Mark Pope’s tone after Tuesday’s game said it all: frustration mixed with inevitability.
“We just knew that we were facing an issue that we hadn’t found good resolution to in practice,” Pope admitted. “And it showed on court.”
That’s not what fans want to hear after another game where Kentucky’s new defensive identity fell apart. The rebuilt defense featuring Mo Dioubate, Otega Oweh, and Brandon Garrison was supposed to be the strength of this roster. Instead, it’s become a liability. It will get better once Jayden Quaintance gets back but it won't get drastically better.