kentuckybasketball
And then there were 11, another Cody Fueger ‘boom’ turning into another commitment for Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats. This time, it’s Fairleigh Dickinson transfer Ansley Almonor, who arrived in Lexington for a visit on Tuesday and is leaving Thursday signed with the program. The 6-7 forward out of New York chose Kentucky over Siena, Pepperdine and Iona, opting for the blue blood over mid-major interest — and a secondary role over becoming a star, the perfect complementary piece for the Wildcats as Pope looks to round out his debut roster. What is Almonor bringing to the table in Lexingto...
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Mark Pope asked and Big Blue Nation has delivered in a big way, raising over $915,000 since donations opened for Club Blue’s NIL initiative ahead of the NEW ERA Men’s Basketball Event on June 15. The Kentucky head coach announced the meet-and-greet event on April 29, setting a May 15 deadline for new subscribers to participate. In a few short weeks, Club Blue has raised just short of the $1 million goal it set following Pope’s arrival and is hoping to clear that mark by the time the deadline hits Wednesday evening at midnight. “I mean, it’s everything for us and for this program. And we’re so ...
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The Kentucky Wildcats and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have only met on the hardwood a grand total of seven times in the history of the respective programs. Mark Pope is set to bring that total to eight in his debut season as head coach in Lexington. A deal is being finalized to bring the Hilltoppers to Rupp Arena in 2024-25 as part of a three-game multi-team event, according to Matt Norlander of CBS Sports. “Mark Pope (and) UK officials want to have at least one intra-Kentucky matchup for the fans in Pope’s first season,” the report says. The dates are not set, though the three-game MTE is ex...
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Mark Pope didn’t shy away from expectations when he first took the job at Kentucky, saying from day one he wants the weight of No. 9 on his shoulders. It’s a standard he believes is a non-negotiable when you sit in that chair as the leader of the Wildcats. Since then, he’s double, triple and quadrupled down on that approach, namely in the players he’s bringing in to help bring the next national championship banner back to Lexington. Pope sat down with Andy Katz of NCAA.com to talk about those expectations and the roster he’s building to turn those dreams into a reality, among other notes — inc...
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When Alan Cutler asked Mark Pope about West Virginia transfer Kerr Kriisa‘s addition out of the portal on ESPN Sports Radio 1300AM/92.5FM, the Kentucky head coach couldn’t help but laugh. Not just a giggle or a chuckle, either. A strong belly laugh with six or seven ha-has like a grandpa getting to the punchline of a generations-old joke. It was the Santa Claus equivalent of a chesty ho ho ho. “All I can say is, Big Blue Nation, you are welcome. Enjoy,” Pope said. You see, Kriisa was a bit of a polarizing signing in the basketball world. He’s turnover prone and erratic at times, maybe a bit of...
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Mark Pope made it clear he’d be keeping the state’s top talent home in Kentucky when he took the job, stressing the importance of players understanding what it means to be a Wildcat and wear the blue and white. No one understands the magnitude of that more than kids who grow up here as members of Big Blue Nation, the ones bleeding blue from the day they were born. It’s those who counted down the shot clock as Rex or Richie or Delk or Walker or Wall or Knight or Booker or Ulis or Monk in the backyard looking to hit the game-winner before doing it themselves inside Rupp Arena like Reed Sheppard ...
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BYU guard Richie Saunders did what every player does when their coach takes another job, certainly when it’s a tight-knit relationship and a high-profile opportunity. He felt it was in his best interest to explore his options, Kentucky being one of them with Mark Pope. After spending two seasons together in Provo and signing with the Cougars during the 2020 recruiting cycle, followed by a two-year mission away from basketball, BYU and its culture is all the Riverton, UT native has ever known. But maybe it was time for a fresh start elsewhere? “We spent a lot of time praying and truly trying to...
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And then there were ten, Mark Pope and the Wildcats clearing the double-digit roster number with Harlan County’s own Trent Noah putting pen to paper with Kentucky — his dream school. The move comes just a day following his release from South Carolina, making it clear he wanted to play closer to home after committing to the Gamecocks last October and signing in November. Noah joins a group that includes fellow in-state star Travis Perry, along with Collin Chandler to make up the freshman class, while Amari Williams, Lamont Butler, Otega Oweh, Andrew Carr, Brandon Garrison, Koby Brea and Kerr Kr...
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It’s the Kentucky basketball staff’s first Derby in the Commonwealth as coaches of the Wildcats, and they’ve come prepared. Like the rest of us, Mark Pope and his four assistants have their favorites for the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby scheduled to run this evening in Louisville. Who are they picking to win the Run for the Roses? They released their predictions on social media Saturday morning — with no overlaps. Mark Pope: Sierra Leone (5-1)Mark Fox: Forever Young (6-1)Alvin Brooks III: Fierceness (3-1)Jason Hart: Catching Freedom (8-1)Cody Fueger: Just A Touch (11-1)Brooks went with ...
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If you were surprised by Oklahoma State transfer Brandon Garrison‘s abrupt commitment to Kentucky, you’re not the only one. In fact, his high school coach, Lenny Hatchett of Del City (OK) had no idea things were trending in the Wildcats’ direction until the very end beyond surface-level phone calls and Zoom meetings. Up to that point, most of the conversations had been centered around the likes of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and even a potential return back to Stillwater under new head coach Steve Lutz — formerly of Western Kentucky. Hatchett tried finding the right balance of helping make conne...
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