Auburn’s postgame celebration should be motivation for Mark Pope’s Kentucky Wildcats
The Auburn Tigers came into Rupp Arena on Saturday and dominated the Kentucky Wildcats from start to finish. Auburn hadn’t won in Rupp Arena since 1988, but that streak was snapped on Saturday when they beat the Wildcats 94-78.
After the game, the Auburn Tigers were celebrating clinching the SEC Regular Season Championship, and some Kentucky fans took exception to the way Bruce Pearl’s team celebrated.
Here is a video of the Tiger’s celebration.
On his Monday radio show, Kentucky coach Mark Pope was asked about Auburn’s celebration and had this to say, “Auburn came in, and they beat us. They got to celebrate. If you don’t want guys celebrating, then win the game.”
Coach Pope is exactly right with this quote. Auburn came into Rupp Arena on a 37-year losing streak in the historic college basketball venue that Pearl called “Hallowed Ground” and was better in every facet of the game.
All the Wildcats can do now is use that video as motivation for the rest of the season. Kentucky has been dealt a bad hand when it comes to injuries this season, but they have to find some adversity with the postseason a week away.
Even without Jaxson Robinson and Kerr Kriisa, this team has a run in them, but they need some motivation, and hopefully, that video of Auburn celebrating on the Rupp Arena floor will provide it.
If Kentucky is the #8 seed in the SEC Tournament and wins their first game between the winner of the #9 seed/#16 seed game, they will face off with Auburn once again.
If this were to happen, Coach Pope should play this video on repeat to get his team ready to play.
