Fans berate Mark Pope after Kentucky chokes vs Texas: "I don’t care if Michael Jordan was playing on the team ….Pope is more like fools gold!!"

The Kentucky Wildcats, coached by Mark Pope, suffered a disheartening loss on Saturday, Feb. 15. They lost by four to the unranked Texas Longhorns, 82-78, for their sixth loss of this year's SEC play, eighth overall, slipping to a .500 conference record.

To add even more wound to the defeat, the No. 15-ranked team in the country was already ahead by five, 69-64, in the dying minutes of the layover period. The Rodney Terry-coached squad would then uncork an unexpected 14-1 run to even lead by eight, 78-70, at one point before free throws concluded the game.

College basketball fans expressed their criticisms towards Pope and his coaching tactics, especially in a fixture where they could've used a much-needed win.

"I’m telling y’all, a Mark Pope team isn’t ever going to win a championship. I don’t care if Michael Jordan was playing on the team...Pope is more like fools gold!! But, Kentucky fans and media have taken the bait…hook line and sinker! The honeymoon will truely be over soon," one user wrote.

"Those last two in bounds plays where they acted like they never inbounded the ball were outrageous ngl, nasttyyyyyy...Mark Pope terrible," another user said.

"Mark Pope might be worse than Hubert Davis my goodness," a user shared.

Some fans felt Kentucky's loss was due to other factors that weren't by way of Pope.

"Can’t miss as many free throws as we did and win on the road," one user posted.

"We can win without (Jaxson) Robinson but we can’t without (Lamont) Butler. It’s that simple," a user pointed out.

"That’s what happens when the refs call everything on Kentucky the final 3 minutes and nothing on Texas," another user replied.

Whatever the case may be for the Wildcats', a loss like this could drastically alter their hopes of capturing the national championship come March.

Mark Pope could not make a game plan to stop Tre Johnson

Texas Longhorns freshman guard was unstoppable for the SEC victory over the Kentucky Wildcats as Mark Pope and Co. could find a way to stop his charge. The Garland, Texas native finished with a season-high 32 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a steal in 36 minutes.

The Wildcats now hope to return to winning ways against the Vanderbilt Commodores on Wednesday, Feb. 19, at home while Texas takes on the South Carolina Gamecocks on Saturday, Feb. 22, back in their homecourt.