Mark Pope's Kentucky team made the trip to Knoxville to take on the Tennessee Volunteers in a game no one thought the shorthanded Wildcats would win. Despite this, without Lamont Butler and Andrew Carr,

The coaching contract details for Mark Pope at Kentucky and John Calipari at Arkansas ahead of Saturday’s SEC basketball showdown in Rupp Arena.

There’s more at stake in Tuesday night’s Kentucky-Tennessee basketball game than simply a win against an SEC rival.

Unlike Lamont Butler, Andrew Carr was unable to take the floor against the Commodores on Saturday afternoon. A back injury prevented the fifth year senior from practicing for multiple weeks, and on Saturday, Pope made the decision to keep him out for the game.

Kentucky's Mark Pope started his coaching career at Rupp Arena with 11 straight wins. How does that start compare to other first-year UK coaches?

Kentucky point guard Lamont Butler dribbled stealthily along the baseline before turning on a dime back toward the basket, attempting to muster a decent look late in the shot clock. With the No. 9 Wildcats nursing a four-point lead at Vanderbilt and under eight minutes remaining,

Pope's Wildcats have enjoyed a fast start this season. His success has reached a point where media pundits like ESPN's Jay Williams deemed him the favorite to earn national Coach of the Year honors. However, Kentucky's latest loss to Vanderbilt has effectively crushed the dream, and even the fans know it.

On Saturday afternoon — and fresh from a week off from games — No. 9 UK fell 74-69 at Vanderbilt. The Wildcats battled back from a 14-point halftime deficit to take a seven-point lead with 8:39 to play, but head coach Mark Pope’s team faltered down the stretch.

Kentucky's Ansley Almonor and Koby Brea, forced into the starting lineup because of key injuries, helped lead the Cats past host Tennessee on Tuesday.

Good morning, folks! We’re in for a busy day in the world of Kentucky basketball. First, we’ll hear from men’s head coach Mark Pope this afternoon as he prepares for Saturday’s highly-anticipated showdown against John Calipari‘s Arkansas Razorbacks.

Contrast that success with Calipari’s first Arkansas team, which needed six tries to notch its first SEC win of the year, and Kentucky fans figure to have plenty of ammunition Saturday. The Razorbacks are just 12-8 overall, and their 1-6 start to SEC play has them looking like a long shot for an NCAA Tournament berth.