VIDEO: Kentucky HC Mark Pope Previews SEC Tourney
UK boss thinks Cats are ready for postseason.
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MARK POPE Q&A:
* On Collin Chandler's role... More and more comfortable on the floor. Gives us some things that we don't have a lot of on this roster. Defensively, really valuable. And we need him attacking on offense. He's going to be big in the postseason.
* On advance scouting Georgia and Oklahoma... Have three teams doing that work. Two are working on those teams we may face first, and a third team is looking at potential matchup with Alabama.
* On whether they can add things at this point in the season... Maybe not add, but just get better at the things we've found that are working, like our growth on defense. Analytically, I haven't seen a team improve like we have on the defensive end of the floor.
* On dealing with the pressure of the postseason... The beauty of coaching at UK is people expect you to win every game. We live in that. There's some comfort in that. You really don't feel the temperature getting turned up much more than it is.
* Managing their schedules to be prepared for late tips. Jokes that it's gonna be a little bit past his bedtime.
* Our goal is to come here and win. And the way that we can come here and win is to be all-in on the next possession every game. We have to be lost in that next possession we're playing.
* Lamont Butler matters a lot at this time of year. Can't replace experience. Then laughs as says we don't have anyone who's played in the SEC Tournament.
* On Bridgestone being a homecourt advantage... It's Kentucky, and there's no fan base like this in the world. There's nothing that my guys would love more than to gift BBN an incredible weekend here.
* What would it take to get to Sunday... All guts and discipline. The nervousness will eventually go away, and then it's all passion. That's going to matter a lot this year with this league and how crazy it's been.
* On having the same lineup and rotation for a few games now... Still have dreams that Jaxson is OK and ready to go. But knowing what we have, that continuity, we are grateful for it.
* Asked if he has a favorite SEC Tourney memory, Pope says they played in the championship game against Arkansas his junior year, and it remains one of the best games he's ever been a part of in his life. The 1995 game that went to OT and the Rod Rhodes saga. Anthony Epps stepping up and hitting huge shots.
* On Pitino having an unbelievable record in this event, and whether he learned anything from his old coach... "We're about to find out." (smiles)
