Kentucky Wesleyan coach explains why he apologized to Mark Pope after exhibition game

The Mark Pope era is off and running at Kentucky. The Wildcats pounded Kentucky Wesleyan 123-52 Wednesday night at Rupp Arena.

It was a performance that had Big Blue Nation in a good mood but left Kentucky Wesleyan head coach Drew Cooper disappointed. In fact, Cooper was so displeased with his team’s performance that he apologized to Mark Pope after the game.

“Yea, I mean, I apologized to coach Pope. I thought we could put up more of a fight,” Drew Cooper said. “I think our guys just didn’t respond to some adverse situations that happened early in the game, things that, I don’t care what level you are, that good teams need to do. And I thought we could have come out and resisted a little bit — much more than we did.”

Kentucky shot 63.1 percent from the field and 50 percent from the 3-point line in the win, while knocking down 21 shots from behind the arc.

The Wildcats led 60-24 at the break and cruised to the win.

“A very finely tuned machine of a basketball team,” Cooper said of the Wildcats. “But I’m not happy with our kind of spiritual effort tonight. So a disappointing night for the Panthers. And like I said, I apologized to coach Pope.”

Cooper did not know much about Pope until recently, but he shared that he is now a big fan of him as a person and coach. He added that Pope could not have been nicer as the two got to know each other leading up to the game.

“I’m talking as a guy that’s been in Division II and Division III my whole life. I’ve had very few encounters with coaches at this level, at the high major level, that are as humble as Mark Pope,” Cooper said. “Getting to know him through this process, I ran into him in South Carolina. I had never met him before, and introduced myself to him. And the way he kind of made me feel like I was one of him, that doesn’t happen every time you go up to coaches that quite frankly make as much money as he does.

“So I will never forget that encounter. Just so welcoming. So I really appreciate him having us. I apologize to him, apologize to Big Blue Nation. I thought we could’ve prepared you guys much better than we did tonight.”