LEXINGTON — Normally jovial and verbose during postgame news conferences, Kentucky basketball coach Mark Pope struck a different tone after last week's game against Alabama at Rupp Arena.

They don't give out national coach of the year awards in January, but if they did, CBS Sports college basketball analyst Gary Parrish is going with Kentucky first-year head coach Mark Pope.

When Mark Pope was announced as the head basketball coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, the response from Big Blue Nation and college basketball fans was mixed. Some thought it was a home run hire ...