Mark Pope has tried to make his new team in Lexington the team to beat ever since he replaced the Hall of Famer John Calipari. And sure, he did begin with a 7-game winning streak right into the gates. However, soon, the Kentucky Wildcats were back to their old patterns that emerged in the final years of Calipari’s reign. The red Ls spattered around the Ws for some teams that they could have easily taken over. A call for them to keep a check on their inconsistency. Still, Pope at least had players like their second-best scorer Jaxson Robinson to help the team. However, the bleak silver lining was lost again.

Robinson reaggravated his right wrist injury in the road win over Oklahoma which concluded in him being out for his lone season at UK. And the Cats? Well, they couldn’t exactly propel back. Until they did. The LSU win was important to give them a momentum as they took down the Baton Rouge program in a lopsided 95-64 win, improving their record to a 20-10 overall and 9-8 in the SEC. This result puts them right above the .500 teams at .529 in SEC. But hold on.

While Pope continues to be the optimist for a once-powerhouse program, the cards turned against them again in the form of the fifth-year guard Kerr Kriisa. Not a good timing for sure as the SEC tournament, which he called “Mecca of all tournaments in the world,” awaits them in Nashville. So, as the team flies to Columbia to wrap-up their final regular season game, what is the bad news now headlining for the Big Blue Nation?

In his weekly radio show on Monday night, Pope had mentioned, “We walked into the season thinking Kerr was going to exhaust his eligibility this year, but he didn’t. He’s got another year left, which is so fantastic for all of us, right?” Right?! But!

Addressing the fans at Rupp Arena one last time this season, Pope presented another gut punch this Thursday. “We’re past the window now where he (Kriisa) could actually get back. It’s been a little bit of a stubborn of a healing process. He just hasn’t reached the benchmarks he needs to get to in terms of the healing process,” Pope revealed.

Kriisa, who hadn’t played since December 7 due to a foot injury, was officially shut down for the rest of the season. He didn’t play against the Fighting Tigers on UK’s senior night because of a possible eligibility for a medical redshirt sixth year. The condition would be applicable since Kerr only appeared in 9 games for the Cats with one start, all before Kentucky reached a mid-point in the season.

Still, an end to the season was the news no one wanted to hear. Kriisa’s numbers — 4.4 points with 3.8 assists per game — might not have jumped off the page, but his presence mattered. He was second in assists behind Lamont Butler and brought a level of experience that’s hard to replace. Before moving to Lexington, Kerr scored 11 points and dished out 4.7 assists in over 33 minutes per game for his previous team in West Virginia. Not to mention, he led the Pac-12 as a sophomore and junior at Arizona as well. A loss to cry over, indeed.

Another setback. Another challenge. But if this season has been about anything for Kentucky, it’s been about fighting through adversity. And that fight continues against Dennis Gates’ Missou whose incredible turnaround from his last season’s 8-24 and no conference wins to the current 21-9 overall has him in the Coach of the Year conversation. The stakes? Higher than ever. But Pope isn’t backing down.

This isn’t just about finishing strong—it’s about proving something. “This SEC matters. And so we’re heading to Nashville with all of our successes and confidence and warts and holes that we got to plug. And we’re going there with one goal, which is to go win.”

The Wildcats sit at 9-8 in the SEC, eighth in the standings. Their blowout win over LSU was a statement, but beating a top-15 team like Missouri? That could build confidence while impressing the NCAA tournament selection committee. A strong finish might just earn them a more favorable seed. But it won’t come easy.

Mark Pope and Kentucky go for the final test despite two loopholes

With just one regular-season game left today, things are shifting—some in ways that the injury-ridden Kentucky would rather avoid. Their two problems? Inconsistency and defense.

Already, players like Travis Perry and Trent Noah are seeing less time on the court, with Perry’s minutes dropping from 28 per game to just 9 in the last three outings. As a result, their stats are also affected.

On the other hand, guys like Collin Chandler and Brandon Garrison are stepping up. Consider Garrison’s average of 18.5 points over his last two games while shooting 55% from the field. Adding to this inconsistent team is Otega Oweh. One night he drops 28, the next he scores just 2. These reasons could make or break Kentucky’s postseason run.

Then there’s their lack of defense. They’re currently ranked No. 56 in KenPom’s defensive efficiency, and if they can’t find some stability, it could be their downfall. Pope sees it, too.

“They have incredibly capable shooters that are dangerous. They’ve got a non-traditional starting five, four, who’s unbelievable in iso… They have an ability to kind of focus in on some places they want to attack, and come back to them over and over and over again.”

Missouri isn’t just another opponent—they’re a real threat. The numbers don’t lie. They rank seventh nationally in steals, and guys like Caleb Grill (who’s shooting 43.0% from three, third-best in the SEC) and Mark Mitchell (a 6’8”, 232-pound forward who thrives in isolation) make them dangerous.

At 21-9 overall and 10-7 in SEC play, Missouri has had their slip-ups, but they’re still a team capable of taking down anyone. Their epic turnaround is just one example of how they know how to swing back up with every fall. So, what do you think? Will Kentucky rise to the horizon and make Pope’s first season as their boss worth it?