It wasn’t the final score or any single statistic that impressed Mark Pope most after Kentucky’s hard-fought exhibition against No. 1 Purdue. It was something less tangible, yet far more crucial to the foundation he’s building: togetherness.
“As much as we can just stay in this for each other,” Pope said thoughtfully postgame, “we have a chance to be a good team.”
A culture built on connection
For decades, Kentucky basketball has operated under the immense weight of external expectations. Pope, in his second season back at his alma mater, is intentionally flipping that script.