Mark Pope took nearly an hour to get to the podium after the Wildcats failed to deliver against name-brand competition for the second time in eight days — first against in-state rival Louisville, followed by Michigan State to make Kentucky the only team with a losing record against the other three teams in the Champions Classic.
What’s the explanation for not only coming up short, but falling on your face on the big stage? No excuses, only failure — but not permanent failure, according to Pope. This current product is inexcusable, but that won’t be the case all year long.