Following Kentucky’s disappointing 85-65 loss to Ohio State, head coach Mark Pope struck a hopeful tone despite the sting of defeat. “We’re gonna lose a lot of sleep over this. It’s hard to go into a break with a loss like this,” Pope admitted. “We gotta find a way to do better when we are under duress like this. This is going to be one of the lynchpin moments in the season that is going to change us for the better.”
It’s not hard to see why this loss hurts. Kentucky was held to just 65 points, a staggering 26 points below their season average. The game mirrored their loss to Clemson earlier in the season, with one key difference: Ohio State never cooled off. The Buckeyes shot a blistering 56.6% from the field, including 21-of-27 from two-point range. Meanwhile, Kentucky struggled to find any offensive rhythm, shooting just 29.8% overall and 4-of-22 from beyond the arc.
Mark Pope on the loss to Ohio State:
— Tristan Pharis (@TristanUda) December 22, 2024
“We have the guys on this team to win this game. We just didn’t.”
No excuses.
Yet, despite the frustrations, there’s reason to believe this team can right the ship. Each player on the roster is a better shooter than they’ve shown in recent games. Jaxson Robinson and Koby Brea are proven marksmen who have thrived in catch-and-shoot situations before. Andrew Carr and Amari Williams have the skills to dominate inside when the offense is clicking, and Lamont Butler’s ability to attack and draw fouls remains a vital asset.
Pope’s challenge now is to harness the collective potential of this group. Kentucky doesn’t need one player to do it all—they need everyone to play their role and trust the system. As Pope indicated, the adversity they’ve faced could become the turning point of the season; whether that is a bad thing or a good thing is yet to be seen.
Kentucky got wrecked on the national stage and now gets 10 days to let it marinate. Doesn't get much uglier than that.
— Jack Pilgrim (@JackPilgrimKSR) December 22, 2024
29.8 percent shooting and 18.2 percent from three. Mark Pope has complained about 3-point volume for weeks and again took just 22.
If the Wildcats can find a way to shoot closer to their capabilities and maintain composure under duress, there’s no reason they can’t bounce back stronger. Kentucky fans know that every season has its growing pains, and Pope’s belief in this team offers hope that the best is yet to come this season. The next month of games will show how Kentucky responds to this "lynchpin moment".