Kentucky head coach Mark Pope was mystified by his team’s performance following Wednesday’s 73-68 loss to Missouri, sending the Wildcats to an 0-2 start in SEC play for the first time in 20 years.
Pope didn’t think his team executed well, particularly down the stretch when the lights were brightest. Kentucky led by eight with a little over four minutes to go, only for Missouri to close the game on a 15-2 run. UK shot 1-6 from the field during that span while turning the ball over three times. With a chance to send it to overtime with 10 seconds remaining, an out-of-bounds play call led to a terrible three-point look from Jaland Lowe that went over the rim and nailed the opposite side of the backboard.