Pope and his Cats are surging and will take on a high-tempo Buckeyes squad.
The Kentucky Wildcats have a few signature wins on the season, taking down the Gonzaga Bulldogs and the Duke Blue Devils, both of which are among the highly-touted teams in college hoops.
What could’ve been another top-25 matchup, their game with Ohio State on Saturday, is now expected to be an easy battle for the Cats.
The Buckeyes lost to the No. 2 Auburn Tigers 91-53 on Dec. 14, and they have a slew of discouraging performances against teams like Texas A&M, Maryland (a 24-point loss) and Pittsburgh. They were, at one point earlier in the season after beating Texas, a top-25 program, but that title was taken away relatively quickly.
Ohio State is 7-4 on the season. However, don’t tell Mark Pope that, as he’s been clearly studying this Buckeyes team and expects a battle on Saturday from Madison Square Garden in New York City.
“Terrific team, they shoot the ball at an unbelievable clip. I think, as a team, they’re shooting 41% from the 3-point line. They play fast. They play hard. It’s a great coaching staff. They’re a formidable opponent. It’s a really, really good team,” said Pope.
The Wildcats are coming off a 93-85 home win vs. the Louisville Cardinals last Saturday and are a strong 10-1 on the season. That lone loss was on the road against the now-top-25 Clemson Tigers.
Also, a high-pace team, expect the Cats’ battle with the Buckeyes to be one full of 3-point attempts and ample scoring.
In the history of the CBS Sports Classic, Kentucky is 0-2 vs. Ohio State.