When Kentucky head coach Mark Pope failed to bring Lamar Wilkerson home for the Wildcats, it cut deep and left a mark (get it?).
Now, as Wilkerson, who was a four-star prospect in the transfer portal, continues to excel with his new team, the Indiana Hoosiers, it is only rubbing salt in the Kentucky Wildcats' wound.
When Wikerson and the Hoosiers took on the Penn State Nittany Lions, not only did Indiana secure the victory, but the player who could have been a Wildcat buried 10 three-point attempts and racked up a jaw-dropping 44 points.
Mark Pope missed big time on Lamar Wilkerson
So far this season, Wilkerson has averaged 18.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.8 steals as the Hoosiers have flown to an 8-2 overall record. Meanwhile, Kentucky has eked out a 6-4 record to start the year, and Pope is having to answer a lot of questions.
The Wildcats' head coach has grown increasingly frustrated, even going as far as to break a clipboard out of anger during a timeout in the middle of a game.
"It was justified… we gotta be sick and tired of the same thing happening over and over again. But no, I haven’t seen him like that before," said Otega Oweh, a senior guard who has been with Kentucky for two seasons.
Despite the 36-point win over NC Central, when Brandon Garrison turned the ball over, Pope was visibly irate and seemingly screamed "Go sit down, go sit down" at the forward, who never returned in the matchup.
Simply put, things aren't going swimmingly in Lexington, and it has become increasingly clear that Pope isn't happy with his team at the moment. Man, wouldn't it be nice to have a star like Wilkerson on the roster right now?
Next, Pope and the Wildcats will face none other than Wilkerson and the Hoosiers as Kentucky is scheduled to host Indiana on Saturday, Dec. 13, at Rupp Arena. The matchup will tip off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.