The Kentucky Wildcats couldn’t take down the number one ranked program in college basketball, as they fell 94-78 to the Auburn Tigers in a ranked matchup at Rupp Arena. After the deflating defeat, head coach Mark Pope made something clear about Bruce Pearl’s Tigers.

The Wildcats missed a pivotal chance to shock the NCAA with a statement victory over the No. 1 program in the nation. After the loss, Kentucky fell back to a .500 SEC record, and could drop further down in the AP rankings as they were dismantled by the visiting Tigers.

While the defeat stings and will linger in Lexington, Coach Pope knows better than to cry over spilled milk. As the team shifts its focus to the next challenge, he made an honest statement about Auburn.

“Right now, they are the best team in the country,” Kentucky coach Mark Pope said, per On3. “They punished us tonight, for sure.”

Mark Pope the head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats during the 75-64 win against the Tennessee Volunteers at Rupp Arena on February 11, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky.

Auburn got off to a hot start, going on a 12-0 run early in the game, which made the night much easier for Pearl’s side. The first half ended 49-34 in Auburn’s favor, and Kentucky couldn’t trim the lead in the second half.

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Pope praises Pearl and his staff

Kentucky was hoping to build off of their nail-biting victory over Oklahoma, but Auburn proved to be too much for the Wildcats to hold off at Rupp Arena. After the game, Pope credited the Tigers for their sensational performance, for which he had no answers.

“It’s a real credit to their guys, to their players, and a real credit to coach [Bruce] Pearl and his staff because they do a lot of switching on the fly. There is a lot of communication on the fly.

Bruce Pearl the head coach of the Auburn Tigers gives instructions to his team against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on March 01, 2025 in Lexington, Kentucky.

“Auburn played great basketball tonight,” Pope added. “They’ve been playing great basketball all season long. Bruce [Pearl] has done an unbelievable job, not just assembling, but growing and fitting together the pieces on their team. So, congratulations to them.”