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Kentucky releases FaceTime between Mark Pope, Rick Pitino confirming 2025-26 matchup

Grant Grubbs Profile Pictureby: Grant Grubbs05/01/25grant_grubbs_
Kentucky HC Mark Pope, Rick Pitino
Scott Utterback | Courier Journal | USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images - Wendell Cruz | Imagn Images

It’s official. Kentucky and St. John’s are squaring off on Dec. 20 in the CBS Sports Classic. On Thursday, Kentucky men’s basketball released a recording of a FaceTime between Wildcats head coach Mark Pope and the Red Storm’s Rick Pitino discussing the matchup.

“It’s 30 years since you won your first national championship and I got mine, thanks to you,” Pope said. “I think we should give the Johnnies and all of BBN the greatest Christmas gift ever on Dec. 20 in ‘Catlanta,’ what do ya say?”

“It feels like it was about seven, eight years ago that we won the championship,” Pitino responded. “But I coached one of the greatest teams in the history of the game and you were the captain. And now we get to coach against each other. I’m just turning 60 years of age and you’re still young.”

The pair exchanged a pair of “love you’s” and ended the conversation but both fanbases will be buzzing for months to come. As the two mentioned, they share an unusual amount of history.

Pope was the team captain on Pitino’s 1996 National Championship team at Kentucky. To kick off his debut campaign at the helm of Kentucky, Pope invited Rick Pitino to his inaugural Big Blue Madness.

Pitino attended, along with the members of the 1996 National Championship team, and was welcomed back into Rupp Arena with open arms; a moment that would’ve seemed impossible only a few years before and most Kentucky fans considered Pitino their sworn enemy.

Now, Big Blue Nation will have a chance to revive some of that bad blood as the Wildcats face off against St. John’s in Atlanta on Dec. 20. St. John’s is replacing UCLA, which had been part of the showcase since 2014.

While Pitino loves his former player, he certainly won’t shy away from the showdown. During an appearance on Pardon My Take earlier this year, Pitino provided a hilarious answer when asked about potentially facing Pope and Co. in the NCAA Tournament.

“I would love it because we got to the 32. We got by the first round,” Pitino said with a laugh. “No, I think Kentucky’s probably a polar opposite basketball team than us. They are a brilliant offensive team.

“Although, we get a lot of assists per game. We have a high number of assists. Kentucky is a five-out basketball team. We’re a terrific defensive team, offensive rebounding team. We’re great off the bounce. But I would love it obviously.”