Mark Pope fined $25,000 by SEC for comment after Kentucky loss to Auburn
· Yahoo Sports
Kentucky men’s basketball’s 75-74 loss on Saturday, Feb. 21 at Auburn did more than just drop the Wildcats to 17-10 near the end of what has been a disappointing 2025-26 season for the storied program.
The loss cost their coach some money, too.
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Second-year Kentucky coach Mark Pope was fined $25,000 by the SEC for “post-game conduct and comments related to officiating” after the Wildcats’ loss.
As Pope walked away from the podium after his post-game news conference, he was caught saying, “If those (expletives) try to fine me, screw 'em because I did not say a word about how they cheated us” to Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart.
Pope’s ire was over a controversial late foul call on Collin Chandler, who was trying to get open on an inbound pass with the Wildcats leading 74-73 with 14 seconds remaining. As Chandler tried to create separation, his defender, Kevin Overton, fell somewhat easily to the floor, with the referee rewarding Auburn with the foul call and possession of the ball.
The Tigers made good on the opportunity, getting a tip-in from Elyjah Freeman with one second remaining to secure the come-from-behind win.
While handing down the punishment to Pope, the SEC cited its sportsmanship bylaw, which states that “coaches, players and support personnel shall refrain from all public criticism of officials, which shall include making public any specific communications with the Conference office and/or officiating coordinators related to officiating.”
During his post-game news conference, Pope had been cautious when asked about the foul on Chandler.
“We’re not allowed to talk about the referees, but you guys saw it,” Pope said. “I think sometimes it’s just super personal. I’m not allowed to comment on the referees. I won’t comment on the referees. It’s just unfortunate. It didn’t cost us the game. We’re in control of the game. We’ll find ways to go win.”
The loss was Kentucky’s third in a row after it had won eight of its previous nine games. With an 8-6 record in league play, the Wildcats are tied for sixth in the 16-team SEC despite entering the season No. 9 in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll and sporting a roster worth a reported $22 million.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky's Mark Pope fined $25K by SEC for comment after Auburn loss