Kentucky basketball's illustrious March Madness record could play a role the NCAA Tournament this season even though the Wildcats are not in the field.
Former UK star Mark Pope, a member of the Wildcats' 1996 national championship team, will coach his first NCAA Tournament game on Saturday with No. 6 seed BYU. With NCAA Tournament experience lacking among the Cougars' players and coaches, Pope's run with Kentucky could prove more important than one might expect this month.
"Mainly for our team chemistry and for losing ourselves in the team and for something bigger than ourselves," BYU senior guard Alex Barcello said of Pope's Kentucky title.