While Mark Pope's approach to winning games at Kentucky differs quite a lot from his predecessor John Calipari, it has been a breath of fresh air for Big Blue Nation. No distractions, no headaches, just wins.

Regardless of when Kentucky's run ends, Pope has restored optimism at Kentucky. He is a passionate, sincere and capable leader who has guided Kentucky to a whopping eight wins over top-15 foes while navigating health issues with Jaxson Robinson, Lamont Butler, Andrew Carr and Kerr Kriisa.

​As the Kentucky Wildcats gear up for their Sweet 16 showdown against the Tennessee Volunteers on Friday, Coach Mark Pope hasn't been shy about his admiration for Tennessee's head coach, Rick Barnes.