Analyst heaps praise on Mark Pope for "living up to expectations" with Kentucky's loaded schedule

Mark Pope's Kentucky added North Carolina to its non-conference schedule earlier this week, sealing a potentially packed game at Rupp Arena on December 2nd. It will be one of the biggest games for the Big Blue Nation fans this year. Apart from the SEC /ACC Challenge, other notable matchups include two contests against the defending NCAA champions.

Analyst Aaron Torres praised the quality of basketball since Pope gripped the Wildcats, especially with the upcoming schedule.

"Mark Pope has said consistently, 'We're Kentucky. We want to be the best at everything - NIL uniforms, transfer portal, we want to have the number one class but he also said scheduling - he said, 'We want to have the number one schedule in America,' and he is certainly living up to expectations," Torres said.

The Wildcats will also host notable schools like Indiana, Gonzaga and Michigan State. They face Louisville and St. John's on the road while playing Purdue in an exhibition.

"If you're a season ticket holder at Rupp Arena - forget the SEC - you get Indiana, North Carolina (and) exhibition against Purdue, it ain't bad.

But I'm just so excited to watch these two teams because again - two different teams, two different programs at two different points in their trajectory for Kentucky. clearly, everything is trending up."

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Mark Pope has one of the best incoming players in the nation

Last offseason, Mark Pope gripped Kentucky after the surprise exit of 15-year-coach John Calipari. Cal's image in the coaching world and impact on the CBB space left the Wildcats with no returning players when Pope joined. This forced his hand to craft a roster out of the portal and recruitment.

NCAA Basketball: Louisiana State at Kentucky - Source: Imagn

All of that has changed this year, as he brings in Braydon Hawthorne (No. 33), Malachi Moreno (No. 27), Jasper Johnson (No. 24) and Croatian PF Andrija Jelavic. The four HS recruits make for the fourth-best recruiting class in the nation, only behind BYU, Duke and Houston.

Mark Pope has showcased his transfer portal acumen. He is bringing six new names from Pittsburgh, Alabama and other renowned schools.