Poll: With no Mitchell, how far will Kentucky advance this season in the tournament?

Poll: How far will this UK team go in the NCAA Tournament?

  • 1st Round

  • 2nd Round

  • Sweet Sixteen

  • Elite Eight

  • Final Four

  • Runner-Up

  • National Champion


Results are only viewable after voting.

Cattorney

Junior
Dec 2, 2024
349
298
63
Good coaches don’t cover for murder
Well, I don't believe he did that either. However, if you have evidence of such, you should notify the authorities.

I do think he is a subpar coach who focuses on offense and running up scores over having quality defenses consistently. He is better than Pope, but he isn't a coach who will contend for NCs consistently.
 
Jul 24, 2026
458
642
93
Well, I don't believe he did that either. However, if you have evidence of such, you should notify the authorities.

I do think he is a subpar coach who focuses on offense and running up scores over having quality defenses consistently. He is better than Pope, but he isn't a coach who will contend for NCs consistently.
Him downplaying his player supplying a gun used in a murder, and not disciplining Brandon Miller who did some crazy sketchy stuff for having no clue his friend was going to shoot someone seems like kinda a coverup for Brandon’s draft stock,

I’m not sure you knew about this
 

Cattorney

Junior
Dec 2, 2024
349
298
63
Him downplaying his player supplying a gun used in a murder, and not disciplining Brandon Miller who did some crazy sketchy stuff for having no clue his friend was going to shoot someone seems like kinda a coverup for Brandon’s draft stock,

I’m not sure you knew about this
Where is your proof of Miller knowing about the gun or taking the gun knowing it was going to be used?

If you have it, you should really turn that over to police. Otherwise, you're simply speculating.
 
Jul 24, 2026
458
642
93
Where is your proof of Miller knowing about the gun or taking the gun knowing it was going to be used?

If you have it, you should really turn that over to police. Otherwise, you're simply speculating.
Cattorney: “Where is your proof of Miller knowing about the gun or taking the gun knowing it was going to be used?”

Dude the first sentence and I know you’ve never even heard of the case, Brandon Millers friend texted him asking for “Brandon to retrieve his gun and bring it to him”

Brandon brought the gun to him and while in the car with his friend witnessed the murder.

supplying a weapon used for murder is a crime but Brandon got sweat heart deal and avoided a charge
 

Cattorney

Junior
Dec 2, 2024
349
298
63
Cattorney: “Where is your proof of Miller knowing about the gun or taking the gun knowing it was going to be used?”

Dude the first sentence and I know you’ve never even heard of the case, Brandon Millers friend texted him asking for “Brandon to retrieve his gun and bring it to him”

Brandon brought the gun to him and while in the car with his friend witnessed the murder.

supplying a weapon used for murder is a crime but Brandon got sweat heart deal and avoided a charge
We've all heard of it bud. It was outside of a bar. But show us your evidence. This shouldn't be thay hard!
 

0r1c

Senior
Jan 4, 2026
263
639
93
You sound miserable. I'm happy to adjust expectations to reality and reality is that Kentucky isn't a great basketball school any longer. I'm going to be happy with a sweet 16 finish because that's rational. If you have delusional expectations that aren't based in reality you are just signing up to be disappointed instead of adjusting expectations to something within reason and learning to be happy with what you have.

College basketball in the grand scheme of things is not that important and something you have very little control over. You can choose to let it be a positive in your life and be happy and satisfied or you can choose to have unrealistic expectations that you know won't be lived up to. I'm simply choosing to be happy with what Kentucky is. I hope you can learn to be happy too.
not reading that talk to yourself
 

Eagles_Ball_69

All-American
Dec 19, 2003
4,670
6,192
82
You sound miserable. I'm happy to adjust expectations to reality and reality is that Kentucky isn't a great basketball school any longer. I'm going to be happy with a sweet 16 finish because that's rational. If you have delusional expectations that aren't based in reality you are just signing up to be disappointed instead of adjusting expectations to something within reason and learning to be happy with what you have.

College basketball in the grand scheme of things is not that important and something you have very little control over. You can choose to let it be a positive in your life and be happy and satisfied or you can choose to have unrealistic expectations that you know won't be lived up to. I'm simply choosing to be happy with what Kentucky is. I hope you can learn to be happy too.
I'm not him, but I am miserable with where the program is and where it has been the last 5 seasons or so.
 
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Reactions: cornbreadnmilk
Oct 9, 2015
14,160
37,594
78
I think I remember Matt saying on his show that Mark was not overly confident in the defense. I think this is an understatement. I think we will have some real issues getting stops. Add to that I don’t feel too confident with our center spot. Add to that I don’t feel too confident about, well……let’s just say I don’t feel too confident. R32 we win, at best.
 

TFCat11

Heisman
Mar 25, 2019
6,315
11,688
108
We will win one tournament game and go home again. Pope will be fired the following Monday.
This is my prediction as of today, as well.
You sound miserable. I'm happy to adjust expectations to reality and reality is that Kentucky isn't a great basketball school any longer. I'm going to be happy with a sweet 16 finish because that's rational. If you have delusional expectations that aren't based in reality you are just signing up to be disappointed instead of adjusting expectations to something within reason and learning to be happy with what you have.

College basketball in the grand scheme of things is not that important and something you have very little control over. You can choose to let it be a positive in your life and be happy and satisfied or you can choose to have unrealistic expectations that you know won't be lived up to. I'm simply choosing to be happy with what Kentucky is. I hope you can learn to be happy too.
Well, then you will be disappointed, or actually, probably not at all, because this Pope team will not sniff a S16. The top and middle of the SEC will eat this team for lunch, and by the time the NCAAT rolls around, they’ll be ready for it to be over… And so will the majority of BBN.
 
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Reactions: JimboBBN
Apr 29, 2026
119
145
43
This is my prediction as of today, as well.

Well, then you will be disappointed, or actually, probably not at all, because this Pope team will not sniff a S16. The top and middle of the SEC will eat this team for lunch, and by the time the NCAAT rolls around, they’ll be ready for it to be over… And so will the majority of BBN.
I would be happy with making it to the second round. I would be ecstatic about making it to the sweet 16 and I think it's possible. I voted for round of 32 though. I think that's where this team is.

So no I won't be disappointed, I'll be happy and the team would be living up to my expectations with a second round exit. If they get eliminated in the first round though that would be disappointing.
 
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Im The Village Idiot

All-American
Sep 7, 2025
2,494
6,199
113
Ignoring Pope's oddities would be like ignoring Cal's cool factor. You can, but both have an effect on their coaching.
I disagree with this being an issue to start with. I think most players these days care most about:

1.) How big is my bag?
2.) How many minutes am I getting?
3.) How much is the ball in my hands?
4.) Where will I be picked in the NBA draft?
5.) How much tv and media exposure will I get?
6.) Can I win a title?

There are coaches that are doing great that aren't exactly cool. If we wanted "cool", no one is beating Cal in that regard.
So, if it matters --- I don't think it matters that much in the current era.

That's not to say Pope will succeed. I don't want to go down that rabbit hole again --- I'm just saying this one factor isn't the be-all-end-all and I don't like making it personal about the coach anyway. I didn't do it with Rick, Tubby, Billy G, or Cal either. I can call out bad coaching without that.
 

darkshadesofblue

All-Conference
Aug 18, 2015
3,736
4,370
103
I know most would disagree but I’m not so sure we’re FF good even with Mitchell. I’m still teetering on S16/E8 maybe FF if things bounce our way, but not good enough to just overwhelm someone with shear talent alone
 

cornbreadnmilk

All-American
Nov 5, 2025
1,702
6,504
113
I would be happy with making it to the second round. I would be ecstatic about making it to the sweet 16 and I think it's possible. I voted for round of 32 though. I think that's where this team is.

So no I won't be disappointed, I'll be happy and the team would be living up to my expectations with a second round exit. If they get eliminated in the first round though that would be disappointing.
That's kind of depressing that you would be thrilled with a sweet 16. This is Pope's 3rd season and he has to do much better or he's out of here IMO.
 
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bleedsblue5

All-Conference
Jul 1, 2025
506
1,083
93
I put national champions, I always believe.

But my faith in our coach to make us elite defensively to pull this off - not great
 

WeWant9

Heisman
Dec 18, 2013
7,006
18,709
113
Depends on our seeding. If they can get a 3 seed or better, I think at least a S16 and then depends on the rest of the bracket. If we are a 4 seed or below, who knows.
 

yoshukai

Heisman
Dec 21, 2002
30,216
43,067
102
Because the days of Kentucky being a tier one basketball program are over. You can't look at how Kentucky has done in the last decade and rationally believe Kentucky is a great basketball program. Historic yes but no longer great.
I hate saying this but realistically…….without the massive help of WWW from 2010-2015 ……we haven’t been to a final four since 1998 .
 
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yoshukai

Heisman
Dec 21, 2002
30,216
43,067
102
Well, I don't believe he did that either. However, if you have evidence of such, you should notify the authorities.

I do think he is a subpar coach who focuses on offense and running up scores over having quality defenses consistently. He is better than Pope, but he isn't a coach who will contend for NCs consistently.
I honestly don’t know who we could get that we can confidently say that about though.
 

yoshukai

Heisman
Dec 21, 2002
30,216
43,067
102
Him downplaying his player supplying a gun used in a murder, and not disciplining Brandon Miller who did some crazy sketchy stuff for having no clue his friend was going to shoot someone seems like kinda a coverup for Brandon’s draft stock,

I’m not sure you knew about this
I believe every single coach in the country would have done the exact same thing. As best as I can remember,Miller wasn’t charged with anything.
 
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Son_Of_Saul

Hall of Famer
Dec 7, 2007
45,915
101,993
113
That's kind of depressing that you would be thrilled with a sweet 16. This is Pope's 3rd season and he has to do much better or he's out of here IMO.
Can you imagine being a high-level booster and knowing you helped put together a war chest of around $47 million combined for the last two seasons, and knowing that Pope still couldn't put together a top 15 team in either season?
 

Son_Of_Saul

Hall of Famer
Dec 7, 2007
45,915
101,993
113
There's no way anyone who voted for Final Four or better would even bet $100 on that.

Everyone knows this upcoming team's ceiling is Elite Eight with a few breaks and luck along the way. 2nd Round/Sweet Sixteen is realistic.
 
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UKWildcats1987

Heisman
Sep 9, 2021
20,355
36,128
113
There's no way anyone who voted for Final Four or better would even bet $100 on that.

Everyone knows this upcoming team's ceiling is Elite Eight with a few breaks and luck along the way. 2nd Round/Sweet Sixteen is realistic.

Got to be trolls or people that always believe their team can win it all every season. U dint get this delusion with tn titans fans or uk football fans though.
 
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Aug 23, 2024
2,991
6,427
113
Almost 9 in 10 think the ceiling is S16. Are all of those fans of other programs? They must be if they can't see the "hope" this team has.
You are being deceptive with this. The question was not what people think the ceiling is but rather a prediction of where UK actually gets to. This is a measure being taken in what is primarily a negative fishbowl tainted by plenty of bias against the coach anyway.
 
Last edited:
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Eagles_Ball_69

All-American
Dec 19, 2003
4,670
6,192
82
You are being deceptive with this. The question was not what people think the ceiling is but rather a prediction of where UK actually gets to. This a measure being taken in what is primarily a negative fishbowl tainted by plenty of bias against the coach anyway.
Here...let me remove deception. 90% think this team will do no better than the S16. That make you feel better?
 

Tray1971

Freshman
Jul 3, 2025
36
66
18
I voted first round by the time ncaa tournament rolls around Kentucky will be a 9 or 10 seed! If they don’t fire pope after the season kentucky basketball will be dead!
 

SenseMaker_Cats

All-American
Jul 3, 2025
2,159
6,458
113
There's no way anyone who voted for Final Four or better would even bet $100 on that.

Everyone knows this upcoming team's ceiling is Elite Eight with a few breaks and luck along the way. 2nd Round/Sweet Sixteen is realistic.
I did it joking around thinking no one else would pick NC. My assumption was way off and my joke not funny.
 
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