Mark Pope wants to check the tape to see his reaction to Collin Chandler's dunk

How much better does Denzel Aberdeen make this team? With a true point guard back in the lineup, Collin Chandler was able to shift back to his natural spot and take flight.

Chandler’s dunk is the highlight of Kentucky’s 77-51 win over Nicholls, a surefire candidate for SportsCenter‘s Top 10. Chandler has thrown down several impressive slams during his time as a Wildcat, jumping over Mark and Lee Anne Pope to win the dunk contest in his first Big Blue Madness and John Wall to win his second. The sophomore had a few big dunks in the preseason, but none were as big as tonight’s, a one-handed tomahawk slam that brought Rupp Arena to its feet and pushed Kentucky’s lead to 32.

“It was fun, right?” Mark Pope said afterward during his postgame press conference. “That was — I’m actually curious to see my reaction. Usually, I can stay stone cold. I assume I did on this one, but I’m not sure. We’ll see. But that was spectacular.”

We’ve gotten a million angles of Chandler’s dunk since it happened, but sadly, none show Pope’s reaction. I’m sure the UK Sports Video staff will find one. In the meantime, let’s be grateful that Chandler can move back to the two with Aberdeen — and potentially Jaland Lowe — back in the lineup moving forward.

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“Two is his natural position, for sure,” Pope told Tom Leach. “In fact, he’s practiced almost all of his reps this season at two; we just had to move him over because we lost Denzel and J. Lowe. So, he did an admirable job filling in there. He can fill in the spot at the one, but he’s definitely more comfortable at the two. He’s actually way more effective guarding the two. It’s a happier space for him, too, so positionally, it’s nice to be able to get him back there a little bit.”

Mark Pope played two seasons at Kentucky and six in the NBA. When asked by Leach, he couldn’t say where Chandler’s dunk ranks among the many he’s seen, but for tonight at least, it’s near the top.

“Well, I’ve seen some incredible dunks, but that was actually spectacular. That was impressive. I think he brought it all the way behind his head, like not just to the side, but all the way back. That was really impressive.”

Welcome back (to the two), Collin Chandler.