Kentucky survives Northern Arizona, but ‘Fire Mark Pope’ chants say it all

Kevin Skiver, USA TODAYSat, November 14, 2026 at 2:21 AM UTC

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Not all wins are created equal. Kentucky learned that in dramatic fashion Friday, Nov. 13.

A go-ahead 3-pointer from Alex Wilkins with 2.1 seconds left gave the Wildcats a 78-77 lead, ultimately the final score in a thriller against Northern Arizona that should have been anything but.

"Fire Mark Pope" chants rained down late in the game, as Kentucky tried time and time again to battle its way back in. But after a Max Majerle missed free throw with just over 10 seconds left in a 77-75 game seemingly gave Kentucky new life, Malachi Moreno lost the ball, giving Kentucky a new hill to climb.

‘Elephant in the room’: Former Kentucky star warning for Mark Pope’s future

A subsequent missed free throw from NAU's Chris Komin gave Kentucky yet another opportunity, which the Wildcats this time seized. Wilkins hit a step-back shot that would eventually be the game winner, moving Kentucky to 3-1 on this fledgling season and staving off what would have been a highly embarrassing loss.

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Even so, the competitiveness of this game does not bode well for Pope. There was disquiet around his coaching tenure heading into the year, with Kentucky going 46-26 in his first two seasons and 20-16 in the SEC, with Sweet 16 and second-round exits.

Mark Pope buyout

Should Pope be fired, he would be owed 75% of the $17.25 million left on his contract heading into this season. That's a shade under $13 million until April 1, 2027.

After the game, Pope offered a quote that suggests he may have misread the mood after the win.

"Well, I hope everybody in Rupp had fun," he said. "Like it was a pretty exciting game ... It came down to the last second. It’s pretty entertaining if not well executed. It’s really entertaining. I think this will be a fun team to follow. Like I said, this team. With one exception, they’re finding ways to win games. And we'll continue that ... as we try to settle the ship and execute better.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kentucky survives Northern Arizona, but ‘Fire Mark Pope’ chants say it all

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