Coach Mark Pope's UK struggled to match its SEC rival Tennessee in their Sweet 16 matchup on Friday, falling 78-65 at Lucas Oil Stadium. The loss marked the end of Kentucky's tournament run.
Pope talked about handling self-doubt in a high-pressure role. A reporter asked whether there were moments during the season when Pope had to prove something to himself as the coach of a prestigious program like Kentucky.
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In response, Mark Pope shared a powerful perspective on the pressures of leadership (starting at 9:30):
“I heard this the other day, and I actually think it’s true and these guys have been incredible examples of this, something that goes like this: If the spotlight on you is brighter than the light that comes from within you, then it’ll destroy you.
"A roundabout way to answer your question, these guys have an amazing light coming out of each of them. At the end of the day, it’s not about them. I feel the same way. It’s not about us. I think that’s the space where we live. ...
“And so when you live that way, of course we all have doubts every single day, we do, but when it’s about something more important than just ourselves, man, those doubts seem to blur a little bit, and you just spend all your time trying to figure out how we’re supposed to make a difference, how it’s supposed to be, how we’re supposed to serve, how we’re supposed to make an impact. That’s what these guys have done, man,” said Coach Pope.
Mark Pope also took a moment to recognize the impact his players have had beyond basketball. He acknowledged their contributions to the team and their community, emphasizing that their influence goes beyond wins and losses.
“What they did on the basketball court is incredible, but what they did for each other and this community is bigger and it’s going to last longer and mean more. And so, I don’t know. I think the doubt gets swallowed up in that, I really do. Of course we have doubts every single day, but they’re minimal.”
Mark Pope praises Tennessee after elimination
Despite Kentucky’s success in the regular season against Tennessee, winning both matchups, 78-73 in Knoxville and 75-64 in Lexington, the Vols entered the game as the favorites.
Mark Pope offered praise for Tennessee and its coach Rick Barnes, in his press conference.
“It’s hard to talk about basketball right now. Congratulations to Tennessee. They played really hard and really well. I have a ton of respect for Coach Barnes. Mostly, we’re just sad that this is over.”
With the loss, Kentucky’s season concludes, while Tennessee moves on to the next round of the NCAA Tournament, continuing its quest for a championship.
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