It’s been a trying season for the Kentucky Wildcats, and their current losing streak reached three games following their 75-74 loss to Auburn on Saturday. The game ended in dramatic fashion with freshman guard Elyjah Freeman tipping in the game-winner for Auburn. But following loss, Kentucky head coach Mark Pope seemed to suggest that the Wildcats didn’t get a fair shake, as per The Field of 68.
During his postgame press conference, Mark Pope responded to what he felt was a controversial call that played a role in Kentucky’s loss.
“We refuse to give control to people who are outside of our program. Regardless of how personal it might get or how bad it might get, we refuse to give control to fans, to give control to anybody else associated with this game, regardless of how blatantly people are trying to make this not happen,” Pope said. “We refuse to give them that power. . .we don’t make excuses, we don’t do that.”
“Regardless of what is happening, regardless of how disgraceful things are,” Pope continued. “We don’t give away our power. Regardless of how embarrassing, personal, awful, unacceptable things are, we refuse to give away our power.”
While that was what Pope said during his press conference, what was even more eye-opening was his comment that was caught by the mic as he walked away from the podium.
“If those motherf**kers try to fine me, screw ‘em,” Pope was heard saying. “I did not say a word about how they cheated us.”
The call that got Pope and Kentucky so infuriated was when Colin Chandler was called for a push-off with the Wildcats ahead 74-73 with 14 seconds remaining. The turnover set the stage for Auburn’s game-winner.
Kentucky fell to 17-10 with the loss, and 8-6 in SEC play. Their next game is on Tuesday, Feb. 24 against South Carolina.
