CELEBRITY
Mark Pope Credits Taylor Swift Stat For BYU’s Big 12 Tournament Win
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – BYU basketball head coach Mark Pope doesn’t hide from his fandom of superstar Taylor Swift.
The “Swiftie” leading BYU through its first-ever Big 12 Tournament brought up Swift on Wednesday after his team defeated UCF 87-73 in the Second Round of the tourney.
Mark Pope is a diehard Taylor Swift fan
“I didn’t share this with the guys before, but this is really important,” said Pope in his press conference after defeating UCF. “When I was in this building seven months ago, I talked about how we were excited to be picked 13 because it’s Taylor Swift’s favorite number.”
Mark Pope is the ultimate Taylor Swift fan. #BYUHoops #GoCougs #Big12 pic.twitter.com/AJi4PsMcAu
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 13, 2024
Who can forget that moment from Big 12 Media Day last October by Pope? Pope mentioned he attended Taylor Swift’s concert last summer with his daughters and felt being picked 13th in the league was a good sign for his team.
He was right.
BYU finished the regular season in fifth place and won its first game in the Big 12 Tournament.
The power of 13
Pope continued after the win over UCF, “This morning I found out, courtesy of the greatest statistician SID ever (Tyson Jex), that our first game against UCF was on January 13th, our second game was on February 13th, and so we knew that with our third game on March 13th, like, the deck was stacked against these guys, man, it’s not even fair. It’s not even fair.”
#BYU defeats UCF in the Second Round of the Big 12 Tournament.@Mitch_Harper shares his takeaways from BYU’s big win over the Knights.#BYUHoops #GoCougs #Big12Hoops pic.twitter.com/t3fuMJV9Xt
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) March 13, 2024
Any mention of Taylor Swift always resonates slightly stronger in Kansas City, thanks to the fact that Swift is dating Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce.
“Plus, we’re in Kansas City. I mean, what? It’s beautiful,” Pope said as he turned to players Fousseyni Traore and Richie Saunders. “If I had told you guys that before the game, would you be like, our dude has lost his mind?”
Traore, who finished with 14 points and 10 rebounds while also shutting down UCF big man Ibrahima Diallo to zero points and zero rebounds, responded to his coach, “A little bit.”
BYU will look to harness the power of Taylor Swift tomorrow in Kansas City as they take on Texas Tech in the Big 12 Tournament Quarterfinals.
The tip-off for BYU vs. Texas Tech is at 10:30 a.m. (MT) on ESPN2 and KSL NewsRadio.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for KSLsports.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.
Take us with you wherever you go.
Download the new & improved KSL Sports app from Utah’s sports leader. You can stream live radio video and stay up to date on all of your favorite teams.
🔥SHOCKING NEWS: In the wake of Ch@rl!e K!rk’s tragic assassination, his devastated wife, Erika Kirk, was left speechless as she revealed a bombshell — Elon Musk reached out in a way no one expected. His unexpected gesture of support has not only stunned the grieving family but has ignited a wildfire of admiration across the tech world. This shocking act may change everything we thought we knew about Silicon Valley.👉Read the full story in here: 👇👇
JUST IN: The internet exploded after Ivanka Trump called Stephen Colbert “ghetto trash” but she didn’t expect what happened next. Minutes later, Colbert fired back with a six-word response so sharp it shut down the internet. Full Details 👇👇
“YOU HAVE TWO DAYS TO RESIGN.” GAVIN NEWSOME CRITICIZES PETE HEGSETH Gavin Newsome warned Hegseth on live television that if he didn’t resign, he would throw out evidence that he said could land him in jail leaving the audience stunned. When the cameras rolled, no one expected this a resignation demand and a threat that froze the room.” If you think politics couldn’t get more chaotic… think again. Details below 👇
“NHL SHOCKWAVE: Secret Investigation Puts Draisaitl on the Hot Seat Insiders Say ‘This Changes EVERYTHING’”🔥 The clues are adding up… and the league is trembling.👉 Tap to uncover the mystery nobody is willing to speak about.
🙏1 HOUR AGO: “My son… oh gods, my son…” — King Charles collapses in despair after receiving TRAGIC news about Prince Harry in the U.S. Princess Anne, tears streaming down her face, stepped forward with a trembling voice: “My heart is heavy beyond words… my nephew Harry has…” READ MORE BELOW 😰👇
⭐ “RAGE TURNED TO TEARS: Kris Knoblauch’s Hidden Battle EXPOSED — Wife Drops a Bombshell Nobody Saw Coming!” 👉 Tap to see the moment the entire Oilers fanbase went silent
Fans say they’ve never seen a coach snap like this🔥 Edmonton ERUPTS as Coach Knoblauch Defends McDavid: “This Is a Crime Against Hockey!”👉 Tap to see why his message is shaking up the entire NHL
😳 A hidden deal… forbidden documents… and the truth no one thought she’d dare release.🔥 “Melania Breaks Silence The Secret Deal She Was NEVER Supposed to Reveal Finally Explodes!”👇 Tap BELOW to see the leaked documents and the full explosive story once you read this, nothing will feel the same again.
🔥 “FIFA insiders say they’ve NEVER seen the board this angry.” FIFA Officials REVOLT as Infantino Gives Trump Surprise Peace Prize Global Backlash Erupts!👉 Tap ‘See More’ to uncover the full scandal the details are even crazier than the headline!
