How good of a season must Kentucky have to keep Mark Pope off the hot seat?

Greetings, BBN!

It’s been quite the roller coaster of an offseason for Mark Pope and the Kentucky Basketball program. Following a 22-14 season that ended with a blowout in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32. Pope watched much of his roster leave Lexington, then struggled to fill it out when the transfer portal first opened.

Thankfully, Kentucky was able to end it on a high note thanks to the addition of Iowa State star Milan Momcilovic, while also retaining a potential All-SEC center in Malachi Moreno after he tested the NBA Draft waters.

But even the best of offseasons can only do so much when it comes to a coach’s hot seat. Wins and losses are ultimately what affect that the most, and Pope is entering a critical year that could very well decide how his Kentucky tenure goes.

So, we wanted to ask the BBN their thoughts on what it will take to keep Pope off the hot seat this season.

Do the Cats need to make a run to the second weekend of the Big Dance?

Will a good regular season and one NCAA Tournament win be enough?

Does he just need to make the Big Dance to keep his job?

Or maybe you actually think Pope has done enough through his first two years to earn a fourth season so long as he doesn’t have a Kenny Payne-level disaster in Year 3.

Let us know your thoughts in the poll below and in the comments section!

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