Could a home-and-home series with St. John’s be in the works for Kentucky?

Kentucky fans, at least many of them, have switched up their tone on Rick Pitino in a big way since Mark Pope took over as head coach. Time heals all wounds and with Pope being the captain of the 1996 National Champion Kentucky team led by Rick Pitino, we’ve heard plenty about the former head coach since Pope arrived.

Last season, Pope and Pitino faced off in the CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta, marking the first time the two have went against each other. Now, though, we may be taking things up a notch. On Tuesday, Pope was asked in an appearance on the Inside College Basketball podcast with Jon Rothstein about a potential home-and-home series with his former college coach, something that fans would love, not only because of the nostalgia, but also with both teams being very good.

Mar 7, 2026; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks to his players from the sideline during the first half against the Florida Gators at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

“We’re not there now., but if we keep working this way scheduling wise, with getting more flexibility, I can’t imagine that it won’t happen,” Pope told Rothstein. “I would expect that we would get that done sometime here in the near future.”

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With the NCAA now letting teams schedule an extra game, it only makes sense that it would lead to more of an opportunity for both Kentucky and St. John’s to get it done. This would certainly mean a lot to both Pope and Pitino because we’ve heard how much appreciation they have for each other.

“It’s like coaching against my son. It means a great deal that we get a victory, but I’m still coaching against my son,” Pitino said before the matchup in Atlanta last season. “It means a great deal to get a victory over Kentucky, but I’m still coaching against one of the great (team) captains I’ve ever had, who I love dearly.”

Dec 20, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; St. John Red Storm head coach Rick…

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Publish date : 2026-06-30 16:30:00

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