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Mark Pope and Kentucky Staff Talking With SEC, Performing “In-Depth Study” After Back-To-Back Questionably Officiated Games

After a debacle caused the officiating in Kentucky’s loss to Georgia, Mark Pope and his staff look to respond.

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2 years ago

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Mark Pope talking to an official during the Kentucky-Georgia game.
Chet White | UK Athletics

In the wake of Kentucky’s road loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, the latest in a recent flurry of questionable officiating extravaganzas, Mark Pope has announced that he and his staff are doing an in-depth study of the whistle in Kentucky’s first two SEC games.

“Based on our whistle in our first two SEC games, we’re doing an in-depth study right now,” Pope said on his weekly call-in show.

During both bouts, the former of which was at home against Florida, Kentucky is -30 in total free throw attempts compared to their opponents. In the Georgia game specifically, they were -19. These aren’t normal metrics, and Mark Pope knows it.

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A Learning Process

In addition to studying the footage, the staff have been in correspondence with the SEC in order to, according to Pope, “learn about the whistle.”

“We’re not interested in what the rules are, we’re interested in the rules that are being called,” he said. “We want to push the envelope as far as we can toward the rules that are being called more than just following the rules that are written.”

While there is sure to be much debate about the former statement regarding the officials’ ability to impact the outcome of a game, disgruntled fans and watchers alike have a new reason to hope for improvement with the whistle going forward.

Not only can officiating such as that in the Kentucky-Georgia game negatively affect a team, but it damages the experience for onlookers as well.

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The aforementioned match tipped off at 7:00 p.m., set to end by 9:00 and usher in LSU-Missouri, which was slated to jump right as the buzzer sounded on the former. But due to the prolonged nature of a game that is constantly stopped by whistles and monitor reviews, Kentucky-Georgia didn’t end until just after 9:30; a half-hour beyond the allotted time.

Even the broadcast team for LSU-Missouri recognized the madness, chanting “Foul on Kentucky!” when the channel finally switched over to their game. A true anomaly.

If that’s what it took for the issue to potentially be fixed in the long run, then so be it. The wait will not be long to see the aftermath of the situation either way, as Kentucky remains on the road against the Mississippi State Bulldogs this Saturday, Jan. 11.

Either way, Pope will never point to the officiating as a reason for a loss, rather citing that if Kentucky can control the variables they can control, they will win.

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“When we’re good, the whistle won’t determine wins or losses,” he said. “We will determine wins or losses. I always want my players to know that. At the end of the day, this game will never be taken out of our hands. We can find a way to win this game, regardless of how the whistle sounds.”

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Men's Basketball

College Basketball Rankings: Where Kentucky Stands in Updated “way-too-early” Polls

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2 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Where Kentucky basketball stands in ESPN and CBS Sports updated way-too-early rankings after more coaching changes, player additions, and injuries.
UK Athletics

Last offseason, Kentucky was considered a top-10 team and a true title contender, but ended the season as one of the most disappointing teams in the country, winning just one game in the NCAA Tournament.

This offseason, Kentucky is barely cracking the top 15 in most preseason rankings and will look to climb the rankings throughout the season rather than fall.

Still 120+ days out from the start of the regular season, ESPN and CBS Sports have updated their “way-too-early” rankings following Dusty May’s jump from Michigan to the NBA, more player additions for teams, and some early-season-ending injuries.

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The rankings remain fairly static, however, with the Wildcats holding steady in ESPN’s rankings while moving ahead of St. John’s in CBS Sports’ rankings following Donnie Freeman’s Achilles injury.

ESPN

17. Kentucky Wildcats

Previous ranking: 17 (no change)

Impact newcomer: Milan Momcilovic

Momcilovic was the best transfer in the portal, after a season in which he established himself as the best shooter in college basketball. The 6-8 forward withdrew from the NBA draft on the night of the deadline, committing to coach Mark Pope’s team a few days later after also being pursued by Louisville and Arizona. He’s immediately an All-America contender and the most dangerous player on the Wildcats’ roster, after averaging 16.9 points and shooting 48.7% from 3 last season.

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Projected starting lineup

Zoom Diallo (15.7 PPG at Washington)
Alex Wilkins (17.8 PPG at Furman)
Milan Momcilovic (16.9 PPG at Iowa State)
Ousmane N’Diaye (9.8 PPG for Cremona in Serie A)
Malachi Moreno (7.8 PPG)

CBS Sports

16. Kentucky Wildcats

Previous ranking: 17 (⬆️1)

This ranking is based on the Wildcats returning one of the top six scorers — specifically Malachi Moreno — from a team that finished 22-14 and advanced to the second round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament. That core will be joined by a recruiting class highlighted by Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, Washington transfers Zoom Diallo and Franck Kepnang, Washington State transfer Jerone Morton, James Madison transfer Justin McBride, Providence transfer Alex Wilkins, four-star prospect Mason Williams and international prospect Ousmane N’Diaye.

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Men's Basketball

Mark Pope Discusses Final Assistant Coach Position, “I’m not in desperate need of adding more pieces”

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2 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Mark Pope isn't rushing to fill Kentucky's final assistant coach opening, saying pending NCAA rules on international players could shift his plans.
UK Athletics

Kentucky basketball has operated this offseason without a full staff. Assistant coaches Alvin Brooks III and Jason Hart left the program back in March, and Mark Pope has only filled one of the two spots since, hiring former NBA All-Star Mo Williams from Jackson State.

Despite that, Kentucky managed to bring in the 3rd ranked transfer class in the country, highlighted by Milan Momcilovic, and have secured a commitment from 2027 five-star Ryan Hampton.

“I like my organization a lot right now. I think this group is functioning at a high level,” Pope said about his staff in an interview with BBN Tonight. “I like the way our staff feels. I like the way we feel in the staff meeting every day. I like the way we’re executing on the road. I like the way we feel on the court right now.”

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With an assistant coach position sitting vacant, Pope is satisfied with how his staff is performing and says there is no urgency in filling the role. Instead, he’s waiting to see how NCAA guidelines and rules unfold in the coming weeks.

“I’m not in desperate need of adding more pieces, although I’m open to the idea,” he said.

“There are going to be a whole host of legal cases from our league testing the CSC and the NCAA on their current guidelines and rules on international players. And depending on what the outcome of those are, it could very much shift the direction we go with hiring.”

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Mark Pope Says Kentucky’s Final Roster Spot Is About Fit, “There’s got to be a very uniquely positioned piece”

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2 weeks ago

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July 3, 2026

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Mark Pope opens up on Kentucky Basketball's final roster spot, emphasizing fit over hype as the Nikola Kusturica recruitment nears a decision.
UK Athletics

Kentucky basketball is wrapping up its third week of practice in an eight-week summer training block. While the players are getting acclimated to Mark Pope’s system and to each other, there is still one roster spot to be filled.

“I am enjoying coaching these guys, but we’re also still really active in recruiting,” Pope said in an interview with BBN Tonight.

One name that Wildcat fans have been keeping a close eye on in recent weeks is Nikola Kusturica, a 17-year-old prospect from Serbia, who is currently playing for FC Barcelona and is a projected lottery pick in the 2028 NBA Draft. His recruitment is down to Kentucky and UCLA, with the latter having the momentum and a decision expected soon.

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Whoever the final roster piece will be, Pope emphasizes that they must fit with the other 14 players on the roster.

“Where we are with our roster, there’s got to be a very uniquely positioned piece that fits,” he said.

“There are several different archetypes of piece that would fit this roster really well, but there’s also a lot of guys who are popping up as available or have been available for a little while who don’t turn out to be the fit that’s going to work for this team.”

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