It was supposed to be Kentucky vs. UCLA in Atlanta. The Bruins found a way out of the contract, and St. John’s wasted zero time sliding in. That swap turned a good neutral-site game into pure chaos theater.
You’ve got Mark Pope on one bench and Rick Pitino on the other, the former Kentucky legend facing the coach most associated with reviving the program in the 90s. You’ve got St. John’s (6–3), once ranked No. 5, tumbling down to No. 22. You’ve got Kentucky (7–4) on the outside of the rankings, trying to prove it’s more than a tough, ugly, grind-it-out team that can’t quite find its offensive rhythm.