Kentucky-Oklahoma Postgame Quotes
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE
February 4, 2026
Lexington, Kentucky, USA
Coach Mark Pope
Press Conference
Kentucky – 94, Oklahoma – 78
MARK POPE: Guys. I will make a statement and JR is going to take all the questions. He can give you way better answers than me. My daughter lands in 23 minutes. I’m super proud of our guys. Really proud of the effort. Really proud of BG stepping up and being great. Otega continues to play at an elite level. We got contributions from everybody. And it’s 22 minutes before Avery lands, so I’m out, guys.
JASON HART: Hey, all right. Shoot.
Q Jason, 9 threes, 9 for 16 in the first half there. Just what did you see as far as just getting those open shots and getting into a rhythm there?
JASON HART: We have a slogan called make the play for a teammate. And I thought our guys have been doing a tremendous job the past couple of weeks. And we are making shots now, early on in the season we wasn’t. We practice every day. Guys are coming in faithfully shooting and fortunately tonight they was going in.
Q Coach, now that it’s over, was there any kind of anxiety or nervousness about the so called trap game being Arkansas was Saturday and Tennessee is coming in?
JASON HART: You know what, as a former player, that rings in your mind with these young men. But I thought tonight they came out and executed. This team was playing well, Oklahoma. Although their record doesn’t indicate it. But our guys stepped up and made the challenge and was able to fight through those issues.
Q Jason, coach Pope mentioned it briefly there. But what Brandon was able to do tonight and honestly the whole scope of the season, I know it’s been an up-and-down year for him. Where have you seen Brandon persevere the most and how did that come to fruition tonight in his performance?
JASON HART: Well, he’s a young professional in terms of coming to work every day and doing his job. When you do that, the basketball gods will bless you and tonight he was in the right spot and played with a lot of energy. That’s what happens when you just continue to work. Every game won’t be like that for him, but as long as his effort is there, we are happy with that.
Q Coach Hart, you have been a former player and you just talked about it. It seems like Brandon and Otega really have special games every time you guys play Oklahoma. And what is that like when I know there is a storyline there, the coaches don’t get into it too much. But as a former player, how much extra motivation is there when there are those storylines going on behind that?
JASON HART: You know what, that’s kind of, Brandon does play well and obviously Otega plays well against his former school. I just think it’s the juice of the game. Otega playing against his former coaches, so he wants to impress them. And then Brandon, he just steps up and brings energy. He is from Oklahoma, so he gets bragging rights when he goes home in the summertime and you see those guys. Just happy to play well tonight, we needed it.
Q You mentioned Otega playing great tonight. But yet again, he gets to double digits. He’s done that every game this year. He had three games in his UK career he has not reached double figures. How hard is it to not just take for granted how consistently good Otega is?
JASON HART: You know, as coaches you always want to nitpick, but he’s a bad dude. You know, Otega Oweh is a really good basketball player. He’s consistent, he’s our leader. You know, sometimes I kinda be in awe watching him. He’s been playing at a high level and that’s why he was preseason SEC player of the year.
Q Coach, obviously a lot’s going to be made tonight about how well they shot the ball. But you all also jumped on them pretty hard on the boards, obviously, Brandon had 11, but it felt like pretty much everyone got in on the rebounding. What can you say about how they fought and responded on defense as well as with their scoring?
JASON HART: You know, in the first half I thought we did a good job taking away the three-point shots. We know number one likes to shoot threes. In the second half, unfortunately he made some, but we just got to continue to get better at that. That’s part of the game. They fought, they wasn’t going to quit. They made some threes and we were able to keep fighting to hold them off.
Q Jason, what have you seen from Collin’s progression just since he got here, even going back to the beginning of last season? And especially the confidence he seems to be playing with the last 2 to 3 weeks.
JASON HART: In college, it doesn’t happen often because guys often transfer. He’s a prime example of believing in coach Pope’s system. This is his second year and he’s real comfortable and he’s grown and matured. You know, he’s been on this long mission for two years and he’s got his legs back under him. He’s just playing at a level where we knew he was and I’m just happy to the world to get to see Collin Chandler playing at high level, we need him.
Q Jason, every time there’s a scuffle or a dusting like that, where’s Brandon? Because I know he’s going to be in the middle of it. What do you guys say to him about, there’s a fine line there between being physical, being tough, and crossing over?
JASON HART: Nothing, keep doing that, we need that. A lot of times, me working here at Kentucky, it’s always the other teams biggest game. So, we need him to go back to who he is, getting physical with players and we feed off of that. Especially as coaches. We are not encouraging them to do anything dirty but we need physical play and we need him to do that and I applaud it.
Q Jason, with Andrija, there were moments this year where he wasn’t getting playing time and it could have been easy for him to sulk on the bench or even check out of things. But it seems like ever since especially since he’s moved into the starting lineup, he’s really made an impact. He had an effective night shooting the three and on the boards tonight. What can you say about the way he’s stuck with things and the progression that he’s made of the course of the season, especially since becoming a starter?
JASON HART: Yes, super proud of him. He got a little down on himself early in the season, being from another country trying to come in and learn language and learn our coaching system. When he did sit, he had to sit and learn. Sometimes sitting on the bench does that to you, light a fire up in you, I don’t think he wants to go back to the bench. He’s coming out with a sense of urgency and he kind of know what coach Pope wants and he know what he can do. We need him to continue to play strong, shoot with no fear, and give jaw. And that’s what he’s been doing.
Q Coach, in the game versus Mississippi with your all’s first win, Pope said he was happiest with that assist to turnover margin. It was 21 and 6. How important is that aspect for you all in the teamwork front?
JASON HART: I’m a point guard so I keep those turnovers. If we take care of the ball, it gives us a chance to win and I think we can be one of the top teams in the SEC. Tonight, it just showed that we can pass too, sharing. And I think we shared the basketball makes it more enjoyable to watch. So, those 6 turnovers are huge for us. Anytime they do turn the ball over and they do something we ask them, we don’t really count that as a turnover. All right, goodbye.
KENTUCKY BASKETBALL POSTGAME QUOTES
KENTUCKY VS. OKLAHOMA
RUPP ARENA – LEXINGTON, KY.
FEBRUARY 4, 2025
KENTUCKY PLAYERS
#4, Andrija Jelavic, F
On getting in the rhythm early on…
“Felt good, I mean I like us starting hot. It’s been the last two games, I mean personally it was like the first one was a really wide-open shot. I banked it in. I got it and the second one was not so open, but still earning, and felt good. I mean Denzel was in the rhythm early. We started the game well and that’s important.”
On how much it opens up the game plan when Otega is scoring in double figures
“I mean it’s just something he does. He’s just our go to guy, always has been. It’s not really a big deal when he scores 20 plus. That’s just something we count on him to do, and that’s something he does every game, and the most important thing is that he scores on all three levels. It’s not just that he scores inside or outside, he’s forced three’s, mid-ranges, fancy rebounds. He scores slashing, and yeah that’s really important for us, and when he’s on the court he’s our leader. He’s the oldest one, the most experienced one, we’re looking after him.”
On how the journey of playing time has been for him…
“Yeah, I was not playing for four games in a row. There were ups and downs in those games, and then we started bad in the SEC, and I don’t know, I was like, let’s try with me. I guess I knew that it would come to that, and I had to be ready. I had to be prepared. I trained really hard, and I knew when the opportunity came that I would be super ready and it came against Mississippi State. I used it and Coach Pope just me on the front lines. I started and I guess it’s been really good sometimes.”
#5, Collin Chandler, G
On what’s been working in his game recently…
“I just feel like I’ve been getting to spots where I’m comfortable and, we’re getting to spots offensively that we weren’t before. We’re clicking a lot better and understanding the offense a lot better as games go on. So, I attribute a lot of it to that.”
On how shooting threes and good game play effects the other team…
“Luckily, we were winning there at the end, but they actually shot the ball really well in the second half. And it was demoralizing a little bit even though we were winning by a lot. I mean, it does that to every team and it has that effect. That’s how runs happen. One of them was a fast break, one was at the end of the shot clock. I just think it adds to a run.”
On offensive development since December…
“I think more things are clicking for us, offensively. I think it’s been trial and error. We’re finding things that are working, and I think we’re doing that really well. We’re finding each other in spots that we can score. And so, it’s been great. I think it’s been very smooth. It kind of felt like a little bit choppy at the start of the year at the offense. And so, it’s gotten a lot more smooth.”
#10, Brandon Garrison, F
On his performance at Arkansas…
“Yeah, you know, trying to stay consistent, just working, practicing hard, meetings with coaches and stuff, just keeping my head high, good things.”
On how well he played against Oklahoma last year…
“Oh, yeah, of course, just because, you know, I’m from Oklahoma, so it’s just little more meaning to it. Like you said.”
On what the entire trajectory of this season been like for him…
“Yeah, just keeping my head high, talking to my inner circle about what’s going on and not trying to get down to myself and good things happen.”
On whom he leans on…
Talking to my agent and mom and stuff, you know. And they always keep me in good spirits. So, yeah, sometimes, you know, everybody has they days, but you can’t let the days, you know, just affect long time in life period.”
On his son attending games…
“It’s very important because I’m doing this for somebody else, so other than me now, you know, and he’s learning stuff now, and knows who I am on the court. So, just a good feeling, you know, just going to him after the game.”
OKLAHOMA HEAD COACH PORTER MOSER
On Brandon and Otega’s performances tonight…
“Otega is just an elite player. He can knock down the shot, and he puts you in a real decision-making mode of ball screens, because he can turn the corner on you, and now he’s making really good decisions passing out of it. He’s becoming a complete player, he’s so strong on defense. I think that’s where Brandon really is because they were switching, and he’s able to move his speed and switch. His physical presence on the boards was a big factor.”
On rebounding Oklahoma sixteen times…
“It’s a bunch of everything about physicality, size and we just kept going. We battled back. I think we cut it to eight at one point, and then they got two or three offensive rebounds when you are trying to cut into the lead. Those are the daggers. When you get a stop and then you can’t finish the play with the rebound. I think Chandler got his confidence early. He had a really good paceline stagger play. When you are battling back like we were, cut it to eight and you get a stop, you have to finish it off with the rebound. We just couldn’t, it really got us on the glass.”
On what he saw with UK’s Open shots…
“I think (Denzel) Aberdeen started it off. He got one and they hit another deep one, but I mean they hit some deep shots. I know they got him twice off their baseline stagger play and those aren’t easy shots. Chandler, he comes flying off, when you’re on a dead spread on a baseline stagger from one corner to the other wing, stop, dime, shoot. Those are tough shots and it shows how good of a shooter he is to be able to catch and shoot off the move like that. Some guys can’t shoot off the move like that. I thought he did get it going. Otega knocked down a step-back three. We had guarded him and we were playing that drive and he kind of shook us and he took a step back three and he’s really almost, I don’t want to say impossible but he’s damn close when he’s in the rocker step threes because you’re playing that, cause if he gets an angle on you, he’s keeping the angle cause he’s so strong. I know that three was right in front of our bench.”
