Q&A: Lexington columnist on Mark Pope’s popularity, Kentucky’s first loss, 3-point slump and keys vs. Gonzaga

Round three of Gonzaga’s six-game series with Kentucky is Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle.

The Zags have won the first two. Unranked GU edged No. 17 Kentucky 89-85 in February at Rupp Arena, spurring the Zags’ strong second half of the season that resulted in a ninth consecutive trip to the Sweet 16.

The second-ranked Zags cruised past No. 4 Kentucky 88-72 at the Arena in November 2022.

While the Zags returned six of their top seven scorers this season, No. 4 Kentucky has a new head coach – Mark Pope replaced John Calipari – and essentially a new roster since last year’s meeting in Lexington.

We connected with longtime Lexington Herald-Leader columnist John Clay to get an update on the new-look Wildcats.

Q: It was quite an offseason at Kentucky as head coach John Calipari left for Arkansas and the Wildcats eventually hired BYU’s Mark Pope, captain of the Wildcats’ 1996 national championship team. How has the hiring of Pope been received by the fan base and what are your early impressions of his philosophy, particularly his offensive system?

Clay: When the news broke that Pope was the front-runner for the job, much of Big Blue Nation was dubious. Scott Drew, Danny Hurley and Billy Donovan were the names being thrown about. All three had won NCAA titles. In nine years as a head coach, Pope had not won a single NCAA Tournament game.

It did not take long for Pope to win over BBN, however. His introductory press conference, held inside a packed Rupp Arena, was like nothing I’ve seen in my nearly 40 years covering UK athletics. The fact that he was a key member of the 1996 national title team, plus his enthusiasm and gratitude for the job, has made him immensely popular, so far. After 15 years of John Calipari, Mark has been a breath of fresh air.

His offensive system has offered a fresh approach as well. One of the complaints about Calipari was that he did not run a “modern” offense. Pope fits that criteria and then some. His goal is to shoot 30 to 35 3-point shots per game. Before the loss at Clemson, Kentucky was leading the nation in scoring at 96.7 points per game.

Q: Kentucky lost to Clemson 70-66 on Tuesday to drop to 7-1. It was the Wildcats’ first road test of the season in a tough environment against a quality opponent – Clemson is No. 15 in the NET rankings. What spelled the difference in the Wildcats’ first setback?

Clay: Kentucky did not adapt well to Clemson’s physical style. The Cats were outrebounded 31-21 in the first half and Clemson held a 10-1 advantage in second-chance points. UK did a better job battling on the glass in the second half – rebounds ended up a 44-44 draw – but Clemson seemed to grab most loose balls and key boards. The Tigers’ Ian Schieffelin had a career-high 20 rebounds.

Plus, Kentucky is in a bit of a 3-point slump. It was just 8-of-29 shooting for 27.6% from downtown in last Tuesday’s win over Western Kentucky. It was 7-of-26 shooting for 26.9% from 3 in the romp over visiting Georgia State on Friday. It was 7-of-27 shooting from 3-point land for 25.9% against Clemson.

Q: If my math is correct, every point scored thus far has been by newcomers with transfers accounting for 713 points and 30 by three freshmen. Oklahoma transfer guard Otega Oweh averages 16.0 points to lead a balanced offense. What makes him an effective scorer?

Clay: Oweh can do a little bit of everything. He’s been effective driving to the basket, and can also make the occasional 3. Pope’s team has been very balanced in its scoring, to be honest. Oweh leads the way, but four other Cats are averaging in double figures and center Amari Williams is at 9.9 points per game. Nine players average double figures in minutes per game.

Jaxson Robinson is probably the team’s best offensive player. He’s the only current Cat who played for Pope (at BYU) and earned (Big 12 Conference) Sixth Man of the Year honors last year. Robinson is averaging 12 points per game, but is capable of a break-out game. He’s not shy about shooting.

Q: A top-10 matchup coming up Saturday at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. What are one or two keys for the Wildcats to get back in the win column?

Clay: As mentioned previously, the Cats have to shoot better from 3-point range. So much of what Pope wants to do offensively is predicated on spreading the floor – his forwards set up in the corners to open up space – and being able to shoot well from the perimeter is a key ingredient.

Kentucky also has to match up better physically with Gonzaga than it did against Clemson. Not just on the glass, but in passing lanes, on the block and in other areas.

If UK can do that, I think the Cats have a chance. If not, it could be a long night in Seattle.