Kentucky head coach Mark Pope is set to face former mentor Rick Pitino when the Wildcats take on St. John’s in the CBS Sports Classic on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET in Atlanta. Pitino, who famously led Kentucky from 1989 to 1997, taking the team to three Final Fours and winning the NCAA Championship in 1996, will be a familiar figure on the opposing sideline.
Pope played under Pitino on the national championship team of 1996 and recalls the lessons learned during that time. “I think I came here having a good understanding of how to work really, really, really hard, and I left here with having a better understanding of how to translate that work into competitive nature,” Pope reflected on his time as a player.
Pitino expressed admiration for Kentucky’s decision to hire Pope as head coach, although the two have only spoken briefly since then. Their last conversation occurred after a game against Michigan State when Pitino advised Pope to “get [his] act together.”
As for the upcoming matchup, both Pope and Pitino have high hopes for their respective teams, with Pope noting the strong potential both Kentucky and St. John’s have this season. “I think we probably have two teams that have really, really high ceilings, that haven’t totally found them yet,” he said, acknowledging the potential for an explosive game marked by physical play.
An intriguing subplot for the Wildcats is the possible return of Jayden Quaintence, who has yet to play this season due to injury. While Pope remained non-committal about Quaintence’s availability for Saturday, he mentioned the player’s recent progress. “It’s kind of a day-by-day thing and, once he’s confident and healthy and cleared, we’ll roll,” Pope said, noting that Quaintence just resumed drills after a lengthy absence from the game.
With two teams featuring a blend of historical connections and competitive aspirations, fans can expect an engaging and intense battle when Kentucky faces St. John’s.