"I'm doing a poor job with our team": Mark Pope takes accountability for Kentucky's defensive struggles amid slump

Mark Pope shouldered the blame after the 14th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats suffered another upset loss at Sandy and John Black Pavilion on Tuesday night. They lost 98-84 to the No. 25 Ole Miss Rebels, which comes on the heels of their 10-point defeat against former coach John Calipari's Arkansas on Saturday.

A reporter asked Pope in the postgame press conference if he had ever coached in a game where the opposing team committed just one turnover. Pope responded that he wasn't sure, prompting a follow-up question if it was because of Ole Miss' ball handling. Pope just pinned the blame on himself instead for the Wildcats' defensive struggles.

"My guys are playing hard. I’m doing a poor job with our team defensively, right now," Pope said (Timestamp 0:57). "That’s a credit to Ole Miss and it’s a real issue for me. I got to figure out how to help our team have more of a presence."

Kentucky's defense was exposed by the Ole Miss Rebels, who had five of their players score in double figures. Matthew Murrell led the Rebels' offense with 24 points. He shot 8-for-13 from the floor, including 6-for-11 from beyond the arc. Three of Murrell's 3-pointers came during Ole Miss' 15-3 run to close out the first half which helped the Rebels establish a 23-point lead at the break.

Dre Davis also wreaked havoc against Mark Pope and the Wildcats, scoring 17 points on 7-for-10 shooting. Malik Dia scored 16 points and grabbed four rebounds for the Rebels while Jaylen Murray posted his first double-double of the season, amassing 15 points and 10 assists. Jaemyn Brakefield added 10 points, two rebounds and two assists off the bench.

Mark Pope's Kentucky in danger of falling down AP Top 25 after another SEC loss

The honeymoon phase for Kentucky coach Mark Pope is over. The Wildcats have struggled mightily of late, losing four of their last five games to fall to 15-7. They are 4-5 in conference play with their defeats coming against SEC teams Georgia, Alabama, Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Ole Miss.

Former UK coach and current Arkansas coach John Calipari hugs Kentucky coach Mark Pope before the game at Rupp Arena on Saturday Feb. 1, 2025. Photo: Imagn

They fell to No. 14 in the latest Associated Press rankings following their loss to the Arkansas Razorbacks and are in danger of crashing out of the top 25 after absorbing another upset loss against Ole Miss.

The defense has proven to be a problem for the Wildcats, who have allowed an average of 90.8 points in their last four losses. Ole Miss shot 54.7% from the field against Kentucky, including 43.3% from beyond the arc.