With high expectations for the Kentucky basketball team, they started off with a bang as they bulldozed past Kentucky Wesleyan in an exhibition game, 123-52, Wednesday at Rupp Arena. As Mark Pope takes over for John Calipari, his era starts on a very high note, though he interestingly received an apology from Kentucky Wesleyan head coach Drew Cooper after the game.
There was no doubt that the Wildcats coasted past the Panthers as they won by a monstrous 71 points, but Cooper apologized to Pope after the game as he believed his team would put up more of a fight according to On3 Sports. In the game, Kentucky Wesleyan shot 32.8 percent from the field and 14.8 percent from deep.
“Yea, I mean, I apologized to coach Pope. I thought we could put up more of a fight,” Cooper said. “I think our guys just didn’t respond to some adverse situations that happened early in the game, things that, I don’t care what level you are, that good teams need to do. And I thought we could have come out and resisted a little bit — much more than we did.”
The Kentucky basketball team gets praise from exhibition opponent
As for the Kentucky basketball team, they shot 63.2 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range in what was a very efficient performance from Pope's squad. Even Cooper would have to admit after the game that they are like a well-oiled machine and once again echoing the sentiments that he was disappointed with his own team's showcase.
“A very finely tuned machine of a basketball team,” Cooper said of the Wildcats. “But I’m not happy with our kind of spiritual effort tonight. So a disappointing night for the Panthers. And like I said, I apologized to coach Pope.”
Drew Cooper on getting to know Kentucky basketball's Mark Pope
There is no doubt that both programs are at vastly different levels where the Kentucky basketball team is huge on recruitments and other areas as Kentucky Wesleyan is prone to not getting as much chances. However, Cooper would speak after the game about getting to know Pope and had nothing but great words for the 52-year old.
“I’m talking as a guy that’s been in Division II and Division III my whole life. I’ve had very few encounters with coaches at this level, at the high major level, that are as humble as Mark Pope,” Cooper said. “Getting to know him through this process, I ran into him in South Carolina. I had never met him before, and introduced myself to him. And the way he kind of made me feel like I was one of him, that doesn’t happen every time you go up to coaches that quite frankly make as much money as he does.”
“So I will never forget that encounter,” Cooper continued on Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope. “Just so welcoming. So I really appreciate him having us. I apologize to him, apologize to Big Blue Nation. I thought we could’ve prepared you guys much better than we did tonight.”
At any rate, the Kentucky basketball team prepare for the start of the season, but will have one more exhibition game left against Minnesota State next Tuesday before the opener against Wright State at home on Nov. 4.