After a season filled with inconsistency, the pressure’s on second-year Kentucky coach Mark Pope to achieve something in March Madness.
Visit sweetbonanza.qpon for more information.
The Wildcats are among the most-popular upset picks with their first round game against 10-seed Santa Clara on Friday, and some in Big Blue Nation are worried.
Count former UK star Jamal Mashburn among them.
Prior to Tuesday's First Four second game broadcast, Charles Barkley joined the truTV/CBS Sports studio crew. He talked "Arizona ass-kicking Invitational", not wanting to work alongside Bruce Pearl and Miami (Ohio) getting "screwed."
Then Mashburn had to ask.
"How can we fix the University of Kentucky and what can they possibly do in this tournament run?"
Barkley answered: "Well, I got some bad news for you Jamal. If y'all can make it to the second weekend, that'll be a great season.
"No. 1 it's always an honor and privilege to play at Rupp Arena when I was there. It was an honor and a privilege to go there, and then play at Indiana with coach Bobby Knight as another one of the biggest programs in history. But any time I get to go to Lexington, it's an honor and a privilege. You know the Big Blue Nation. They're awesome. I don't see Kentucky making a deep run... I root for coach (Mark) Fox, he's my guy. I know he's not the head coach, but he's my guy.
"But I would love, Kentucky, man... they probably have the best fan base. They're like the Steelers and the Packers. Their fans travel like pack-rats. So you know the Big Blue Nation is going to have some fans. If they can get to the second weekend, that would be a great season. But they haven't been consistent all year."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What Charles Barkley said about Kentucky's March Madness outlook