Kentucky players were not able to score consistently in losses last week. (Vicky Graff Photo)
After Kentucky lost to North Carolina last week, UK forward Andrija Jelavic urged fans not to panic.
“We aren’t going to lie. We aren’t worried. We are just really sad about the past three games. But we are going to come back from this and learn from this,” said Jelavic. “The sadness is a great motivator, plus these amazing crowds and fans. We are going to bounce back. In these tough times, we’re forced to lean on each other, and I think it’s going to be positive for us.”
Sounded good. Too bad it was nowhere close to true.
The sadness continued Friday in Nashville when Gonzaga routed UK 94-59 in a game that was never in doubt after the Zags — who lost by 40 points to Michigan in their previous game — jumped in front 19-2. Kentucky had a 10-minute drought without a field goal in the second half in the North Carolina loss and needed about eight minutes to get its first field goal against Gonzaga.
Winning coach Mark Few said he wanted his team to “be the toughest team” on the court and felt the Zags did that. So did anyone else who watched Gonzaga do whatever it wanted whenever it wanted.
Gonzaga out-rebounded UK 43-31 and limited the Cats to 26.7 percent shooting — it’s the worst mark in 20 years. Gonzaga’s Graham Ike had 10 2-point field goals — one more than all the Wildcats combined had. The nine 2’s were the fewest UK has had in a game since March 2, 2019.
Not only was this UK’s fourth loss against ranked teams this year, but it was the sixth straight loss to a ranked team going back to last season. The last time Kentucky dropped six consecutive games to ranked teams was from Feb. 12, 2008, to Jan. 4, 2009 (thanks to UK stats guru Corey Price for that note).
The 35-point margin was UK’s third-worst in the shot clock era, behind a 55-point loss at Kansas in 1989 under Rick Pitino and a 41-point loss at Vanderbilt in 2008 under Billy Gillespie.
Gillispie was considered a coaching disaster at Kentucky. His first UK team went 20-13 in the 2007-2008 season and lost to Marquette in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. That team lost by 16 points to Gardner-Webb and by 19 points to Indiana in Bloomington. The team’s most lopsided loss was that 93-52 at Vanderbilt. His second team in 2008-09 went 24-14 but played in the NIT. That team had a 19-point loss to North Carolina and an 18-point defeat at South Carolina.
Pope’s first team went 24-12 during the 2024-25 season and is now 5-4 this season. Three of UK’s next five games are against Indiana, St. John’s, and Alabama, all ranked teams. It seems easy to anticipate another double-digit loss season for Pope, even if he eventually gets injured players Jaland Lowe, Mo Dioubate, and Jayden Quaintance on the court.
Just as he seemed after losses to Louisville, Michigan State, and North Carolina, Pope had no real explanation for what was wrong with his team.
“It felt like we came out, and I think they were really trying to be physical. They were really trying to get in contact,” Pope said. “I felt like they were really physical and we were really tentative. That’s something we have to figure out.”
Why? How can Kentucky be nine games into the season, playing short-handed, and then be tentative?
“It’s almost like we got ourselves into a space where we were a little bit paralyzed offensively,” Pope said. “I don’t have a lot more than that right now. I felt like we struggled to get downhill, struggled to turn the corner, and struggled to be on our toes on the offensive end. We’ll figure it out.”
Paralyzed offensively does not lead to figuring out anything, as UK had two horrendous offensive games against North Carolina and Gonzaga.
Pope’s teams have been known for 3-point shooting. Against ranked teams this year, the Cats are 27-for-111 — 24.3 percent from 3. Overall, UK is shooting only 31.9 percent from 3 and ranks 230th nationally.
It’s just been a huge disappointment so far for Kentucky this season, and the numbers keep showing that it might not get a lot better any time soon.
22 Responses
There is major dissent going on with this team. For all of the physical gifts a player has to have to be a blue chip recruit they also have confidence in themselves, their team, and their coaches. But when you throw in NIL money that is becoming public knowledge, you find out that you are only getting $1 million and this other guy is getting almost $4 million and that guy hasn't played a game yet…and may not ever play in a game, but he is still getting $3 million more than you and you are busting your ass in practice everyday and are getting booed when you step on the floor.
Jayden Quaintance is a good kid and will be a good player again when he finally gets healthy, but there has been so much talk about the NIL money he gets for doing nothing so far and he is also guaranteed of being a top 10 pick in the NBA, so he really doesn't have to do anything but cash the check. Then you take anyone else on Kentucky's roster, the only way any of them will be a second round pick, much less a top 10 pick, is if they are a 20+ ppg scorer and that isn't going to happen when there are 10 other guys wanting to do the same thing. That is why we are seeing so much hero ball. Those kids are convinced that is the only way they will get in the NBA. We have too many chiefs and not enough indians. Pope's mistake was signing JQ to begin with. If he had been in practice and was helping the team win games, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Call it greed, insecurity, or just self preservation, these kids just want to get in the NBA…not win games for Kentucky. This team beat Purdue without JQ…why can't they beat these other good teams? They stopped playing team ball and started playing hero ball. They have had too much time to think about the raw deal they are getting with NIL and now see no hope of getting in the NBA either…and Pope can't convince them otherwise.
Dude I've been saying since they signed him. His dad and JQ finessed Mark Pope because he's gullible. As smart as everyone says he is he doesn't have much common sense. The writing was on the wall at Arizona state it's like he listened to his dad more than the coaches is the feeling I got from it. You can read between the lines and see he wasn't worth the money they spent on him either. His stats were ok but not worth 5 million. Then he made over 4 million to come here and lie and say he would be ready by September. If you didn't know right then he was lying. Why would you not get 2-3 great Point guards for that money. We could have gotten Boogie Fland for 2 million who is domintating at Florida. Instead we grabbed a role player from Florida (who is said also came here just for money Aberdeen). Then we got JQ. Then we got Potter and Hawthorne to close it out. He didn't think wow I only have one point guard (who everyone in the ACC said he was soft) you get what you pay for. He also sucks at. Recruiting. He can't get freshman to come here unless they grew up as Kentucky fans. Or are from Kentucky (Perry, Noah, Moreno, Johnson, and Hawthorne are all Kentuckians.) everyone else he has offered who is any good has turned down the offer. This is what the fans wanted home grown kids. With others mixed in. I'm here to tell everyone this is the worst roster assembled here in a very long time. Everyone wanted Cal gone and Cals teams were tougher as freshman than all these kids put together.
Just heard a guy on youtube say " you cant wanna get paid like a pro, but wanna get treated like a student athlete". This is a mess.. Us fans hold onto that name on the front of the jersey, we may be the only ones.
You have to have a dominant big man to win. Being a bucket getter, you feed the big guy and he does his thing. The only way the other team can slow him down is to double and triple team him. The big man is smart enough to know, hey, I can't score on 3 but there are open guys on the arc that can and that will make my triple team go away. So he kicks it out to an open man and that guy makes a 3 or passes it to another open man who makes the 3. Then the opposing coach screams at his guys to cover the arc and stop the 3s. When that happens your big guy is free to dominate again, so you feed him and let him dominate. When the triple teams come back again, pass it to the open man. When the arc is covered, pass it to the big man who now has the advantage. This only works if you have a truly dominant big and you pass it to him. If JQ ever takes the floor, he could be that dominant big, but he has to understand that the only way he gets rid of his triple teams is to feed it back to the open guy on the arc. We don't have a dominant big. Will JQ ever play? Can he be our dominant big? I guess we will see, but until then, the better teams with dominant bigs are going to beat us.
The 3 has to be falling also. 21% isn’t going to win any games unless you have Shaq playing high schoolers
You are right Tim. Make some shots and suddenly everything looks a lot bette
I am aware that Pope wants up to 30 3's attempted per game, and
everyone seems to have a green light. But when they aren't going in,
which has been the case lately, maybe someone should be driving
to the basket and, if nothing else, drawing contact. Not a coach myself,
and I could be wrong. But if you can't make one from behind the arc,
try to get closer and force the defense to foul.
GoCats.
I agree, but u need a point guard to drive and dish it to open shooter. we don't have that right now, our guards are driving to score not driving to pass. u gotta get to the paint and collapse the defense then kick to the open guy. seems like most of our 3s are off the dribble not the catch. I also agree that the nil money is just ruining our team. most money spent on a team, and they don't care about winning. they got paid and the hell with what happens. need to offer them less money to sign and performance based bonuses or something because something not right with this group.
William get how you feel but maybe I am just old but I think most players still want to win. Agree on point guard. Need Lowe back or I would ride with Jasper myself
Im curious. As far as Marijuana or gummies etc , do the players have to pass drug tests? Are they student athletes , pro's etc? Can they consume it legally?
They seem discombobulated.
My guess is they do not get drug tested because a very prominent member of the football team hangs with my daughter’s friend group and she tells me he frequently smokes.
I have a resolution to the NIL problem that the University's and Colleges would never agree to because it's all about the money. Most fans wouldn't like it either. If all the Presidents of the University's and Colleges would get together and shut down all sports, it would change these whiney players attitude. Most of them couldn't afford College and see how they liked working at McDonald's. After a couple years they would be begging for a chance to get a scholarship and play ball. Make them sign a waiver giving up their rights to NIL for a scholarship, medical coverage, room and board, etc. I just wonder what a ACL surgery and rehab costs? I could live without sports until these players wilt. It would be better than paying a bunch of scrubs $22Million and getting the product they have been putting on the floor.
North Carolina Central (3-7)…are you kidding me. Who has ever heard of this school? I am sure their coach will have these guys all jacked up thinking they have a real shot here. I am still in recovery mode from last game. I have been wondering if Pope was on suicide watch. I will never be in agreement with NIL money. I have always been ok with these players possibly making a little money but having a cap not to exceed $100k per yr. The majority of us have or will be working a lifetime and not make what these players can make in a year with/without playing. If Pope doesn't have a handle on this by now he should accept a negotiated buy-out and leave with a little reputation still intact. UK basketball may still not have bottomed out yet.
No UK will beat them, and then think they are all that. Gillespie days are upon us.
We should focus our money on women's basketball. They are the only team that is doing and good. I would also take some of the money that they give for basketball and put it into the football program. It's crazy we get all high 4* and 5* in basketball
But dont even sign 8-10 4* in football. We need to start giving the money to whoever is winning and deserves it. Stop babying the basketball team.. this has been a consistent theme for the last 10 years or more in basketball. Kentucky has probably had more talent than anyone else in college basketball the last 15 years. We've won one championship 14 years ago. Probably 35-45 NBA players during this time and nothing has been accomplished except buying these kids Lamborghinis and Porches. Stop it. Make them earn there money. Make these guys sign contracts so the coaches know how long they have with the players. Nobody thinks it's funny that Kriisa last year played in the exact number of games you can play and still get a medical redshirt ? That was staged so he could play somewhere else. He didn't like his minutes and Popes style so he faked a injury to be able to cash in this year. If I was the coach I would have called him out. Pope will never do that. He needs to bench the starters and only play the kids who give effort whether they suck or not. Here's something f the redshirts. We need to find players who set picks instead of picking nobody. It's like they just go through the motions like the game is a practice.
Sports Illustrated just said it all:
Kentucky’s Basketball Team; it’s getting punked by any team with a pulse through the season’s first month……..
I'm as disappointed as anyone else on our losses, but I'd never boo my team. Do you really think that is a motivator? Their stock in the NBA dropping like a rock should be motivation, but the boos are uncalled for. I'm especially disappointed with Oweh, and now think he should be benched for at least one game until he gets his head on straight. I'm not a coach so I don't have the answers, but if my fan base booed me I'd be a lot less likely to perform. Let the team get healthy, give them and Pope a chance and then in March pass judgment.
Mr. Know it all Terry Wren, I have a ?? for you. How much does a Porch cost, and why would you sit on it if no house was connected to it. That would be strange, just a simple porch sitting out on Maple St. As for the Ky BB program; if you guys haven't seen enough to realize this season abruptly came to an end with the Gonzaga loss. From Louisville to Gonzaga, this team and coach Pope slid into the abyss. Old Cal voodoed it down there in Old Sooey with Madame Calawese, the Ozark Witch. I remember when DePaul was a national POWERHOUSE. SERIOUSLY FOLKS. They slid into absolute irrelevance. Ky is on the same path to nowhere. If they lose to Indiana/St John's, with the same lack of effort, then it's time to immediate action, or call the nearest undertaker and bury the mess already.
JQ has not played one game. He is worthless to us right now. Why don’t we put him in and see if he can play and see if he can help us win games??? If he gets hurt, then he is in the same position as before; that is, he will be worthless to us again. Why not give him a try right now before it is too late?? We have to do something to salvage the season. I say, put him in and put Mo in and put Lowe in and make them earn their money.
Oh gracious. I agree with all comments above. And I think Sports Illustrated comment is right-on. At this time, I can't see us winning any legit games, i.e. ranked or not! But I still love them even though, well, they are just downright horrible. GO CATS!
The nil money should not be paid until the season is over,they should have to earn it.
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