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LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) - Initially off the radar among Kentucky's coaching targets, Mark Pope is now entrusted with maintaining the program's gold standard.<br><br>Makes sense, since he helped do so as a player.<br><br>Kentucky hired the BYU coach to guide its men´s basketball program, bringing home a captain of the Wildcats´ 1996 national championship team to succeed John Calipari.<br><br>The school announced the 51-year-old Pope´s hiring in a release Friday morning but did not mention any contract details. He will be introduced at a Sunday afternoon news conference at Rupp Arena.<br><br>Pope replaces Calipari, a Hall of Famer who took Kentucky to its eighth NCAA title in 2012 among four Final Four appearances in 15 years. Kentucky hasn´t returned there since going 38-1 in 2015. Calipari stepped down on Tuesday and was introduced as Arkansas coach the next day.<br><br>Pope was 110-52 in five seasons with the Cougars and went 23-11 in their first season in the Big 12 Conference. BYU is also coming off a second NCAA Tournament [https://www.caringbridge.org/search?q=appearance appearance] in four years under Pope.<br><br>He was 77-56 before that in four seasons at Utah Valley and guided the Wolverines to consecutive runner-up finishes in the Western Athletic Conference his final two years. They reached the CBI quarterfinals both times.<br><br>Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart cited Pope´s impressive 187-108 career record as a head coach and keen knowledge of the program´s meaning to the state. The AD also praised Pope's "dynamic" up-tempo offense and tough defense and called him an innovator.<br><br>"He is a strong recruiter with international ties and a person of integrity," Barnhart said. "He fully embraces our high expectations and standards and I know that as our fans get reacquainted with Mark, they will be eager to join him on what promises to be an exciting ride."<br><br>Pope said he understands the expectations of taking over college basketball's winningest program and the high expectations that come with it.<br><br>"It´s the definition of blueblood program where hanging a banner is the expectation ever year," Pope said. "Equally as important, UK changed my life forever as a human being. The love and passion I have for this program, this University and the people of the Commonwealth goes to the depth of my soul."<br><br>Pope´s hiring is highly surprising considering the higher-profile coaches mentioned as Kentucky´s top candidates. But Baylor´s Scott Drew and UConn´s Dan Hurley, both of whom have led schools to NCAA titles, turned down offers on Thursday. Chicago Bulls coach Billy Donovan, a Kentucky assistant on that championship team before guiding Florida to consecutive NCAA titles, restated his commitment to the NBA club.<br><br>Pope faces his biggest task in returning his alma mater to national title contention after two first-round exits the past three seasons under Calipari. Kentucky's last deep NCAA Tournament came in 2019, when the team lost to SEC rival Auburn in the Elite Eight.<br><br>Saint John's coach Rick Pitino,  [https://nhanlambangcap24h.com/ https://nhanlambangcap24h.com/] a Hall of Famer who led Kentucky back from NCAA sanctions to that 1996 title, believes the school found the right candidate, saying Pope "will go on to greatness."<br><br>"You have one of the premier young coaches in the game. Relish it because he will do you proud," Pitino said in a video posted to social media. "I know I sit here today in Saint John´s and I couldn´t be any more proud than to see Mark Pope lead the Kentucky Wildcats to another championship. He´ll get it done. He´s got the right stock."<br><br>Pope's initial mission is rebuilding a roster that has already lost guard Rob Dillingham and 7-foot-1 Aaron Bradshaw to the NBA draft and Adou Thiero to the transfer portal. Several other players appear likely to follow Calipari to Arkansas, while several All-American signees have re-opened their commitments.<br><br>However it settles for Kentucky, Pope's offensive philosophy mirrors the high-octane approach that helped the Wildcats rank second nationally at 89 points per game last season.<br><br>BYU wasn't far behind, averaging 81.4 points to lead the Big 12 and rank 22nd nationally. The Cougars were third with 11.1 made 3-pointers and 18.5 assists, and sixth with a 1.73 assist-to-turnover ratio. They ranked as high as 12th in the AP Top 25 on Jan. 1 after going 12-1 in nonconference action and winning the Vegas Showdown.<br><br>Defensively, BYU tied for 104th of 351 Division I teams at nearly 70 points allowed per game and ranked 26th with 39.5 rebounds.<br><br>BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe thanked Pope in a post on X and said he "left the program in a position of strength moving forward."<br><br>As a player, Pope led Kentucky with 6.3 rebounds per game during the 1994-95 season and was named to the Southeastern Conference All-Tournament team along with MVP Antoine Walker.<br><br>Pope played in the NBA from 1998-2005 with the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets.<br><br>___<br><br>AP college basketball: website and website hires BYU's Mark Pope as men's basketball coach to replace...