Less than a year after taking the helm at Kentucky, head coach Mark Pope has not only secured an NCAA Tournament bid but earned a 3-seed for the Wildcats. However, history hasn’t been kind to Kentucky in this position—they’ve been eliminated in the first round as a 3-seed or higher twice in the past three seasons and haven’t advanced past the first weekend since 2019.
Can Pope notch his first NCAA Tournament victory and lead a deep run?First Test: Troy Trojans
Kentucky’s opening-round opponent is the 14th-seeded Troy Trojans, coached by Scott Cross in his sixth season. This marks Troy’s first tournament appearance since 2017 and only the third in program history.
Often compared to a mid-major version of Texas A&M, the Trojans are a gritty team that thrives on defense and rebounding. They have the tools to slow the game down, keep it close, and turn this into a scrappy battle where neither side pulls away easily.
Let’s break down the key factors in this matchup.
Winning the Rebounding Battle
Troy’s biggest strength is offensive rebounding. They rank fourth nationally in offensive rebounding percentage (37.7%) and 11th in offensive rebounds per game (11.8).
The good news for Kentucky? They’ve already faced—and beaten—elite rebounding teams, including Texas A&M (1st), Florida (8th), and Duke (25th).
Despite Kentucky’s size advantage—Troy’s tallest starter is just 6-foot-8—the Trojans rebound aggressively as a unit. The Wildcats must match their intensity on the glass.
Controlling the Tempo
Troy prefers a slow, physical game—an approach that has fueled many past NCAA Tournament upsets. While Kentucky might seem like the superior team on paper, the Trojans are capable of making this a grind.
Troy has sneaky athleticism, but Kentucky has more talent and a clear size advantage. The Wildcats need to dictate the pace and assert their dominance.
Or, as Mark Pope puts it: “Be the hammer, not the nail.”
Winning the Turnover Battle
Troy’s second major strength is forcing turnovers. They average over nine steals per game and cause opponents to give the ball away more than 13 times per contest.
However, they’re also prone to turnovers themselves, coughing it up at the same rate. This could lead to a high-turnover game.
For Kentucky, ball security has become a growing concern, especially with injuries in the backcourt. Over the last nine games, the Wildcats have averaged 12.5 turnovers per game, including 16 in their SEC Tournament loss to Alabama.
Kentucky’s offense is too potent to waste possessions. They must limit giveaways and prevent Troy from capitalizing on easy transition points.
Can Kentucky Make a Final Four Run?
The Wildcats have the talent, but they’ll need to take care of business against Troy first. The key will be imposing their will early and preventing the Trojans from making this a grind-it-out battle. If they handle the basics—rebounding, tempo, and ball security—they’ll have a strong chance to move on.