Mark Pope defends Kentucky fans booing him: 'Incredibly well deserved'

On Friday, Kentucky fell 94-59 to No. 11 Gonzaga, the worst loss of Wildcats head coach Mark Pope‘s career. Kentucky fans traveled in droves to Nashville only to watch a blowout loss. And, when things began to turn south for the Wildcats, they didn’t hesitate to express their frustration.

Boos echoed throughout Bridgestone Arena for much of the game. After the loss, Mark Pope addressed fans’ obvious disapproval in his team’s performance.

“All the boos we heard tonight were incredibly well deserved, especially for me,” Pope said. “We’ve got to fix it.”

With the loss, Kentucky is 5-4 this season after entering the 2025-26 campaign ranked No. 9 in the country. The Wildcats are 0-4 against ranked opponents. Before falling to Gonzaga, Kentucky suffered a 67-64 loss to North Carolina on Tuesday.

While UK fans remained relatively positive during the loss to UNC, Kentucky didn’t give its fanbase much to cheer for on Friday. In the defeat, Kentucky shot 16-60 (27%) from the field and 7-34 (21%) from beyond the arc.

In fact, Gonzaga big man Graham Ike made more 2-pointers in the game than Kentucky’s entire roster combined. The Bulldogs racked up 46 points in the paint, compared to the Wildcats’ mere 18.

SEC Preseason Player of the Year Otega Oweh led Kentucky with 16 points, five rebounds and five assists. Collin Chandlers (11 points) was the only other Kentucky player who scored double-digits.

Kentucky fans weren’t the only ones who let out their frustration during game. Former Wildcats star Demarcus Cousins took to social media, claiming this year’s UK team “has no heart.” Following the loss, Pope addressed Cousins’ comment.

“I have no issue with what he said in that, if you’re watching the game, starting with the head coach, this product was completely unacceptable,” Pope said. “As a former player, I’m pissed at those two. There’s nothing inappropriate about what he said at all.”

Mark Pope was the team captain of Kentucky’s 1996 national championship team. He is in his second season as the Wildcats’ head coach. Kentucky fans are particularly disappointed in the product on the floor after the program reportedly spent a nation-high $22 million on its roster this season.

Just a week from today, Kentucky will face off against Indiana inside Rupp Arena at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will air live on ESPN.