Mark Pope: Collin Chandler has 'ice in his veins'

Mark Pope talks about Collin Chandlers three late in the game against Tennessee.

Feb 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) defends against the Tennessee Volunteers during the second half at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Kentucky basketball pulled off yet another comeback victory on Saturday as they climbed back from a 14-point halftime deficit against the Tennessee Volunteers. They did so with plenty of fight and resilency, with multiple runs strung together in order to help make the win possible. But, one player in particular hit the go-ahead three for the Wildcats to give them the lead in the final seconds. His name is Collin Chandler.

Chandler, who had the game-winning assist against LSU, the three to make it a two-possession game late vs. Ole Miss, game-winning steal and assist against Tennessee in Knoxville and now, the go-ahead three that went down as the biggest scoring play of the entire game.

"He just keeps getting better and better and better, and he loves the moment. He’s not afraid of the moment," Pope said of Collin Chandler on Friday. "He’s not afraid of all the pressure that comes with it. He just embraces it. And the guys around him are doing it too.”

Feb 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats guard Collin Chandler (5) walks down the court during the second half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

After the game, Mark Pope talked about his impressive play and how he just continues to rise to the occasion.

"Collin Chandler continues to be, like, ice in his veins," Pope said. "One of my favorite moments of the game was after he banged that three.  Which was just cold, man. We walked in the huddle and Otega grabbed him and went eye to eye with him and said you are a cold, there was a lot of other words behind it.  When you earn that from your teammates. Then you start to feel like we got to feel. ...It’s been every game, like every game. The scout on him is going to be in the last four minutes, like, just please guard him at 94 feet and don’t let him touch the ball, he’s making them on the defensive end, down on the glass and on the offensive end. We are enjoying that."

Chandler just continues to be a major factor in this Kentucky team's success and the fact that his scoring has a pattern with how the team plays in that game just says a lot about how much of an impact his plays can make, whether it is through shooting or on the defensive end. He sure is starting to prove his worth.