The Mark Pope era in Kentucky arrived with a bang, and the Wildcats’ faithful must be happy. Former head coach John Calipari dubbed Pope “the perfect guy for the job” before passing him the whistle. And, Pope is living up to the billing. With an impressive 8-1 start to the season, the Wildcats are showing flashes of their former glory. Sure, they’ve had slow starts, but the new coach’s ‘halftime adjustments’ have been masterful. Fascinated?

According to The Field of 68, Pope has more wins when trailing by 16 or more points at halftime in just five weeks than Calipari managed in 15 years. The Wildcats, under Pope’s short stint so far are 1-0 in such games, compared to a glaring 0-6 under Cal. Hence, everyone is now wondering if the program’s best days might actually be ahead, not behind.

Kentucky’s recent thrilling 90-89 overtime win against Gonzaga marked a historic record. The Wildcats trailed 50-34 at halftime—a daunting 16-point deficit—against the No. 7 Bulldogs. Andrew Carr’s 19 points spearheaded the comeback, while Amari Williams and Otega Oweh delivered clutch buckets in overtime. 

Kentucky outscored Gonzaga 56-39 after halftime, tying the game at 79 with just 49 seconds left in regulation. Oweh’s go-ahead layup in overtime sealed the deal. Gonzaga’s 175-game winning streak when leading by double digits at halftime as a result of this defeat? Snapped!

“We just never gave up,” said fifth-year senior Jaxson Robinson, who added 18 points and a team-high 5 assists. Pope, ever the optimist, had his own comment, “Late-night game? People that went to sleep at halftime are gonna be so sad.”

However, we can’t forget that Cal turned this struggling program into a national powerhouse back in 2009. Under his leadership, the Wildcats reached the Final Four four times in six years, highlighted by the 2012 national championship. In 15 years, the coach went 410-123. 

His one-and-done recruiting strategy brought in future NBA stars like Anthony Davis, John Wall, and Devin Booker. However, his magic started to wane. After 2015, the Wildcats never made it back to the Final Four. Finally, in April, he stunned the hoop world by leaving Lexington for Fayetteville’s Arkansas Razorbacks, taking some of Kentucky’s top players and recruits with him.

But the good part is, the program has Pope now. Since his arrival, he has reignited the fire. Moreover, he’s not just about Xs and Os as he’s a motivator and a life coach. So, what’s his secret to keep that winning mindset?

Mark Pope’s secret to Kentucky’s success

It’s not just his game strategy that’s working. Coach Mark Pope is also making sure his team wins in life, and that’s been a huge factor in their success so far. One of the biggest things he’s brought to the table this season? Gratitude. He truly believes in the power of gratitude, and he’s made it a cornerstone of the Wildcats’ success. 

“You cannot be more happy than you are grateful,” he says. For Pope, happiness isn’t about fame or wealth, it’s all about appreciating what you have and making the most of every moment. And this isn’t just some motivational speech, he has his players practice gratitude every single day. 

“We practice gratitude because you can actually get better at being grateful,” Pope explained. After practice, the team gathers for a “gratitude circle,” where everyone takes turns sharing something they’re thankful for. It sounds simple, but it’s helped build a real sense of camaraderie. Certainly, this focus on gratitude seems to be working wonders for the Wildcats. 

Last week, they moved up 14 spots in the AP rankings in just two weeks. So, with all this momentum and securing more important wins like Duke and Gonzaga, let’s see if Mark Pope can actually shock everyone and bring Kentucky back to prominence this season.