Kentucky's bench, led by Mouhamed Dioubate's eight points, could not overcome a lack of production compared to Auburn's reserves. The Tigers rallied from a halftime deficit to secure the victory at Neville Arena.
The loss places unwanted history on Pope, making it the first time in his tenure that the Wildcats have dropped three consecutive games. Meanwhile, Auburn snapped a five-game losing streak under first-year coach Steven Pearl.