, most available wild
supplies last or through the end of March Madness.

Speaker 4 (05:58):
How great is Ronald McDonald in the House.

Speaker 7 (06:00):
It is fantastic. It's wonderful service.

Speaker 8 (06:03):
I'm telling you, for these families that are having an
emergency long term care at the hospital, to for them
to be able to stay local. It's just a gift, man.
It's just an incredible organization. We're great for everything they do.

Speaker 7 (06:14):
It's probably about all of us at least one family
that's been helped.

Speaker 8 (06:19):
Our guys who spent a lot of time at the
Ron McDonald house right by campus, and they've had unbelievable
experiences there.

Speaker 4 (06:25):
It's very cool, a great opportunity for our guys to serve.

Speaker 7 (06:29):
Well, your guys are getting ready to head up to
Milwaukee and play the Bucks, and uh, you spend a
little time there.

Speaker 4 (06:35):
Well, I hope we're not playing the Bucks. I'm not
sure we're ready to.

Speaker 7 (06:38):
Playing where the Bucks play.

Speaker 4 (06:39):
Sorry, we we I didn't know that that was the
bracket that that work. Troy is really good. That's to
be a handful for us. I'm not sure we're ready
for Yannis. Let's let's let's say that for next year.

Speaker 7 (06:51):
Any tips for the fans heading up to work to Milwaukee.

Speaker 8 (06:55):
Milwaukee's a great place. I'm a sucker for some cops, custard.
If you get a chance, dig in, it'll, it'll, it'll,
it'll put a smile on your face for sure. What
do you know about Troy. They're a really good team.
They're a very very good team. They've won six in
a row, just won their league championship. They have a
terrific roster. A veteran guard that's really really he's one

(07:18):
of the top steals guys in the country.

Speaker 4 (07:20):
He's uh, he's the conference player of the year.

Speaker 8 (07:24):
He runs the whole show for them. They got a
whole slew of biggs that really shoot it. They'll have
five guys on the floor that shoot the ball really
well the entire night. They're coached by a great longtime coach,
Scott Cross, who's been doing this for a long time,
and he's really terrific.

Speaker 4 (07:40):
They're they're a very very good team and they're exactly
what you expect. It's kind of like the SEC.

Speaker 8 (07:45):
You know every night is going to be just a
fight of your life and the same thing as the
n sl A Tournament. That's why the SEC was so
special this year, and that's why the nl A Tournament
is special every single year.

Speaker 7 (07:55):
And you've got guys on your team that have played
in it, most notably Monts played in it the year. Obviously,
great to have him, good to go this week, but
that experience that you have is an asset, but you
had to bring all these guys in they have they're
one of the rarities these days in college sports. They
have I think it's minutes continuity one of the Ken

(08:17):
Palm stats, and they're one of the top ten teams
in the country in terms of guys that came back
from last season.

Speaker 4 (08:21):
Yeah, veteran group that's been playing together and doing a
terrific job.

Speaker 7 (08:26):
So what's happening for your guys this week? What's this
routine like?

Speaker 8 (08:30):
So it's nice for our guys at spring break. So
they have no responsibilities in the world other than hoops,
which which we love that so we get extra time
with them, and so we're just hitting it hard. We're
hitting a hard film wise, we're hitting hard, scout wise,
we're hitting hard in a rehab in the training room.
That's probably the most important thing that's going on right

(08:51):
now to kind of ramp up for a full prep.

Speaker 7 (08:54):
Gonna get to our first break. We'll come back. Get
to your questions for Coach Pope. Send them in at
UK Sports Network on x or you can give us
a call on the Clark's Pumping Shop phone line. UKSN
all Access is the best way to get official radio, TV,
digital content about the Cats from the UK Sports Network.
UKSN all Access is presented by UK Federal Credit Union
and is available on the UK Athletics app, or you

(09:16):
can go to uksn all access dot com and set
up a free account. Today we'll be right back on
the UK Sports Network.

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Speaker 2 (12:21):
BBN Game Day.

Speaker 7 (12:23):
Watch BBN Tonight presented by UK Healthcare. It airs at
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If you miss a show or miss one of the features,

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you can catch up on archives, shows and content. Just
go to bbntnight dot com. The BBN Tonight Cruise going
to be on the road to Milwaukee, I'm sure, along
with a good number of wildcatfans, certainly a very driveable
trip to get up to Milwaukee, and that's one of
the pluses of where the Cats were placed in the bracket.

(13:07):
They will start at seven to ten pm Eastern Time
on Friday night, so we'll get our pregame coverage started
at five thirty Eastern on these UK Sports Network stations.
Let us start with Bob in Louisville. You are first
up with Coach Mark Pope.

Speaker 3 (13:22):
Go ahead, Bob, thank you take my call, coach, appreciate it,
and best luck of the tournament. My question was who
do you think we'll have a big breakout game in
this upcoming tournament. Are you expecting anybody in particular to
have a big blowout game or whatever taking over the game.

Speaker 4 (13:48):
Yeah, that's a great question. I think all of our
guys are primed. I really do.

Speaker 8 (13:53):
I think, you know, these couple of days are really
important for us to get as healthy as we can,
and we'll ramp it up as we go through the week.
But I think I have a roster of guys that
are that are so excited to play in this tournament
and eager to play. And I think these young guys

(14:13):
still have a bunch left in the tank, and I
expect each of these veterans to to have the moments
that that you think about, these one shining moments in
the tournament. So it's kind of the same way we've
been all year. We've had different guys step up at
different moments in games, and I expect that we're going
to see that a lot more moving forward.

Speaker 7 (14:33):
Think abob Lamont. Yesterday, I think at the selection show event,
I was talking to the media about how tight this
group is and even though they just came together less
than a year ago, the connection happened quickly and went deep.

Speaker 8 (14:49):
Yeah, it's a it's a good group there, and they
care about each other and they want to you know,
they're hungry.

Speaker 4 (14:54):
Right now, let us go to Hickory and Jake, you're up.

Speaker 19 (15:00):
Hey, thank you, Thank you sir. How you're doing this
this evening?

Speaker 4 (15:04):
Mark wonderful, Jake, thanks for calling in and my friend.

Speaker 19 (15:09):
Hey, I hate to ask questions You've probably been asked
a hundred thousand times, but I'm curious about how Kerr
Crease is doing and I'm hoping we can hang on
to him for next year.

Speaker 7 (15:23):
Also, thank you, Jake curR.

Speaker 8 (15:27):
curR is doing tremendous. He actually for the first time
today was in our warm up drills. Now, our warm
up drills don't involve a lot, but he was actually
on the floor.

Speaker 4 (15:40):
Uh, he couldn't make it the bucks. He couldn't He
wasn't allowed.

Speaker 8 (15:43):
He wasn't cleared for bucks yet, which is just a
non contact shooting drill. But he went through warm ups
and we're hoping next week maybe he can get to
some some some activity where he's doing light full court
jogging and actually get some shot up that way, and
you know, if you can meet benchmarks, he could be

(16:04):
full speed here in the next six weeks, which would be.

Speaker 4 (16:06):
A terrific deal for us.

Speaker 7 (16:08):
I was talking a Goose and I were talking to
Jackson Robinson down in Nashville, and he said he's on
schedule to come back right after the combine, right so
he can go to individual workout.

Speaker 4 (16:18):
He should be full full speed.

Speaker 8 (16:20):
He got the hard cast off, he's got a splint
on now, and he had his first workout today. He
came to the office after his workout and his legs
were shaken and he felt so good. You know, one
of things when you're going through injury, there's nothing better
than actually your first time where you get some work done,
and so he's he's he's making good progress.

Speaker 7 (16:41):
Let's go to our Alumni Hall. Fan question of the
week comes from Alejandro and if you were question is chosen,
you could win a twenty five dollars gift card from
Alumni Hall. So make sure you tag at Alumni Hall
when you post a question. And from Alejandro, what was
your favorite part of your first season as head coach
here and what was your favorite win?

Speaker 8 (17:02):
Wow, that's a great question. I don't know if I
can pick a favorite. We actually before selection Sunday we
met as a team. It was actually really fun. So
we do person you know, part of our scouting processes,
we do personnel, So thirty three times plus two exhibition games,

(17:23):
so thirty five times this season. We've got together with
our team and we'll do three doses of personnel. We'll
do three times that it'll be two days before the game,
one day before the game, and then game day at
shoot around, and we'll go over very detailed personnel scouts
on the team that we're competing against, where we'll break

(17:45):
down their tendencies, what they look like on film, what
they like to do, where they're most effective, their analytics,
their history, so our guys really know these players that
have a good sense of what to expect and the
challenge of guarding them and where they can attack them
on the offensive side. So our guys have been through
that thirty five times now this year, and for the

(18:08):
first time yesterday we presented them with our own personnel scout.
So we took solid half an hour and we did
the video and had our coaches actually present, just like
they do for every other team. They presented the scout
on our team, and we went through a player by player,

(18:28):
watching incredible highlights, reading incredible numbers, and teasing guys about
some of the funny fluckush plays they made this year.

Speaker 4 (18:35):
It was actually really really special. It was great.

Speaker 8 (18:37):
I wish we could have done it with all BBN
because I think everybody would have loved it. And so,
you know, I feel like this process that we're going
through right now is just really extraorded. It's been super enjoyable.
So I don't know if there's one game I can
pick out, I think it's it's the body of work.

Speaker 4 (18:59):
It's the journey that's so great.

Speaker 8 (19:02):
And now we're we're in the in the you know,
this is what we build up for all year long,
and so we can't wait to get to this last
chapter and make it as special as we possibly can.

Speaker 7 (19:13):
Part of I assume this process you're trying to keep
their legs, their bodies as fresh as possible and giving
them that energy physically, but just keeping them mentally loose
and in a good frame of mind going into this event. Right, yeah,
all of that.

Speaker 8 (19:29):
You know, we talk about getting fresh as fast as
we can. You know, after our most recent game, it
took us a solid twenty four hours to get fresh.
We went through a whole process to try and get fresh.
But that's really important that you come, you know, with
a with a full heart and clear eyes every time
you step on the court, that your every possession that

(19:49):
you have. It's been one of the things that our
guys have been really successful this year.

Speaker 7 (19:53):
So the UK Healthcare Mark Pope Show and we're taking
your questions on the Clark's Pumping Shop phone line or
on social media at UK Sports Network. We'll be right back.
This is the UK Sports Network.

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Speaker 7 (22:14):
Welcome back into the UK Healthcare Mark Pope Show, and
we're finished up here hanging around for Clark's Pumping Shop
BB and Radio. Tonight, Darren Hendrick will be playing some
interviews with players and coaches from the men's and women's
teams as it relates to the tournament brackets. So get

(22:35):
that info coming up on Clark's Pumping Shop BB and
Radio here on the UK Sports Network and that'll be
followed by the Nick Mengi Ownes Show from at seven
thirty Eastern time here on these UK Sports Network stations.
You were were chatting off the break here you said,
you wander some of the big storylines this week, because

(22:56):
I'm you guys, I'm sure I always have tunnel vision.
I said, whether the big one everybody's talking about today
is Carolina getting into the field because there was debate
about you know, it's a name brand, but they only
had the one quad win, would they get in And
most of the bracketologists said no, but they did.

Speaker 4 (23:11):
They did.

Speaker 8 (23:11):
It's well one this is actually give me I don't
envy their job because really, whatever they do, they're going
to get criticized, and there are so many different criteria
that they look at and I'm sure by the time
they're done, it feels like a numb to blur. But
it was, you know, the the bubble was really dynamic,

(23:32):
and it was super interesting this year to see to
kind of get a sense of what the committee valued.
I think it's really interesting. It's something that we pay
attention to, especially in the kind of post mortem. We'll
go back and look and try and understand what the
committee valued the most as we move forward with our
scheduling and and and and try and interpret the best

(23:55):
way to kind of earn the best seat in the
in the in the tournament. But it's always fascinating to see,
especially kind of what happens on the bubble some of this.
There were some seating things that were semi interesting and
mostly kind of went exactly I think as people anticipated.
And there were a couple of supplies with the bubble
for sure, And.

Speaker 7 (24:13):
And everybody always thinks they create the storylines. The committee,
people who have gone through the process say they just
naturally happened. I think when they were unveiling the bracket
and BYU was a six and the three fourteen game
was next in the West, I believe.

Speaker 4 (24:28):
I'm not sure.

Speaker 7 (24:29):
Anyway, I think a lot of people thought it was
going to be Kentucky to play you guys, I thought
you might end up in with Saint John's because of
Coach p.

Speaker 8 (24:37):
Well, there was one moment, you know, Utah Valley where
I was my first head coaching job, and they were slated.
You know, they had won the conference championship and they
were in the championship game of the tournament and it
would have been their first time going to the NBA Tournament.
So there would have been a scenario if we had

(24:57):
worked this out right where we could have got Utah
Valley round one, b y U round two, Coach p
round three, throwing an Arkansas or Louis Louisville right there.
But but those story lads will have to wait till
next year.

Speaker 7 (25:14):
Let's get back to the calls. Bobby in Evansville. You're
next up with Coach Pope.

Speaker 24 (25:20):
Hey, Bobby, Hey, how are you doing?

Speaker 4 (25:21):
Coach Bobby? How are you? Bud? Hey?

Speaker 8 (25:24):
You do?

Speaker 25 (25:25):
Oh?

Speaker 24 (25:26):
Pretty good? But sounds like I'm pretty astatic today.

Speaker 4 (25:29):
I'm wonderful, my friend, Thank you so much.

Speaker 24 (25:33):
I really don't have a question, per se. I'm just
told to let you know that I've been a fan
all my life. My family has right the blue bleeding
it from Henderson, and I just want to let you
know that the word I think we use around this
house is you bring relevancy doll programs. It's not af win,

(25:55):
it's not a for you lose. It's how you guys
hold your head up either way, and that that means
a lot to us. And just wanted to let you
know that we was proud of the job you're doing
and for first year head coach to what you did
have you know, brought our program like it up like
it was and continued in the future and look forward

(26:15):
to seeing in the game.

Speaker 8 (26:17):
Thank you, Bobby, Bobby, that's super kind. I appreciate you.
It is it is certainly. Uh, it's the best job.
We say this all the time. It's the best job
and all of and all of basketball. And and the
fact that we get to do it and and and
do it here this way especially, it's because of the
people that we get to we get to represent, including yourself,
and it really means something to us. Man, there's nothing

(26:39):
like it in the world. And and uh, with all
that said, uh, let's go win, right, Let's go win games.

Speaker 4 (26:44):
Let's go. Thank you for the call.

Speaker 7 (26:46):
Bobby Brandon sends in a question at UK Sports Network,
how do you keep your players fresh with such a
quick turnaround, and then especially when you get into the
tournament where if you win one, you'll play again in
two days.

Speaker 4 (26:57):
Our guys work hard at it. Actually they work hard.

Speaker 8 (27:01):
We work just as hard at rehabilitation as we do training.
So we're pretty meticulous with our schedule, especially during this
particular week. Our guys on their own are scheduling team activities.
They have an event tomorrow night where they have not
I won't reveal the location on the radio right now

(27:25):
because I think they'd like to have a little bit
of privacy. But those guys are taking good care of
each other and and you know, this is what they've
been working for all year long, is this chance to
go do this, and and we're here now, so it's
time to make it happen and we can't wait to.

Speaker 7 (27:39):
Get to it. The good thing about the way it
played out for you guys, Milwaukee's very driveable. If things
go well there, the next site is even closer, so
you should have well, you always have the BB in
there with you to some degree. But it should be
even greater in this situation.

Speaker 8 (27:53):
Now, I'm gonna say something I'm gonna regret. But it's
only a seven hour drive. If anybody's having trouble with
gas money, hit me up, let's go. Let's get all
BBN out there. I'm not going to tell you how
to hit me up because I'm nervous about how many
people are about to hit me up. I had this
ridiculous notion one night after a game to buy everybody
that was left in the arena ice cream. It cost

(28:15):
me a little bit more than I anticipated, but it's
all It's all family, baby, It's all family.

Speaker 4 (28:21):
Let's go.

Speaker 7 (28:23):
Let's get back to the clerk's pupping chop phone line.
Hey Jason, what's up?

Speaker 26 (28:27):
Hey guys, good Enan, thanks for taking my call.

Speaker 7 (28:30):
Uh.

Speaker 26 (28:32):
I have a comment that is uh. I want to
tell Coach Pope the ninety six team is my favorite
college basketball team of all time. But a couple of questions.
I got a couple of questions. One here. A while back,
I was looking at some old, really old VHS tapes

(28:53):
and I found an interview you did after that ninety
sixth season where you were talking about how coach Patino
had compared Kentucky to the Roman Empire. I wondered if
you remember doing that interview. And then the other question
was I wonder what you would think about, like if
you get went back to the ninety eight tournament, that

(29:14):
Utah team that Kentucky beat in the final, how on
their way to the final they were able to to
basically stop the Arizona and North Carolina guards by playing
that triangle in too. And I just wondered, like, if
you were playing a team with really good guards, if
a triangle or two or block them one or some

(29:35):
kind of defense like that, and like be an option.

Speaker 8 (29:38):
Yeah, great questions, thanks for calling in. So, Yes, the
Roman Empire comparison for sure, although when you get really
specific into that comparison, I am a student of history,
there are some parts of that that get a little
bit troublesome in a general sense of the Roman Empire

(29:59):
dominating the entire world. Yes, but when you get into
like I'm not even the name figures, but it could
get complicated. And then triangling to We actually used triangling
to a little bit against Mississippi State. At Mississippi State,
we probably had seven or eight possessions. It was our

(30:19):
first road win early in the conference year. Terrific win
for our guys. It's a little bit complicated. We probably
got away with six possessions in the last two. They
hurt us a little bit. Triangling to is great for
a number of reasons. One, it allows you to really

(30:40):
focus on two individual players with always having rim help,
so you can be really really aggressive on two individual players,
and depending on how offenses attack it, you could actually
cover a lot more people. It can be really effective.
What gets complicated is when you have two other guys
guys on the floor that are either capable or happen

(31:04):
to in the moment make shots. Because the defense is
designed to actually not cover everything. It's it's designed to
to leave a body, or to open in space, or
to be a really really late close out, and so
you kind of have to It's got to be the
right line up on the floor at the right time
for it to be really really effective. But certainly in

(31:27):
the right space it can be. We've only we've only
employed it one time this season, but it helped us.
It helped us get that win. Appreciate the question we
actually we actually is issuing Troy uh. This is Bobby right,
Jason Jason, Jason, Jason, you'll be interesting to watch the
film on Troy. Troy actually has a zone that they
play a couple of different zones, but they have a

(31:47):
zone that appears like a a like three uh uh
an I and three. So essentially what it looks like
is it kind of morphs into a space where you
have a defender at the free throw line almost a
step above the nail, and a defender at the rim,

(32:08):
and then you have three defenders that are pretty much
matched up with specific players. And you know, I think
it can morph into a three to two and a
two three. You know, you see a lot of different variations,
but it's it's it's a little bit of a unique space.
So it would be fun for you to watch them
as we move forward and they change up defenses a lot, right.
They do play out the press a little bit too.

Speaker 7 (32:29):
Subscribe to the Behind Kentucky Basketball podcast, presented by UK
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Speaker 17 (32:42):
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Term by local.

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Speaker 17 (33:05):
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Play responsibly.

Speaker 4 (33:10):
Remember it's just a game.

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Speaker 11 (35:01):
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Speaker 29 (35:07):
Once again, thank you to our official cornerstone partners who
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Speaker 7 (35:43):
For Appalachia, watch BBN Game Day presented by Republic Bank
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(36:04):
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two eight O kats or one eight hundred and six
oh six four two sixty three, or post on x

(36:27):
at UK Sports Network and we go to Katie in Brooklyn,
New York.

Speaker 30 (36:31):
Hello Katie, Hi, coach, Hi, Tom, I'm wondering how the
Hi I'm wondering how the team is responding after a
toxulus on Sriday night, and just where you go as
a team and a staff after a loss like that.
That's so close to the end.

Speaker 8 (36:51):
Of the season.

Speaker 4 (36:53):
Katie, Where are you in Brooklyn?

Speaker 30 (36:56):
I am in Windsor Karris, Brooklyn, near Prospect Park.

Speaker 4 (37:00):
Are you Are you a New York native?

Speaker 30 (37:03):
No, I'm Kentucky, but I live here now.

Speaker 4 (37:05):
Okay, what took you to New York?

Speaker 28 (37:09):
Job?

Speaker 30 (37:09):
Pre pandemic?

Speaker 4 (37:11):
Wait? Oh, pre pandemic job. We we man, we've had
We've I spent a lot of my life in New York.
I love that area so much. It's it's really great.
Broke the Brooklyn side is way different than it was
when I was a kid in New York. Uh, but
that's actually super cool. Okay, So post.

Speaker 8 (37:29):
Alabama debacle, so we talked about that. It was that
was a it was a brutal night for us. We uh,
you know, we we walked into the game shorthanded and
and finished the game even more shorthanded.

Speaker 10 (37:43):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (37:43):
I thought our guys battled with a ton of heart
in the first half, and we just we just imploded
in the second half.

Speaker 4 (37:49):
Was really tough.

Speaker 8 (37:49):
A lot of credit goes to Alabama, good team. Uh,
they took it to us, and it was it was
very frustrating, disappointing performance in the second half on our
part for a thousand different reasons.

Speaker 4 (38:03):
We so it was.

Speaker 25 (38:04):
It was.

Speaker 4 (38:05):
It was pretty brutal, pretty brutal in locker room, a
really tough night.

Speaker 8 (38:08):
Once we got back to the film room. Uh, the
staff was together till you know, I don't know, three
or four in the morning, and then we met again
as a as a team, uh for breakfast and then
had a long animated intense truth telling uh film session, UH,

(38:30):
team talk session, growing session, and kind of healing session.

Speaker 31 (38:36):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (38:36):
So I say this all the time, but you know,
after a game like that, you really do go through
a grieving process. It really is legitimately the five steps
of grieving, and you can kind of mark them, you know,
by the hour, and it's a really important process to
go through with the main result of doing two things.

Speaker 4 (38:55):
One, you want to learn everything you possibly can from
that experience. UH.

Speaker 8 (39:01):
If we don't take advantage of learning from every experience
we have, then we're missing out. And two you got
to get through the grieving process to get to healing
and constructive and our guys are unbelievable at it. And
and by the time we jumped on the plane, Uh,
there had been a shift in our in our hearts, uh,
in our focus, in our togetherness. There was a there

(39:23):
was a a diminished kind of pain and anguish, and
and it was it was being re uh, you know,
refilled with excitement and passion and determination. Uh as we
move forward in the tournament. But that's a real process.
It's a real process we go through in life when
we do hard deal with hard things in life, and
it's certainly a real process we go through in athletics.

(39:43):
So right now I think we're in an unbelievable space
where we are a full steam ahead and cannot wait
to get in the sense of a tournament and let's
go see what we can do.

Speaker 4 (39:50):
Thank you, Katie.

Speaker 7 (39:51):
There's some there are some coaches who will say something
to the effect of, we just flushed that game, or
we burn the tape and we'll ever speak of it again.
You talk about that approach that you take that's different
from that. I was curious how you came to that, because.

Speaker 4 (40:05):
I'm a terrible, terrible, terrible loser. I'm terrible. I hate it.

Speaker 8 (40:10):
I hate myself, I hate my I You know, guys,
I go into postgame press conferences after a loss and
and and.

Speaker 7 (40:20):
I'm just terrible.

Speaker 4 (40:22):
I'm not good at it actually.

Speaker 8 (40:23):
And it's, uh, it's too personal, it hurts too much.
It's it's you know, I'm I'm, I'm, I'm I'm maybe
immature emotionally, and it just is really painful and so
and and I know it. I go into those press conferences.
You know, hopefully they don't happen that often, but after
a loss, and and I'm just like, I know myself.

(40:45):
I'm mad at myself. I'm like I should be able
to be able to deliver a better message right now.
But but but I am good at going through the process.
We're good at going through the process. I think the
process is important. Like we are in a mad dash
to grow as fast as we can, and we don't
have that much time to be in a season. We
don't have that much time to be college basketball players,
we don't have that much time to be the coach

(41:06):
at the University of Kentucky. Like everything has a window
that's way shorter than we could possibly imagine. Like I swear,
it feels like we just played our second exhibition game
before the season. It just goes by so fast. And
so it's it's it's it's a it's an integral part
of everything that we do that we're gonna take every

(41:26):
opportunity to learn basketball wise and to learn life lessons
from everything that we do. And so I hate to
miss an opportunity for us to grow, and and even
a night that was as painful as last Friday night,
it's an incredible opportunity for us to grow, and I
think we're pretty good at taking advantage of those opportunities.

Speaker 7 (41:45):
It is the UK Healthcare Mark Pope Show Score Big
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Go Cats.

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Speaker 7 (44:08):
Juayne, Dave Baker and Cameron Mills for our Jack Burford
Chevrolet Countdown to tip off coverage of Kentucky and Troy
in the NCAA Tournament. It will begin at five thirty
Eastern Time this Friday on these UK Sports Network stations,
and we are here for another couple of segments to

(44:29):
take your questions on the Clark's Pumping Shop phone line
or via social media posts at X at UK Sports
Network and gas Money for Milwaukee's maybe Catching fire.

Speaker 8 (44:42):
Yep, yep, yep, that was not a good call on
my part. I just my executive assistant just handed me
a phone and there's a whole slew of emails coming
to the office. Hi, I'm Jack, I won't say the
last name, and a student here at U. I'm in
Florida currently for spring break. So I gotta pay for

(45:04):
ga from Florida all the way to Milwaukee. But I
get back early Friday morning. If you could throw me
some mass money or a ticket, it just went from
gas money to a ticket. I drive myself and my
girlfriend up to Milwaukee to catch your first turn of
the game.

Speaker 4 (45:19):
All right, listen, Jack, here's the deal. I'm gonna try
and hit you back. Man. I'm doing my best, Okay.
I love it.

Speaker 8 (45:25):
BBN, man, it is the greatest blessing in the world
to be able to be a part of BBN.

Speaker 4 (45:30):
There's no there's nowhere like it. I love it.

Speaker 8 (45:33):
Let's go to gas money for Milwaukee. This is gonna
not go well. I can already tell you this is
this is not going well. And this is the CBS
folks are here. You guys are part of their inside
access thing they do every year around the tournament. You
guys are one of the teams. So now gas money
for Milwaukee is gonna be a thing. Well, we have

(45:53):
this incredible CBS crew here right now and they've actually
been fantastic, and it's gonna be fun to to have
the tell our guys story.

Speaker 4 (46:01):
For the for the duration of this tournament.

Speaker 7 (46:03):
Maybe kitch you up for gas money to Bill Walkee,
Let's go to Kevin and Louisville and the Clark's pumping
chef Folin. Hey, Kevin, Hey, how you doing guys?

Speaker 31 (46:13):
Hey where are you coach Pope?

Speaker 4 (46:15):
Kevin?

Speaker 31 (46:17):
Oh, no problem. Hey, it's just a comment. I love
Kentucky basketball, but I am so glad that they, uh
we have got to you as a coach. I think
you should be the m v P. I mean, you've
done an incredible job, brought the excitement back, uh every game.
I can't wait to watch. And I just hope that

(46:39):
BBN appreciates what we have in a coach, just the
person you are and the coach and everything. So that's
comment I wanted to say, good luck with the tournament.

Speaker 4 (46:50):
Kevin. Thank you. That's that's really kind. Uh. I really
appreciate the call.

Speaker 8 (46:56):
You know, every time we walk into a rupp aerena,
every time we take our team anyway where and I
get to watch my guys feel the kinship and the
family nests.

Speaker 4 (47:07):
That's not a word. I know, it's not a word.
I just made it up.

Speaker 8 (47:09):
But the this, this this family vibe about like it's
it's so incredible to watch BBN just grab onto each
of these guys that want so badly to compete for
them and just just make them a part of their family.
It's really it's it's really really inspiring, and we're really blessed.
We're really blessed to be a part of it now.

Speaker 4 (47:29):
Uh there.

Speaker 8 (47:30):
It may be that you love watching the games right
now because you never know what's gonna happen. It's really dramatic.
Our goal at some point in our tenure here to
make these games really boring where you know what's gonna
happen every game.

Speaker 4 (47:43):
We're gonna win, and we're gonna win big.

Speaker 8 (47:45):
We're not quite there yet, so we're gonna embrace the
drama now and let's go see if we can do
some special things in this tournament.

Speaker 4 (47:51):
Thanks for call, Kevin.

Speaker 7 (47:52):
Let's go to a question off social media at UK
Sports Network. This is from Steven. It's not so much
a question, but it allows you to touch about touch
on something I'm sure pretty close to your heart, he said.
Steven says he met your parents along the tournament path
in the nineties. He and his wife had a nice
visit with them. He says, I seem to remember you
had a sister who played volleyball. Good luck in the tournament.

(48:13):
Thank you and your team for all you do for
the Commonwealth.

Speaker 4 (48:15):
That's great, that's that's really kind.

Speaker 8 (48:17):
Uh yeah, Mom and dad, uh man, they've been through it,
this basketball journey from when I was you know, from
when dad was driving me all over the western United
States from basketball tournament, basketball tournament, AU tournament.

Speaker 4 (48:34):
To track meet.

Speaker 8 (48:35):
I was a I was a I was a you know,
my my hero growing up was actually Sebastian co I
was a fledgling eight hundred meter runner from Great Britain.

Speaker 4 (48:44):
Yes, and and Steve Cram and that hole, that whole crew.

Speaker 8 (48:48):
Uh and so uh Mom and Dad, of course we're
just so incredibly supportive and they continue to be.

Speaker 31 (48:57):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (48:58):
It's harder for them to get around now, so we
only you know, we we try and get him out
to one game a year. But thanks for thanks for
match that we've We've been really blessed in our family
for sure.

Speaker 7 (49:08):
One of your incoming players that has already signed is
the new Kentucky mister basketball, Alaxi Marino Malachi Moreno.

Speaker 8 (49:20):
So it's very cool because his vice principal is actually
here in the crowd.

Speaker 4 (49:25):
And she is she is already guaranteed a state championship.
Is that true?

Speaker 8 (49:34):
And it's gonna be fun. What an epic run they've
been on the UH, it was. It was pretty special.
So Nick Robinson, who has been on my staff UH
for the last six years, and we've been friends. We
actually came up in the business together. You know, my
first year I was I was working for coach Fox

(49:56):
at Georgia. I was I was such a no name title.
I was the assistant into the director of operations. And
Nick and I we're both at the final four together,
just our first time being to the final four in
this on the coaching side of it, kind of wandering
around trying to find our way. We've been great friends.
He's been an unbelievable confidant. So his oo, I'm allowed

(50:18):
to talk about this where's deb anyway, I won't name names,
but his son is a terrific player at Frederick Douglas
and so Frederick Douglas and Great Crossing just played. I'm
nervous because I'm not supposed to talk about any high
school basketball anyway. I'm just reporting the facts here, yes,
and just being a reporter. Exactly played in an epic game,

(50:41):
and it just as It's pretty fun to see to
see all these young people competing.

Speaker 7 (50:48):
And Malchi will be competing in the boys State tournament
next week. We're ups hosting first and second round games
Thursday and Saturday. The open practices. By the way, I
forverybanky wants to go down and check out that. It
starts at eleven on Wednesday, down at Rupp and then
the boys Sweet sixteen will be next week. Congrats to
Sacred Heart they just won of the girls Sweet sixteen
will be right back.

Speaker 4 (51:08):
Oh we'll come back. Let's talk about malex asilmore.

Speaker 7 (51:10):
We will do that. This is the UK Sports network.

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Speaker 29 (51:45):
UK Athletics would like to bank our official cornerstone partners,
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Bureau Insurance, Big On Commitment and UK Healthcare, official healthcare
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Speaker 5 (51:59):
Good Okay, take the morning.

Speaker 2 (52:02):
Track, walk on and Kentucky goes seventy two.

Speaker 29 (52:06):
Once again, thank you to our official cornerstone partners who
play a vital role in the success of the University
of Kentucky Athletics program.

Speaker 11 (52:14):
Hey Wildcat fans, Little Caesars, the home of Hot and
Ready Pizza, invites you to try our world famous Crazy
Bread with Crazy Sauce, Caesar Wings, Italian Cheese bread, and
our new cookie Old Browning dessert and Little Caesar's. We
begin each day with dove made fresh from scratch, fresh
never frozen cheese and the tastiest topping. Little Caesar's is

(52:36):
also a proud partner of UK Athletics and an enthusiastic
member of Big Blue Nation.

Speaker 16 (52:42):
So go cat Pizza, Pizza, Whoa, whoa, whoa Dave, before
you use that post tool digger, where's your gas line?

Speaker 4 (52:51):
And where's your wallet?

Speaker 16 (52:52):
Because you hit the gas line and it's going to
cost you not to mention that it's also very dangerous. Okay, Now,
where's your phone? Good call eight one one before you dig.
One call and you'll know where to dig every time.
It's a call eight one one. No problems, no accident,
no fines. Oh and it's the law.

Speaker 21 (53:14):
Fun is in the air with these new scratch off
games from the Kentucky Lottery. With over eighty five million
dollars in total cash prizes.

Speaker 6 (53:22):
Fun is just a scratch away.

Speaker 21 (53:23):
These exciting new games include Lucky Meat, x'es and o's
and fifty Times the Lug. Five scratch offs today at
the counter or at one of our convenient fending machines.
Put a little play in your day with these new
scratch offs from the Kentucky Lottery. Play responsibly.

Speaker 14 (53:40):
Remember it's just a game. This is coke zero sugar.
Could I be the best coke ever? Try and taste
with your ears. He does bubbles.

Speaker 6 (53:52):
Imagine them tangling on your top. Busy deliciousness.

Speaker 14 (53:57):
Listen to that cascading liquid Health, water and Waterfall. Here's
Sisterly Tasty zero Sugar, Chris Refreshing and Ice gold.

Speaker 6 (54:09):
Is Coke zero sugar the best coke ever. Try and decide.

Speaker 7 (54:24):
Or complete coverage of the Cats. Like UK Sports Network
on Facebook. Also follow on Instagram at UK Underscore Sports
Network and follow on x at UK Sports Network. Our
final segment a few minutes left. If you have a
quick question for Coach Pope, you can call us or
you can send it in at UK Sports Network. You

(54:47):
want to talk a little bit more about Malachi Marano.

Speaker 8 (54:49):
Yeah, but during the break, my daughter Avery called in
so so so these days are the best. So she
we're only allowed to talk to her one day a week.
She's serving in El Salvador, and so I've booked out
from nine to ten am. Everybody in the office knows

(55:12):
that my door does not open from nine to ten
am because we get to the whole time against the
Jump on FaceTime. So she's just had an extra couple
minutes to just do a follow up call. I'm telling
you what man, it's the best part of my day.
It's the best actually second best thing of my day
is Malachi Mareno. So this this young man, basketball wise,

(55:33):
is just won mister basketball. He's a McDonald's All American.
He's going to play in the McDonald's game. He's playing
on Team USA. He's done everything there is to do
in basketball. I got a chance to go visit him
at his school. I was like, a Malik, I want
to come see you. I want to come see you
with your people. I want to come, you know, I
just want to come say hi. And so he brought

(55:54):
me into He's like, coach, this is the time you
need to come. So I went and got to visit
him while he was working with students at his school
that are special needs students, and all he wanted to
do was let me go experience the greatness of these
fellow students that he works with on a regular basis.

(56:17):
And I got to walk into his gym, which is
where they meet, well, they were meeting that day, and
I got to see how his teachers and advisors.

Speaker 4 (56:28):
Look to Malachi.

Speaker 8 (56:29):
I got to see how these fellow students look to
Malachai and how much they love him.

Speaker 4 (56:34):
And I was like, Wow, we.

Speaker 8 (56:36):
Got a really special basketball player coming to the University
of Kentucky. We got an incredible, incredible, incredible human being
come to the University Kentucky. This is Malachai Morano. Gonna
be really special, Big Blue Nason gonna fall in love
with him.

Speaker 7 (56:52):
We're inside of the final minutes, so we won't get
to any more questions.

Speaker 4 (56:55):
But it is.

Speaker 7 (56:56):
And you've talked about how much you just enjoy this
as a fan much less as a participant, and for
your players, I'm sure it feels the same way. It
is the best time of the year. If you love
college basketball.

Speaker 32 (57:07):
This it is.

Speaker 8 (57:08):
It's and the fact that we get to be in it,
the way we're in how we're doing it. You know
where in this Jersey there's nothing like that in the world,
and we just can't wait to get to it.

Speaker 7 (57:18):
Well, best of luck to you and your guys, And
there'll be an open practice up in Milwaukee for everybody's
going up, just like there are here at Lexington and
all the other sites, so you'll see to be be
in up there. Yes, sir, let's go all right, Kentucky
and Troy Tip at seven ten Eastern on Friday, and
it'll be of course in Milwaukee and you can join

(57:39):
our coverage the Countdown to tip Off Show with Dave
and Cameron that'll get going at five point thirty Eastern
on the UK Sports Network.

Speaker 5 (57:48):
This has been the UK Healthcare Mark Top Show on
the UK Sports Network. The Mark Top Show was brought
to you by Coca Cola, Appalachian Regional health Care, Little
Caesars and by UK Healthcare.

Speaker 2 (58:03):
We are here to win Banners.

Speaker 5 (58:07):
Kentucky Basketball is a presentation of the UK Sports Network
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