Kentucky's Sweet 16 run earns Mark Pope another year on contract

While Kentucky was busy earning its way into the Sweet 16, head coach Mark Pope was adding another year onto his Wildcats contract, as well as earning a hefty bonus at the same time.

Pope has turned his first season at Kentucky into a successful one by advancing to the second week of the NCAA Tournament following an 84-75 victory over Illinois on Sunday.

Hired to replace John Calipari on a five-year, $27.5-million contract, the Wildcats' Sweet 16 spot has earned Pope a sixth season on the deal worth $5.25 million that will keep in him Lexington, Ky., through the 2029-30 season, according to Sportico.

He also earned a $50,000 bonus after the team won its first two games of this NCAA Tournament.

No. 3 seed Kentucky will now face No. 2 seed Tennessee on Friday at Indianapolis.

Pope is in line to earn a $100,000 bonus with a victory over Tennessee, a $250,000 bonus for a spot in the Final Four, and an additional $500,000 for winning the national championship.

The former Utah Valley and BYU coach has guided Kentucky to a 24-11 record this season.

The Wildcats were ranked as high as No. 4 in this season's Associated Press Top 25 poll, finished tied for sixth in the SEC regular-season standings and advanced to the quarterfinals of the SEC tournament.

--Field Level Media