The Kentucky Wildcats and Mark Pope continue to make history with a dramatic come-from-behind victory, defeating Gonzaga 90-89 in overtime.
The first half was far from ideal for the Wildcats, but everything changed in the second half as the team found its rhythm and staged an incredible comeback.
What made the win even more special is that Pope joined legendary coach Adolph Rupp as the only Kentucky coaches to win their first two games against AP Top-10 opponents, according to ESPN (via Cameron Drummond).
Per ESPN, Mark Pope joins Adolph Rupp as the only 2 Kentucky basketball coaches to win their first 2 games against AP Top 10 opponents.
UK beats Gonzaga, 90-89, in overtime in Seattle.
— Cameron Drummond (@cdrummond97) December 8, 2024
Along with that, the Wildcats overcame a 16-point halftime deficit, marking one of the largest comebacks in school history.
Gonzaga had been virtually unbeatable when holding a double-digit halftime lead, with a streak of 175 consecutive victories in such situations before Kentucky won it in overtime.
That’s over four seasons worth of winning in that scenario. And Kentucky ended it.
This remarkable comeback now ties for the largest halftime deficit overcome in Kentucky basketball history. The Wildcats last achieved a similar feat against Louisville on December 18, 2004, and before that, against LSU on February 15, 1994.
Largest halftime deficits in a win for @KentuckyMBB in school history:
– 16 points vs. Gonzaga (December 7th, 2024)
– 16 points at Louisville (December 18th, 2004)
– 16 points at LSU (February 15th, 1994)
— Corey Price (@coreyp08) December 8, 2024
Finally, Corey Price says this is Kentucky’s biggest halftime comeback ever in a neutral-site game.
This is the largest halftime comeback in a neutral site game (16 points). We previously had 5 wins on a neutral court trailing by 10 points at halftime.
— Corey Price (@coreyp08) December 8, 2024
Pope’s squad has shown remarkable resilience throughout the season. They staged a comeback win against Duke after trailing by nine points at halftime, kept it close against Clemson despite a tough loss, and overcame an 18-point deficit to defeat Gonzaga.
These performances highlight just how talented this Kentucky team is. Even with both their starting and backup point guards Lamont Butler and Kerr Kriisa sidelined due to injuries, the Wildcats fought back to secure a thrilling victory. This grit and determination are why fans are embracing Pope and this team.
