Three.
That’s how many times Kentucky has played Gonzaga, ever, dating back to ’02, but only once have the Wildcats defeated the Bulldogs. Saturdays matchup at Climate Pledge Arena is a must-see game for college hoops fans: the No. 4 ranked Wildcats are looking to bounce back after suffering their first loss of the season to Clemson; meanwhile, the No. 7 ranked Bulldogs have momentum after having beat Davidson by 25-points back in November.
It’s also a battle of the Marks: Kentucky head coach Mark Pope, who is from Washington, revealed to UK Athletics that he knows the Zag’s head coach, Mark Few, “pretty well,”:
“I got to know coach pretty well. He’s been a great friend,” Pope said. “He’s one of the best people in the business. He’s really special. What he’s done in basketball is almost unfathomable. He puts together incredible teams every single year. He’s got a really distinctive style.”
But as for what goes down on the court, that’s another story. Despite the loss to the Tigers, Pope is “feeling good” about his squad after that game because he saw firsthand how they’re able to handle tough moments, even when things aren’t going their way. In many ways, they’ve stepped up to the plate even before the season began: with a new head coach and all eyes on them in this post-John Calipari era, Pope has been able to bring together a group of standouts that includes only one returner from last year, and mostly transfers (9), freshmen (3) and a walk-on.
The rebuild has been real, but don’t sleep, this new-look squad has serious game: as of writing this, the Wildcats are leading the nation in points (92.9) and are fourth in the AP Top 25. Their roster includes leading scorer Otega Oweh, who is averaging a career-high 16 points per game, as well as 1.3 assists and four rebounds, a smooth guard in graduate student Lamont Butler (3.9 apg) as well as Amari Williams holding it down on the boards with 10.9 per game.
“Seasons are hard and that’s why they’re great,” Pope said. “What really is special is when you answer, when you ring the bell. I think we have a locker room full of guys who can take on some adversity. Wins or losses, I think they go into the locker room the same way, hungry to get better. I think that bodes well for us throughout this season.”
They’ll need to keep that same energy against Gonzaga, who boasts a talented roster and the best dime-dropper in the country, Ryan Nembhard, who is averaging 10.8 assists per game. Are the odds in Kentucky’s favor?
Forget the parlays, we’ll see what goes down tonight. And if you’re part of BBN, do we have a treat for you just in time for the holidays.
