Wildcats feel boos were 'quite understandable' and 'deserved,' promise reward of Kentucky wins

Big Blue Nation showered their Kentucky Wildcats with boos essentially from start to finish during the team’s 35-point loss in Nashville, making it clear they wouldn’t stand for poor effort — which the players admit must improve if they want to turn this thing around.

The feedback was surreal sitting inside Bridgestone Arena, almost as though fans hit their breaking point after six years of underperforming as a program. They were promised a Ferrari with 1995-96 comparisons and have only seen a Ford Pinto looking closer to the 2020-21 squad. As the deficit grew, starting as early as two minutes in, the boos grew louder and louder to the point of becoming deafening.

Mark Pope didn’t shield himself or the team from that telling feedback, immediately calling all of it justified.

“We feel the responsibility we have to this university and this fan base, and that all the boos that we heard tonight were incredibly well deserved, mostly for me, and we have to fix it,” he said after the loss. “That’s all we have. As you roll through life, you just have your response, and our response, so far, it’s not been adequate, and we have to fix it.”

With the dust now settled on Gonzaga and attention turned toward NC Central (but really Indiana and St. John’s, if we’re being honest), how did that fan reaction sit with the players? Collin Chandler said immediately afterward it was up to the Wildcats “to do a better job at showing up for them and playing for them” because “we care about BBN and the people that come support us.”

Denzel Aberdeen and Jasper Johnson said the same 72 hours later.

“Not surprising, really. It’s quite understandable,” the former said of the boos at Bridgestone Arena. “People pay money to come see us. They support us each and every game, whether it’s home or away. That’s some people’s vacation, just coming to see us play, which is amazing that they come. Very thankful for our fans, so it’s quite understandable. 

“We know we’re not playing the way we should be playing, and we’re going to change it moving forward.”

Part of that has to do with the “energy and effort” they feel are lacking at this point, a non-negotiable. The other part has to do with the simple execution they’re all missing right now in terms of making shots and defending.

All of it is booable — and fixable.

“Yeah, we heard the boos, but we’re just trying to focus on what we do as a team. I know that we’re all we have, so going out and competing at a high level is all we’re worried about,” Johnson said. “… Some of the boos that we heard towards us, I mean, partially were deserved. I feel like we didn’t put our best foot forward in the game. We could have performed better. But, it’s basketball. I mean, there’s a ton of different things that can affect the outcome of a basketball game. 

“I mean, we’re just trying to move forward, and hopefully we will never get those boos again.”

The current situation is what it is, sitting at 5-4 on the season with no quality wins. They won’t get one until this weekend, at minimum, considering NC Central is ranked No. 350 in KenPom — the worst team on the schedule. What can you do?

Move on and win the next one, then the next, and the one after that. Just keep going, get the snowball rolling down the hill and turn this disaster into a remarkable turnaround story.

They still feel it’s possible.

“We know our main goal is to win number nine,” Aberdeen told KSR. “Just changing the narrative right now. Like I said, winning games. It starts with winning games and putting our pride up. We’ve just got to win and do what we can to win number nine.”

And his message to fans losing hope that such a fix is possible? They understand they haven’t lived up to the early hype, but they’re committed to making this right for you, Big Blue Nation.

“Just keep sticking with us,” Aberdeen continued. “We’re going to fight, do everything we can to win number nine for you guys this year, and we’re going to push and change the narrative around us. We’re going to go hard each and every day like we’ve been doing, but as far as games, we’re going to win more games. We’re going to be good.”

It technically starts with NC Central on Tuesday, but really, it’s all about the two after that against the Hoosiers and Johnnies.

Just hit singles — it’s not gonna happen overnight with a single swing.