What a horrible Tuesday night in Oxford.

After Kentucky’s deflating loss to Arkansas on Saturday, that “stink” followed them as they traveled on the road to Ole Miss. What was an opportunity to get back on the right track, quickly turned into another loss and another learning opportunity.

Trailing by as much as 27 points at one point, Kentucky made a run in the second half, making it a somewhat ‘respectable’ 14-point loss.

While they shot 50 percent from the field and over 47 percent from three, they had no answer for the Rebels on the defensive end. Giving up 98 points and forcing just one turnover is the short synopsis of just how bad Kentucky’s defense was.

Following the game, Mark Pope accepted the blame.

“I didn’t help the guys enough try to find answers,” he said. “We still shoot 50 percent from the field in the game, and are 21 (assists) and 8 (turnovers). Which is what we want. The biggest frustration is on the defensive end. I’m doing a poor job of finding answers to that right now.”

With the SEC and NCAA Tournaments just a over month out, those answers need to be found quickly.

Trent Noah, in addition to being a fan favorite for geographical reasons, has provided a serious spark off the bench for Kentucky in the last two games. Against Tennessee specifically, Noah drilled a three from the mid-court logo during a crucial second-half stretch that helped keep the Volunteers at bay.

In the loss to Arkansas, he watched the entire game from the bench.

Exploring Space

Mark Pope was asked about this seemingly random discrepancy after the game, saying, “With Drew coming back, and Ansley playing so well… I wonder if there’s some space for Trent actually at the 3. I think that’s something we can explore.”

“As we kind of reconfigure everything we’re doing right now, on the fly, he’s played well and there’s definitely space for him, and it’s my job to find it,” he continued.

With the carousel of injuries that Kentucky has dealt with so far this season, the rotations being non-concrete is no surprise.

But Noah’s absence in a game where the Wildcats are struggling in just about every facet that he specializes in is nothing short of a head-scratcher. The offense had stalled and energy was neutralized early in the second half; why not give Noah the chance to make a play on either end and restore those things, to some extent?

Wishful Thinking

Not to mention the crowd reaction that a Kentucky native elicits when he so much as touches the ball. With the crowd already at legendary levels during that game, Noah’s appearance in the team’s time of need could’ve gone a long way in that aspect alone.

Alas, retrospective wishful thinking won’t get us anywhere now. With a road match against Ole Miss next on the docket, Noah has an opportunity to continue his strong conference showings away from home in what has become yet another pivotal game for Kentucky.

Let’s just hope Pope finds space for him by then.

Love or hate John Calipari, the bond he forms with his players is special. Over the years, they have gone to bat for him.

That made the dynamic on Saturday night all the more awkward. While fans were split on whether to cheer or boo Calipari, players were split on their allegiance. On the one hand, they want to support the coach who helped create a better life for them and their families, but on the other, they want to support the program they played and fought for.

Since Calipari left Kentucky last April, several players have taken their stance with most going on record to say something to the effect of; they love Cal but will always support Kentucky. PJ Washington visited Calipari at Arkansas and wore Razorback gear, while Willie Cauley-Stein denounced that he would ever cheer for Arkansas despite his love for Cal.

Before Saturday’s game, there was of course Reed Sheppard wearing an Arkansas/Kentucky split outfit that many fans took displeasure with. However, after the game, multiple players posted their congratulations to Calipari on social media.

Davion Mintz was tame, simply saying “Great win coach.”

Meanwhile, former Cat TyTy Washington posted some trolling comments.

“Coach Cal understands it now”

“Walked into the trap and took over the trap.” (referencing Rupp arena)

One Kentucky noted to Washington, “That used to be your trap.”

Another former Cat, Jacob Toppin, retweeted Washington’s comments.

Washington and Toppin did say, “It’s all love,” but tt’s safe to say that these Cats won’t be getting a Christmas card this year.