Mark Pope’s first season at Kentucky ended with a Sweet 16 run and 24 total wins — a solid debut by any standard. But Pope’s competitive DNA doesn’t allow him to settle for “solid.” His best year as a head coach came in 2018 when his Utah Valley squad won 25 games. Now, in 2025, with a deeper roster and more SEC experience, he’s aiming higher. Here are our four bold predictions for Year 2 of the Pope era.
Yes, the SEC is brutal, and yes, Kentucky’s non-conference slate has some landmines.