Kentucky’s $22 million roster was built to win. Still, its 7-4 record suggests otherwise. Mark Pope has identified the issue with the Wildcats as they prepare to face St. John’s on Saturday: his talented shooters lack confidence. They need to take more shots and have faith in their skills.

Pope’s two-word answer to Kentucky’s problems is simple: “Shoot it, man.” Pope discussed his own playing time alongside great shooters like Reggie Miller and Ray Allen on the CBS Sports College Basketball YouTube channel.  “When you’re a terrific shooter, you just shoot. You don’t ask a lot of questions,” Pope explained. “We have really talented shooters on this team. That’s what great shooters do—they shoot. We have a high ceiling as a crew of guys that can really make shots.”

Pope learned how to shoot three-pointers at BYU, where teams shot from deep. The Kentucky team from last year made 341 three-pointers, which is a program record. But Johnson, Kam Williams, and Andrija Jelavic, who are new this season, are only making 27 percent of their three-point shots on 97 tries.

That’s a big letdown for players who were hired to spread the floor and make shots.

Even though these challenges were complicated on the offense, Kentucky’s recent 72-60 win over Indiana showed Pope what his team can do when they change their mindset. “One of the things we’ve been really disappointed in is in high-level games, we’ve been very poor in our response to adversity,” Pope acknowledged.

“We just haven’t rallied around each other. We’ve had some go-away instead of some dig in, and I thought that was the opposite (against Indiana).”

The Wildcats only made 38% of their shots from the field and 20% of their shots from three against the Hoosiers, but they won because they played tough defense and were determined to win. They held Indiana to 34% shooting overall and 17% shooting from deep.

Before the game against St. John, Pope made it clear that Kentucky can win if its players shoot with confidence. Otega Oweh (14.0 PPG) and Denzel Aberdeen (12.1 PPG) are the two best scorers on the team.

The real test will be on Saturday. Can the Wildcats follow Pope’s simple order and make shots against Pitino’s hot St. John’s squad?

Mark Pope and Rick Pitino face off as old rivals turn into new enemies

This isn’t just another basketball game; it’s a battle between two men who have been brutally honest with each other and great at basketball for thirty years. Mark Pope will play Rick Pitino at State Farm Arena. Rick is the coach who had the most significant impact on Pope’s career.

Pitino was clear with Pope in the early 1990s: he would stop recruiting him if Chris Webber signed. Pitino didn’t sugarcoat it when Pope left for medical school at Columbia. He told Pope he was making a huge mistake.

Now they’re both sitting on opposite benches. Pope told Jon Rothstein about their relationship: “Maybe he went from being an oppressor to being a mentor; both of them have been incredible gifts in my life. I’m really grateful for him. I can’t wait for this game to try and go rip each other’s throats out.”

The moment when everything came full circle is unforgettable: Pope was the captain of Pitino’s National Championship team in 1995–96. They’re ready to fight after thirty years. St. John’s is on fire, with a record of 7-3.

Top Stories

Greg Biffle Plane Tragedy: What Might Have Caused the Crash That Killed the NASCAR Champ and His Family

Seahawks’ Ernest Jones IV Accuses Rams of Inappropriate Comments After Puka Nacua’s Feud With Nick Emmanwori

Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs Extremely Close to Leaving Arrowhead Amid Kansas State’s Announcement, Per Report

Another PGA Tour Analyst to Leave Golf Channel Days After Cara Banks’ Unexpected Exit – Report

Match-Fixing Scandal Erupts in Tennis After Arrests Uncover $821K Scheme

“The Biff”: NASCAR Fans Push for Legacy-Defining Award Named After Greg Biffle Following His Tragic Death

They only lost to Alabama, Iowa State, and Auburn, all of which are in the tournament. In their first Big East game, they beat DePaul 79-66. Dylan Darling and Joson Sanon scored 32 points together, showing how much offense Pitino brings to Atlanta.