Mark Pope talks about his players' ability to continue fighting back

Mark Pope says it has not been the prettiest season, but he knows his team will fight back.

Jan 31, 2026; Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Bud Walton Arena. Kentucky won 85-77. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images | Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images

Kentucky head coach Mark Pope described his team's season as a rollercoaster on Thursday before their game against Tennessee. The Wildcats may be continuing to get punched in the mouth, but to their credit, they have responded. Time and time again this season, Kentucky has performed some impressive comebacks. But along the way have come some embarrassing losses.

One of those embarrassments happened on Tuesday against Vandy following their five-game win streak that included comeback wins against Tennessee, LSU and Mississippi State. Kentucky then faced a big challenge on Saturday against #15 Arkansas on the road, where many fans were pessimistic entering it. The game really did present a challenge and Mark Pope's squad were ready for it.

Kentucky came out firing quickly, leading by as much as 13 in the first half and despite Arkansas taking the lead in the second half following multiple technical fouls, the Wildcats showed resiliency by retaking the lead and never letting go. This team continues to show out when their backs are against the wall in what has been an up-and-down season to say the least. Mark Pope is proud of the 'journey' his team is on, even though it features some tough moments.

"We're on a journey and it might not be the journey that anybody anticipated, whatever, but I love it," Pope said on Kentucky's season. "I'll tell you, I've never coached a team like this, to be dead and buried like we were, and to take all the heat and hate that these guys have taken, and then just keep saying, 'You know what? Doesn't matter, we're coming back, man. We're coming back.' In all fairness, some of it's been self inflicted, right? But the guys are just like we're coming back, and this performance tonight from our guys, their intentionality and focus in this game, short handed, down to a really, really limited rotation right now with all the stuff, for them to come here and do this, I'm just like, I keep saying this--I didn't say after we got cooked by Vandy, but I've said this a lot--don't miss it. Because if we could just take this for what it is, what these guys did tonight was awesome."

It has been a wild season for this Kentucky basketball team, but if fans have learned anything, they should never count their Wildcats out, no matter what performance they are coming off of.