Pope, Kentucky fueled up for exhibition opener against Kentucky Wesleyan

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Drivers in downtown Lexington got a bit of a treat Monday afternoon: A 6-foot-10-inch man in the middle of one of the busiest thoroughfares in the city dealing with a car that was out of gas.

Yes, it was Pope's car. His wife, Lee Anne, he told Field of 68, had run out of fuel. He sprung into action from Memorial Coliseum with a few graduate assistants and got to the scene as Lexington Police were assisting. Crisis averted. Story to tell.

It's all part of a day's work for the man tasked with carrying the storied University of Kentucky basketball legacy into the new and ever-changing college basketball landscape.

Wednesday night in Rupp Arena, it begins with a visit from NCAA Division II Kentucky Wesleyan. First, let's dispense with the obligatory "we can't wait to play somebody else" quote.

Just drove by Lexington Metro helping someone who ran out of gas in the middle of Broadway and had traffic merged to one lane…it was @CoachMarkPope 😂 What a relatable guy.
— Drew (@DrewMerriman) October 22, 2024

"I cannot wait to have all my guys on one bench," Pope said during an alumni event at Churchill Downs on Monday. "I can't wait. What we're going to do is see if we can play with all of the intensity and all the panache, all of the drive and the fight you get when fatigue doesn't enter the contest."

Quick aside: When was the last time UK had a coach that would use "panache" in a pregame conversation?

Pope's offensive reputation is built on movement and passing, on pace, pace, pace. He has built a team that, by all accounts, has bought into that philosophy.

On Wednesday night, Kentucky fans get to start putting faces with names, matching skill sets with Pope's style of basketball. An entirely new roster has pressed the "reset" button on a program that has made first-round NCAA Tournament exits twice in the past three years. But in Lexington, there is rarely a reset on expectations.

"I'm looking to see if our intensity level can get to a 9.5 and we can really be there and sustain it for 40 minutes," Pope said. "Every second of 40 minutes with the 12 terrific basketball players we have. That's our goal."

In a Blue-White intrasquad scrimmage on Friday night, the split squad combined for 49 three-point attempts.

"We're a green light team," Pope said. "We want to be really aggressive, and we want to do it together. We want to earn each other's shots. Our guys have a feel for that, which is going to be fun to watch it grow."

Pope has spent the preseason preaching his message of enthusiasm for Kentucky basketball, and praising his players for their willingness to blend themselves together quickly into the kind of team he wants to see.

On Wednesday night, the first indicators of that effort go on display.

Don't expect Pope to run out of gas.