Mark Pope previews matchup with Rick Pitino, St. John's in CBS Sports Classic

Since the hire of Mark Pope at Kentucky, St. John’s has been an obvious opponent for them to want on the schedule being coached by his own former coach while with the program in Rick Pitino. Pope had to remind the local media it was even happening, though, at his press conference today in Lexington.

Pope went through a half-hour long presser today with not one question about the Wildcats’ matchup with the Red Storm for the CBS Sports Classic in December, which was announced on May 1st. Despite it being a busy offseason in the bluegrass, he could not believe that no one even asked about it this afternoon.

“First of all, nobody asked about St. John’s? Is this possible?” Pope said at the end of the session. “I’m excited. You guys aren’t excited about this?…Wow.”

With UCLA leaving the field for the CBS Sports Classic, St. John’s was able to take their place in the event along with Kentucky, North Carolina, and Ohio State. It just so happened that this was the season that the Wildcats would be playing the Bruins, which set up this matchup instead between them and the Red Storm. That will now have Pitino, Pope’s coach back from 1993 to 1996, opposing Pope, a team captain for Pitino during that span back when he was at UK himself, in the non-conference. It will also create what should be a top-ranked matchup, considering what both programs have and have added, in Atlanta.

“Man, I’ve been working hard on this game,” said Pope. “I’m so grateful to CBS. I’m grateful to UCLA. I don’t know what happened with UCLA but somehow they’re not in this and St. John’s is. And, it’s awesome. I’m so hyped.”

“The game is going to be elite,” Pope added.

That all said, Pope admitted that he won’t just be trying to win the game against Pitino. He’ll also be going for best-dressed, against one of the more well-dressed coaches in the country, when the two of them take the court on December 20th.

“I’ll be honest with you. Just a, I’m putting this out there so Coach P. can hear it. I am bringing the suit game,” Pope said. “I’ve already started planning. Coach, just be ready, okay. Bring it.

“I’m not going white. I can’t, listen. I’m not trying to be The Don. Like, that position has already been taken. But I’m bringing the thunder. I don’t know what Coach has prepared but he better get with his tailor because it’s on right now.”

Kentucky is going to play quite the non-conference schedule from the end of October through the end of December. However, none will be quite like this one with Pitino, which is why Pope was as surprised as he was that he was the one who had to bring it up.