For the second time in one week, Kentucky overcame a massive first half deficit to earn a late victory. This time it came at Tennessee’s expense as the Vols blew a 17-point lead and fell to Kentucky 80-78 on Saturday afternoon
Following the game, Kentucky head coach Mark Pope discussed the Wildcats’ comeback nature, Denzel Aberdeen stepping up and much more. Here’s everything Pope said.
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On Kentucky’s offensive rebounding numbers being much better in the second half
“We actually felt great going to halftime down 11. It’s the first time we’ve only been down 11 in like a month, right? So it feels like we felt like we won the first half, which is weird, but it’s the Kentucky way right now. And so we were, we were heavily concerned about the one offensive rebound. I thought that Mo (Mouhamed Dioubate) gave us great energy and some numbers in the second half. I thought we got downhill better.
“I thought DA (Denzel Aberdeen) was unbelievable. We kind of just installed — a half-of-a-practice install — just some early action.
And DA just caused problems that really got guys in a rotation, where it gave us more of an opportunity to get the offensive class. It’s such a huge part of what we do. Coach (Cody) Fueger loses sleep every single night about us getting active on the glass and clearly it was a really important for us tonight.”
On Kentucky having multiple slow starts and what the team has to do to avoid getting down in the first half
“We need to play better in the first half. And then I thought we did. I thought actually we had a stretch in the first half we really moved the ball elite. I thought we moved the ball great. It felt a little bit like us. Like there are moments where we’re seeing some sunlight and being like, wow, we feel like this could be us a little bit. But I think the gift we have, and I will treasure this with this group is — and we really feel it, we actually talked about it at our team meeting last night. If we’re coming in at halftime down 20, well we’ve done it multiple times now and we come back and win every single time. So it gives you so much confidence as a group. Because you can walk in the locker room and nobody’s sideways. Like, yep, this is what we do and we’ll come out and win the second half. And these guys have proved to do it, man.
“What it says about these guys’ resilience and toughness is, I hope nobody’s missing it. I hope people aren’t missing it. I hope they’re not missing what this group is going through. What this group is trying to endure, what this group is trying to become and what this group is actually doing on the court for three straight SEC games now, coming to halftime down heavy and things looking bad and everybody being discouraged except for the players in our locker room. That’s really special, man. So don’t miss it because it’s a tribute to these guys.
“Colin Chandler shared with me a church talk about the currant bush, which so exactly hits our team on exactly about what we are about getting, cut down and growing back better and what we can become because we’ve been cut down. And it’s fun to watch these guys grow, man. It’s just as inspiring and I hope BBN’s not missing it.”
On Kentucky only having one turnover in the second half
“I thought DA, man, listen, I thought Denzel Aberdeen, his (play) was ridiculous tonight. He was so good. Really it came down to just putting the ball in his hands and saying, hey, let’s just extend this thing out and let’s try and you go attack space. And he made every right decision, his ball protection, the ball was in his hands, it must’ve been his hands for six minutes in the second half, which is crazy, right? And just made great decision after a great decision. I don’t know if there’s anybody playing better than him over the last game and a half. He was incredible. So he was a huge part of taking her the ball.”
On if he’s considered telling the team they’re down 20-0 to start games
“It’s interesting you said that because I told the staff before we went in for our first meeting, I’m like, next game— we’re experiencing the same thing. And I told the staff, I was like next game, I just want on the video board not to be the scout. I just want it to be the scoreboard 20-0, right? But I don’t know. I think this team, like I said, I would much rather have it this way than the other way around guys. Like it’s awesome and it’s awesome to watch guys just grinding, grinding, grinding. I actually, I love it. I’m so proud of these guys’ fight and their just commitment to just keep going and refuse to get discouraged. So I’m breathing a little bit more in the first half because they’ve given me so much confidence about what they do in the second half. And it’s fun to watch, man.”
On Jasper Johnson’s performance
“He’s coming, man. He’s coming like, he’s on his way. I thought he was terrific. He actually gave us a massive lift when we were stuck and I thought he was absolutely terrific. Defensively, he was really solid. I’m proud of him. And his future in this game is so bright and he’s going to have these steps like this and this was a big step for him and he did exactly what we desperately needed him to do. And I could have played him more like he was playing well enough and executing well enough that he was great in a really tough environment. This is one of the best defensive teams in the country every single year. And this year is no exception. And their guards put so much pressure on and their gap help is so great and there’s so physical and for Jasper to be as efficient and and decisive as he was tonight is a great sign for him the he’s going to have a great future in this game. Proud of him.”
On Mouhamed Dioubate’s physicality, Otega Oweh being under the weather during the game
“Mo Dioubate, man, I can’t tell you. So proud of him tonight. He just wanted to be him. He wanted to like be the greatness that Mo Diabato is. It’s one of the, we’ve talked about this over the course of the year, but when guys love themselves, when they love what they bring that’s special and magical to this game, then they’re great. And he was great tonight. He was unbelievable. His impact on the game was way bigger than his line.
And (Oweh), this was not O’s best game, but sure enough enough he comes with a massive steal, another pick six. I can’t remember the last time we had a game where he didn’t have at least one of them. And I’m happy for Otega because he’s looking around now, he’s like you know what, I got a squad, I can go play. And that’s got to make him feel great, that he can have not his best game and we can still have a good performance as a team, because he brings it every game. He’s probably the most consistent player I’ve ever coached. So good signs for him also.”
On Kentucky winning the second half for a third straight game, completing comeback wins
“Guys, are you enjoying it? I think so. I think you have to earn (it). Confidence, you don’t just get it, right? You have to earn it. You got to go do the gritty, hard, miserable work of earning confidence. And you have to take the heat and take the hate. And these guys, all of us have had a lot of stuff cast on us for sure. And you got to look at straight in the eye and go earn it. And these guys are starting to earn their confidence. They’re starting to earn it. They’re starting to earn the fact that maybe things don’t go perfect on a play or perfect and four-minute stretch or perfect in a half, but they, they’re starting to earn their confidence through the hard gritty work that they’re doing. The refusal to give into fatigue or frustration and just continuing to fight. They’re earning the confidence they have and it’s a good feeling. And we got to go earn it again next week. And that’s why this game and these seasons are so great.”
On if he’s going to trademark the ‘Cardiac Cats’ nickname
“I’m not sure. I’m not sure. We have a lot of work to do before we get to carve our name in something historic like that. But this group man. I’m proud of them. Like this has not been an easy road and if we do this right, then at the end of the day, we’re going to be so grateful that it wasn’t an easy road because it gives them a chance to show like what’s inside of them. And we got, like I said, we have so much work to do, so much, so much along the way. But it has been a fun run by these guys so far.”
