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Mark Pope on the Late-Season State of Kentucky Basketball: “We Have to Get Way Better”

In the wake of a blowout road loss, Mark Pope was candid about the team’s current state and situation: they have to improve.

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Mark Pope bends over in frustration as the Kentucky Wildcats take on Alabama.
Chet White | UK Athletics

At 18-9 (7-7 in SEC play), Kentucky is poised to head into March as a strong competitor on the 3/4 seed line, barring any unexpected collapse. Despite their unpredictable performances in conference play, the 24-25′ Wildcats have impressed many with a strong resume of signature wins and a kindred spirit drawn from blue and white teams of old.

Yet after their latest blowout loss at Alabama, Mark Pope isn’t satisfied.

“Clearly, we have to get way better,” he said, following the game. Despite scoring 83 points down two starters, and against a top five team at that, Coach Pope is focused on refining the issues.

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A Whole New Ballgame

He continued, “We’re game three in,” in reference to what has essentially been a new season for the team in dealing with the onslaught of injuries that have come their way. “I’m proud of our young guys’ effort. They are getting better, and we gotta keep getting better faster.”

In losing all three of his primary point guard options, as well as forward Andrew Carr for an extended stretch, Pope has turned to freshmen Collin Chandler, Trent Noah and Travis Perry for answers, and, in time. they’ve begun to deliver.

Perry saw impact minutes first, filling in for the injured Kriisa and spelling Lamont Butler when he needed it. Then, it was Trent Noah’s turn, shooting a consistent clip from long range and providing crucial scoring when Kentucky needed it.

Now, most recently, Collin Chandler has entered the mix in similar fashion, boasting two straight games with multiple buckets and a particularly strong six-rebound performance at home to propel the ‘Cats to victory against Vanderbilt.

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Good, and undoubtedly exciting, but not quite good enough – at least not yet.

Making Our Mistakes

“We have to play some perfect basketball in terms of only making our mistakes, not making mistakes that aren’t us,” he went on. “There were too many tonight where it was mistakes that weren’t the way we play.”

Kentucky chalked up 14 assists to 13 turnovers in the loss, a razor thin margin that may shed some light on Pope’s insistence on the team “making mistakes that aren’t us.” Either way, he wants more out of the unit he has now, all asterisks aside.

Their next opportunity for improvement comes at Oklahoma on Wednesday, Feb. 26. The ‘Cats will look to snag a solid conference win on the road before heading back home to take on the #1 Auburn Tigers that weekend. The SEC never stops pulling, and it’s up to Coach Pope and his Kentucky team to keep hold of the rope.

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Men's Basketball

CBS Sports: Kentucky Has “ended pursuits” in Transfer Portal Following Aberdeen Commitment

In the wake of yet another addition to Kentucky’s incoming roster, CBS Sports reports that Coach Pope and staff may have closed the portal.

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Mark Pope and staff may have everything they need from the transfer portal.
Chet White | UK Athletics

Following another flurry of transfer portal additions in his second year at the helm, it appears that Mark Pope and staff are satisfied with their sophomore haul. The portal in Lexington may be officially closed for the 2025-26′ season.

Right after Kentucky received the surprising commitment of Denzel Aberdeen, Matt Norlander, an analyst for CBS Sports, posted the following on X (Twitter):

“Barring any portal defections, Kentucky has ended its pursuits of all other portal targets, sources told CBS Sports. Getting Aberdeen today [April 21] meant they’ve moved off Andrej Stojakovic, Rylan Griffen, etc. Otega Oweh going through pre-draft process-but I expect him back in Lex”.

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With the addition of Aberdeen, the Wildcats’ roster ballooned to near-max capacity for next season. Seeing two of the team’s walk-on players, Grant Darbyshire and Walker Horn, enter the transfer portal seemed to all but confirm this suspicion, too.

Losing One of Our Own

That is, until last night. With less than two hours remaining for players to do so, Travis Perry shocked much of the Big Blue Nation by throwing his name into the hat. This came just weeks after a string of comments from the Kentucky-native point guard seemed to confirm his return for a sophomore season.

Though all the same, given Kentucky’s bulk of back-court additions this offseason, his departure makes sense for the sake of playing time alone. The Lyon King will be sorely missed.

So while the Kentucky staff may still be very much content with their current roster, with hundreds of players remaining in the portal and an unexpected spot on the roster coming open, another grab is far from out of the question.

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Who Coach Pope and company would go after is entirely unclear, as that potential player would likely have to accept a minimized role off the bench for a stretch of his time in Lexington. If anything, the logical replacement would be a direct fill-in at the PG2/PG3 spot in Perry’s absence.

Either way, the ‘Cats are set to come into next season as one of the most exciting teams in college basketball with a ceiling far out of view. Mark Pope continues to prove his prowess in the transfer market, too, easing the worries of Wildcats fans and closing the door on many supposed “insiders” who’ve spent the last month suggesting otherwise.

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REPORT: Travis Perry Enters Transfer Portal

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Kentucky basketball Travis Perry talks about growing more comfortable on the court.
Jordan Prather | IMAGN

The transfer portal has been kind to Kentucky in the Mark Pope era. Last season, the staff was able to build a Sweet Sixteen roster almost exclusively from the portal, and this offseason have put together a top-five portal class.

While the portal giveth, it also taketh. Just hours before the deadline to enter, Kentucky native and fan favorite Travis Perry has entered the transfer portal, per multiple reports.

Coming to Kentucky as the state’s all-time high-school scoring record holder, fans were excited to see how his career would unfold in Lexington.

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Not expecting to play much freshman, he was called upon due to injuries and played some key minutes for the Wildcats into the postseason. He averaged 2.7 PPG and .6 APG on 32% shooting from three.

Looking at the depth chart, it was difficult to see where Perry would get much playing time next season, leading to his decision to enter the portal.

Perry has yet to release an official statement, but all the best to him in his future.

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Top Transfer Guard Denzel Aberdeen Commits to Kentucky

Former Florida guard Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky, likely closing the transfer portal for next year’s roster.

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Denzel Aberdeen commits to Kentucky.
UF Athletics

Another day, another “boom.” Denzel Aberdeen has officially committed to Kentucky for the 2025-26’ season.

A soon-to-be senior guard fresh off his championship win with Florida, Aberdeen spent his first three years of eligibility in Gainesville. Now, following an apparent conflict in the Gators’ rotation, he’s swapped teams in the southeast.

At 6 ‘5”, 190, Aberdeen spent much of this past season beating defenders off the dribble and making them pay at the rim. His speed and size made him a nightmare off the bench for opposing teams, and for the short stretch of play that he started during the year, Florida didn’t miss a beat. 

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In 19 minutes, Aberdeen averaged 8 points, two rebounds and one assist per game. His consistent contribution to the Gators’ title run made him one of the most coveted transfers in the cycle this season, and given his big blue commitment just days after entering the portal, Mark Pope clearly wasted no time in Kentucky’s pursuit.

Aberdeen slots in as yet another addition to what was already one of the strongest portal classes going into next season. His SEC experience and combo-guard intangibles make Aberdeen one of the most exciting portal players to come through Lexington in a long while, reinforcing Kentucky’s back court to what may be the final degree.

Whether or not Mark Pope is officially done for next season, nobody is sure, but this commitment only further cements the fact that he knows exactly what he’s doing. Just like the  fanbase behind him, Coach Pope seems to never sleep.

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