Tag: kentucky wildcats basketball

Meet Mark Pope, the Kentucky men’s basketball coach who replaced John Calipari

Mark Pope won a championship while playing for Kentucky.

College basketball fans will see someone new on the sidelines coaching the Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team this season.

After a decade and a half with Kentucky, former Wildcats head coach John Calipari is no longer leading the program. Now the head coach at Arkansas, the longtime face of the team brought a few of his former players to a new school in the SEC.

In his absence, former BYU head coach Mark Pope is now running the show for Kentucky.

OTHER NEW COACHES: The men’s NCAA basketball coaching carousel’s biggest moves, including John Calipari to Arkansas

Pope is originally from Washington and played college basketball for the Washington Huskies, where he was named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year in 1992.

He eventually transferred to Kentucky, where he played from 1994 until 1996. As a forward, he was team captain for the Wildcats when they won the NCAA men’s basketball championship in 1996.

Selected in the second round of the 1996 NBA Draft, he played professionally both overseas and in the NBA. After his playing career concluded, he began coaching.

Pope served as an assistant coach at Georgia, Wake Forest, and BYU before becoming head coach at Utah Valley in 2015. Pope took over as head coach for the Cougars in 2019 and was able to take the team to the March Madness tournament last season.

Now the head coach of his alma mater, fans will have high hopes for Pope’s first season. While several players left the team for the NBA or the transfer portal, he will bring former BYU top scorer Jaxson Robinson with him to the Wilcats.

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Sooners absent from preseason AP Top 25, nine SEC teams featured

Oklahoma Sooners absent from preseason men’s basketball AP Top 25 poll.

Much of the dialogue surrounding Oklahoma and Texas’ move to the SEC centered on each school’s football program and the benefits it would receive. Oklahoma boasts a deep and well-rounded athletic program that would fit in with any conference landscape. OU men’s basketball will also get a bump as it enters the SEC.

Oklahoma’s move to the nation’s premiere basketball conference is set to begin in less than a month. The excitement for the season will soon reach a fever pitch.

On Monday, the preseason AP Top 25 debuted, and unsurprisingly, Porter Moser’s squad was left off.

The Sooners bring back a few players from last year’s team that just missed the NCAA Tournament. The Sooners retooled via the portal in a big way but still have a lot to prove on the hardwood.

Their new conference mates make up 36 percent of the top 25 as nine SEC teams made the poll.

The Sooners will take on eight of those nine schools at some point in their first year in the SEC. The only one they won’t play is the Tennessee Volunteers.

The Oklahoma Sooners will have an incredible challenge ahead of them as they attempt to brave the grind of the SEC schedule. Porter Moser is looking for his first trip to the NCAA tournament since arriving in 2021.

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Pair of Kentucky basketball legends traded for each other in NBA blockbuster

A pair of NBA All-Stars and former Kentucky Wildcats were traded for each other in a blockbuster deal Friday evening.

A stunning blockbuster trade late in the NBA offseason involves a pair of Kentucky Wildcats, with the New York Knicks sending Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns.

Minnesota also receives a protected first round pick, while the Charlotte Hornets are a third party in the trade, receiving draft compensation to help make the financial aspects of the trade even out.

Towns and Randle are two of the seven NBA All-Stars from last season who played college basketball at Kentucky, alongside Tyrese Maxey, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Bam Adebayo.

Towns was a consensus All-American at Kentucky in the 2014-15 season, averaging 10.3 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game while leading the Wildcats to the Final Four. He became the first player selected in the 2015 NBA draft and averaged 22.9 points and 10.8 rebounds across his career in Minnesota, and now joins a Knicks team desperately in need of a true center.

Meanwhile, Randle was at Kentucky just one season before Towns, also earning All-American honors while averaging 15 points and 10.4 rebounds for coach John Calipari’s club. The forward was picked seventh in the 20214 NBA draft, and has made three All-Star appearances while with the Knicks.

The trade unfortunately ends the “Villanova Knicks” dream. The Knicks rostered DiVincenzo, Jalen Brunson, and Josh Hart last season – all Villanova alumni – and over the offseason acquired another Nova star in Mikal Bridges. With DiVincenzo heading to Minnesota in the trade, all four former Wildcats won’t get to suit up together in the Big Apple after all.

Texas A&M baseball rises in newest USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Ahead of the SEC Tournament next week, Texas A&M has risen in the newest USA Today Sports Coaches Poll

Texas A&M (44-11, 19-11 SEC) finished the regular season strong after losing two consecutive conference series against LSU and Ole Miss, but rebounded last weekend in impressive fashion against the visiting Arkansas Razorbacks, winning the series including a 14-4 run-rule victory in Game 3.

The SEC Tournament will begin on Tuesday. The Aggies are a 4-seed with a double-bye and will play on Wednesday night, facing off against either 5-seed Mississippi State or 12-seed Ole Miss. Familiar with both teams, the competition only heightens no matter the seeding.

As the NCAA Tournament draws near, the USA Today Sports Coaches Poll witnessed some significant changes in the Top 5 rankings. The Aggies made a notable climb, moving up one spot to No. 3. Arkansas, on the other hand, experienced a slight dip, falling two spots to No. 4. Kentucky also saw a rise, moving up one spot to No. 2, just behind the No. 1-ranked Tennessee Volunteers.

However, Wake Forest represented the most significant decline, dropping from 9th to 19th after a series loss to NC State to finish out the regular season.

Here is the complete list.

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Texas’ initial SEC basketball schedule revealed for 2024-25

The Longhorns know their opponents in first SEC basketball season.

The SEC basketball schedule is out. The Texas Longhorns know who they will face in their first season in the new conference.

Texas faithful will get to see the Longhorns host the Arkansas Razorbacks, Oklahoma Sooners and Texas A&M Aggies at home and on the road in the upcoming season. The rivalry selections are a credit to the SEC in giving home-and-home matchups for rivals within the league.

Interestingly enough, the Longhorns will get to host the both the Kentucky Wildcats and Alabama Crimson Tide. Kentucky, arguably a Top 3 college basketball program, has never played against Texas in Austin. Alabama reached the Final Four last season.

Former Texas head coach Rick Barnes and the Tennessee Volunteers battle Texas in Austin after the Volunteers eliminated the Longhorns in the NCAA Tournament.

Another former head coach Chris Beard will not return to Moody with the Ole Miss Rebels. The Longhorns will play Ole Miss in Oxford. Even so, with Texas seeing most of its most anticipated opponents at home, there’s plenty to be excited about in a first season in the SEC.

Oklahoma men’s basketball announces SEC opponents for 2024-2025

The Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball program released their conference opponents for the 2024-2025 season and a blue blood is coming to Norman.

The 2024-2025 college basketball season is a pivotal one for the Oklahoma Sooners. Despite an improved season in 2023-2024, the Sooners failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the third season in a row.

They have to work to get back into March Madness against a whole new batch of opponents. On Monday, the OU men’s basketball program released its conference opponents for their maiden voyage in the [autotag]SEC[/autotag].

The Sooners will play home and home against former Big 12 counterparts Texas, Texas A&M and Missouri. The Sooners will go on the road to face Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia and Ole Miss. Making their way to the Lloyd Noble Center are Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

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Nate Oats responds to the Kentucky head coaching job rumors

Alabama Crimson Tide basketball coach Nate Oats takes to social media to respond to rumors that he would be a candidate to replace John Calipari at Kentucky.

Alabama Crimson Tide men’s basketball head coach Nate Oats was the center of rumors regarding the Kentucky Wildcats head coaching vacancy. With long-time coach John Calipari leaving for the Arkansas Razorbacks, there’s a need for a new head coach in Lexington, Kentucky.

Oats has spent five seasons in Tuscaloosa and has improved the program on the court, on the recruiting trail and in March each season. Just a few days ago, he led the Crimson Tide to its first-ever Final Four appearance.

Fans were conflicted online, with Alabama fans concerned that he’d jump at the opportunity, some Kentucky fans calling for Oats to be the primary candidate, and others considering him a legitimate option for the job.

Nate Oats is not leaving. In a post shared to social media, Oats addresses the Crimson Tide faithful,

“I am fully committed to this team and to this university. We have already accomplished some great things here, and there is nothing I want more than for The University of Alabama to win its first national championship in men’s basketball. Despite any rumors to the contrary, rest assured that I will continue that pursuit as your head coach.”

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Alabama basketball news as it becomes available.

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Dan Wolken lists Mick Cronin as Kentucky candidate

Mick Cronin is again linked as a candidate.

The Kentucky Wildcats have a head coach opening with John Calipari’s shocking decision to go to Arkansas. The coaching carousel has taken another wild turn, and suddenly UCLA Bruins head coach Mick Cronin is once again an option for a high-profile job.

Cronin was already linked as a Louisville candidate before they hired Pat Kelsey. Now Dan Wolken of USA Today mentioned Cronin as a candidate, albeit an unlikely one. Here’s what Wolken wrote about the UCLA coach potentially going to Kentucky:

Despite his ties to the area as a former coach at nearby Murray State and Cincinnati, the timing probably isn’t great. Cronin is coming off a rebuilding year at UCLA and would be a tough sell to the Kentucky fan base, despite a long track record of success including a Final Four appearance in 2021.

There are plenty of names that have popped up, and Wolken isn’t the only one to mention Cronin as a candidate, either. Other names Wolken linked are Baylor’s Scott Drew, Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, and Arizona’s Tommy Lloyd, among others.

Paul Finebaum believes Nate Oats to Kentucky is a real possibility

Could Alabama basketball head coach Nate Oats be on the move to Kentucky? Paul Finebaum believes it’s a possibility.

Just days after leading the Alabama Crimson Tide basketball program to its first-ever Final Four appearance, there are rumors that he could be on his way out of Tuscaloosa. With John Calipari leaving the Kentucky Wildcats for the Arkansas Razorbacks job, there is an intriguing job opening in Lexington.

This coaching carousel is still in the early stages and began when the first domino fell of Eric Musselman left Arkansas for the head coaching position for the USC Trojans.

Alabama and Oats recently reached an agreement on a long-term contract extension that features a buyout of over $18 million, but that steep price may not be an issue for Kentucky.

ESPN SEC commentator Paul Finebaum recently stated that the Wildcats saved a lot of money by not firing Calipari, and that they may be willing to dig into their pockets to bring in a coach that can change the program for the better.

The athletics department would not have to look very far, as Oats is in the SEC and is undoubtedly one of the hottest names in college basketball at the moment.

“The one you have to keep your eye on, we just saw SEC to SEC, Keep your eye on Nate Oats. He just took Alabama – yes, Alabama – to the Final Four for the first time in history. The only issue, he just got a new contract from Greg Byrne, the athletic director, and Greg Byrne put in a $20 million buyout.”

With the news of Calipari’s departure still fresh, there has yet to be any official word on the possibility of Oats being contacted by the Kentucky athletic department. For now, it’s all speculation, but it’s hard to believe that Oats wouldn’t be on a short list of possible targets for the Wildcats.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Nate Oats and the possibility of losing him to Kentucky as more news and reports become available.

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Kentucky G Adou Thiero enters transfer portal

Could Texas recruit Kentucky transfer Adou Thiero?

Kentucky guard Adou Thiero has entered the transfer portal. The talented guard could be worth consideration for Texas head coach Rodney Terry.

Thiero isn’t necessarily a game changer, but would be a good addition for a team that needs more than it got last year in the transfer portal.

The 6-foot-8 guard added 7.2 points and 5.0 rebounds per game in 2023. The height alone should warrant a look at the sophomore guard’s film.

Texas’ loss to Tennessee made apparent one key flaw for the Longhorns’ roster. The team’s lack of height prevented it from scoring at the basket against Tennessee rim protectors. They could see more of that in the SEC if they fail to get taller across the board. The SEC is a tall league.

Whether or not Texas adds Thiero, it will need role players who can step up and score when its primary scorers go cold. Thiero’s rebounding ability is an added bonus.

Texas has an opportunity to get a head start in the transfer portal over teams still playing in the NCAA tournament. We will monitor the Longhorns’ portal pursuit over the next couple months.