Mark Pope was (jokingly) taken aback when he heard the news Kentucky would be taking on Purdue — a preseason top-five team with Final Four aspirations — in an October exhibition battle inside Rupp Arena later this year.
“Wait, what? Who scheduled that?” he said, laughing to himself at the audacity of his team taking on a national powerhouse when most go out of their way to host cupcakes in early tune-up opportunities.
Is it crazy? Probably, but it’s just the way he likes it. Any chance he can to build up the schedule and create big-time environments or tests for his program, he wants to take them. When this one came along, he was thrilled to take advantage of it and what it will mean for the Wildcats in the long run.
“This is what I know,” he said this week. “This is going to sound terrible and uncalculating, but I love playing great teams all the time. I love it. I think it’s really important. Anytime there’s any chance we can get great teams to come into Rupp, we’re going to take it. If it’s in the exhibition season or the preseason or the conference season, we’ll take it.”
It’s for his team’s growth first and foremost, seeing how they stack up as a perceived contender against another perceived contender when stakes are low. You have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Beyond that, though, it’s a massive opportunity for fans to get a game you’d see in a high-profile non-conference event or March Madness in the comfort of their own home venue, only earlier and cheaper.
For those reasons, Pope is thrilled to host the Boilermakers on October 24 — and another program he hopes to add to the exhibition schedule in the near future.
“Listen, we care about it — I’m just excited for BBN, that we get to walk in here in late October and play the No. 1 team in the country. I’m really excited about that. I’m excited about that for our fan base. We’re working on another exhibition game that I think is going to be terrific. I’m excited for it, for our fan base.
“I’m excited about it for college basketball. I’m excited about it for our guys, because when you play against great teams, it teaches you so much about yourself.”
Another positive? It gives his group something to look forward to, more so than a lesser-known program from a lower level like most matchups that time of the year. There is a sense of urgency when practice rolls around that they won’t have time for a ramp-up period to beat up on poor competition before the real stuff begins.
If they’re not prepared, they’ll get punched in the mouth before Halloween.
“The chance to do that in an exhibition where the cost might not be so high, and get to do it really early in the season where it’s not just the data you receive after the game and during the game, but it’s all of the energy and juice that it adds to your locker room every day during the summer and during the fall, when you’re like, ‘Hey, we’re preparing for it, guys. This is coming way faster than you might anticipate.’ I think those are all real bonuses,” he added.
Oh, and don’t forget about bringing a coach he believes to be among the best in the sport to Lexington, too. Matt Painter has been doing it at the highest level for two decades with five Big Ten championships, five Big Ten Coach of the Year awards and a Final Four under his belt.
Pope is pretty excited for that head-to-head battle on the sideline — and just about everything else that comes with hosting Purdue.
“Matt Painter is — I don’t know if he’s the best coach in college basketball, but he’s certainly got to be counted among the top couple. What he’s done at Purdue is incredible,” Pope said. “I have so much respect for him, and he makes life really difficult for the teams that play against him, because he’s got a very unique, distinct style of play and style of coaching.
“In every front, that’s going to be so fun.”
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