Mark Pope and his Kentucky Wildcats will go against one of the most iconic coaches in college basketball history, Rick Pitino, and the St. John’s Red Storm in the upcoming 2025-26 NCAA season.

Pope and Pitino go a long way back, as they first crossed paths at Kentucky after a young forward joined the Wildcats that Pitino coached to the national championship in the 1995-96 campaign.

Now in his second season leading his alma mater, Pope is aiming to take the team to another title, but they’ll have to overcome obstacles along the way. St. John’s will be one of their toughest opponents of the season, and Pitno sees this matchup as a special duel between a coach and his son.

“I think, it’s no different than coaching against your son, who obviously stirs different emotions,” Pitino told CBS S

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