Kentucky Basketball: Pope's Fight for Job Security

0:00On March 14, Kentucky's men's basketball team fell short in the SEC tournament quarter finals, losing to Florida 71-63. Its coach, Mark Pope, second year leading the Wildcats, and despite the defeat, he remains confident heading into the big dance. The team wraps up the regular season at 21 wins and 13 losses. Players like Denzel Aberdeen, Muhammad D'Ubaare, and Otega Owe showed flashes, but it wasn't enough for the upset. Pope stressed that his squad showed grit and focus, even in the loss. Fans and big blue nation are growing frustrated, with many online voices doubting the repeated assurances of improvement. They want more accountability on preparation for key match-ups instead of optimistic talk. Pope guided Kentucky to a 24-12 record last season, reaching the sweet 16. An early NCAA exit this time could ramp up pressure on his job security. The official bracket drops Sunday at 6 p.m. Eastern on CBS, with ESPN projecting the Wildcats as a number 7 seed in the East region.

1:02All eyes are on whether they can prove the skeptics wrong.