Vanderbilt called its shot before the round-one battle vs. Kentucky. In fact, the Commodores did it in October at SEC Media Days by saying their roster was better than the team Mark Pope assembled in 2025-26 — even with the $22M price tag.
“We’ll be able to compete with everybody in the SEC,” forward Devin McGlockton told KSR at the time.
After the 80-55 win in Nashville, McGlockton revealed that physicality was a glaring weakness for the Wildcats and his head coach, Mark Byington, told the team ‘we could exploit that’ and ‘that’s what we did.’
“It probably was key number one in the game,” Byington confirmed.
They did it with just one player on the roster standing taller than 6-7, winning the paint battle 28-27 and the rebounding battle 43-37 — including a 27-16 advantage in the first half. Mark Pope had no complaints about the analysis, nor could he really argue it. The numbers spoke for themselves.
All he could do was make that a greater point of emphasis moving forward, coming down the home stretch of the regular season. If Byington could see it and exploit it, so could others, certainly in this league.
Pope says focusing on being the aggressor has been a daily task for these Wildcats, the latest example being the team’s win at South Carolina. The tape suggested the Gamecocks would be willing to throw punches, and he was proud of his group’s ability to dodge some and toss ’em right back.
“Well, we’re talking on it, working on it every day,” he said Thursday. “I think we’ve grown a lot in that area. I think with our league, it’s the same thing. It’s elite-level college basketball right now, it’s just really, really physical. So it’s every single night. Going into South Carolina, they have a great physicality.
“When you watch South Carolina’s film at Florida, it’s just a slug fest, right? So that’s something that’s ever-present, and we’re growing. I think we’re making strides in that area.”
Since that embarrassing night inside Memorial Gymnasium, both Kentucky and Vanderbilt are 4-3, though the Commodores remain ranked at No. 25 nationally. The Wildcats won three straight immediately after — including two ranked wins over No. 15 Arkansas and No. 25 Tennessee. They also lost three straight with the streak-breaking win not inspiring a ton of confidence against the worst team UK has seen since Bellarmine on Dec. 23, according to the NET.
How has this team grown mentally and developed physically since that 25-point loss at Vanderbilt? Results aside, Pope has liked the Cats’ approach to every game in terms of acknowledging what it would take to win — though there is room for growth once the ball is tipped.
To their credit, no other blowouts since, but still three losses.
“Well, I think — our focus, I think, has grown. I think we changed a lot of the ways we’re just approaching practice,” Pope said. “I think our ability to kind of channel our emotions is better. I think our understanding of what it takes to compete in this league every single night is a little bit better.
"Ongoing conversation" but still undecided
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“I think our competitive spirit is — I think we’re able to unleash it a little bit better. That was not a happy night for us.”
It’ll be a mix of all of the above when the Wildcats host the Commodores in the revenge battle at Rupp Arena on Saturday. Vanderbilt implied Kentucky was soft going into round one and backed it up with a blowout win, and though UK can’t go in with an emotional chip on its shoulder for the trash talk, it can use that to help build a winning strategy entering round two.
The Cats are going to have to be more physical than they were in Nashville if they want to win. That’s game-specific, obviously, but also league-specific — you’re losing to anybody in the SEC if you come in soft and willingly take punches to the mouth. They’ve seen it go both ways, hence the 18-10 record.
“I know it’s boring, but guys, it’s every game. It’s just every game. This is just the league,” Pope said. “You’re trying to get yourself ready to go against every single team in this league. Every single team is really, really physical, every single team is really good. And so every single game is the biggest game that we’ve ever played. It just is.
“So I don’t know if it’s extra (motivation). We say this all the time, how do you get more than 100? Right? I mean, it just is what it is.”
Vanderbilt will be looking to exploit Kentucky the way it did before and Kentucky will be looking to exploit Vanderbilt the way it could not before. Just like every rematch in the toughest, most physical conference in college basketball.
“This is a big game for them and for us,” he continued. “It’s a big game for every team that you look at in the league; they’re saying the same thing. This is a big game for us. Everyone’s got three games left. It’s time.”
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"Ongoing conversation" but still undecided
What's your section's color, baby?
Will UK avenge early loss to Vandy?
An update from Will Stein.
by a small number over Vandy.
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