KSR Postgame UK MBB at Tennessee 01/28/25

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Welcome everyone, it is the local Towny Dealers KSR postgame show. The Cats win their third straight game in Knoxville, where they came in as a double digit favorite five out of the last six, as Kentucky officially takes ownership of a big share of Rocky Top with a seventy eight seventy three win in Knoxville. Three straight years, Kentucky has come in double digit underdogs three straight years. Pretty Much everyone has gone into the game assuming we were gonna lose. Three straight years, Kentucky has come into the Tennessee game with major injuries, and three straight years they've come out with a victory in which they led virtually the entire game. Really an amazing, amazing performance tonight by Kentucky.

00:00:50
Speaker 2: Ryan Lemon is in studio with Billy.

00:00:53
Speaker 1: I'm gonna do about half the show and then I still got other stuff I have to do tonight, but I'm gonna let them finish. But Ryan, I went tonight to the Hurricanes. They were playing in New York. So I went to the game, and I was watching the Kentucky game on my phone, and so it would kind of come in and out, and I was like a lunatic because everyone else is watching the game in front of them, and I'm cheering on a screen in my hand that nobody is paying attention to. But I loved it so much I then't came back to the hotel and I just watched the second half again so I could see the whole thing by myself. And it was an awesome performance. I mean, so many storylines. I guess maybe I'll go to both of you guys and get you each to say the thing that stuck out to you the most. The thing that stuck out to me the most is, honestly, even though we scored seventy eight, the way Kentucky guarded Tennessee, Kentucky decided, You know what, I don't know if we can beat them down low. I don't know if we can stop their penetration. We're gonna make them shoot threes. Tennessee shot forty five threes. That's the most threes a team has ever taken against Kentucky.

00:01:59
Speaker 2: In its history ever. Wow, and they only made eleven.

00:02:04
Speaker 1: Kentucky got Tennessee to play into their game plan, and I think that, to me was the difference in the game.

00:02:11
Speaker 2: What about you?

00:02:12
Speaker 3: Yeah, just a gutty performance man, you know you go in there, you're limping down there with Noel, Lamont, Butler, Carr tried to play, played like a minute and he couldn't go didn't play the rest of the game. And you got a couple guys out there, they're playing out of position and just rising their game. And we'll talk about it with Jackson, Brea, Amari Ansley, Trent, Noah, Colin Chandler.

00:02:31
Speaker 4: I mean we go, we'll go on and on and on.

00:02:33
Speaker 3: Each guy stepped up in the absence of Butler and of Car and it just was just a gut check performance that I was really proud of them.

00:02:41
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think there were Billy seven guys on the team that really had important performances tonight. And not to take anything away from Garrison and Perry, but I think the other seven guys, the five starters, Noah and.

00:02:56
Speaker 2: Chandler, who wasn't sure could play here this year.

00:03:00
Speaker 1: I actually thought all seven of those guys we were crucial in the win. We'll go over them, but Billy, I think all of them actually brought something tonight.

00:03:07
Speaker 5: No I'm glad you mentioned those two, especially Noah. I mean, I feel like, while everybody cheers when he goes into the game, he's actually having productive minutes, especially defensively, and this was against the number one defense in the country. So really impressive for this veteran group to just move on from what has been pretty two abysmal games before it.

00:03:25
Speaker 1: Seventy eight points we scored. That's the most Tennessee's given up all year.

00:03:30
Speaker 4: Yep.

00:03:30
Speaker 1: And that's with basically two of our starters out. Yes during the game. Let's I'm gonna just go over each guy real quick. At what stuck out. Amari Williams fifteen rebounds in only twenty four minutes. He only played twenty four minutes, it felt like a lot more. But he had foul trouble in the first half. Fifteen rebounds in twenty four minutes and had to break and I don't know I had to, but brought the ball.

00:03:53
Speaker 2: Up a little bit at the end of the game. I'm gonna tell you, maybe I.

00:03:56
Speaker 1: Was a little nervous seeing him dribble it up every time, But you know what worked out. I don't think he he had three turnovers, but I don't think it was on those possessions. I thought it was one of, if not his best games. Jackson Robinson was seventeen points, and as has been the case in a lot of games this year, he hit shots when we like were struggling at offense.

00:04:16
Speaker 2: He keeps us going until other guys can click.

00:04:20
Speaker 1: I think it's the best all around offensive performance Kobe Bray has had all year.

00:04:26
Speaker 2: He had three threes, but he got to the basket. He got to the line.

00:04:29
Speaker 1: Ryan he had only taken ten free throws this year coming into this game, and he had seven to nine. He had almost as many free throws tonight as he had taken all year because he was more aggressive. He was getting to the line. Oway had some you know, butterfingers a few times, but he was excellent, hit the big free throws down the stretch. I thought he played really good defense throughout the game.

00:04:53
Speaker 2: Al minor four threes.

00:04:55
Speaker 1: You know, he struggled rebounding, but the four threes were crucial. Hit three in the first half. The one he hit in the second half was was big. Noah, you know, Noah, we played nine minutes, but his three was awesome. But I actually think his bucket there were two baskets that I thought were the biggest baskets of the game.

00:05:13
Speaker 2: One of them was Noah's.

00:05:15
Speaker 1: The crowd was starting to turn Tennessee had cut it to six. There was a turnover and he ended up with the loose ball. He might be the best dude we have on the team at getting loose balls. That's a weakness of this team. He gets it, gets the layup, kind of stops the run. I thought the other biggest one was when Kobe Braa hit that three after the bank, because you know when they right when he made the bank, I was like, all right, we're done.

00:05:37
Speaker 2: We go to the bank again.

00:05:39
Speaker 1: And then Kobe Bray hit a three on the very next position that I thought was huge. Those to me were the two biggest shots. And then Colin Chandler. You know, his stats are not going to stick out. He made a kind of a poor decision at the end, but he played fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes that allowed other guys to get I actually thought he played pretty decent defense all things considered. And if you told me, I mean, we were gonna get fifteen minutes from Colin Chandler and there'd be no real problems and it allows guys to rest. I would take that all the time. Ryan, So all seven of the main contributors I thought were great.

00:06:11
Speaker 3: Yeah, the first two guys you mentioned to Maury, he was plus twenty and Jackson was plus twelve. You mentioned the two guys that had the highest.

00:06:18
Speaker 1: Plus about Mary was plus twenty. Yeah, plus twenty in a game we won by five. Ry No is his birthday. Maybe we can play every game when he's birthday. It was his birthday. And what is he is? He like thirty one at this point? I mean, he's been in college for a while.

00:06:34
Speaker 3: But go ahead, but where else can you find a guy that can dominate the glass, get fifteen points and then oh yeah, bring the ball up the courtn ack like you initiate the offense as a point guard. There are very few dudes I think they can do that.

00:06:46
Speaker 1: I agree, And then you know they did everything they needed to do. I mean, Jackson Robinson was playing point guard. You had O Way play a little point guard, and you had a Mariy Williams play point guard. I mean, your two point grows are out and you basically said to those three guys, you guys play point guard, and you know what, it worked. But I thought this was And again the players I just mentioned, I thought all played really well. But this game to me is once again kind of about the coaching, Billy. I mean, you go into that game and Mark Pope clearly said, all right, you know what, We're not gonna be able to stop Chaslin Neer off the bounds. We're probably not gonna be able to stop Ziggler off the bounch Milichick is probably gonna be able to score. Let's make them shoot threes. If we make them shoot threes, we got a shot. I can't imagine Mark Pope thought they would take forty five. Okay, I mean, that's that's crazy. We only took twenty four. They took forty five. But you know what a lot better to have them shooting forty five threes, Billy, rather than getting to the rim time after time.

00:07:52
Speaker 5: Yeah, and we've talked about Pope being able to adapt after a loss like this put an emphasis on things that they need to work on. Jack gibbns may some comments today that UK looked more comfortable against physicality than they ever have this year, So maybe starting to click with these guys a little bit.

00:08:08
Speaker 2: I agree, and I love that O way.

00:08:10
Speaker 1: For instance, especially in the second half, he looked like to me, right he was trying to draw fouls.

00:08:16
Speaker 2: You know, we've talked about that.

00:08:17
Speaker 1: I didn't feel like our guys wanted contact, and in the first half we didn't, but in the second half they started to draw fouls. How about this stat, Ryan, you know when our last basket was our last field goal?

00:08:30
Speaker 6: Do you know?

00:08:31
Speaker 4: No?

00:08:32
Speaker 1: That was that Kobe Braa three and it's in twenty seconds to go. That was our last field goal. We did not score a field goal in the last five minutes of the game.

00:08:42
Speaker 2: Yep.

00:08:42
Speaker 3: So they hit like four or five free throws and O take it, hit those three at the end.

00:08:46
Speaker 1: Yeah, fourth straight that We're cute that they and then I think Robinson had won as well at what point, but he got fouls.

00:08:53
Speaker 2: So I mean we had no you know, no field goals.

00:08:57
Speaker 1: Now, you know, if we lost that sequence where they got three straight offensive rebounds and one of them went off always hands and then one of them went off Bray his hands.

00:09:07
Speaker 2: That would have driven me crazy. The refs.

00:09:10
Speaker 1: The foul call, the offensive foul call on oh Way is one of the worst fouls I've ever seen. I mean that he gets mugged and they call the foul on oh Way after I that was a home cooking call if there ever was one. The reviews, somebody's gotta do something about the reviews. No, I mean, none of that stuff should have been reviewed. Probably the only play that should have maybe been reviewed was The Way Rebound where it got knocked out.

00:09:38
Speaker 4: And I don't even think they got it right. Yeah right, I think they.

00:09:41
Speaker 2: I think they reviewed it.

00:09:42
Speaker 4: I don't think they got it right.

00:09:43
Speaker 1: Like to me, when you make a call on the on the court, if you can't tell Ryan within twenty seconds that it was wrong, you gotta go with the call in the court. You got They got to stop four minute reviews at the end of games.

00:09:55
Speaker 3: Yeah, a lot of time they were just checking to see two but to make sure they had the clock right, and they would adjust.

00:10:00
Speaker 2: Who cares, it's one second.

00:10:02
Speaker 1: You know what I mean with them half a second with a minute twenty left, It's one second, Like, come on, that's like, that's irrelevant to worry about the clock on that level. The one time the Tennessee dude just dribbling off his foot, what was there even to look at? The Kentucky guy wasn't even next to him. No, they off of that was a clock review on that one right, who peers there's fifty eight seconds left? Like I get looking at the clock if there's eight seconds left, but if there's fifty like, who cares about the clock?

00:10:34
Speaker 2: To that level?

00:10:36
Speaker 1: That was That annoys me because the last two minutes of that game twenty minutes, I mean, it was.

00:10:42
Speaker 2: It was ridiculous.

00:10:43
Speaker 1: But regardless, this is a huge win, big picture for the season. Tucky's now four and three in the SEC. They went from tenth in the SEC, U Ryan to I bet they're gonna end up probably being after tonight maybe six or seventh in the SEC. You got Arkansas. Now you're coming into Arkansas all with good vibes. We'll have a lot of time to talk about that this week, because there's obviously gonna be a lot to talk about.

00:11:06
Speaker 2: But you know we mentioned earlier today.

00:11:08
Speaker 1: You know, if you lost this game, got at Ole Miss next week, if you know, God, God forbid something bad happened Saturday, you could be like five losses in row and you start thinking about making the losing the tournament. They now, Ryan are six and one against the top fifteen this year.

00:11:25
Speaker 2: Six and one.

00:11:28
Speaker 4: Yeah, I saw that stat.

00:11:29
Speaker 3: Like, dude, Florida, Tennessee you're all in the top ten, A and M, Mississippi State, ufl are all on the top twenty five. And oh yeah, they also beat Gonzaga. I mean, it's amazing their resume they've got.

00:11:39
Speaker 1: We are six and one against teams that were in the top fifteen when we played them. We're gonna have if we, If we, I mean, I am sure at this point we have more high quality wins than any other team in the country. I can't imagine there's another team that has a better set of top line wins than Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville, Florida, A and M, Mississippi State and Tennessee. You think there's Billy, There's no team that's got seven wins better than that, Right.

00:12:07
Speaker 2: There's no match.

00:12:08
Speaker 5: And adding the fact you didn't have both point guards for Gonzaga and at Tennessee, oh Andrew Cars didn't play either, I mean, it's incredible.

00:12:15
Speaker 2: With the dune, I am worried.

00:12:17
Speaker 1: A little bit about Butler with what Pope said at the end, right he said if and when Lamont comes back, that if is carrying a load right there. That worries me. Right, I'm not gonna lie to you. I when I if and when is not? You know, depends on where what you mean if and I guess if and when. It could be yes, he's playing, it could be no. But that that language worried me. Ryan not gonna lie to you.

00:12:42
Speaker 4: I yeah, and we're all gonna decipher.

00:12:44
Speaker 2: You know.

00:12:44
Speaker 3: Lamont's dad retweeted a tweet that said we got to rest him getting ready for March. Okay, does that mean he's gonna wait a lot of several more weeks?

00:12:52
Speaker 1: And just to make I'm okay with that, if you told me, if you told me he rests three or four weeks and we know we have him in March at this point, I take.

00:13:00
Speaker 4: I'd take that in a second.

00:13:01
Speaker 2: I'm worried because, like you know, we can grind out win.

00:13:04
Speaker 1: I mean, look, we've beaten Gonzaga in Tennessee without him without him. But now, to be fair, though, where we will miss him is against teams that can score a lot. Tennessee cannot, right, so we will miss him against an Alabama or at Alburg.

00:13:21
Speaker 2: And you know, because of his defense.

00:13:24
Speaker 3: Zakai Zigler was he shot eleven threes and he was like one for eleven because he was getting open looks Lamont Butler would not have allowed him to get off eleven threes.

00:13:33
Speaker 2: I'm glad he did because he missed the ball.

00:13:34
Speaker 4: He get missing. He do that.

00:13:36
Speaker 2: Didn't he do that last year or the year before against US?

00:13:39
Speaker 1: Didn't he have a terrible game against us one time in the last couple of years.

00:13:43
Speaker 4: That sounds right, That sounds right. He had a bad game, man, he.

00:13:46
Speaker 2: I think it might have been last year. If it wasn't it was two years ago.

00:13:50
Speaker 1: He's had another game against US where he just completely I mean he and if you again, you tell me he and chasl and the Airbilly before the game are gonna go four for twenty one from three?

00:14:02
Speaker 5: You take that in a heartbeat, right, Yeah, I'm still looking at the box square eleven of forty five from three. When Kentucky was twelve of twenty four, they made more threes and took a lot.

00:14:12
Speaker 1: I thought we had to shoot okay, so I thought we had to shoot thirty. We shot twenty four, but we made fifty percent, right.

00:14:18
Speaker 4: We made more of them.

00:14:19
Speaker 1: And I am really impressed at our ability to score on twos, especially Bray going to the basket.

00:14:25
Speaker 2: Oh what I mean?

00:14:26
Speaker 1: That was And we and you know we didn't. We shot sixty six percent from the line, but we made sixteen of them. I don't know how many games this year, Ryan, how many games you think we've made sixteen free throws this year? I don't think it's a lot because I think we did a line a lot, right.

00:14:40
Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, this team is not a team that gets to the line a lot, and I don't shoot a lot of free throws.

00:14:44
Speaker 1: So great win, great night, Uh, big time victory. I'm gonna stay on with the guys. One more segment. I'll let them take the last two. We're gonna take your calls. Eight five to nine two eight h twenty two eighty seven. Mark Pope and his first year has beat Duke, He's beating Gonzaga, he's beating Louisville. He's beaten Florida, he's beaten Tennessee. I don't know what else you could want from a guy for regular season victories in year one. We'll take a break, be right back. This is the Local Toy Dealers KSR Post game show.

00:15:17
Speaker 6: My friend, my agent can win one at home, but it takes a real team to.

00:15:21
Speaker 2: Win on the road.

00:15:22
Speaker 6: Hey, the Tino's got his team they go traveling together, kick a little.

00:15:28
Speaker 2: It's back on.

00:15:29
Speaker 6: The bus riding along. Those cats, got jin number Dick. We are getting Tuckie and those cats. Those cats will rock use.

00:15:41
Speaker 2: I think I gotta play that billy every game. That's when we win on the road.

00:15:44
Speaker 4: Right, I agree?

00:15:46
Speaker 2: Yeah? I love getting from Uh had you ever heard of that?

00:15:49
Speaker 1: No, that was the first time that was from ESPN did in like nineteen ninety five, maybe ninety I think it was ninety five, ninety four ninety five. One of those years they did, like got Robert Goulay to sing songs about like what was it, right, four or five teams Kentucky, Arkansas, maybe U C l A Duke and the Kentucky That was the Kentucky one.

00:16:14
Speaker 3: I haven't heard that in the long time, but it's perfect to play it, and I love it.

00:16:17
Speaker 1: The Arkansas one I remember, was like Arkansas, will you make the final four?

00:16:23
Speaker 2: It was like to the Delta Dawn or whatever.

00:16:27
Speaker 5: We'll have to play that Saturday.

00:16:29
Speaker 2: I guess well I played it.

00:16:31
Speaker 1: I tweeted out earlier this year after they lost it was well you anyway, we got plenty of time, Rocks.

00:16:38
Speaker 2: Let's enjoy this one. Tonight.

00:16:40
Speaker 1: All right, First of all, Trent Noah, somebody on ks board Ryan gave him the nickname that I'm just gonna tell you I'm calling him from now on unless he says he doesn't like it, and that's Mountain Mamba. Come on, that's a great nickname, Mountain Mamba, Kobe Bryant, Mountain Mama.

00:16:59
Speaker 2: Like, come on, that's the nickname? Is that? That's his nickname? Mountain Mama? Right? Is that? Can we agree? I love it, I.

00:17:05
Speaker 3: Don't love the nickname, and go ahead, Well, I'm glad you mentioned that shot he hit because that was definitely an STFU shot because they were starting to get into it. He hit the shot to kind of shut him up, and Coach Pope said he played the perfect role.

00:17:20
Speaker 4: I think was Pope Maybee.

00:17:21
Speaker 3: Maybe in Gibbons, one of the two guys said of the night, he was the perfect role coming off the bench.

00:17:25
Speaker 1: Well, Ryan at eleven o two getting spicy, isn't he here?

00:17:31
Speaker 2: You'll see for eleven o two at night? Uh uh?

00:17:34
Speaker 1: Text machine seven seven two seven seven four five two five four. A few couple of people said this on the text machine. I can't confirm because I didn't see it. But Billy, they say to me that Brandon Garrison went live on his Instagram from the locker room and that on it, Lamont Butler came on and said he would be back soon.

00:17:53
Speaker 5: I was worried when you started that sentence. But that's that's that's a good thing to know.

00:17:58
Speaker 2: No, I mean, yeah, I don't. I mean, that's not official.

00:18:01
Speaker 1: But if Brandon Garrison goes live on his Instagram and Lamart Butler says he's gonna.

00:18:05
Speaker 2: Come back, that's good. Right.

00:18:07
Speaker 1: I will take that as a piece of positive news. I wasn't on it, but looks like that's what he said. All right, let's get started.

00:18:13
Speaker 5: Who's up for Taylor?

00:18:14
Speaker 2: Taylor? Go ahead, Taylor, hey.

00:18:18
Speaker 7: Man, huge win.

00:18:19
Speaker 2: Just curious.

00:18:20
Speaker 8: Do you think that after the night we figured out absent pressure that for offense to start that actually a big bringing it up is a good thing because all offense usually starts with a pass from a guard.

00:18:31
Speaker 2: To a big.

00:18:32
Speaker 8: I think back to the last game with Bob Butler trying to force it in. We don't have to actually initiate that pass if we have a big like Amari Williams ring end it up.

00:18:41
Speaker 2: I think your key phrase was at the beginning.

00:18:44
Speaker 1: If there's not pressure, I mean, if you promise me Amari's not gonna turn it over, then yes, because our offense often does initiate with him at the top. If you promise me that, then sure, I don't know. Again, although Tennessee is one of the best pressure teams in the country, they didn't really make the adjustment. I'm kind of surprised they didn't. You know, Milichek's not quick enough to get put pressure. But I'm kind of surprised they didn't have Lanier or or Ziggler like get up on a Mari as he was bringing it up the court.

00:19:15
Speaker 2: But they didn't, and so it worked.

00:19:16
Speaker 1: And so maybe, I mean, if they don't make an adjustment, maybe you're right.

00:19:21
Speaker 8: Yeah, I mean this surprised me. And they really did not pressure our bigs. And frankly, we had big guards bringing Baltimore most of the night.

00:19:28
Speaker 2: Maybe you're right, gain he's a good defender. Yeah, me Shack and a Ben to go there.

00:19:33
Speaker 4: He's a good defender.

00:19:34
Speaker 1: So I appreciate the call of you. Yeah, they didn't appreciate it.

00:19:40
Speaker 2: They didn't.

00:19:41
Speaker 1: They really didn't Ryan do that, and so Pope took it to his advantage and and Mamari brought it up a lot there in the last few minutes.

00:19:50
Speaker 3: The thing that's that's gotten better. And Amari's not trying to drive on somebody, get it once against the ball at the top of the key, trying to drive on something. He's you know, initiating the offense do he's supposed to do, not trying to become you know, Kobe Bryant out there and trying to make a play.

00:20:05
Speaker 1: I think, by the way, Kobe Brea this watch when I rewatched the second half a minute ago, it's the best I've seen him move without the ball at things besides just trying to get a three like he was cut into the basket.

00:20:18
Speaker 2: And you know, I thought, as far.

00:20:21
Speaker 1: As an all around offensive game, obviously he hit seven threes or whatever it gets Florida, but is an all around offensive game, this might have been his best one tonight.

00:20:29
Speaker 2: He and he held his own defensively.

00:20:32
Speaker 1: He didn't get like abused like has happened in some of the other games. So who's up next?

00:20:38
Speaker 5: Casey is next?

00:20:39
Speaker 2: Casey? Go ahead, Casey?

00:20:42
Speaker 9: What's going on?

00:20:43
Speaker 1: MJ's that can't become a thing, by the way, I can't become a thing.

00:20:48
Speaker 2: No, I can't go ahead.

00:20:50
Speaker 10: Well, they banked in a three and we still won. Yeah, Williams fifteen boards for ten points on I called in a couple of weeks ago and asked what our best win is. We had wins against the Zags, Florida, Duke, Mississippi State, Louisville, and a yeah's the best.

00:21:10
Speaker 2: Win now that you know, it's a great question. I appreciate the call.

00:21:19
Speaker 1: I mean, when we get to selection Sunday, Ryan, I think our best win on paper is still going to be Duke, because I think they're gonna end up probably the number two overall seated team in the tournament. But this one's probably second by the numbers on the road at Tennessee. I'd have to look to see for sure, but I bet you if you're just looking at analytics, this is probably our second best win analytically.

00:21:46
Speaker 3: Yeah, the Duke's gonna be a number one seed, so that's gonna be the number one win. But you're right to win at Tennessee, a team that was number one for a long time this season, just a couple of weeks ago, being them on their home floor.

00:21:56
Speaker 4: I think that is the second best win.

00:21:58
Speaker 1: You know, they're gonna they are great defensive team, but I think they're gonna have the problem of they just they don't create enough offense.

00:22:05
Speaker 2: Right.

00:22:05
Speaker 1: They really only got three guys that could score. Yeah, and that makes it, I think hard for them. They have to win games in the sixties, and you know, we got to seventy eight, and if they, if any team gets in the seventies, I think it's be hard for Tennessee to win.

00:22:18
Speaker 2: Who's next, Travis, Travis, Go ahead, Travis. It was MJ.

00:22:25
Speaker 11: Hey Man first off, Mountain Mamba and Colin Chandler. Man played a great game today, Man. They came off the bench, they played their role almanor Man. That guy is just getting better and better every game. He's getting more confident is shot. And the defense tonight was it was good man. You know, besides the late game offensive rebounds that Tennessee just happened to come up with every time. You know, we just we played good ball, man, and we shot the ball well. And I'm excited for this game on Saturday.

00:23:02
Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I agree with you. I mean, they we gave up eighteen.

00:23:05
Speaker 1: Offensive rebounds, which is a lot, but four of them were on the last in the last minute and a half.

00:23:13
Speaker 2: So but they fought through it.

00:23:15
Speaker 1: Billy, and you know, eighteen offensive rebounds a lot, but they won and so you just but you can't let that be a habit.

00:23:23
Speaker 5: Are you starting to come around on a Mauri Williams a little bit? Or is the jury still.

00:23:27
Speaker 2: Coming around on him?

00:23:28
Speaker 4: I think he's right.

00:23:30
Speaker 1: Look he's plus twenty, like, that's awesome. He had fifteen boards, that's awesome. You know, does he has he frustrated me in games? Yes, he didn't really frustrate me to I didn't see. I didn't really see a play that I thought he was really good. I did see the one time they went to review to see if he touched the ball going out of bounds, right, I wanted to go he doesn't raise his arms. Of course he didn't touch them. It's out on them. But he got a couple two hnded rebounds that were big. I thought he was great. I think this was his best game of the year in my opinion. I think him Colin Chandler obviously, and I maybe even Kobe bry I mean, I know he hit seven threes, but just as overall those those three, Yes, this might have been their best games the year, all three.

00:24:15
Speaker 5: Of them, and Mario's guy Ansley Almanor. I mean he's he's still.

00:24:18
Speaker 2: Yeah, he's still. I mean he hit four threes. That was huge.

00:24:21
Speaker 1: I think the game was at Mississippi State. I think that's his game of the year. Is it wasn't that the one he hit the four threes and they were all at the end.

00:24:28
Speaker 2: Was that the Yeah? I think that was.

00:24:30
Speaker 3: He's eight of thirteen and he's last three thirteen three point attempts.

00:24:34
Speaker 1: Yeah, before he hit against Misissippi State were like they won the game.

00:24:38
Speaker 2: So I'd say that's probably his best one. Who's that? Jacob, Jacob, go ahead.

00:24:42
Speaker 12: Jacob Hey, Matt Jones case, how about this, guys. Kentucky didn't have their starting point guard. Kentucky didn't have their backup point guard. Kentucky didn't have their starting power forward.

00:24:52
Speaker 8: But you know who we had.

00:24:53
Speaker 12: We had the Mountain Mamba hitting Logo threes. We had Mark Pope coaching his butt off, and best of all, we had go big Blue chance erupting.

00:25:02
Speaker 2: That was great. That was that was I love that. Pope said on the post game he didn't hear it.

00:25:09
Speaker 1: I have a hard time believing that because that was that was loud. Ryan, that those chants in rupperena, that's excuse me, and Thompson bowing arena is pretty awesome.

00:25:19
Speaker 3: I think it was Oway who was shooting a free throw and the chance started going and you could see Jackson Robinson break into a smile behind him because they heard it.

00:25:26
Speaker 4: On the floor. I know Coach Pope heard it on the sideline.

00:25:30
Speaker 1: By the way, I want to say about Jackson Robinson when you have a game where you know you you have a game where two of the four best players are out and you are, in theory, the the best scorer on the team. I know Oway leads the team in points, but I still think Robinson's probably better score. Their defense is going to be focused on you, and you could tell Tennessee's defense was keep Robinson from beating us. He still had seventeen and he did a great job of setting other guys up. I think he played excellent. And you know, the dude I think has been good this year. I think some people have hoped he'd be a little better. But in this game and in the Gonzaga game, in games Ryan where we had to have him because other dudes weren't available.

00:26:18
Speaker 2: He has played great.

00:26:19
Speaker 3: I think those have been his best two games of the year. And Zach and tonight, just what is being aggressive? Looking for the shot, more running in the offense, making good passes, playing good defense, and both both games he goes, you know, called in to play a role he wasn't used to.

00:26:34
Speaker 1: Yeah, who's next, Blaine, Blaine, go ahead, Blaine.

00:26:39
Speaker 13: Hey, what's up, guys? I just wanted to say a couple of things. I have probably five things, but I'll only save.

00:26:46
Speaker 2: Two for you. Give me your best two.

00:26:47
Speaker 13: Yeah, I got your best too. So the first thing I thought, the positive of Car being out is Noah getting some uh really gaining some experience and and uh really filling it up. So and I love the name Mountain Mamba, but so I thought it was nice to see him come in and get some experience as of reserves. So when we need him and Car comes back, he's ready to fight.

00:27:14
Speaker 7: Yeah, like yeah, yeah.

00:27:18
Speaker 13: The other thing I wanted to say, I don't know if you guys saw the Tennessee cheat sheet, was yeah, Jackson Robinson weird name and owns the Mercedes Amari.

00:27:29
Speaker 1: Yeah, listen, those are the dorkis those are the dorkiest. They were the dorkiest. I appreciate the call, you know, I listen. I disavow a lot of my Duke time, but I would see the Duke student cheat sheet every game, Billy, and it was always pretty good. Like they did research and that this was when I was in school. They did research. They were clever. This is pre the internet being what it is now, so it's even harder to find it. And they still had everything on the players. Compare that to what Tennessee's was today. That was the lamest thing I've ever seen.

00:28:04
Speaker 5: Yeah, that was that was really tame compared to what you could have said or what Duke I guess was doing back in the day.

00:28:09
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean owns of Mercedes. Like that's a negative. That's that's something you mock. Come on, that was ridiculous. And and oh his name is spelled funny. Come on, you gotta do better than that, Tennessey.

00:28:21
Speaker 5: Don't even try Andrew Carr, he's a graduate student, bro, just leave college already. Trader to Wake Forest.

00:28:27
Speaker 2: Yeah, what was the whole trader thing?

00:28:29
Speaker 1: Like half of their team is transfers too, Like, I mean, is it like four of their five starters, transfers anyway.

00:28:38
Speaker 4: Near sure is a transfer, I think I think milk.

00:28:42
Speaker 2: Well, I don't know.

00:28:43
Speaker 1: The only one that I think's been there from the beginning is Ziegler because he's been there since Bernie and Ernie, so I know it's been a while. Let's do one morning. I'll hand it to these guys for the last two.

00:28:52
Speaker 2: Who's name Mark? Mark? Go ahead? And Mark?

00:28:57
Speaker 7: Hey, Matt, how are you good?

00:28:59
Speaker 2: What's up?

00:29:00
Speaker 14: First time? Long time man?

00:29:02
Speaker 2: Who are what's going up? What's up?

00:29:06
Speaker 15: Brother?

00:29:07
Speaker 14: I've been with you and cass Are since the beginning the podcast days. I'm fifty eight years old, I'm a UK fan, and I'm really impressed with Mark Pope.

00:29:24
Speaker 2: I just.

00:29:26
Speaker 14: We could talk about all the players you want to, but at the end of the day, Mark Pope is the one that is responsible. Would you not agree?

00:29:36
Speaker 2: Of course? Yeah?

00:29:37
Speaker 1: I mean, look, this is still Tonight is a perfect example of this team is the hole is greater than the sum of the parts, and tonight two of the parts were out and they still found a way to win a big game.

00:29:52
Speaker 14: Wasn't it beautiful? Did you watch it?

00:29:56
Speaker 2: I did watch it? Yes, I did, Yeah, I did. It was beautiful.

00:30:00
Speaker 12: I know you did.

00:30:01
Speaker 14: I'm sorry.

00:30:02
Speaker 13: It was just so.

00:30:05
Speaker 14: It was just so amazing to me that this coach did that without two starters and he beat Tennessee, the number one defensive team in the coach country.

00:30:20
Speaker 2: That was beautiful and it was.

00:30:24
Speaker 14: Yeah, and he made it look easy to be honest.

00:30:29
Speaker 2: Yeah, Well, I appreciate the call.

00:30:31
Speaker 1: Thank you for always listening and uh and and calling in. He he was great. Awesome win this listen. We've had so many of these this year. I remember the postgame show after the Duke game. There was such a thrill of like, Okay, this Pope thing, this may work. And then after the Gonzaga game, which was in the middle of the night and we were in that bar and it was as late as it could be and how great that was. And we'd be Louisville and uh and you're like, okay, we still own little brother. And then you beat Florida in a game where you score one hundred and six points and you go, Okay, we're gonna be able to compete in this SEC. Then you win at Mississippi State in a game where you show, Okay, this team can do it on the road, and now tonight they do it against Tennessee. I know we I said at the end of the year, you look at what Poke did it.

00:31:19
Speaker 16: B Yu.

00:31:20
Speaker 2: It's probably gonna be weight here.

00:31:22
Speaker 1: They win some game, they lose some games they probably shouldn't, but there's not a game you don't have a chance with him. And at some point I'm gonna remember that, Ryan, because we went to Clemson and lost, came right back and beat Gonzaga. We went to Georgia and lost, came right back and went at Mississippi State. We went to Bandy and lost, and come right back and win at Tennessee. They have a way of bouncing back, and maybe the next time this happens, we'll actually remember it. Billy, Ryan, take them through the rest of the night, the other two segments. I'll be back in the morning. Thank you all for coming in and doing this this evening, and well I'll talk to you later. All right, all right, all right, right, we'll take a break.

00:32:05
Speaker 2: I'll be right back. It's a local toyo to do. It's KSR postcape show.

00:32:09
Speaker 3: All right, welcome back, It's right and Billy Now for the last half hour of the Local Total Doers KSR postgame Show, as the Cats wins seventy eight to seventy three over the steaking tobacco chewing Tennessee volunteers.

00:32:21
Speaker 4: Billy.

00:32:22
Speaker 3: Before we go to the phones, we got to give out some flowers. That's all right, Yeah, first flowers I think has to go to Drew Franklin. And Drew Franklin had a little rant at the end of our pregame show where even though his his prediction on the on the morning show and on the graphic had Kentucky losing, Drew flipped at the end of the of the pregame show was all about Kentucky pulling this off, and he nailed it. So I think we could give Drew some flowers tonight.

00:32:46
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:32:46
Speaker 5: I did a great job hosting the pregame show and then brought the energy at the end, so no doubt. I told him that I thought the team was listening to that speech afterwards.

00:32:54
Speaker 3: Oh, I think they did, no doubt about it. I think now, I guess since we talked talked about the graphic, we got to give flowers tomorrow. Yes, Mario's the only one out of all of us that picked Kentucky to win, and he only missed the final score by two points. He missed the Kentucky score by one point. I think in the Tennessee score by one point. He almost nailed the score, picked Kentucky to win when the rest of us did not believe in the Blues. We gotta give Mario some flowers.

00:33:17
Speaker 5: Listen, he knows. Bam Ryan and I've been bad on the guesses this year. I'd say Kentucky's done this weird thing where they lose the games that you think they're gonna win, and then win these these big games on the road.

00:33:27
Speaker 4: Right now, the last set of flowers we have to give. I think I gotta give them to myself.

00:33:33
Speaker 5: Oh wait, hold on a second, you can't flowers to yourself.

00:33:37
Speaker 7: Yeah.

00:33:37
Speaker 3: How Because the postgame curse, I think is officially over. I think I think now it's going to exactly flip.

00:33:45
Speaker 4: You know, we went.

00:33:46
Speaker 3: We broke the KSR curse. We went to the witch House in Denver on our trip out to Seattle. Broke the KSR curse. I think it also broke the postgame curse. I'm happy about doing this postgame show tonight. It's a good post game. It's a winning big game.

00:33:59
Speaker 4: Billy. I think I think I deserve some flowers.

00:34:01
Speaker 2: Too.

00:34:02
Speaker 5: Well, we named it the Billy R Sports post Game to avoid the bad juju with you hosting the show. So maybe we'll have to do that moving forward.

00:34:10
Speaker 4: Well, here's another one.

00:34:11
Speaker 3: You know, I think the KSR curse, I think is finally turning around. When that guy banked into three, how many of us thought, Okay, we're gonna lose this game. How many times have we seen a bank three pointer ends up being in one of our four losses.

00:34:23
Speaker 5: Yeah, they hit the three right after the bank went in, So I think that was the sign that maybe this would be a different, different game.

00:34:30
Speaker 3: Yeah, two, two, seven, eight, five nine, two cats, if you want to call them, get on board.

00:34:36
Speaker 4: So is line him up? Billy? Who we got?

00:34:38
Speaker 5: Joe is up?

00:34:38
Speaker 4: Joe, go ahead, Joe?

00:34:41
Speaker 7: Hey, Ryan, thanks taking the call. Guys. Hey, I was a doubter tonight. I'm gonna be a man and admitute, I didn't think we had a snowballs chance and hell to get this game pulled off. But to me, this game just kind of proves that we can go out. We can beat anybody any night, all the way through March. As long as they play aggressive like that we gotta do. We've gotta get free throws, man, free throws are gonna cost us in March. And then grab the ball with two hands. That's all I can say.

00:35:08
Speaker 3: Appreciate it, Joe, Yeah, Uh, you know, at least Otega stepped up and hit those last three in a row that were huge, you know, to kind of put the game out of reach. Brea hit what did what did Kobe? And the five out of seven free throws? I think he was, Yeah, five out of seven free throws. Jackson hit one of two. At least they were, you know, hitting some of the free throws. But we're not a great free throw shooting team, it appeared, though. The numbers may tell me something different, but Billy, it seems like they're not the greatest free throw shooting team.

00:35:36
Speaker 5: Well that and you know the fact that Kobe Brea had as many free throws tonight almost as he's had the entire season. So maybe they're starting to take some of his coaching and the emphasis that Mark Pope has put on these guys. But uh, Goosen and Brea had a special moment post game. Jack was saying how proud of he was, if not just only the team, but of Kobe of you know, staying aggressive after a couple of bad games, and it was it was.

00:35:57
Speaker 3: It was nice to hear that Kobe Brean did not miss a shot. He was five of five from the field, three of three, three point lands. He missed two free throws, but he did not miss a field goal. He needs to be more aggressive and shoot more shots. The dude, just if this, If Kentucky wants to go a long way, he's got to He's got to be more aggressive offensively and being a little more selfish I think offensively.

00:36:18
Speaker 5: Yeah, I agree.

00:36:19
Speaker 2: Who's next?

00:36:20
Speaker 4: Billy Bones is Bones? Go ahead? Bones?

00:36:25
Speaker 16: Hey, what's up?

00:36:26
Speaker 7: Guys?

00:36:26
Speaker 16: Thanks for taking my call. Hey, so I was gonna say so in your opinion, and I'm pretty sure stats will back it up. Jackson Robinson's two best games, and then when we forced him to play point guard, he's been better offensively, he's been better defensively. Beaton Tag and now we beat Tennessee. I know you can't run him in Lamont, but let it together. But there's something to that. And then number two, how about Ainsley Albimor eight for thirteen in the last three games. Like in Kobe Bray when he shoots it without thinking it's money. It's when he hesitates, and tonight he didn't hesitate, and lets you guys.

00:37:04
Speaker 2: Listen, good points.

00:37:05
Speaker 4: Bones made three great points.

00:37:07
Speaker 3: The thing about Jackson Robinson, him playing point guard against Gonzaga, him forced into point guard, and not against Tennessee he has two of his best games of the year. I agree with Bones. I don't think that's coincidence. I think Jackson is just better with the ball in his hands more, and by him playing point guard, he had the ball and his hands more. He becomes more aggressive offensively looking for he shot more. So, Billy, I do think there's a little something to that.

00:37:33
Speaker 5: You know, it's funny because we heard that story of Robinson running down the court screaming at Pope, I'll never play point guard again, back when he was at BYU, and then yeah, you know, he's just had to be thrusted into that role at Kentucky and and you know, Bones is right, he's played well in those moments.

00:37:48
Speaker 3: Bones also mentioned Ansley Aminor. We talked about his twelve points, his four to three pointers. Dude played thirty minutes tonight. He was on the floor a lot and he had to since Carr was out thirty minutes twelve points for to three pointers. As Bone said, he's eight of his last thirteen from three. He in the first half helped kind of give Kentucky that cushion that they really never gave up the rest of the way.

00:38:12
Speaker 5: Him and Colin Chandler. I think maybe midway through the year it was like, what kind of role of these guys are gonna have. Are they gonna get on the court very much at all over these in the last half of the season, and they've proven that they can step up and that's what they needed, right. I mean this, with all these guys out, somebody had to play well, and I feel like almost everybody you know played their role.

00:38:31
Speaker 4: Who we got next? Sam?

00:38:33
Speaker 5: Is next?

00:38:34
Speaker 4: Sam? Go ahead? Sam?

00:38:37
Speaker 9: Hey, thanks for thinking my call. Guys. I'm looking at ESPN right now and I just dated back to when Kobe Braan had this amount of free throws. He's only shot eight free throws since the lipscumb game, and tonight he was able to shoot sad, which is pretty amazing to me. But the three started following tonight and the boy's got to w appreciate you taking my call.

00:39:03
Speaker 4: Thanks, am appreciate it.

00:39:04
Speaker 3: Yeah, we kind of made a topic about Kobe Brean not getting to the free throw line this week on KSR in the morning show, the fact it only been ten times all season and he gets there seven tonight Billy once again.

00:39:16
Speaker 4: I think they were listening to.

00:39:17
Speaker 5: The show maybe, and he was the first guy to make a shot in the game, had the first three pointer. Kentucky hit four threes in the first four minutes and then went what the next media timeout and had only scored one point after that, So it was a hot start and then they definitely cooled down after that.

00:39:32
Speaker 3: So somebody tweeted me on X and said that Kobe Brea maybe one of those guys that needs to start, because he seems to play better in the couple games that he started. I can't remember how he played in the last game that he started, but obviously tonight being in the starting line, he said he hit the first shot and had it going down for the minute the game started.

00:39:55
Speaker 5: I've been told it doesn't matter who starts, yes, who finishes Ryan.

00:39:59
Speaker 3: But I think some guys it does matter. But yet, you know, he came off the bench all year last year at dating. I mean, he's us He's comfortable in that role.

00:40:07
Speaker 5: So it is Jackson.

00:40:08
Speaker 4: Yeah, that's right. If you can started, who you're gonna sit? Right, tell me who you're gonna sit? Ye can't I sit? O'll take it, Jackson l Yeah, all right, here's next, Leslie, Leslie, go ahead, Leslie.

00:40:22
Speaker 17: Hey, this is Leslie from Saint Louis. And I will say that the Banks three. When I saw that, I was like, we're gonna win this game. And uh, I just love the way Pope was so masterful at rotating the players, and the way Colin Chandler was like a little bee buzzing around and he made some great passes. I was so excited to see that because I didn't know he had such great ball handling skills. And then I do. I did so a little bad for Travis Perry. He didn't seem to really have a great game tonight. Do you how does the plus minus thing work?

00:40:56
Speaker 10: Do we know what his was?

00:40:59
Speaker 2: Uh?

00:40:59
Speaker 4: Billy, see if you can look that up, see what his was.

00:41:01
Speaker 5: I can have that. Travis Perry was minus six tonight. It was not the worst. Brandon Garrison was minus sixteen, but Travis Perry minus.

00:41:09
Speaker 3: Yeah, Travis was just kind of good matchup for trying to guard Ziggler. Zigger went went right past him a couple of times, and I think they realized, Okay, we can't go do this. I agree with you, though. Yeah about Colin Chandler, that was his that was his best game of the year. Best games is the Blue White Game by far.

00:41:25
Speaker 10: Yeah.

00:41:26
Speaker 17: He seemed really relaxed and just went out there and played hard. And the way he would cut to the basket and then make these great passes. He did a great job.

00:41:33
Speaker 7: I was.

00:41:33
Speaker 10: I was really impressed.

00:41:34
Speaker 3: Now are you the Leslie that knows Jason Tatum from growing up in.

00:41:38
Speaker 15: Saint Louis, I am, yes, I am.

00:41:41
Speaker 13: Yeah.

00:41:42
Speaker 17: He went to elementary school with my kids. Yeah, that he was a classmate with my daughter.

00:41:47
Speaker 5: Good callback ran Billy.

00:41:49
Speaker 3: She sent me this thing that Jason Jason Tatum wrote when he was in what the fourth grade, seeing how he was going to be it.

00:41:58
Speaker 17: Yeah, he wanted he wanted to play for there. That was the team and each kid did what they wanted to be with when they grew up, and he knew back then that that's what he wanted to be. And I took the picture and I sent it to my daughter and then she put it. She sent it to Jason and then he put it on his uh Instagram and then ESPN picked it up. I was like, oh gosh, I just took that in my kitchen, so that's kind of fun.

00:42:20
Speaker 10: Yeah, heck of.

00:42:21
Speaker 3: A story, Leslie. Thank you very much. Call us again.

00:42:25
Speaker 10: You will do.

00:42:26
Speaker 17: Thank you so much.

00:42:26
Speaker 2: Thank you.

00:42:27
Speaker 4: Yeah.

00:42:27
Speaker 3: Her daughter grew up with Jason Tatum and he wrote this paper in the fourth grade that he was going to be the number one pick. I guess played for the Lakers.

00:42:36
Speaker 5: Almost got it, almost, almost almost got it.

00:42:39
Speaker 4: I want to get one more for we go to a break.

00:42:40
Speaker 5: Yeah, that's a good call.

00:42:41
Speaker 2: One more and thank you? All right?

00:42:42
Speaker 5: Who we got Darren?

00:42:44
Speaker 4: Darren? Go ahead, Darren, Aaron you there?

00:42:52
Speaker 2: All right?

00:42:53
Speaker 4: You got another one?

00:42:53
Speaker 5: Try him later?

00:42:54
Speaker 4: Yeah, Lee, Lee, go ahead, Lee?

00:42:58
Speaker 18: Great night, right, Billy, And all I can say is take the points at ut every time. Listen. This is one of those games that you I was pacing the floor, I was leaving the TV room. I went outside and just screamed, real loud. I was sneaking peaks to the radio. What was gonna happen before they showed it on TV? Great game to watch? Before I ask you one question. I want Can I give a shout out to my grandsons?

00:43:32
Speaker 4: Sure, Kentucky.

00:43:33
Speaker 3: One tonight they beat Tennessee, you give the shout out to your grandson if you want to lead.

00:43:37
Speaker 2: All right?

00:43:38
Speaker 18: Is the cash crew and two d as my grandson's all right, here's a question I want to ask y'all talking about it. I listened to it this morning. Everybody was predicting nine and nine in the SEC. Have you wavered on that a little bit? Now? I'm kind of leaning out eleven and seven or ten and eight. How do y'all feel about that?

00:43:59
Speaker 4: All right? Appreciate it?

00:44:00
Speaker 3: In our preseason predictions, I think Billy, you and I both said eleven and seven.

00:44:04
Speaker 4: Is that right? Yes? That is correct?

00:44:06
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:44:07
Speaker 3: I think even Shannon said eleven and seven. I think Drew and Matt said twelve and six. I mean, I'm I'll be happy that if they end up twelve and six. But it's not a reflection on Kentucky. It's reflection on how good the SEC is this year. They're going to lose another game to like a Georgia or a Vanderbilt. Again, it's just gonna happen this year in se you know, they still have to go to Missouri. Everybody thinks that's gonna be a w Missouri's really really good, so there's still some losses out there for him. But yeah, this team is h This team could easily win twelve or eleven SEC games.

00:44:41
Speaker 5: At Ole Miss is gonna be a tough one, at Alabama is another one, and at Missouri, like you said, and then you've got some home games against Auburn, against Tennessee South Carolina, who hasn't been great, but you know, like you have a home game versus Vandy. Yeah, so I mean it's it's no slouch.

00:45:00
Speaker 3: They're at Ole Miss week from tonight. Right, that's next Tuesday at Ole Miss.

00:45:04
Speaker 5: Right February fourth.

00:45:05
Speaker 3: Yeah, all right, we'll take our final break. Come back our final segment. I hope Cash and two D heard their shout out. We read back Ryan Billy and the local towtal Deer's KSR postgame show, Welcome back final segment Loco Total Doer's ks OUR postgame shows. The Cats improved to fifteen and five, four and three in the SEC with a seventy eight seventy three we win over Tennessee. Of course we haven't talked much about it, but uh, next Saturday, Billy, there may be a little interest in the Kentucky game at Reperena.

00:45:36
Speaker 4: On Saturday, Is that right? Maybe just a little.

00:45:40
Speaker 5: I've heard ticket prizes have gone up. I'm just not sure why.

00:45:42
Speaker 3: Ticket prices are way up. Yes, So just just beware. But we'll be talking about that a lot this week on KSR. Somebody did sim I didn't say who sent it to me, but I thought there's an interesting stat. Kentucky's last three big wins in Knoxville against Tennessee. All three wins involved a good game from a Kentucky kid. Trent, Noah, Tonight, Reed Shepherd last.

00:46:08
Speaker 4: Year, c J. Frederick two years ago.

00:46:12
Speaker 3: That's kind of cool, man, because when you grow up in this state, you know you you.

00:46:15
Speaker 4: Just you're just it's just in you.

00:46:18
Speaker 3: You hate Louisville, you hate Tennessee, you hate Duke, you hate Indiana. And to go on the road and win in Knoxville and each win the last three years, a Kentucky kid was a vital part of the wind.

00:46:29
Speaker 4: I think that's kind of cool.

00:46:31
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:46:31
Speaker 5: No, the success of Reid last year now now Trent and and Travis, It's it's something special, isn't it.

00:46:39
Speaker 4: Yeah?

00:46:39
Speaker 3: It is pretty cool. So all right, though we got six colors. We'll get on here before we get out of here. So who we got in the first? Billy, Big Blue Ben, Big Blue Ben, go ahead.

00:46:49
Speaker 12: Sir, Hey, uh first, first time, long time?

00:46:54
Speaker 4: All right, thanks for falling.

00:46:57
Speaker 1: Hey.

00:46:58
Speaker 12: Yeah, you should have seen the tennis fans crying as they walked down the steps so early in the game.

00:47:03
Speaker 4: Oh you were you there, Big Blue Ben?

00:47:06
Speaker 3: Yes, so you know we could hear the go big Blue chant a little bit through the TV.

00:47:12
Speaker 4: Was it really loud inside there?

00:47:15
Speaker 19: Oh?

00:47:15
Speaker 4: Yeah, that was a dude, that's awesome.

00:47:18
Speaker 3: I mean because that that's one of the bigger arenas that to Kentucky was playing on the road in the sec it holds like twenty two thousand, I think something like that. And to hear go Big Blue Ben, that was pretty cool inside there.

00:47:30
Speaker 20: Yeah.

00:47:31
Speaker 8: Yeah, we took my papal for his birthday. A big win for Gary Foley.

00:47:36
Speaker 4: Well, Jerry Foley, how old is he?

00:47:39
Speaker 9: Gary Foley?

00:47:40
Speaker 4: He's Gary seventy one.

00:47:42
Speaker 3: Well, there's nothing more special than a grandpa and a son and a grandson going to a Kentucky game and having those good memories. So Big Blue Ben, I know, you might as well just skip school tomorrow.

00:47:53
Speaker 4: It's like a holiday. Kentucky just beat Tennessee on the road, So school tomorrow.

00:47:57
Speaker 16: Oh yeah, yeah, that's what.

00:48:00
Speaker 3: Okay, all right, but appreciate the phone call, Billy.

00:48:02
Speaker 4: You don't want to go to school tomorrow. You just went went and watch the game. You saw your team win.

00:48:06
Speaker 3: You were celebrating, probably had a few yagger bombs on the way home with Grandpa Tell for his birthday.

00:48:13
Speaker 5: In enemy territory too. I'm, you know, proud of a big blue bend. And Gary who shares a birthday with Amary Williams.

00:48:21
Speaker 3: Man Amari Williams on his birthday, has just this monster game.

00:48:26
Speaker 4: Matt mentioned it. What do you play?

00:48:28
Speaker 3: He played twenty one minutes something like that. Twenty Let's see, it wasn't twenty seven minutes.

00:48:33
Speaker 4: I don't know. It wasn't a whole lot of minutes.

00:48:35
Speaker 5: Twenty four minutes, twenty four.

00:48:37
Speaker 4: Minutes, and he was he was a plus twenty. That's twenty four minutes. That's amazing, all right. Who we got next, Thomas, Thomas? Go ahead, Thomas, dude.

00:48:48
Speaker 15: We won. We had two guys on the bench that were starters. Are you kidding me Tennessee. I'm so fired up. This is a great team with Pope. Oh my gosh, incredible, Thomas.

00:49:06
Speaker 3: I could not have said it better. You said it just as good as anybody could say. It's a brother. We appreciate it, enjoy the win. Anytime you beat Tennessee, it's a.

00:49:13
Speaker 15: Good win, especially when the guys on the bench are injured.

00:49:19
Speaker 3: Really yeah, exactly, all right, Thomas.

00:49:22
Speaker 4: We appreciate it. You know.

00:49:24
Speaker 3: I think, uh Lee on our last segment and Thomas tonight maybe have been celebrating with Grandpaul Gary with Big Blue Ben for his birthday tonight.

00:49:32
Speaker 5: It wasn't Kentucky a double digit underdog in this game?

00:49:35
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it was like eleven and a half.

00:49:37
Speaker 3: Yeah, But Drew pointed out two years ago, Kentucky was also an eleven point and a half point underdog. They didn't have caseon Wallace, they didn't have Severe Wheeler down two point guards. Tonight we're down two point guards. Kind of eerily similar and they both come in with wins.

00:49:51
Speaker 5: Yeah, Kentucky players just miss hate that song Rocky Top.

00:49:54
Speaker 4: I hate it. I hate it.

00:49:56
Speaker 5: Well, after you hear twelve times, you were like, Okay, that's enough.

00:49:59
Speaker 3: I went down to a Kentucky Tennessee football game one year, I don't know what year. It was early two thousands, and I'm sitting in the press box and I decided I'm gonna just make a little mark on my note count every time they play Rocky Top. And I'm not kidding you. I think it was like seventy nine times because they, you know, not the whole song, just a little blip, that little blip after every first down, after every point, after every spop stoppage of play. It was like seventy nine times. They played at the Atnland Stadium that day.

00:50:30
Speaker 5: That's amazing. I mean, I think we put the over under at twelve and that was it. I think it went way over that.

00:50:36
Speaker 4: Yeah, all right, who we got next, Darren.

00:50:37
Speaker 5: We're gonna try Darren again, Darren.

00:50:39
Speaker 4: Let's try Darren again?

00:50:40
Speaker 7: All right, go ahead, it is Casey from Second Creek.

00:50:44
Speaker 10: Darren Kung can get through on his first try, So I'm gonna give the phone to Darren.

00:50:49
Speaker 4: All right, Thank you Casey from Casey Creek.

00:50:53
Speaker 7: Hey, listen, I love, I love.

00:50:55
Speaker 11: We got a big wind of that.

00:50:56
Speaker 7: But if we're rebounding like that, out of don't say this to one far in the tournament.

00:51:02
Speaker 15: I'll see what your thoughts on thoughts is a better well.

00:51:06
Speaker 3: I mean, Mario Williams got fifteen rebounds tonight, and I like him when he's in the game as far as doing the rebounding, and Tennessee is a really good rebounding team. They most of their offensive rebounds. I feel like, thanks for the phone call, Billy. Were like at the end of the game, I mean those last couple of minutes when they kept getting rebound after rebounding shot after shot.

00:51:24
Speaker 5: Yeah, and overall the rebounding edge for Tennessee was only forty one to thirty eight. So add that to the minutes and Yeaentucky has the edge in rebounding.

00:51:33
Speaker 4: So yeah, I totally agree with you. All Right, who's next?

00:51:37
Speaker 5: I think it's Griggsby and Josh?

00:51:39
Speaker 4: Is this Shannon Griggsby?

00:51:40
Speaker 5: I didn't investigate. Hopefully they're still on the phone.

00:51:43
Speaker 4: Griggsby, are you there?

00:51:45
Speaker 1: Hey?

00:51:46
Speaker 21: It's a grief Bey and Josh.

00:51:48
Speaker 5: Okay, what's up guys?

00:51:50
Speaker 21: Hey, first time away game, first time caller, just crossed back into Kentucky.

00:51:57
Speaker 18: I've got two.

00:51:57
Speaker 21: Things, Pope, energy, some half maybe halfway through the first half. I think it was an out of bounds play, came close to getting the technical his I believe his energy got those guys going, you know, and then it died down there towards the end and Tennessee went on that run. Take it think he is they needed to grit a win out like that, you know, four or five losses they've been right there with with you know, good teams and just couldn't seem to get over the hump. And they gritted one out to that with two starters on the bench.

00:52:32
Speaker 3: YEP, appreciate it. Man be safe going home, but he he's is it Grigsby or Josh?

00:52:37
Speaker 4: Which every one was that we were talking to.

00:52:38
Speaker 3: I'm not sure it was exactly right, and especially about Pope. I just happened to catch on the radio broadcast at that moment that but Josh is talking about and I think even Tom Leach said, that's about as close as you're gonna see Mark Pope get to a technical that he got so upset at that moment.

00:52:54
Speaker 5: I can't remember what it was. There was like a no foul called, or if it was a foul call, but yeah, he was up and jumping.

00:53:03
Speaker 3: Billy somebody on the pregame show named Mark Pope the Johnny Rocker role Player of the Game because of his coaching tonight that he's gone to juggle the point guard position, juggle Andrew Carr position, mix things up, try to figure out to score against Tennessee's great defense. Must have been a genius, a basketball savant to name Mark Pope as the Johnny Rocker role player of the.

00:53:26
Speaker 5: Game, which is strange because it's a role player and you're naming a coach.

00:53:31
Speaker 3: Well, his role tonight was to be a good coach. You don't have to be coming off the bench to be a role player. You like a Mario Williams. His role tonight was to go get all the rebounds.

00:53:41
Speaker 5: Okay, all right, yeah, I mean maybe we've reversed that curse as well.

00:53:46
Speaker 3: And I'm telling you it all goes back to stopping at that witch house one on my trip out to Seattle and the sage that I left in a pot of water in our airbnb.

00:53:56
Speaker 4: All right, who we got? Is this the last one?

00:53:58
Speaker 20: We got?

00:53:58
Speaker 5: Two?

00:53:59
Speaker 2: More? Okay?

00:53:59
Speaker 4: Who we Jerry? Jerry, go ahead, Jerry.

00:54:04
Speaker 20: Hey, guys, I've got to say this, and I say it from my heart. You guys are the most professional and friendly outfit. Drew took me around in Bowling Green when I was down there first chance had to meet you all. He took me around as if he was kin to me and introduced me to everybody there and I as part of the Big Blue Nation. I can't be any more grateful. I thought, Wow, what great guys, And I think I think I listened to the pregame show and the postgame shows and everything, and all of you all are so professional and as part of what as part of of what I think of the team, I think defense stood out tonight. I think that was mentioned several times, but I'll just listen to see what you had to say about that.

00:54:55
Speaker 2: Jerry.

00:54:56
Speaker 4: First of all, Jerry, thank you very much for everything you just said. That's awesome.

00:54:59
Speaker 3: You know, we love here from people like you, Jerry, So thank you very much. And we're all in it together, man. I mean, we do a radio show, but we're fans just like everybody else.

00:55:07
Speaker 2: You know.

00:55:07
Speaker 3: We want the catch to win just like everybody else, and we get excited when they do.

00:55:10
Speaker 4: So glad to do that.

00:55:12
Speaker 3: And Jerry's right, the team that came into the game all headlines were about their defense was Tennessee yet Kentucky's defense tonight I think was the difference in the game. Well, yes, hitting shots played a big factor in Kentucky winning, but also their defense. They without Lamont Butler, they really I thought Billy played a good job on the defensive end.

00:55:34
Speaker 5: Yeah, obviously it starts with Amuri Williams and everything that he was able to do. But we we highlighted Colin Chandler, who I thought gave some great defensive minutes. They did, and you know, this was important without Lamont Butler, who is arguably your best defender. So for you to hold you know, Tennessee is not the best scoring team, but to do what you needed to do to win the game. It was impressive performance all around tonight.

00:55:58
Speaker 4: All right, we got one more. Who's our Josh Josh?

00:56:01
Speaker 19: Go ahead, Josh Josh Smith. How are you doing? Boys? On the first start by saying thank you, Billy and Ryan, y'all do a great job. Matt Jones as well, inspire you represent the state very well Kentucky, and I want to point out that BBN got a big win today and celebrate that. But on Saturday, I hope that we all come together as a state and at least respect Cali Perry. Give him a good cheer when he comes in, because without him, we could very well be in Indiana's shoes. He saved the program at the time we needed it. I want to keep that in mind. I hope everybody does and appreciates what we did. Doe. I'm excited for our new coach. The state of Kentucky as a whole, between Mark Pope and and Pat Kelsey, couldn't ask for more. As long as it's not the state of North Carolina. We're winning as a whole. We're winning as a state. And as always, God blessed and good luck with you'all show you keep killing it.

00:56:51
Speaker 3: Thanks Josh, appreciate it. Appreciate what you said. You know, Billy, there's three more days talk about the Arkansas game. But now that the Tennessee post game show was about to be put to bed, I can say that when the schedule came out and we saw Arkansas at UK at Roperna on February first, this day could not get here fast enough for me and most UK fans because the man that we loved and did great things here won a national championship here, went to final four, after final four, after final four, during that stretch, was coming back, but going to be on the opposite bench in red, not in blue. He's going to walk into that arena in red. But this I'm trying to look at it from his perspective. You know, he he loved it here. He loved I really believed it. I really believe he loved living here.

00:57:44
Speaker 4: He's got some very dear friends here.

00:57:47
Speaker 3: He's I know, he's excited about seeing his friends, going to Dunkin Donuts, sitting and to have a donut and some coffee, riding his Vespa around Chevy Chase. He was one of us for a long time and it's hard to forget that. But on Saturday, Billy, I want him to lose, and I want him to lose badly. I want him to regret leaving here, and I want him to feel bad about leaving us. Although it was probably time was right, I still want him to feel it because what we felt having to say goodbye to our coach.

00:58:19
Speaker 4: What are your thoughts on me?

00:58:20
Speaker 3: Because like I said, we'll we talk a lot about Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, But what are your thoughts as you now that's the next game on the plates, the one we've been waiting for for months and months and months.

00:58:30
Speaker 5: Overall, he did right by Kentucky in a lot of ways, and even till the very end when he saved us millions of dollars by talking to the Chicken Man and eventually opening the door for somebody like Mark Pope to come in and be embraced and bring back a meeting to this fan base that it hadn't had. I'm really glad they're not coming in on a three game losing streak. I'll say that because the vibes would be very strange going into that game at Reperena. But for him to go to a team in the same conference, I think, you know, makes it fair for you to have that opinion, Ryan, that that that there will be a time where cal is honored and this is part of it, but he is also going to be on the on the opposing side on Saturday.

00:59:12
Speaker 4: You're right, you know.

00:59:13
Speaker 3: Rick Patino went to the Celtics first, That's okay. We hated to lose him, but we still really liked him. But then he went to Louisville, went to our rival. We don't like you. Then we like Rick Patino. Now after he left Uville Louisville a couple of years, got away from it. When Tubby Smith left here, there were a lot of people, a lot of fans ready to run him out of town.

00:59:34
Speaker 4: They wanted him to leave.

00:59:35
Speaker 3: Ten lost Tubby, but he went to Minnesota, you know, Cali Perry's like Patino went to Arkansas. At one time in the nineties, was one of our biggest rivals.

00:59:46
Speaker 5: Yeah, I think cal wants to prove people wrong, and I think he does. And he's got on Saturday, right.

00:59:52
Speaker 3: That's when he's at his best. Yeah, that's what scares me a little bit. That's when he's at his best to try to prove people wrong, people counting him out.

01:00:01
Speaker 4: So I can't wait. I can't wait for it. I'm so excited.

01:00:04
Speaker 3: Nine o'clock on Saturday, so our pregame show will begin at six thirty. People were asking me what time I should get to KOs Bar on Saturday. I said, when do the doors open eleven? I would get there. Then it's gonna be crazy all day in Lexington. It's gonna be a crazy weekend and I can't wait for it. Should be exciting, So that's gonna do it for the local total. There's KSR post game show. Cat's a winner over Tennessee tonight at Tennessee seventy eight to seventy three. Most point, Tennessee's giving up all season seventy eight as a Cat's improved to fifteen and five, four and three in the SEC. It'll be Drew and Matt and Shannon in the morning for KSR. I'm going taking little Joe Siah on a college visit to Miss Saint Joseph. So that's why I wanted to kind of talk right now about Cali Perry. Sometimes we can't talk much on the show. Have you noticed that? Sometimes Sometimes Billy and Shannaby on the pre show at nine o'clock. Check that out first, the old Billy's got to do Tom Leach Show at eight o'clock.

01:00:56
Speaker 5: Joined me on the Leach Report at eight am tomorrow.

01:00:57
Speaker 3: There we go get up early and join Billy on the Leach Report. That'll do for a look atords cast a post game Joe goodbye,