Mark Pope, Pat Kelsey have mutual respect for each other

The two are very complimentary of each other heading into Saturday's game.

Nov 26, 2024; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope looks on during the first half against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images / Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Kentucky basketball is moving on from Wednesday's win over Colgate and have immiediately shifted their focus to the rivalry matchup with Louisville on Saturday in Rupp Arena. With both programs beginning new eras with their new coaches, the game this year has a lot of bragging rights at stake, some would say more than usual given the circumstances for both teams.

When you think of the Kentucky-Louisville rivalry, you think of trash talk between players and even some subtle shots from the coaches. This year, Mark Pope and Pat Kelsey have a lot of respect for each other, and have been very complimentary of one antother leading up to Saturday's game. Pope says Kelsey is "doing things the right way" in his first year at Louisville.

"I think Pat (Kelsey) does an unbelievable job. He's a terrific coach. He is gonna crush it there, and I like him as a person. He's insanely intense and competitive, but he's doing things the right way, and for the right reasons. He's gonna have great success there."

- Mark Pope on Pat Kelsey.

In his own press conference before Saturday's matchup, Pat Kelsey had some respectful comments of his own towards Mark Pope and this Kentucky team.

"I think if the season ended today, to me, Mark Pope would probably be National Coach of the Year. What he took over, what he had to build, the way the team has come together, the way they're playing. When I was at Winthrop, we played against Kentucky in '19 and I thought that was a really, really good team that we played against. Think you go two years back before that, '17, that was a really, really good Kentucky team. In my opinion, this is the best one in the last ten years. Those ones were decorated with great, great players, lottery picks and all that, but not only is this team probably as dangerous or as potent, but they're older as well."

- Pat Kelsey on Mark Pope, Kentucky.

Both coaches have really high praise for each other, and that mutual respect will clash when the two go head-to-head on Saturday in Rupp Arena. There's no tensions between the two coaches, at least not yet in this rivalry.