“These kinds of games weren’t happening under Calipari” – Mark Pope’s Kentucky stuns Gonzaga in a comeback thriller

In a stunning upset, the Kentucky Wildcats, led by coach Mark Pope, defeated the top-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs 88-81 in a thrilling comeback game at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. The win marks a major upset for the Wildcats, who were considered huge underdogs going into the game.

The Bulldogs, led by star player Drew Timme, came out strong in the first half, building a 10-point lead with just over 10 minutes left to play. However, the Wildcats refused to give up, and a late surge in the half brought them within three points at halftime.

The second half was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams trading baskets and neither able to pull away. The Wildcats continued to chip away at the lead, and with just over 5 minutes left to play, they tied the game at 73-73.

The crowd was electric as both teams battled for possession and played some of their best basketball of the game. With just over a minute left, the Wildcats took their first lead of the half on a jumper by Oscar Tshiebwe, and they never looked back.

The Bulldogs had one final chance to tie the game, but a desperation three-pointer by Timme rimmed out, and the Wildcats emerged victorious. The win marks Kentucky’s first victory over a top-ranked team in the tournament since 2014.

For Coach Mark Pope, it was a huge statement win for his program. “These kinds of games weren’t happening under Calipari,” he said in a post-game interview, referring to his predecessor John Calipari. “I think our team is learning how to win these kinds of games. We’ve been in some tough situations this year, and we’ve come out on top more often than not.”

The win also marked a significant milestone for Tshiebwe, who scored a game-high 25 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. The junior forward has been a dominant force all season, and his performance against Gonzaga solidified his status as one of the top players in the country.

For Gonzaga, the loss is a tough pill to swallow. The Bulldogs were looking to make their first Final Four appearance since 2017, but they will now have to regroup and try to advance through the tournament again next year.

Despite the loss, Coach Mark Few was proud of his team’s effort. “We gave it everything we had,” he said. “I’m proud of our guys for fighting like that. It’s tough to lose like this, but we’ll learn from it and come back stronger next year.”

The win sets up a potential Sweet 16 matchup for Kentucky against either Arkansas or Baylor. The Wildcats will have their work cut out for them if they hope to advance further in the tournament, but they have shown that they are capable of pulling off big upsets.

For now, though, Kentucky will bask in the glory of their stunning upset victory over Gonzaga. It’s a moment that will be remembered for years to come, and one that has given new life to a program that was once considered stagnant.

As Coach Pope put it after the game: “This is what we’re building towards. This is what we want our program to be about – winning big games and making deep runs in the tournament. I’m proud of our guys for believing in each other and making it happen.”