Halloween is here, but the Kentucky Wildcats got a little taste of it a day early. With an 84-70 exhibition loss to the Georgetown Hoyas at Rupp Arena, head coach Mark Pope could help but be taken aback by how it all went down. The Wildcats, just six days after putting on a strong show against top-ranked Purdue, seemed a bit off on both sides of the court.

During the post-game press conference, Mark Pope, as reported by KY Insider, talked about what caused the “unacceptable” defensive breakdown. He said, “It’s just our third defender was poor all night long, having credit to Georgetown for making that part of the game difficult for us. So there’s so much to learn, so much to grow.”

In basketball, the “third defender” is the help-side player who must rotate to stop the ball-handler or pick up the rolling big after the first two defenders are screened. When that rotation is delayed or absent, the defense falls apart, creating easy opportunities at the rim. Besides defense, the offense, too, never found its rhythm.

The Wildcats shot a dismal 33.3% from the field and an even worse 23.3% from the three-point line. The team really struggled with 15 turnovers and at the free-throw line, making just 65.7% of their shots. Kentucky’s defense really struggled, allowing Georgetown to score without much trouble. The Hoyas were on fire, hitting 55.4% of their shots and really taking control inside, outscoring the Wildcats 38 to 24 in the paint.

Georgetown took advantage of the pick-and-roll, which led to a bunch of easy layups and dunks that the Hoyas were quick to finish off. They even latched onto the Wildcats’ defensive lapses throughout the night, as Malik Mack led the way with 22 points and Kaden Lewis added 19 points.

Pope saw the performance as a tough but important learning moment for his team, even though it was frustrating. He pointed out that the coaching staff is always “looking to expose” weaknesses during the preseason, and Georgetown really did an “unbelievable job” of highlighting areas that need some work before the games start to matter in the standings.

The loss provides a clear focal point for practice and film sessions, particularly on refining defensive communication and rotations. The Wildcats are eager to put these lessons into action right away, as their regular-season opener is set for the upcoming Tuesday. Well, the Pope’s words really show dedication. But lately, his big contract has definitely caught a lot of attention in the college basketball community.

Big spending, bigger lessons for Kentucky after Hoyas defeat

“They spent the money, got the returns like the Dodgers. The Dodgers are in the World Series because they have the most money. So, Kentucky’s going to be in it. I think Kentucky’s a national championship contender by way of the talent and the money that is put into that roster,” John Henson mentioned on ‘The Field Of 68’ podcast.

Similar to the Dodgers in the MLB, the Wildcats have the funds to bring in top talent and chase that championship (Well, it’s not like they haven’t done that). According to reports, the Wildcats have the greatest budget for the year and may have set a new record for CBB in terms of expenditure for a single team.

Even Mark Pope shared his thoughts on the full roster, saying, “Right now, we feel like we’ve got a beautiful Ferrari, and we can’t wait to take it for a spin.” He’s really put together a team that has the experience, skill, and talent to make it all the way. But with such a team comes a lot of pressure, as one coach put out.

One of the anonymous coaches in the latest Candid Coaches feature also highlighted, “Since UK can do things no other school can financially, he would have to be a complete bozo to not win one soon.”

Many were wondering how the new star signings would come together, but if preseason is anything to go by, things are looking pretty promising for Kentucky. So, they were able to down No. 1 Purdue pretty easily (78-65) in that exhibition match, which really backed up Henson’s point. However, after that loss to Georgetown, the team really needs to take a moment to reflect and get ready for the main season starting in just a few days.