Mark Pope, Kentucky Dealt Unfortunate News After NCAA Tournament Exit

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Will Chesanek | Last updated Mar 25, 2026 5:24 PM ET

Mark Pope and his Kentucky Wildcats did not have the March Madness run that they had hoped for. For the 2025-26 college basketball season, Kentucky went 22–14 overall and 10–8 in Southeastern Conference play, finishing in a three-way tie for seventh with the Georgia Bulldogs and the Missouri Tigers. In the SEC Tournament, the Wildcats beat the LSU Tigers and Missouri before falling to No. 1 seed Florida in the quarterfinals.

Seeded No. 7 in the Midwest region of the NCAA Tournament, Kentucky outlasted the No. 10 seed Santa Clara Bulldogs 89–84 in overtime in the first round. The Wildcats' tournament run came to an end in the next round when they were eliminated by the No. 2 seed Iowa State Cyclones, 82–63.

Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks with guard Otega Oweh (00) during the second half against the South Carolina Gamecocks.Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Jason Hart is an assistant coach for the Wildcats who joined their staff in 2024. He is known for his elite recruiting, being Kentucky's lead recruiter for the No. 1 recruit Tyran Stokes. He came to Lexington after coaching with the NBA G League Ignite since 2021. After a brief playing career, Hart began his coaching career with the Pepperdine Waves in 2012, spending one season there. His coaching career really got started in 2013 when he joined Andy Enfield's USC Trojans staff.

Enfield left the Trojans for the Southern Methodist Mustangs in 2024 and has stayed in University Park, Texas, since. Enfield and his Mustangs went 20-14 overall this year, finishing No. 11 in the ACC with an 8-10 record in conference. SMU received a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament, placing them in the First Four games. Their March Madness run ended before they could arrive at the field of 64, losing to the No. 11 seed Miami RedHawks 89-79.

Now, it appears that the two coaches will reunite for the 2026-27 college basketball season. Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported on Wednesday that the 47-year-old Hart will join the 56-year-old Enfield at SMU as an assistant coach.

Sources: SMU's Andy Enfield will hire Kentucky's Jason Hart as Associate Head Coach.

Hart worked for Enfield at USC.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 25, 2026