Men's Basketball

March Has Arrived: How Far Can Kentucky Go?

When the rubber meet the road – injuries, controversies, questions and all – just how far can this Kentucky team go?

Published

3 months ago

March 12, 2025

Lane Mills

Kentucky head coach Mark Pope tried rally his team.

Matt Stone | IMAGN

When Mark Pope was hired last Spring, almost one year ago now, few people had any semblance of an expectation as to how his first March Madness would look. Whether or not he’d even get there was perhaps a more common question than whether or not he’d have a chance to win it all in his inaugural season.

Though it was hard for the Big Blue Nation not to get excited when Pope took a team he built in one month, marched into Atlanta for the Champion’s Classic and took down a highly touted, media-fueled Duke team in November.

It was with that win that the winds changed, and since then, the “first year grace” (if you will) that existed before the season began completely dissipated in favor of the same old hardened expectations from the most involved fanbase in college basketball.

The Standard

Kentucky Basketball is supposed to be the standard – Mark Pope has said as much himself. And while 21-10 (10-8) doesn’t exactly meet that desired mark, any critic would be remiss to ignore not only the seismic change of scenery for the program in Calipari’s leave, but the overwhelming injuries that the 24-25′ Wildcats have endured as well.

With Jaxson Robinson officially out for the season, Lamont Butler and Andrew Carr still operating below 100% and Kerr Kriisa remaining out and likely to utilize a medical redshirt, this is not the same team that beat Duke last year.

But it is still a good team; one that has found ways to win with their backs against the wall time and time again. And while missing players isn’t ideal, seeing the dust settle with certainty on those who remain bodes well for Pope’s strategy as a coach going forward.

Rotations and substitutions (perhaps the biggest point of contention in Pope’s tenure to this point) hardening as the season comes to a close and the madness begins should allow players to settle into their roles.

Those That Remain

Guys who’ve provided sporadic impact off the bench, like Trent Noah and Ansley Almonor, will be given the guaranteed chance going forward to blossom without interruption. That is the sort of thing that, assuming they play well, will set Kentucky apart from the rest later this month. If nothing else, Kentucky has depth, and that depth will finally be given the opportunity to grow upward without having their roots ripped out of the ground on a weekly basis.

It also helps that season-long starters like Amari Williams and Otega Oweh are hitting their stride. Oweh just leveled his former team on the road with a career high 28 points, and Amari Williams, despite the loss to Auburn, took the likely national player of the year in Johni Broome to task, tallying 13 points, 14 boards and 7 assists. Broome put up 3, 6 and 1, for comparison.

Would Kentucky rather have a fully healthy roster? Absolutely, but things taking shape means the final picture becomes a little clearer. If Kentucky is going to win, they’ll have to win with who they’ve got left. No hopeful returns, questionable comebacks, ifs, ands or buts.

Who they’ve got left toppled Tennessee just a few games back. Kentucky fans would benefit from finding a balance in their expectations. Anything can happen with the talent and experience that still hits the court for the ‘Cats game in and game out.

The Bigger Picture

Not to mention that, while it’s important to maintain the program’s identity as the best and nothing but, not every blue blood has high-level success on a yearly basis, especially in the sport as it stands today. For example, look Kansas’ and UConn’s struggles this season; the former came into the season as the top ranked team nationally, and the latter are hot off back-to-back championships.

Now? Both are ranked below UK and are projected to seed below them in the tournament, and neither employed a new coach at the midnight hour just last offseason. No matter what happens in the next few weeks, Mark Pope and Kentucky will be just fine.

End of the Line

So what does the end of the road look like? What would be acceptable, and what wouldn’t? You could ask one thousand fans that question and likely get one thousand different answers. But for a program going on six years without making it out of the second weekend in March, doing that alone should satisfy a lot of folks… for the time being.

Beat who you’re supposed to beat and battle until the buzzer otherwise. After all, it’s called March Madness for a reason – anything can happen. Don’t give up on our guys just yet.

Men's Basketball

Kentucky Basketball’s Practice Facility Sees Major Makeover

The Joe Craft Center, after years of casual criticism from Wildcats fans, has finally been given an upgrade.

Published

16 hours ago

June 21, 2025

Lane Mills

UK Athletics

Maybe the weirdest qualm of many that plagued John Calipari’s tenure at Kentucky were the consistent complaints about the team’s practice facility, the Joe Craft Center.

From exaggerated rumors about leaks in the ceiling to general observations made about the court and facilities, fans, especially towards the end of that era, pointed to the Craft Center’s age as one of many signs of the times. Even in spite of occasional, supposed changes now and again.

In only his second year, Mark Pope has seemingly already addressed that complaint — at least to an extent.

The official Kentucky men’s basketball account recently posted a video across all social media platforms of the team during summer practice, featuring and obviously removed Craft Center court.

The court itself has been redone, in addition to the graphics and banners on the wall. Alongside the hanging threads celebrating the program’s eight national championships, a ninth one has been tacked onto the end.

It simply reads: “#9 – The Assignment.” If fans weren’t already excited enough for Coach Pope’s sophomore season, a ninth title banner being fixed in the renovation’s spotlight should send folks through the roof.

It may seem like a small thing, but given the program’s track record in the last few years, it’s the small things that feel the biggest. Mark Pope not only understands the assignment, but he’s making sure his team does, too.

Men's Basketball

Jasper Johnson Makes Final U19 USA Roster Under Coach Mark Pope

Jasper Johnson has advanced in the U19 USA camp for the second time alongside the nation’s best recruits, and under Mark Pope’s wing.

Published

2 days ago

June 20, 2025

Lane Mills

Instagram: @bruhjasperj (UK Athletics)

In a surprisingly relevant development smack dab in the middle of the offseason, Jasper Johnson has yet again advanced in the pool of players participating in the USA U19 camp.

The program, which could be a described as a sort of extension of the Team USA that just took home the gold in 2024, is comprised of some of the nation’s most anticipated talents set to take collegiate courts in the next couple of seasons.

Blue Gets In

Among them is Kentucky native and commit Johnson, and was also incoming Cat Malachi Moreno, before the latter was cut as a result of a mild injury he obtained throughout the camp’s course. Despite Moreno’s exit, his future teammate continues to impress.

Under the wing of Coach Mark Pope, who’s helmed the team in the camp up to this point, Johnson has now made the final cut after multiple roster slashes – he and only 11 other players remain in the minority that will go forward to actually compete for the team in the 2025 FIBA U19 Men’s World Cup, which will take place June 28 through July 6 in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The pre-competition camp serves not only as a trial of play before these athletes disperse to their own respective rosters this fall and next, but for Johnson, as a preview of what it’s like to play under Coach Pope. If his current success is any indicator, Kentucky fans may be in for something special when the pair tackle opposing teams together for the blue and white.

In similar noteworthy news, also attending the event are Taylen Kinney and Tyran Stokes, two Kentucky-born athletes with ties to Kentucky that the program is heavily recruiting. Jasper’s strong performance, combined with Coach Pope’s presence, can only help the Wildcats’ chances on that front, too.

To say the least, Mark Pope has found a way to facilitate Kentucky’s influence far beyond the boundaries of Lexington. He and Johnson, for the time being, will continue to press turn heads on the national stage, and it’s very likely that fans aren’t the only ones paying attention.

Men's Basketball

Archie Goodwin and Kahlil Whitney Set to Join La Familia This Summer

La Familia continues to add more firepower to the 2025 roster.

Published

3 days ago

June 19, 2025

Kai McClelland

James Crisp (Left), Adam Hunger (Right) | Associated Press

As the start of the 2025 TBT Tournament inches closer, La Familia has been slowly but surely adding star Wildcats to the roster.

Usually, we see announcements for new additions to the squad roll out on social media in some form, whether it be a post from La Familia’s official accounts or in form of Ansley Almonor’s announcement, which took place on BBN Tonight.

However, this time, Archie Goodwin and Kahlil “The Dragon” Whitney were added to the roster on the TBT website without any announcement, surprising Big Blue Nation as the news leaked and began to circulate.

They were removed from the website afterwards, but as of Thursday, June 19, appear on the website as listed members of the roster.

Goodwin has been an active member for years, highlighted by his semifinals appearance last year where he averaged 13.8 points per game en route.

Whitney is a name that may cause some to shed a tear, with so much potential surrounding the former five-star leading up to his debut. Ultimately, he left the program after appearing in just 18 games for Kentucky.

La Familia is competitive as all get out, shown by chippy play with guys who have nothing to lose but everything to win for the place they call home. Goodwin and Whitney, now added to that list of guys, will look to redeem themselves with one goal in mind. Win.

The official La Familia roster as of June 19:

– Willie Cauley-Stein (2012-15)

– Doron Lamb (2010-12)

– DeAndre Liggins (2008-11)

– Aaron Harrison (2013-15)

– Andrew Harrison (2013-15)

– Ansley Almonor (2024-25)

– Archie Goodwin (2012-13)

– Kahlil Whitney (2019-20)