Mark Pope is a man of the people. We know this. He’s stuck around for hours following games at Rupp Arena, signing every autograph and taking every picture until every member of Big Blue Nation left satisfied.

The Kentucky Wildcats are transitioning into a new era under Mark Pope. Even so, they’re still a blue-collar program, and, as such, they’re expected to compete at the highest level. That’s why it’s been so frustrating to watch them get off to slow starts and dig themselves into big holes to start games.

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