Kentucky expected to hire Mark Pope as new men’s basketball coach

Lexington, KY (WTVQ) — The University of Kentucky mens basketball team is targeting Mark Pope to become its next head coach, according to multiple sources on Thursday night.

The reports come after Baylor coach Scott Drew and UConn’s Dan Hurley both declined the job.

Pope, 51, has been the head coach at BYU since 2019. The Cougars have made NCAA Tournament appearances in two of the past four years. Pope has yet to win an NCAA Tournament game as a head coach. Last season, their run ended early with a first-round loss to 11-seed Duquesne.

Pope spent three years playing at Kentucky from 1993 to 1996, and was a member of the national championship team in 1996.

This story will be updated.