The Wildcats lost more than just a game when they lost 80-55 to Vanderbilt. It brought to light something deeper that Mark Pope finally admitted in public as his team gets ready for Saturday’s game against Tennessee. The loss ended Kentucky’s five-game winning streak in the worst way possible: the Commodores led by as much as 28 points and held the most expensive roster to just 32.2% shooting. Pope’s honest look at how his team was feeling before the Tennessee rematch showed just how much that loss hurt their spirits.

Pope spoke candidly about the emotional toll of the Vanderbilt loss, avoiding typical coach-speak. “I think Vandy hurt our hearts a lot. We were just so disappointed in us. And that happens,” Pope admitted.

The Vanderbilt loss hurt more because the Commodores were so much better. Kentucky turned the ball over 15 times, only got eight assists, shot a terrible 25% from three-point range, and lost because Mark Byington’s system-based approach was better. The loss was especially bad because it came right after the five-game winning streak, when talk about Pope’s job security had died down. Vanderbilt did this without starting guard Duke Miles and main ballhandler Frankie Collins, which makes Kentucky’s collapse even worse.

Mark Pope’s second reflection showed how he’s trying to make his team stronger by putting them through hard times. “There’s something powerful about when you just get bludgeoned and bludgeoned and bludgeoned and bludgeoned, and you still get up, you still wake up the next day, and you come out to the court, because, in its own unique way, you’re not scared of it anymore. You’re just like, all the things have been tough, they’ve been hard, and we’re still standing, we’re still fighting,” Pope stated.

That strength will be put to the test right away on Saturday at Rupp Arena against Tennessee. The Volunteers have won four games in a row since Kentucky came back to win 80-78 in Knoxville. They are now 6-3 in conference play. Tennessee’s toughness and great defense are exactly what Pope said would be a challenge; another chance to get “bludgeoned” or show that his team has learned from the Vanderbilt loss and can show resilience without giving up.

Mark Pope gets a boost from Brandon Garrison’s breakout performance

The offense finally showed the cohesion Pope has been demanding, moving the ball with purpose to generate 21 assists while protecting it with only six turnovers. This efficiency from behind the arc, where they hit a season-high 12 threes in SEC play, was a direct result of that improved decision-making.

Garrison thinks the team is about to go through a rough patch. “I feel like we’ve been on a good winning streak,” he explained on the UK Sports Network. “We started off the year slow, everybody knows, but I feel like we’re starting to get the groove of the offense and playing together and stuff. We’re starting to get clicking, and it’s gonna get real scary.”

Kentucky has won seven of its last eight games, bringing its SEC record to 7-3. However, the real test comes next, with eight games left against Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Auburn, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt.