4 minutes ago, Jumper_Dad said:

Irrelevant, both teams started with a complete blank slate last spring.

Kelsey deserves every consideration for COY as does Pope. It won't be a travesty if either were to win or even if neither does. 

To be fair Kelsey is listed above Pope in almost every coach of the year rankings. Even this article from ESPN on Jan 24th, had Kelsey ahead of Pope. That was even before UK lost to Vandy, and lost 3 of their last 6. 

Both deserve to be in the conversation though. 

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/page/CBBblockbuster0124/mens-college-basketball-coach-year-rankings-bruce-pearl-2025

1 minute ago, Jumper_Dad said:

I never said they had, maybe I misunderstood what you were saying. I didn't realize you were talking about injured players, I read it differently. 

16th originally used injuries as a reason why Pope should win it as opposed to Kelsey. 

2 hours ago, TheDeuce said:

Cats just have Tennessee's number this year. 

What's strange is it seems like it should be a bad matchup but it really isn't. I do think Tennessee is lacking the big physical guys they've had in the past. Seemingly so many eastern European bangers in the past but the eastern European guy they have now is more of a stretch-4, albeit a really good one.

This team is so unpredictable, especially when it comes to having Tennessee's number.  Good win with or without Robinson. 

11 hours ago, futurecoach said:

Unfortunately the other coach in this state has also done a great job, and probably even more deserving with the job he has done at UL considering how bad they were the two years under Payne. 

I agree. Pope has more wins against ranked teams, but Kelsey accomplishing what he has in less than a full season with Louisville is very impressive for where Louisville was under Payne’s two years. Yes, the ACC obviously isn’t as strong as a conference but for Louisville to have as many wins as they do was something MANY didn’t see happening, myself included. It wouldn’t matter if it was Kelsey or anyone else, Louisville basketball is far beyond where they had been. 

In this day and age of NIL and transfer portal, comparing programs from year to year is out the window.  Pope and Kelsey both inherited roster messes and they have both done a bang up job in their first yeas.  

I will take the head to head win and let Kelsey have COY.  Little brother needs some feel good stories...it's been a decade since they have had something to be proud/relevant about.

 

The Rupp crowd was as good as I have seen from start to finish last night.  Lot's of energy, when there was a little lull in play, the fans got on their feet instead of sitting on their hands.

That makes a huge difference to a team of overachievers who are having to play above their heads right now!

Isn’t it great to see players get an opportunity to perform and then perform? Noah and Perry have been afforded an opportunity and took advantage, without mentioning any name, they would have never been afforded that opportunity before Pope became our leader.

I don't see how Tennessee has accomplished what they have this year. Certainly don't look top 5 level.

1 minute ago, Voice of Reason said:

I don't see how Tennessee has accomplished what they have this year. Certainly don't look top 5 level.

Kenpom ranks them as the #1 defense, although Kentucky has seemingly scored at will against them. He has them as the #39 offense but I can't figure out where the scoring comes from. They are 340th in tempo, so maybe that is it: just grind everyone down? They certainly seem lacking compared to some recent Volunteer teams.

1 hour ago, nikeman49 said:

Isn’t it great to see players get an opportunity to perform and then perform? Noah and Perry have been afforded an opportunity and took advantage, without mentioning any name, they would have never been afforded that opportunity before Pope became our leader.

Your comment would hold more weight if Pope was actually deciding to play them, instead of basically forced to play them due to injury. If it wasn’t for injuries this year, neither of them was really going to see meaningful minutes once UK got to conference play. So let’s not act like Pope was playing them by choice, as much as basically having to play them. 
 

Which it is awesome seeing Noah and Perry take advantage of the opportunity and make big time plays when given the chance. Which I think Perry will look even better in future years, when he isn’t be forced to play the pg spot due to injuries. He would be a real threat playing off the ball, even though defense probably will always been an issue for him. Noah right now does all the little things well and shoots it well too. It’s been fun to watch, and definitely have earned the right to keep getting minutes now even if we eventually get fully healthy. 

On 2/11/2025 at 9:59 PM, TheDeuce said:

Irrelevant. 

Completely fail to see why that is irrelevant, seems very relevant to me!

On 2/11/2025 at 10:53 PM, futurecoach said:

I do agree it is not really that close, but in the opposite way of what you think. I think at this moment Kelsey would be in front of Pope on almost all people that vote for coach of the year. Like it or not Pope and Kelsey didn’t take over programs that was on even ground when they took over. As much as you may not have liked Cal, UK was in the last 3 years was a 2 and a 3 seed. So very good year before failing in the tournament. On the flip side Kelsey took over a program that won a total of 12 games in two years. That is truly historically bad. This season is not even over yet, and Kelsey has won more games this year than the last two years combined. He has won more conference games this year, than Louisville has won the last 3 years combined. Not to mention he has did that while dealing with a bunch of injuries this year too.  What he has done getting the Louisville program back up from where it’s been the last few years, is still more impressive than the job Pope has done so far. 
 

Don’t get me wrong what Pope has done this year against some of the top teams is very impressive. However, at the end of the day what Kelsey has done for Louisville this year, is still more impressive than what Pope has done. 

Disagree.  How many of the players that were on UK’s roster the last 2 years are on the roster now??  Oh yeah, 0!!  Pope had to build a whole new roster!

1 minute ago, 16thBBall Fan said:

Disagree.  How many of the players that were on UK’s roster the last 2 years are on the roster now??  Oh yeah, 0!!  Pope had to build a whole new roster!

Your point? I mean literally that is what a lot of college basketball teams have to do in today's world with the transfer portal. Roster's literally get flipped every year. Shoot at UK we have basically been doing that for almost 13 years, as it seemed like it was a new roster every year with Cal during the one and done stuff. Ky as a program, while failing in the tournament the last few years, was no where near as much in shambles as the Louisville program was. UK was having good regular season's earning a 2 and 3 seed before being upset. While UL was winning a total of 12 games in 2 year. Louisville literally has won more conference games this year already, than the last 3 years combined. They have already more total wins than the last two years combined. 

Pope has done a good job no doubt, and brought energy back to the program and has a lot of good wins this year. No one is taking that away from him. However, in regards to who has done a better job as a coach for their program, it is Kelsey for Louisville and it's really not close. Hence why basically every ranking has him above Pope in regards to coach of the year. 

Now the guy that probably will win it, is another former UK coach in Pitino. The job he has done St. Johns and how he has them positioned to possibly make a final four run is the most impressive out of everyone. 

1 minute ago, futurecoach said:

Your point? I mean literally that is what a lot of college basketball teams have to do in today's world with the transfer portal. Roster's literally get flipped every year. Shoot at UK we have basically been doing that for almost 13 years, as it seemed like it was a new roster every year with Cal during the one and done stuff. Ky as a program, while failing in the tournament the last few years, was no where near as much in shambles as the Louisville program was. UK was having good regular season's earning a 2 and 3 seed before being upset. While UL was winning a total of 12 games in 2 year. Louisville literally has won more conference games this year already, than the last 3 years combined. They have already more total wins than the last two years combined. 

Pope has done a good job no doubt, and brought energy back to the program and has a lot of good wins this year. No one is taking that away from him. However, in regards to who has done a better job as a coach for their program, it is Kelsey for Louisville and it's really not close. Hence why basically every ranking has him above Pope in regards to coach of the year. 

Now the guy that probably will win it, is another former UK coach in Pitino. The job he has done St. Johns and how he has them positioned to possibly make a final four run is the most impressive out of everyone. 

My point is UK and UL both started at basically the same point this year, the last few years of BOTH programs really have NOTHING to do with what is happening this year