With the score tied in the final seconds, the nation's most celebrated teenaged basketball prospect sensed it was his moment. Cooper Flagg got the mismatch he wanted against 6-foot-11 Andrew Sarr and prepared to attack him off the dribble.

Pope played two seasons at Kentucky, winning a national championship with the program in 1996 under legendary coach Rick Pitino. Following five seasons piloting BYU, Pope accepted the head job for the Wildcats this past April to succeed John Calipari.

It wasn't an easy decision, but when Mark Pope decided to return to coach his alma mater, he took on all the pressure of UK fandom.

Otega Oweh knocked down four free throws in the final 10.3 seconds and No. 19 Kentucky claimed the first big win of Mark Pope’s coaching tenure, knocking off No. 6 Duke 77-72 at the Champions Classic in Atlanta.

In the opening game of a doubleheader, top-ranked Kansas defeated Michigan State 77-69 to give Bill Self his 591st win as coach at Kansas. Self surpassed the legendary Phog Allen as the school’s all-time winningest coach.

Coach John Calipari leaving for Arkansas came as a bit of a shock, so it is always interesting to hear his former Kentucky player's thoughts on Coach Mark Pope

So far, Mark Pope has been playing 10 players early and often in Kentucky’s games. Can that continue all season for this UK basketball team?