Kentucky fans and media didn’t hold back on Tuesday night during and after the Wildcats suffered a beatdown against No. 17 Michigan State on national TV in the Champions Classic.
The 12th-ranked Wildcats lost, 83-66, but it was the way they went down in the ESPN spotlight game at Madison Square Garden. Kentucky fell to 3-2 on the young season, but this was the Wildcats’ second defeat in a showdown situation, with UK also suffering a 96-88 road loss to rival Louisville exactly a week earlier.
It was obvious to everyone watching that Kentucky wasn’t ready from the tip on Tuesday night, with the Wildcats falling behind big in the first half. When halftime mercifully came, Michigan State held a commanding 44-27 lead, and the dazed Wildcats were forced to play from way behind for the rest of the night.
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That didn’t go well either for head coach Mark Pope and company, and Michigan State improved to 4-0 while Kentucky and its passionate fan base were left to wonder what happened — again. There will be a lot of bad fallout for Pope in the next few days until Kentucky plays again on Friday night at home against Loyola of Maryland.
On Tuesday night though, things got really ugly for Kentucky and specifically for Pope. Here is just a sampling of the criticism from the UK basketball community and college basketball media at-large:
Opponent goes on 20-0 run Mark Pope: pic.twitter.com/hpXNNgLfVV
— Big Blue Carti (@BigBlueCarti) November 19, 2025I don't know what Mark Pope was talking about when he said something happened with this group before the Louisville game. He said he'd talk about it down the road. On a night like this, however, Pope's words will only lead to more speculation about what's wrong with this group.
— Myron Medcalf (@MedcalfByESPN) November 19, 2025I was recently in a college basketball coach’s office and the first thing they mentioned to me was the cost of Kentucky’s roster. Mark Pope is going to soon learn how much that $22 million figure has made him a target.
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) November 19, 202522 mil look a lot different in Cal’s hands than it do in Mark Pope’s hands
— ?7? (@KevLukethaGreat) November 19, 2025Mark Pope “Offensive Mastermind” and we have 27 points at the half pic.twitter.com/V0MSdYT2DX
— drew (@drewlockedin) November 19, 2025Mark Pope after he see’s a lineup that works pic.twitter.com/HfSdL6ZXgk
— Thrill Keightley (@Cincitucky1) November 19, 2025I don't know whether to put this on Mark Pope or not, but I haven't seen one bit of fire from this Kentucky team this season.
— Chris Fisher (@ChrisFisher248) November 19, 2025Maybe it’s just me being picky but I’m trying to see Mark Pope chew some people out on the sideline at certain points. This no emotion style frustrates me even more.
— Tres Terrell (@TerrellTres) November 19, 2025It’s November 18th and there may be more optimism around Mark Stoops than Mark Pope now.
— Bleed Blue Network (@BleedBNetwork) November 19, 2025Mark Pope needs to throw the analytical substitution patters in the f’n trash.
— Bleed Blue Network (@BleedBNetwork) November 19, 2025Mark Pope might’ve assembled the most expensive group of role players oat
— Blue Cain’s Burner (@CookedbyCain) November 19, 2025If you’re a Kentucky fan and you’re defending this right now, you are COMPLETELY delusional This team is bad. Mark Pope’s coaching has been atrocious. The subs, the awful defense, running absolutely nothing offensively Complete roster mismanagement. This is not UK basketball
— tanin smith #BBN (@TaninSmithKK) November 19, 2025Kentucky fans, media blast Mark Pope for disappointing performance vs. Michigan State Saturday Down South.
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