Mark Pope Says Kentucky Starting To 'earn' Their Confidence

The Kentucky Wildcats were connected nan roadworthy erstwhile again connected Saturday arsenic they headed to Knoxville to return connected nan rival #24 Tennessee Volunteers. Once again, it was different crippled that saw Kentucky excavation themselves a large first half hole, and their assurance successful them ne'er wavered. The Wildcats were down by arsenic overmuch arsenic 17 successful nan first half, earlier utilizing yet another second-half comeback for a win.

In nan past 2 games earlier facing Tennessee, Kentucky faced large first-half deficits, and still came retired pinch large comeback wins acknowledgment to their awesome squad mindset. Throughout nan season, this Kentucky squad has faced a batch of hardships, including disapproval from their ain fans. But, successful nan past 3 games, they person turned it each into confidence. Even contempt continuing to travel retired to slow starts, nan Wildcats are not giving up. Head coach Mark Pope talked aft nan crippled astir really arsenic a team, you person to return each of nan hardships and move it into confidence, and that's precisely what this squad continues to do.

"I deliberation you person to gain confidence. You don't conscionable get it, you person to gain it," Pope said aft Kentucky's 80-78 triumph astatine Tennessee. "You sewage to spell do nan gritty, hard, miserable activity of earning confidence. And you person to return nan power and return nan hate, and these guys, each of us, person had a batch of worldly formed connected us, for sure, and you sewage to look it consecutive successful nan oculus and spell gain it." Pope past added that his squad continuing to person amended second-half play provides him pinch plentifulness of assurance successful his guys to get it done. "I'm breathing a small spot much successful nan first half because they've fixed maine truthful overmuch assurance astir what they do successful nan 2nd half."

Kentucky did conscionable that for their third-straight crippled involving a awesome comeback. After going down arsenic overmuch arsenic 17 points successful nan first half, past taking an 11-point shortage into halftime, nan Wildcats climbed back, staying pinch nan Volunteers intimately successful nan past 10 minutes of nan game, earlier taking their first lead of nan crippled pinch 34 seconds near and escaping pinch nan monolithic comeback win. Massive is really an understatement, but it is, because Kentucky desperately needs arsenic galore value wins arsenic they tin get for their NCAA Tournament hopes, and now, they person picked up their second-straight Quad 1 win. The Wildcats utilized large second-halves from aggregate players, including Mo Dioubate comig up immense connected nan glass, and Otega Oweh pinch his scoring, but particularly truthful for Denzel Aberdeen who had 18 of his 22 points successful nan last half.

Now, Kentucky has 2 large resume wins nether their loop arsenic they get fresh to proceed what is seen arsenic the toughest remaining schedule successful assemblage basketball.