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Coach Rick Pitino gave his take on the rivalry between Kentucky and Louisville under Mark Pope and Pat Kelsey. The St. John's men's basketball coach shared his opinion in a post on X on Wednesday.
"The rivalry with UK and Louisville will be awesome for years to come," Pitino said. "Two great young coaches with Pat Kelsey and our captain Mark Pope."
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Kelsey became the head coach of the Louisville men's basketball team in 2024 after agreeing on a five-year contract. Following his arrival, he has led the team to 23 wins and five losses in 28 games this season.
The No. 21 Cardinals are currently third in the Atlantic Coast Conference after a comfortable win against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (72-59) on Wednesday. Kelsey's team took a commanding 45-21 lead in the first half. Although they slowed down in the second half, losing 27-38, their strong start was enough to secure the win.
Kelsey will be looking to lead his team to another victory on Saturday when they face the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Meanwhile, No. 12 Kentucky Wildcats coach Mark Pope also made a significant impact since taking over the role in 2024. He has led his team to 17 wins and seven losses this season.
Against No. 8 Tennessee on Wednesday, the Wildcats bounced back from a sluggish first half where they trailed 33-30. They delivered a strong second-half performance, outscoring their opponents 48-40 to secure a 78-73 win.
They will hope to build on their recent win and climb up the standings when they welcome the Arkansas Razorbacks to Rupp Arena on Sunday.
Rick Pitino and St. John's extend winning streak
Coach Pitino led his team to its seventh win in a row after defeating Georgetown Hoyas (66-41) on Wednesday.
The team currently sits in second place in the Big East Conference behind the Marquette Golden Eagles in first, having won 26 games and lost just two.
They will face the Providence Friars in their next game at Madison Square Garden on Saturday.
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