Mark Pope, head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, believes their upcoming game against the #7 Gonzaga Bulldogs in Seattle will feel like a Final Four matchup. The Wildcats are preparing for this level of competition, and Pope expects it to be a high-caliber contest.
Both teams have one loss to an unranked opponent: Kentucky fell to Clemson on Tuesday, while Gonzaga lost to West Virginia during the Thanksgiving tournament. However, each team also has a signature top-10 win, with Kentucky defeating #6 Duke and Gonzaga beating #8 Baylor earlier this season.
Kentucky and Gonzaga are consistently among the top programs in college basketball. Despite having only played three times, the Bulldogs lead the all-time series 2-1.
This game features a top-10 clash between #4 Kentucky and #7 Gonzaga.
“This Gonzaga game will feel like a Final Four game. That’s what it’s supposed to be,” said Mark Pope.
While this matchup has the intensity of a Final Four contest, both teams still have much to prove in order to reach that stage. They will need to hit their stride and build momentum. ESPN ranks it as one of the best early-season games with a 95.9 rating, indicating it’s nearly as strong as a contest between the #1 and #2 teams. ESPN predicts a tight game with Gonzaga eventually coming out on top, though Kentucky will fight hard to avoid back-to-back losses.
The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 at 10 p.m. on Saturday, December 7th.
