Even if it's the one he always yearned for. The one he's always dreamed about: Kentucky's head men's basketball coach. So while it might not be thought Numero Uno, it's not far from the top. "You get so engaged in just the job," he told The Courier Journal ...

Kentucky scored 103 points in its 41-point victory over Wright State on Monday night. (Yes, Pope wore the No. 41 during his playing days as a Wildcat. Karma.) That’s the highest point total by a Kentucky team for a brand new coach since Tubby Smith’s first edition defeated Morehead State 88-49. Those Cats went on to hang a banner.

The Mark Pope era is officially off to a winning start for the Kentucky men’s basketball program. On Monday night, the Wildcats began the 2024-25 season with a dominant 103-62 home victory against Wright State of the Horizon League.