In his first season on the job, Mark Pope leads the Kentucky Wildcats back to the Sweet 16 for the first time in six years. Koby Brea was the offensive star of the night.

Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats took on the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Round of 32 and, despite being an underdog, found a way to win this game 84-75. Heading into this game, the key was defense.

With the win, Kentucky (24-11) advances to face SEC rival Tennessee in Indianapolis. The Wildcats won both regular-season matchups against the Volunteers, setting the stage for a thrilling third encounter with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line. Friday’s showdown will test Kentucky’s resilience as they look to continue their deep tournament run.

Mark Pope and the NCAA Tournament No. 3 seed Wildcats will next face Rick Barnes and No. 2 seed Tennessee in the Sweet 16.

The Tennessee Volunteers are set to play the Kentucky Wildcats in the sweet sixteen. After Tennessee defeated UCLA on Saturday and Kentucky defeated Illinois on Sunday, the two SEC programs will face off against one another in the sweet sixteen round.

Tennessee basketball and Kentucky have played 241 times in 115 years. Friday marks their first meeting in the NCAA Tournament.

As Kentucky prepares to face Illinois in the Round of 32 in this year’s NCAA Tournament, the Wildcats find themselves in an unfamiliar position—underdogs. Despite their status as a No. 3 seed, Kentucky enters Sunday’s matchup as a 1.5-point underdog to No. 6-seeded Illinois, a designation that has fueled the team’s motivation all season long.

Expert recap and game analysis of the Kansas State Wildcats vs. Kentucky Wildcats NCAAW game from March 23, 2025 on ESPN.

Temira Poindexter hit her eighth 3-pointer of the game with 1:09 left in overtime Sunday and fifth-seeded Kansas State pulled off a mild upset, 80-79, of No. 4 Kentucky on

Kansas State dodged four misses by Kentucky in the closing seconds en route to an 80-79 win in the second round of the women's NCAA Tournament on Sunday, advancing the 28-7 Wildcats of the Big 12 Conference to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 23 years.