UK Coach Mark Pope says Southeastern Conference will be ‘super salty’ and ‘everything you want’

By Keith Taylor
Kentucky Today

Mark Pope knows what it’s like to compete in the Southeastern Conference and will begin his first tour of duty as a coach when 10th-ranked Kentucky opens league play against No. 6 Florida on Saturday.

For the most part, the Wildcats and Arkansas dominated the conference during Pope’s tenure, with each program winning a national title. The Razorbacks claimed the NCAA title in 1994, while Pope and the Wildcats followed with an NCAA championship run of their own two years later in 1996.

“It wasn’t quite this dominant, but I think most of the season we had five, six or seven teams in the Top 25,” Pope said Thursday. “It’s just it’s unbelievable venues ad incredible fan bases. It gets super salty and it’s just everything you want. Right now, this this league is incredibly, incredibly special and it’s where you want to be.

“I’ve said this before, but I think if you don’t get to play in the SEC this year, I feel sad for you because this is where you want to be. It’s where the best teams are and the best players are.”

Going into the opening weekend, 10 teams are ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 and five — Tennessee (No. 1), Auburn (No. 2), Alabama (No. 5), Florida (No. 6) and Kentucky (10th) – are in the Top 10.

“I think it’s inconceivably is better because it was great when I was playing here,” Pope said. “Arkansas won the national championship and then they went back to the national championship (game a year later). We won the national championship, then we were back in the national championship game (in 1997).

“Mississippi State was also in the Final Four. I think we had four or five teams in the Sweet 16 that year. In that sense, it’s a little deja vu. It’s awesome. This is where it’s supposed to be for us.”

Revelling Rupp

Two days before their conference opener, the Wildcats practiced at Rupp Arena, instead of the Craft Center. Whether it’s a game or practice, Pope “feels something” every time he walks into the facility.

“It’s unbelievable,” Pope said. “You get to get in the grind of the season and you still walk in. You’re like, Wow! Like, we get to be in Rupp today. It’s incredible. This building is an extraordinary place.

“You can’t walk into this place without feeling the history, and the tradition and the responsibility. Our guys walk in here and every time they walk into this gym, they see for practice, they see that it’s empty in the stands, but they can hear it and feel it. Just 48 hours ago, this place was rocking (and) even when you walk in empty, you feel that. It’s pretty cool.”

Kriisa update

Backup point guard Kerr Kriisa has been out of the lineup since he broke his foot in a 90-89 win at Gonzaga on Dec. 7 and is in the midst of rehab.

Pope joked that Kerr is a “game-time decision” for Saturday, but added Kerr’s injury is a “major deal.”

“It’s going to take some time,” Pope said. “He’s been great. I mean, it was devastating for him for sure — like devastating. He loves competing so much. I don’t think his life quite feels right right now without being able to compete. His life just doesn’t feel right. He’s trying to find a way to lose himself in this team in other ways. It’s going to be an incredible growing experience for him.”

NEXT GAME: Florida at Kentucky, 11 a.m., Saturday. TV/Radio: ESPN, UK Radio Network