Mark Pope rolled the dice in Kentucky’s Round of 32 showdown against Illinois—and hit the jackpot!
The Wildcats leaned heavily on their starters, something fans have been asking for all season. The result was the team pushing past their usual workload to secure an 84-75 victory. Despite missing Jaxson Robinson, Pope’s gamble paid off as Kentucky’s top guns delivered in crunch time.
How much extra did they grind? Let’s break it down.
Starters Step Up Big
Kentucky’s starting five carried the load—here’s how their minutes stacked up:
- 🔹Koby Brea (G): 36 minutes (vs. 34.3 avg, +1.7) → 23 points (10-16 FG), stepping up in a high-pressure game.
- 🔹 Andrew Carr (F): 32 minutes (vs. 27, +5) → 6 rebounds, 3 steals, anchoring the paint in crunch time.
- 🔹 Amari Williams (C): 26 minutes (vs. 26, no change) → 10 rebounds, 3 blocks, pure efficiency.
- 🔹 Lamont Butler (G): 33 minutes (vs. 29, +4) → 5 assists, 3 steals, clutch on both ends.
- 🔹 Otega Oweh (G): 25 minutes (vs. 26.3, -1.3 with foul trouble) → 15 points, making the most of every second.
With starters logging extra minutes, Pope’s strategy kept the game under control while minimizing risk.
Bench Takes a Backseat
With the starting five clicking, Pope limited the bench’s role:
Brandon Garrison (F): 14 minutes (vs. 15.3, -1.3) → 4 rebounds, still making an impact.
Collin Chandler (G): 18 minutes (vs. 15.3, +2.7) → 6 points, 3 steals, showcasing his spark.
Ansley Almonor (F): 8 minutes (vs. 11, -3) → 5 points, limited but efficient.
Trent Noah (F): 8 minutes (vs. 11.7, -3.7) → 4 points, saw less action as Pope rode the hot hands. But made some crucial plays. just like Almonor.
Pope trusted his starters, and his gamble paid off.
Why It Worked
Kentucky’s recent two-week average (76.7 PPG, 33.3 RPG) got a boost, hitting 84 points and 36 rebounds against Illinois.
🔹 Brea’s extra 1.7 minutes helped fuel his 10 point run all by himself.
🔹 Carr’s additional 5 minutes locked down Illinois’ attack inside and clean up the glass.
🔹 Compared to the Round of 64 against Troy, where starters averaged 29.2 minutes, they bumped up to 31.2 in Round 2—a crucial shift.
Pope’s starter-heavy approach staved off Illinois’ late rally, proving star power is more important than a lot of depth in March.
What’s Next?
Kentucky punched its Sweet 16 ticket, but Tennessee looms Friday in a place with a lot of history for the Cats.
Will Pope double down on his starters, or will he mix it up again?
One thing’s certain: BBN is locked in, and Kentucky’s March Madness journey just got even more thrilling.
📺 Tune in Friday—this ride is far from over!