Mark Pope is making an NCAA tournament run in his first year in Lexington, Ky., all while adding another year to his contract in the process.
The University of Kentucky men’s basketball coach did just that with a 84-75 against Illinois on Sunday night in Milwaukee. The second-round win over the Fighting Illini not only provided the former BYU coach some extra money but also guaranteed him an additional year on his contract, a performance incentive included in the deal.
Pope not only unlocked a $50,000 bonus with a victory, but also is set to get paid for that extra year, which amounts to $5.25 million. He signed a five-year, $27.5 million contract last year.
The No. 3 seed Wildcats advanced to the Sweet 16 round for the first time in six years beating Illinois in the teams’ first matchup since 1984.
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After picking up his second NCAA Tournament win as a head coach, Pope is aiming to keep the momentum going as he helped punch his team’s ticket to Indianapolis. Lucas Oil Stadium, which hosted the U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials, is set to host the Midwest Region’s Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games. On Friday, Kentucky will play the No. 2 seed Tennessee, who advanced with a 67-58 win over No. 7 UCLA on Saturday night.
Pope is poised to trigger even heftier bonuses if the Wildcats keep their March Madness dreams alive. The former Kentucky captain will receive a bonus of $100,000 if the Wildcats reach the Elite Eight, with a chance to snag $250,000 if they secure a spot in the Final Four for the first time since 2015. He’ll take home an additional $500,000 if they win the national championship game in San Antonio.
(This story has been updated with the result of Kentucky’s game against Illinois and Mark Pope’s pay for the extra year on his contract he earned with Sunday’s win.)
