Lamont Butler and Mark Pope saw Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament run end in the Sweet 16 as Kentucky fell to Tennessee 78-65 in a battle of SEC teams in Indianapolis.
It also ended Pope’s first season at the helm of the Wildcats. The former Kentucky standout was hired from BYU to replace John Calipari after the latter stepped down from the program after 15 years before taking the vacant head coaching position at Arkansas.
And while the Wildcats hadn’t been to a Sweet 16 since 2019 — below the standard set by the program’s fans — it took Pope just one season to get them there.
Mark Pope’s impressive first season comes to an end. pic.twitter.com/n5d0J28tCX
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) March 29, 2025
There were obvious emotions being poured out after the game, including between Butler, whose college career has come to an end, and Pope. The two shared an embrace while heading back to the locker room, as you can see from video shot by WLWT sports anchor Charlie Clifford
Mark Pope consoling Lamont Butler postgame. pic.twitter.com/NPFqmJ2Y5V
— Charlie Clifford (@char_cliff) March 29, 2025
Butler transferred to Kentucky after 4 seasons at San Diego State, who he helped lead to the 2023 national championship game. He averaged 11.4 points in 27 games in 2024-25 while dealing with a shoulder injury. He was held scoreless against Troy in the first round but scored 14 points against Illinois before an 18-point outing against Tennessee on Friday.
