KSR Postgame UK MBB vs Tennessee Tech 11/26/25

00:00:00
Speaker 1: Welcome everyone. It is the Local Toy Dealers KSR postgame show. On Thanksgiving Eve, the Kentucky Wildcats win by fifty one to oh four fifty four against Tennessee Tech and a game that started not well but ended up actually being one of the better offensive performances Kentucky has had. You can give a shout eight five to nine two eight oh twenty two eighty seven. Kentucky scored eighty points in in what thirty one minutes or actually twenty eight minutes.

00:00:32
Speaker 2: Uh.

00:00:32
Speaker 1: After a not so great start to the game, they got extremely hot in the second half, went fifteen to thirty from three, and you saw a lot of guys play well. Trenton Noah four or five from three, Denzel Aberdeen was four of six from three. Five players scored at least thirteen points. You had a number of guys finished with fifteen or sixteen. It was a feel good game after a poor start. I mean the game was tied at twenty five. I think Kentucky was actually down twenty five twenty one at one point, and it looked like a sort of uninspiring, kind of ugly beginning. But then things took off after that and there was a lot of fun, including the Walker Horn three, which I think I'm gonna make the argument Billy could be the turning point in.

00:01:22
Speaker 3: The season, right turning point of the season.

00:01:25
Speaker 1: Well, I mean I'm exaggerating, but I will say in that moment, when you saw the team celebrating on the bench, and you saw all the excitement and you saw all of the sort of happiness and togetherness, that's something we've kind of been waiting for. I mean, with all the rumors about the chemistry, etc. You know, that was a really great mom I mean, be honest with you, it's the best moment of the season so far.

00:01:50
Speaker 3: There's some truth in that.

00:01:51
Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't think there's any argument that it's the best moment of the season. And I'm exaggerating when I say that it is the turning point, but it is. I think a h it was a good sign of the kind of thing we've wanted to see from this group. Uh. I'm just gonna go over a couple of things here. Just about the actual basketball game. I thought everybody on the team had really good moments except maybe Brandon Garrison wasn't He's still very frustrating to me. He had a play where he air balled a lay up. Uh. He then he got his hit. Should have been a walk. They didn't call it. He got it back, He got it back, he came down the floor, gave up a dunk. He's just for I still I think he's been not good. I thought Oway was not very good at the beginning. Kind of he had his moments a little bit later. But besides that, I mean, I liked what I saw from these other guys. Uh. Denzel Aberdeen obviously made shots. I still think he's better at the two, but he's gonna have to play point guard. So it is what it is. Colin Chandler kind of carried the team a little bit at the beginning, you know, when they were struggling. Obviously, Noah made his shots. I thought they're some good Yellovick moments. And then moreno had sixteen points. So I think you gotta feel good about a team that honestly three probably three other four or five best players are out and they were able to still get a fifty point win. Now, the other part of the story of the game is which I was gonna talk about later, but I want to do it now because Drew is in studio because man, I want he's got to go home and work on his turkey brine, right, Drew, don't you have that sitting there now?

00:03:28
Speaker 4: I have to do a lot of website work first, and I'll get home and see what's left of my turkey that the squirrels left me.

00:03:34
Speaker 1: I hope your squirrels a meed. But I wanted to have you on because before the game, right after we went off on the pregame show, we found out that jd Vance, the vice president, was downtown and there were reports that there was crazy traffic. I actually didn't think the traffic was that bad when I drove home, but we were at the bar. We were warning people, getting information, and then it turned out and we thought he was at the game. Turns out he didn't go to the game. He was eating at Tony's. And did I hear did you sneak in? You know?

00:04:03
Speaker 4: I just like to be part of the scene, Matt, And uh, you know the road in front of Tony's was completely closed, which was why traffic was so bad. Tennessee Tech was late to the game, coming down New Time, Newtown Pike everything.

00:04:15
Speaker 1: That's how he was coming in, right, Yeah, closed, I heard they closed Newtown Pike for a while.

00:04:19
Speaker 4: Newtown Pike was closed, Main Street was closed. It was utter chaos on the.

00:04:23
Speaker 1: Lower end, so correct, see, I hate that. I mean, it's not listening. All the presidents and vice presidents do it. I don't think. I mean, I guess they should get to have lives, but like that seems like a huge hassle. But anyway, go ahead.

00:04:35
Speaker 4: Well they do have a good crab cake, so I can't I can't judge me. He knew what he was doing. But always I have that hour and a half between pregame and game, and I usually pop in somewhere anywhere anyway and eat dinner by myself. When I saw that Tony's was chaos, I knew exactly where I was going. What I didn't know is how much security would be there. And I didn't even think they would let me in. But I thought, you know what, I'll try it. And I had my backpack full of things. They pulled everything out, ran swabs on my lape, taught my phone, tore my backpack apart. I had to take my hat off. But then they let me in. And then when I got in, I didn't really know what I was gonna do. I was gonna sit at the bar, but it was it was full, And then I had some friends invite me to sit down, so I sat down and eight with them. But I was just, you know, very presidential in there. There were security, secret Service everywhere just across the street from Reperina. I think a lot of people didn't even know that was going on, that were heading to the game.

00:05:22
Speaker 1: Yeah, well we'd kind of leaked out, like right as the pregame show ended. Apparently I was told he was going to go to the game, but he didn't give notice that he wanted to go until this morning, and they didn't feel like they could secure the building uh in time. So yeah, it's been interesting to see if he if he did go to the game, what would have happened. I'm also told I think he's like staying here all weekend, so for people there there, again, who knows, but there are some reports he's like got a house for like a Thanksgiving weekend in Lexington. Oh he didn't.

00:05:56
Speaker 4: He didn't mention that to me.

00:05:58
Speaker 1: Oh did you talk to him?

00:05:59
Speaker 4: Well no, but I just you know, since I was already part of his pregame, like.

00:06:02
Speaker 1: Those of you that are you know traveling around the city there could be traffic, you know, maybe through the course of the weekend, so you may have to think that. Well, I'm glad you did some on scene reporting.

00:06:15
Speaker 4: I had to. I didn't take any photos. I was very intimidated.

00:06:17
Speaker 1: One it's on Facebook of them walking into the back of Tony's that was looked to be taken from an apartment over Tony's, but they didn't end up going to the game. What'd you think of the game? Real quick?

00:06:32
Speaker 4: Well, considering just a few days ago, I wrote a website post called Manifesting the walker Horn three pointer, and then I mentioned it on the morning show and pregame show. I went crazy. And you know, this is my sixteenth season covering games. I've never cheered on Press rod like I did.

00:06:46
Speaker 1: I still cheered.

00:06:47
Speaker 4: I stood up. I shot the Jamal Murray bow and arrow to him from I was in two thirteen. I couldn't have been farther from walker Horn and I tried to shoot him with the Murray arrow. I was high fiving people. That's the most I've ever cheered as a member of the work press.

00:07:00
Speaker 1: Uh And did you did you you agree that was like the moment of the year, right.

00:07:07
Speaker 4: Uh, I do, but I don't want you to forget the Colin Chandler dunk.

00:07:10
Speaker 1: I think collectively that was that was that's that was a really good You're right, that's really good.

00:07:15
Speaker 4: I've been at every home game so far. The roof blew off on both of those moments.

00:07:20
Speaker 1: Can I tell you one? Uh the negative thing of the night for me? As you know, Uh, my parents came into town for Thanksgiving and we were going to go to the game. Uh, we were giving some some good tickets to the game, and then when we pulled in to go to the game, they scanned it and they said, this doesn't work. They had accidentally given me tickets for the last game. So we didn't get to go, or we didn't get to go at all. We didn't go.

00:07:50
Speaker 4: Oh, Larry, this was his.

00:07:53
Speaker 1: This was his game, and they didn't. I think that the person who gave them to me was was very nice by doing it. But they accidentally gave me tickets to the Loyola early game.

00:08:05
Speaker 4: So were the parents. Okay, I know how excited.

00:08:07
Speaker 1: Me and I think you know, I mean, we didn't have a choice. What are you gonna do? You know, because I had to. You know, we tried to find them in a certain way so that Larry could get in and out. You know, there's you can't just I can't just scalp them and uh and so it didn't end up happening. But you know, it's the thought that counts. That's what they say.

00:08:28
Speaker 4: Right, You got to spend more time together at home.

00:08:30
Speaker 1: You got to hear Tom. You got to hear Tom Hart make fun of Sha and the dude for the green beans. That was nice. Uh so, so that part was was, but it is. It's a little embarrassing, Drew when they got Joe's no that they could just not work here.

00:08:46
Speaker 4: But it happens, especially if you it was such a big night. They're at the bar, they're so excited. I'm sorry for them.

00:08:52
Speaker 1: You know what. That's the way it goes. You have a good rest of your night and you have a happy Thanks.

00:08:56
Speaker 4: All right, I'll be sitting here right belly blogging check out Kentucky Sports.

00:09:00
Speaker 1: Yeah, please do that's right, thank you. If I'm nine two eight oh twenty two eighty seven, what'd you think of the game? It was cool the unforgettables together in rupp Arena, for the first time, which is amazing to me that they have not been together in RUP at the same time since nineteen ninety two. That's uh, that's wild. That was cool that that happened. And now things get serious with the schedule. North Carolina next week, Gonzaga next week. It is things are about to get real and we're gonna find out what this team is. I don't know what they are. I'm not uber confident, but I guess I'm more confident than I would have been if the game had ended about with about eight minutes left in the first half. If I'm nine two eight oh twenty two eighty seven, we will take your calls. Gonzaga, by the way, losing by fourteen billy right now to Michigan in the first half.

00:09:53
Speaker 3: Wow, I just saw Auburn beat Saint John's.

00:09:55
Speaker 1: Auburn beat Saint John's. So some of these games you know the teams were playing, have lost. But Tennessee lost to Kansas, Auburn beat Saint John's, and now Gonzaga losing to Michigan. Not doing a lot for our strength to schedule. Not gonna lie to you all these games. Uh, sec is just been atrocious in the non conference Auburn gotta win today, but otherwise just atrocious so far in non conference play. A feb Nine, two eighth twenty two eighty seven. We will take a break and be right back. It's the Local toilet Dealers KSR postgame show. Welcome back. It is the Local toy Dealers KSR postgame Show. A Feb nine, two eight zero, twenty two eighty seven. Gonzaga losing to Michigan by sixteen. Michigan must be really really good. You know that there's some The three teams that supposedly spent the most money on their rosters are Michigan, Saint John's and Kentucky. We obviously know where we are. Saint John's now zero to three versus quad one. Kind of a disappointing start to the season, uh for Rick's group. But Michigan looks like money well spent. We could have used this axle kid Billy. He would have been nice.

00:11:09
Speaker 3: Yeah, he's real good, He's really good.

00:11:11
Speaker 1: Like we We definitely that's one we definitely could have used it.

00:11:15
Speaker 5: You think, sorry, do you think Kentucky's gonna see some zone now that Tennessee Tech played that in the first roe Ah?

00:11:21
Speaker 1: No, because I think we I mean, yeah, if we just throw bricks, but that we were able to penetrate the zoning once we got down low. They couldn't do much about it, but we might. Honestly, though, you know, I thought maybe the most telling part of the game was Dame Bradshaw said that John Pelfrey had told them before the game, if Kentucky shoots forty threes, were happy with that. We shot thirty and made half. But that tells me that coaches in general are they don't think this team can shoot. And you know, I'm a big believer of what I know of Mark Pope. A Mark Pope team's got to be able to shoot, because Mark's not known for his defense. Mark's teams are not necessarily, at at least at this point, known for their toughness. They got to be able to shoot. And we have not shot well this year. We didn't start shooting well tonight, although we you know, fifteen to thirty you'll take every day. So but that's interesting. That means the scouting report is, let this Kentucky team shoot, and we're gonna have to play our way to where that's not the you know, the game plan. But if you just look at the Louisville Michigan State game. You would say, let Kentucky.

00:12:32
Speaker 3: Shoot yeap, who's up first, Dustin, Dustin, go ahead, Dustin.

00:12:38
Speaker 6: Hey, Matt, can you explain better like you talk about Mitch Barnhardt transitioning to his new rule? Is that January of next year or July or.

00:12:48
Speaker 1: Well, I mean this is this isn't official yet. This is just what I'm hearing. Yeah, I understand that is that when I've said at the end of the year, I mean the end of the school year. So I think this will be his last school year, which of course ends in May. Now when would they announce that, you know, the he's he has to give six months notice, I guess is what that contract says to the assistant thing. So that's why we had talked about, well, maybe he does it at January first, because the the eight hundred thousand dollars a year as a special assistant starts if he's done after July first. Does that make sense? Okay, So he could announce it at January first, But I'm under the assumption this will be his last school year, which would go through the end of May.

00:13:36
Speaker 6: Okay, I understand, and I know one time you mentioned a person's name. I know this is all speculative of the moody else that would be taking over. Did you have any opinions or concerns about him or well?

00:13:50
Speaker 7: He is he first Wood?

00:13:51
Speaker 6: I guess you would say.

00:13:52
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, no, I mean, okay, So so I mentioned the name Mark. Let me just say, I mean I like Mark Hill a lot. I mean I've I've spent a lot of time. I mean, we've dealt with Mark Hill for fifteen years. I like Mark. I think I don't. I don't think it would be fair to say he's exactly like Mitch. I think he's more open to a lot of the things that are in modern athletics now than Mitch is. Okay, so I don't. I do think he is more modern? Is it fresh blood? I would not say that, no, because I mean he he was trained under Mitch, so some of the things that frustrate me about Mitch Barnhardt. I do think Mark Hill would be an improvement. Do I think though they should just give him that job without doing a national search. I don't know that I would say that. I think you have to at least go all the way around and maybe you end up back with him, but like I don't. I don't really like people hand picking their successors, and we've talked about that before. Yeah, I appreciate the appreciate the call. Oh, I'm sorry, did you have up on him? Yeah, he's gone. I'm sorry. I didn't know you had other things, sir, My bad. Uh, Michigan now twenty who's next, Joe, Joe? Go ahead, Joe.

00:15:10
Speaker 8: Hey man, thanks for taking my call. Yeah, Michigan's looking insane right now. Yeah, but I'm yeah hoping we can get.

00:15:17
Speaker 1: And we don't play at least we don't play them.

00:15:19
Speaker 2: Right Yeah.

00:15:21
Speaker 8: Yeah, we'll see what happens with Geza. They looked unstoppable at Obama. But I really like Yellovich tonight. I think it was his best game. He only scored five, but ten rebounds in fifteen minutes. I really like him. And uh, if we're going to play big him and Malachi a lot and trim the minutes for BG as time goes on, hopefully.

00:15:45
Speaker 1: He'll get better.

00:15:45
Speaker 8: But that seems to be where we're going.

00:15:48
Speaker 1: I liked Yellowvich's minutes, especially in the second half. Now, granted the game was kind of a route at that point. But I agree with you. I'd like to see more. I mean, I'm looking at the minutes right now. Yeovich played fifteen, Garrison played seventeen. I mean Garrison's minutes have gone down a lot. I want to say, like the first or second game of the year, I think he might have led the team in minutes, and now he had fewer minutes than Trent Noah and Jasper Johnson. So I think if that doesn't send a message to him, I don't really know what's going.

00:16:18
Speaker 8: To Yep, we'll see how he responds. I also thought we pressed. I feel I thought a little bit and I liked it when we did. I don't know how common that'll be again.

00:16:32
Speaker 1: Yeah, I think we need to have more players to do that. I mean, you know, I think we Maybe that's something you do a little bit when you the press is not like I think what you want to do is you just want to harass full court like the old days of pressing and trapping. I just don't think that happens much. But picking up guys full court and making them work, Yeah, there'll be some teams that that can work against. Yep.

00:16:59
Speaker 8: Happy, thanksgiving you as well.

00:17:01
Speaker 1: Five nine twenty seven for those of you at home, a couple of things. I mean, Gonzaga Michigan is at halftime. Also, the Rockets have just and Reid is playing right now on ESPN. So if you want to watch Reed Sheppard in the NBA, if you don't have lead pass, you might not have seen him yet. He's on right now. Who's next? Phil? Phil? Go ahead? Phil?

00:17:24
Speaker 9: Hey Man?

00:17:25
Speaker 7: Happy Thanksgiving?

00:17:26
Speaker 1: Uha.

00:17:27
Speaker 7: I know you watched first half and you know the second half just like I did. But gosh, dang, can Brandon Garrison just do something and his line of basketball.

00:17:41
Speaker 9: Or does Pope just.

00:17:42
Speaker 7: Needs to look at it even to like, hey man, you're good, but you're not that good. Let's just sit down, play play my cap, play play these other guys and what the chips fallow? They fall ill?

00:17:55
Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know how manymore? How many more? I mean, he's done it like he did he, I mean, Garrison was now he's not, and he had the second fewest minutes of any of the rotation guys tonight. I kind of think there's not like if that doesn't get the message, I don't know what will the problem for me with Brandon Garrison is his effort I mean, you know, if he misses a shot, he misses a shot, hero effort. It's just the effort is not there.

00:18:20
Speaker 7: And with Oway, I don't know, if y'all seen the first thirty minutes a game, there's very little effort from him. Also, I'm a testman. I love Kentucky basketball, watch it every day. I watch all the podcasts, you know, a listener every I'm very rarely call in Yeah, but the effort from Oway Garrison, the two guys we thought would give the effort have the heart. It's not a I mean, it's about the heart. It's about wanting to play, wanting back. And what's frustrating.

00:18:56
Speaker 1: Is what's frustrating is those are the two guys that return, right, the guys that played the most at return. And if you were to ask me last year, who were the guys that played that game the most effort, you might have said those two right, Like, it's it's kind of bizarre that And I'm with you on all that. I appreciate the call. I'm that they were the returneys and o Wait was certainly the effort guy. And even Garrison, he would do small minutes, but he'd come in be all over the place, almost be two all over the place, and it just they just don't, for whatever reason, looked the same. You know, it's very, very frustrating. I mean, I can take a kid like say Who's an example. I mean Colin Chandler had a couple of games early in the season, even though he scored a bunch, where he would make a lot of mistakes and he missed a bunch of shots early tonight. But it's constant effort. And I feel like Aberdeen gives constant effort. Obviously Diabyte does, but especially Garrison, but even sometimes Oway. I like those guys their talent is in part their effort. I mean, Oway is not preseason All SEC player talent, He's just not. But he's really good talent, and then the effort can take him to that level. But if he didn't give that effort, then he's not gonna be an. He worked close to that and he hasn't been so far this year. And I think that's hert Kentucky, Who's next? Michael, Michael? Go ahead, Michael, Happy Thanksgiving, Matt, Happy Thanksgiving to you. Yeah.

00:20:45
Speaker 10: I was just I had a question and a thought. I'll go with the thought first, when I saw somewhere. I was trying to look it up before you picked, uh, you know, picked up my call. I saw today somebody said that Kentucky is without you know, Lowell and Jayden Quince, that Kentucky is really just filled with America six man, Like it's stilled with a bunch of six six you know, six.

00:21:14
Speaker 1: Man off the That's I mean, I don't think that's crazy. I think that's I think that's a little harsh because I think Colin Chandler is a starter for most teams, and I think, but but it's not. It's not a terrible take, I would agree.

00:21:34
Speaker 10: Yeah, yeah, Like I mean, I could definitely see Colin not fitting into that.

00:21:40
Speaker 2: But like, you know, like even today when when the.

00:21:42
Speaker 10: Game started that first you know, gosh, fifteen minutes or so, I mean you just know, it did not look good. You could not get no one could get open, no one could you know, get the ball into the paint. And so I just thought that was an interesting comment. And then my question for you is Kentucky has six games in the month of December for them against twenty five teams. Three of them of those four are at rupp Arena. Based on I saw today two of.

00:22:09
Speaker 1: The four Indiana and North Carolina rup Okay, Gonzagas in Nashville it's counted as a home game, and then Saint John's at.

00:22:20
Speaker 7: Okay.

00:22:21
Speaker 10: So I think I saw your thing that said, you know, you put the panic level out an eight if you know Low's not back based on what you saw up till today, what would be your prediction of those six games, what record they have.

00:22:36
Speaker 1: It's Low playing or not, I'm gonna say no, Okay, So let's say Low's not playing, then I would consider two and two a success if he's not playing, and uh, if he is, I mean like a real success, okay, because if you look at the SEC schedule, we start at Alabama and then we have like four or five really winnable games in a row, right, so you can get some wins and get everybody healthy. But you cannot take I mean, just to use these four top twenty five games and then at Alabama. You can't start the season with seven losses, right, Like, I don't.

00:23:20
Speaker 11: Care what we have.

00:23:21
Speaker 1: So I mean, you know, we've got to win some of these games. However we win them, I think it's going to be very hard. I mean, I think and this goes to your first point about the role players I have said. You've probably gotten tired of hearing me say that Jayalen Lowe is the most important player on the team by far. He's even very important than he's even more important than I thought he was, because this team just does not have guys who can consistently create their own offense without a point guard. And we have seen this team look really good for these little periods of time, and really you're talking about the Louisville game, like ten or fifteen minutes when Lowe was point guard, we looked really good. And other than that, against good teams, we have not looked good. And I worry, and I worry that's how it's gonna be the whole year unless something changes. So I appreciate the call. It's nothing against these guys, it's nothing against them, but I just don't know. If you don't have low acquaintance, I just don't know how good they are. And then you throw in that against Michigan State the effort was poor, Well then you're asking to get crushed if you do that. I think the effort will be there a lot of the year, but I just don't know how good they are if they don't have low acquaintance in it. But if you have low acquaintance, then I think you can still be really good. But we've literally only seen we haven't seen it with a quaintance at all, and we've only seen it with love. Oh like ten or fifteen minutes of the Louisville game. So who's next, Tommy, Tommy, go ahead, Tommy eight, five, nine, twenty two eighty seven. By the way, since I told everybody to tune in watch Reedy miss five straight shots? Go ahead, Tommy.

00:25:17
Speaker 11: Man.

00:25:19
Speaker 12: Yeah, So you think you're taking on his thirteen games this year?

00:25:24
Speaker 11: Uh?

00:25:25
Speaker 1: Is Jalen Lowe playing? If if Jalen Lowe's not playing, I don't know. I still I don't think they'll lose thirteen because I don't think the SEC is very good this year. But if Jaalen Lowe's not playing, I'm I'm worried about the team.

00:25:43
Speaker 12: I think they're gonna get blowed down on the thirteen.

00:25:47
Speaker 10: Uh.

00:25:49
Speaker 1: Oh, that's the truth. Hang up on the truth. I knew that was the truth. That was the truth. Yeah. Is he still? Oh no, he's not. I hung up. I guess that he was trying to be he was trying to be low key, but the fact that he picked the thirteenth and it was Indiana and then I heard that, Yeah, that was that was the truth, Priz.

00:26:10
Speaker 3: He didn't ask for tickets.

00:26:13
Speaker 1: Here's the thing. When we play North Carolina in Indiana, both those games are at home. If you're a good team, you gotta win those games. It's one thing to lose on a on the road to Louisville. It's another thing to lose on a neutral court. You can't lose home. We gotta beat North Carolina Tuesday, and we gotta beat Indiana on the thirteenth, and then what would be a real success is if we won those two and then split south of Saint John's and Kotzaga. Then I'd be like over the moon. But I'll be honest with you, Billy, we could lose them all. We're not careful. Yeah we play. If we play like we did against Michigan State, we'll lose all of them. Now, I don't think we'll play like that. I think we'll win a couple of them, but it's not a given. Who's next?

00:27:00
Speaker 4: Hunter, Hunter, Go ahead, Hunter, Hey Matt, how are you doing tonight.

00:27:05
Speaker 1: Good. What's up?

00:27:07
Speaker 2: Hey?

00:27:08
Speaker 13: I want to give a big shout out to Cam Williams. I think he's improved a lot beginning in the season.

00:27:13
Speaker 1: He has You're right, I'm glad you mentioned him.

00:27:16
Speaker 13: Yeah, ah, yeah, he's been a lot better. And once he starts hitting the shots, I think he's going to be.

00:27:20
Speaker 2: Big for us. We definitely got a short in the frontal court rotation as well.

00:27:24
Speaker 13: I think DG doesn't really need to be getting minutes. But I will say I had one thought after the game when Pope and the Unforgettables were doing the interview, he asked the question to them, something to the effect of, like, hey, what was the moment where you guys were at your lowest and you guys pulled through? I wonder if that was something that was kind of on his mind when he asked that question, you know, just from where he is right now.

00:27:48
Speaker 1: Yeah, maybe. I mean, I've really had a hard time reading Pope these last few weeks. I mean I felt like, prior to the Louisville game, he's very different than I am. He's probably that means very different. I mean everybody's different, but he's like very different than I But I feel like I had a pretty good read on him and kind of the way he reacted to things in the way, and in the last two or three weeks, I've I'll admit, I haven't really understood a lot of his not just after the Louisville game in Michigan, but just in general. I listened to his press conferences and I'm I have a hard time kind of following what he's doing. So I wondered the same thing. I mean, I thought, I thought it was cool that they brought those guys out. I enjoyed listening to them, but it was also I agree with you, he sort of was talking a lot about the adversity of those times, and part of me did wonder, like, is this something where he's trying to send a message to our players? And I don't know the answer to that. I mean, Pope has been very honest this year that he doesn't think he's gotten through to these guys, and you know, hopefully that starts to happen. We'll see. Yeah, I appreciate the call. I mean, I I what has been sort of hard for me to understand is I just feel like these last three weeks have just been really difficult to comprehend. I mean, I'll give you a stat, Billy, that's kind of interesting. Okay. I can't think of too many times early in the season where we've looked worse than we looked, like first half of Louisville and the whole Michigan State game. Would you agree with that? Yeah, now we played pretty we played decent in the second half, but first half of Louisville in a Michigan State game. I cannot think of too many times where we've had the first two good games look like that. With that said, I saw a stat today. This is the first time in UK history that in the first seven games of the year, Kentucky's won four games by over forty points. So, on the one hand, we've looked really bad, really bad against the two good teams we played, and on the other hand, we're beating the bad teams we play by obscene amounts, like historic amounts. Yeah, part of it is that the bad teams were No, it doesn't mean either, but the bad teams were playing are really bad. But we play bad teams every year. It's just interesting to me that this team can win by fifty regularly against bad teams and then lose. Like Michigan State's good, but they're not seventy points better than Tennis and Tennessee Tech, right, right, Yet there was a seventy point differential in those two games.

00:30:32
Speaker 5: Well, if they didn't have the BBN United tip Off presented by Kentucky Tourism and they went to Maui instead, then it could be even a worse record.

00:30:40
Speaker 1: Well, the teams of Maui are bad, but if we've played in the players that Player's era, we might haven't. Yeah, but then again, you take a team like Kansas who has looked bad and then they go to the Players Era and went go three and ozero and win. So maybe we're gonna have a moment like that. Maybe North Carolina is that moment for us. We'll see two eighty seven. We will take a break pre Thanksgiving. Local Toy Dealer's KSR post game Show. We'll be right back. Welcome back. It is the Local Toy Dealers KSR post game show. One person writes Tim Matt. I'm watching the Players Era Tournament. I'm glad we didn't play in it because I don't think we'd have done very well. But I've really enjoyed it. T and T is doing a good job with college basketball. I agree. I mean, we're not gonna have any games on ten T. I guess they're doing Big East in Big twelve games. But I think they're actually really good. I think they've got a great I mean for a network that last year was their first games and they only had like Big twelve games last year. I mean they've got you look at who they've got doing it with our friend Adam Lefko. But like the color announcers are Bruce Pearl, Jamal Mashburn, Chris Weber, Jalen Rose, Grant Hill. It's a pretty good group.

00:32:01
Speaker 3: Billy, you know, yeah, yeah, absolutely.

00:32:04
Speaker 1: I mean that's a pretty good group of people calling games. And then Robbie Hummel might be the best color announcer going right now, and he's on there too.

00:32:12
Speaker 3: I wonder how Bruce was tonight. Was he on the call for.

00:32:15
Speaker 1: Hopefully called down just a little bit. But I mean they've got, like I heard Danny Hurley say tonight, Danny Hurley did an interview and he said something to the effect of they're covering college basketball how we need it to be covered. They do pregame shows, they do postgame shows, they do interviews. I agree with that. I mean, it's nice that our games are on ESPN, and I'm an ESPN employee, but ESPN, like NFL, is always going to dominate everything, and so college basketball doesn't get a lot of like people just like when their games aren't on, they're not talking about it, whereas with TNT, now this is like the only sport they have, so they're treating it like an event, and I actually think it's it's it's good for the sport. I kind of wish a couple of our games were We're on there too. One person writes, Matt Wire, when are you gonna stop acting like Jayalen Lowe is Michael Jordan. He's a good player, but you keep pounding him as being the answer, and we all all while knowing we will not get him back this season at one hundred percent. I disagree with that. First of all, he's not Michael Jordan. I agree with that, But if he comes back, I think he will be one hundred percent unless he gets hurt again. I mean, from what I understand about that injury, because this is not like Lama Butler. Like Lama Butler had some structural damage that was apparently worse than Low's. I mean, did you see Billy when he was celebrating the walker horn thing. His arms were replailing everywhere.

00:33:39
Speaker 3: I didn't, But that's a good sign, right.

00:33:40
Speaker 1: I think he's gonna be okay unless he gets hurt again. And then I think when he gets hurt again, I think the idea is then that he probably wouldn't play anymore. So it's just gonna be like a please don't get hurt. But I think when he plays, he'll be very effective. And I you cannot show me a time that a college team has been good without a point guard. College is a guard's game. The NBA's guards game now too, but college is really a guards game. And show me a college team that does not have a good point guard. And Denzel Aberdeen is is pretty good, but I don't think he's like a real point guard. I think he'd rather be a two. So I think Pope's gonna regret we don't have a Pope's gonna regret he didn't bring in a backup point guard. I think I guess he thought Aberdeen could do that. And you know, he's fine, but we need we needed a more athletic Travis Perry on this team this year, and we didn't get it.

00:34:34
Speaker 3: And that's what happened last year, right, well, last year he brought in Kirk Crisa.

00:34:38
Speaker 1: He's got hurt.

00:34:40
Speaker 3: You know, they both got hurt, and then Butler got hurt.

00:34:42
Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, I mean they both got hurt. So he's had a lot of bad luck with getting hurt. But we didn't even really bring it back up in this year and that was probably a mistake in hindsight. Who's next, Dwayne? Go ahead, Dwayne?

00:34:58
Speaker 14: Hey, Mart, what's up after a fifty point? When after a fifty point win tonight? I was I was the one to ask you a question. Pat Rally played at Kentucky and nobody ever says anything about him. Is there is there some kind of animosity between pat Rally and Kentucky.

00:35:22
Speaker 1: I don't think there's animosity that I've ever heard. It is always been weird to me. I agree with you that we don't make a bigger deal about the fact that he plays there. Now. I have heard, like he was on that RUP's Runs team right that lost to Texas Western, And I've always heard that he you know, has had like you know that there was always some kind of thing of being part of this historical event but sort of being on the bad guy side of it. You know, that is something that Pat's like always kind of not wanted to make a big deal out of. But I mean, he was here a couple times during the cal Era as a scout, and he would be at the game. But but I don't disagree with you. It is odd to me. I mean, he's one of the more famous people to ever play here and we don't talk about it a lot, and it's not played up a lot.

00:36:13
Speaker 2: It is.

00:36:13
Speaker 1: It's it is sort of strange. I agree.

00:36:16
Speaker 14: Yeah, I mean I just thought the like, do you wuys hear more about it, because like I mean, he's like a big I mean, like a big time name, and.

00:36:27
Speaker 1: Like no, I mean I think if you're talking about it, if you're talking about guys who played here and their impact on professional basketball, like real impact, I mean, you could make an argument he's had more impact than anyone that ever played here on the NBA, you know what I mean. I mean you could certainly make that argument. I mean, it's it probably is him. I don't even know who else it would be. I mean, I guess the other two would be like Anthony Davis and maybe one day to be Shay Gilges Alexander, but like it's him probably, and you're right, we don't really talk about it.

00:37:06
Speaker 14: Yeah, And I mean there's a lot of people on our fan base that don't even know that he played here, because I did until just a couple of years ago.

00:37:14
Speaker 15: When I was like looking at him, like, oh, well yeah he played here, Like oh that's oh, and there's like and nobody ever says nothing about it, and I've been meaning to ask you.

00:37:26
Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a great question. That's a very good question. I appreciate the call. That's a very good question. Billy, did you I mean, I know you know now, but did you when? Did you know growing up that pat Riley played here?

00:37:37
Speaker 3: I did, Yeah, I can't tell you when I figured that out, but I didn't know.

00:37:42
Speaker 1: Yeah, Well, I mean it is interesting. I do think part of it is that he was on that team. That is, you know that they've made movies about us losing the game.

00:37:54
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think so.

00:37:55
Speaker 1: I mean I think that's probably part of it. But you know, I mean, and it was history and it's not like that was pat Reley's fault. So I don't. I don't know, so it's it's a good question.

00:38:09
Speaker 3: Who's next, Hudson.

00:38:10
Speaker 1: Hudson, Go ahead, Hudson. How are you? Hudson?

00:38:18
Speaker 15: Good?

00:38:20
Speaker 1: What's up?

00:38:22
Speaker 12: So Walker Warn jail grade three today?

00:38:27
Speaker 1: Yes, he did? Were you in the gym?

00:38:31
Speaker 16: Yeah?

00:38:32
Speaker 1: Did you go crazy? Because it looked like everybody did.

00:38:37
Speaker 2: Yeah?

00:38:39
Speaker 1: Well I loved it. His first points as a UK player. What an insane shot to make it on and Hudson, I have you? I hope you have a good Thanksgiving Billy? Did you? Oh? Go ahead, Hudson, he's gone. Why I didn't even appreciate the call that was with you and children.

00:39:01
Speaker 3: No, that was not I was not trying to end a call or anything.

00:39:04
Speaker 1: That was just. But I didn't say I didn't give you the magic words.

00:39:09
Speaker 3: It was the magic time, says who.

00:39:18
Speaker 1: Call screener? All right, I'm sorry Hudson. Billy was not. I was not. Billy is not in the Thanksgiving spirit? It was yeah that he should be? Did you okay? So walker Horn? For a second, I had somebody say send me a picture and said walker Horn. Uh. In the moments after that looked like big Erne McCracken from King Pitt and I think that's a pretty good call. And big Ern McCracken is one of my favorite characters in a movie ever. Uh, And I think that's a good call. I'm a big walker horn guy. I love the joy he had with it, you know, like he wasn't tried that cool. You know, sometimes we've had walk on who try that cool, Like Brad cal Perry tried that cool. I like Sam Malone a lot, but he tried that cool. I like the walker horns, like I'm gonna go crazy because this is fun, you know.

00:40:13
Speaker 3: Yeah, he's been trying to hit it too.

00:40:14
Speaker 1: So it was and I love to see it. I'm telling you, I love that reaction of the bench. I've watched it probably ten times. It was. It was great, and I'm calling it now, Billy. It's the thing that turns around the scene.

00:40:29
Speaker 3: I hope, So I do.

00:40:31
Speaker 1: I think we're gonna come out, We're gonna beat North Carolina and it's gonna be somebody's one of the players is gonna say that moment was the one that turned it around. I don't feel like you're buying.

00:40:43
Speaker 3: It, no I am. I'm just worried about the reaction of that me hanging up on the kid there.

00:40:48
Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, you can't be like that. I think you're over I think you're worried too much. You didn't do it on purpose, You probably did, actually probably did. All right. Who's next? Hunter, Hunter, Go ahead, Hunter.

00:41:03
Speaker 17: Matt, Billy, great to talk to you, guys. Billy, you getta watch out. There might be a hashtag justice for Hudson Twitter.

00:41:09
Speaker 1: Is going on, so I'm sure Hudson I understand.

00:41:16
Speaker 17: So I have one quick point that I did want to make in one of your take on it. But first I do have to give a quick shout out to my father to fortninth birthday today. He's been a case our listeners since twenty fifteen. He's he's been the reason Like he's the reason why I'm talking to you guys now, Like listen to his car on you know, drive, so on and so forth. But I take away from this game is, you know, we have the potential.

00:41:38
Speaker 1: To be great.

00:41:40
Speaker 17: My worry, though, is December is going to be a very meaningful month. I mean by that because our sec play is set up to where we play all the all the good teams away and all the bad teams home. So when we when we lose to the bad teams away, it's not going to ding this as much the city. So our SEC player set to help maintain seating, and so this December is really gonna help us. Where we're gonna make the most jumped up or down depend on what happens. So I'm really hoping we can get Jay and Queen's getting low backed. That way, we can you know, have a great December and then we can roll that into SEC play.

00:42:18
Speaker 1: Totally agree with you everything you just said right, there's one hundred percent correct. The schedule is weird. It's a bad schedule for us. I appreciate the call in terms of like we may take a lot of losses, but it actually is not a bad schedule for us in terms of strength of schedule because, as you said, if you lose at Alabama, you ain't gonna get punished for it, whereas you can lose at home you might. But that's part of why we got to beat North Carolina in Indiana, because the neutral site games and the home games against good teams we have to win. And we didn't win the Michigan Stag game like the Louisville game, would it would not have hurt us at all for an NCAA resume, but the Michigan State one will, and so well the North Carolina when if we lose, so we we we need uh to win.

00:43:05
Speaker 2: That A.

00:43:06
Speaker 1: Kayden Lewis, by the way, was was going to be our backup point guard. That's the he's a he's at Villanova and we did and he decommitted and that's fine, But like, you still could have gotten somebody. I mean, there are people that got players in August. I mean, whoever it was, they probably needed somebody because I don't know if they thought that would be Aberdeen or if they thought that would be Jasper Johnson. And I'm not saying it can't be those guys. They just haven't yet showcased the ability to be that. I think Jasper Johnson is a great playmaker. I'm not sure that he's the best at getting everybody involved, although he does he does make I mean, he does pass well, but I'm just not sure if that's his his strength. One person writes, Matt, my mom, uh dated pat Riley at Lafayette High School.

00:43:59
Speaker 3: Oh wow, it's a claim to fame. Dated pat Riley.

00:44:04
Speaker 1: She let me pat Riley. He's not from here. But is he any from Lake Missouri or something?

00:44:12
Speaker 3: I don't know, but he'll he'll forever be big blue.

00:44:17
Speaker 1: True, he will forever be big blue. Eighty seven. We will take a break, take one final round the calls with Billy the hang Upper and Matt Jones here on the Local Toy Dealers KSR Postgame Show, Welcome Back, Final segment, Local Toy Dealers KSR Postgame Show. We'll go I don't know, twelve or fifteen minutes and then let Billy go home. You're taking some heat on this Billy on the text machine. I knew it.

00:44:46
Speaker 3: I was counting.

00:44:48
Speaker 9: Uh.

00:44:49
Speaker 1: One person writes Matt. Billy said it was the magic time to hang up? How does he decide that? How do you decide that there's there's there's a there's a cod for you to do it. But let's say you decide to go on your own. How are you? How are you deciding that?

00:45:06
Speaker 3: I don't know.

00:45:07
Speaker 5: It's just more of a feeling than it is anything I can describe. No, no malice behind that hang up.

00:45:12
Speaker 1: Though.

00:45:12
Speaker 3: I felt like I've been doing better with kids, women and children, so.

00:45:17
Speaker 1: You know that the saying is always women and children first. Are you saying for you, it's the opposite. I don't think you want to take that position, do you.

00:45:26
Speaker 3: No, not at all. Okay, put them on the boat, get them out of there.

00:45:34
Speaker 1: Okay, it's one way to say it.

00:45:37
Speaker 7: Uh.

00:45:38
Speaker 1: Pat Riley was from Schenectady, New York, which I've never been there, but I've always like, I've used the phrase Schenectady as like a a word for just like a random place like that's you know how some people used to say if it plays in Peoria. I would always be like, oh, it's in Schenectady. I didn't realize that's where pat Rolly.

00:45:58
Speaker 3: He's actually from there.

00:46:00
Speaker 1: Yeah, he actually, So when I've been saying the like, in my mind a random place, I was actually saying pat Riley's home. One person says, Matt, it is crazy seeing the little kid from North Laurel guards Steph Curry. That really is kind of amazing. I mean it was only what I mean, he was playing at North Laurel three years ago, you know, I mean literally three years ago he was playing against you know, Lynn Camp, and now he's playing against Steph Curry. That's I mean, he had a road game at Redbird and now He's playing against Steph Curry in the Golden State's home arena three years. Think about that in life, that's insane. From Redbird to Steph and Raymond. That's you know what, Only in America it was next.

00:47:07
Speaker 3: Danny's next, Danny, Go ahead, Danny.

00:47:11
Speaker 1: Yeah.

00:47:12
Speaker 12: So we have North Carolina at REPERENI, yes we do. I know we need the point guard. But I mean with this person that we have, don't you just dig deep and get that win?

00:47:25
Speaker 1: Yes?

00:47:25
Speaker 12: Wouldn't it change the mindset of the players and the fan base.

00:47:30
Speaker 1: Yes, we need this, We do need it. I completely agree with you, and you have I mean, listen, this isn't the ideal group, but you I think you would agree. We have a team that can beat North Carolina Reperena. We can win that game, Okay, I mean think about it. We've had really good teams. Go We've had better teams than North Carolina here, and we've gone on the road and played teams worse than we are this year, and they've beaten us on their home floor because the environment and because so we can win. I mean, it's at nine to thirty on a Tuesday night, so with it's gonna be late and we need a loud crowd and we need all that, but we can win the game. I'm with you.

00:48:10
Speaker 9: Absolutely.

00:48:12
Speaker 1: I mean they're they're not great. I mean they're good, but they're not great. I appreciate the call. You know, we're gonna get to see Caleb Wilson, who we wanted here, and we're gonna see him up close. But you know, they lost. I think it was their point guard. Is the guy that got hurt and the weightlifting thing. Was that their point guard?

00:48:31
Speaker 3: I'm not sure about that.

00:48:33
Speaker 1: Well, they lost one of their good players to like a weightlifting injury, and uh so, I mean they're not you know, one hundred percent. Either we gotta win with or without Jaylen Lowe and I don't think he's gonna play, But with or without, uh we gotta win. Apparently, Adam Lefko said this Gonzaga Michigan game was gonna be the best non conference game in twenty years, which is a strong statement from left go right now. The score is Michigan seventy two, Gonzaga thirty seven. Goodning, that's the score, seventy two thirty seven.

00:49:15
Speaker 3: And Dusty Man may be a problem this year.

00:49:17
Speaker 1: Who all has beaten is Michigan beaten this year, so they beat They've beaten Oakland by forty, Wake Forest by one in overtime, TCU by four, and then San Diego State by forty, Auburn by thirty, and they're up thirty on Gonzaga. That is a heck of a three day run, isn't it.

00:49:42
Speaker 3: They flipped a switch at the right time.

00:49:44
Speaker 1: I mean, if the game weren't end right now, they would beat San Diego State, Auburn, and Gonzaga by combined one hundred points. That's got to be one of the greatest tournament runs ever in a preseason in tournament like.

00:50:01
Speaker 3: Ever, they're money motivated.

00:50:04
Speaker 1: We'll go to Jerry, Well, yeah, they get this money right. It's like they split like two million dollars, don't they. Yeah, if they win the.

00:50:10
Speaker 3: Tournament, Yeah, all right, who's that, Jerry?

00:50:13
Speaker 1: Jerry? Go ahead, Jerry.

00:50:15
Speaker 18: Hey, thanks taking my call. Man, I'm more worried about our team playing against teams are physical. I've been watching this tournament in Las Vegas, Tennessee, Auburn, Alabama.

00:50:30
Speaker 1: I'm just worried.

00:50:30
Speaker 18: I don't know how much we can handle physicality. And man, I loved I will tell you. I want to see Quaints. If we can move Moraino, which is the center at Quitetess at parafoward, I think we can roll. But I'm just worried about the I'm just worried about the physical county. But this team, since Tennessee, they're so big and huge strong, Well.

00:50:51
Speaker 1: You should be. I mean, that's how many can stay beat us. Uh is the physical. So I think it's a legitimate word. Appreciate the call, you know, So if you're not gonna be physical, then you better be athletic, and you better be able to shoot and some things we haven't been. So it's completely legitimate to worry. I understand why you do, and I worry about it too. I don't think North Carolina will be the game where we feel it, but Gonzaga may be. One thing I don't like about the new elon Twitter, Billy, is that you know, now if you're not careful, you get the for you instead of the following or whatever. Yeah, and so you get tweets in like any order, and people will see tweets I sent at one point in the game and think I tweeted it after the game, so I wrote, like after ten minutes, this is a pretty uninspiring poor effort, which it was at that point, right, But then people see it after the game and they can't think that I may have said it when we did look bad.

00:51:53
Speaker 3: Yeah, well that they got to find some critical thinking there, and that's exactly right.

00:52:02
Speaker 1: One person rates, Matt, you Drew snuck into Tony's to see jd Vance. If you had seen him at the game, would you have spoken well, yeah, of course. I mean there was a time. He has been a multiple time guest on this show. I don't think people realize that, Billy this is he is a three time guest on a on a Matt Jones show KSR twice in the podcast once, so so yeah, I mean I haven't talked to him in a long time, but we I used to know him.

00:52:35
Speaker 3: So you couldn't even get into the game either, that's.

00:52:39
Speaker 1: True, knowing me to talk to him. I couldn't even get in both of you. We both were told to stay out. All right, we'll do five more. Who's next, Nathan, Nathan, go ahead and Nathan.

00:52:54
Speaker 2: Yeah, it's it's actually crazy so that we had our Thanksgiving last night and my brother came from the sales and Jad, I guess he landed in uh Our airport, so he was like an hour and a half getting to the dinner. So I had to just stare at the dinner because it was all done, and.

00:53:08
Speaker 1: Oh did you really you couldn't? Yeah you have? Did you? Are? You like a family? Everybody has to be there before you start eating?

00:53:18
Speaker 2: Well yeah, because it was they were the guests, so I couldn't just start eating without him. But yeah, but that would be him out and about today I saw him at p Rats and he was actually like checking out couches for some reason.

00:53:31
Speaker 17: I don't know.

00:53:32
Speaker 1: Okay, that's craze, but.

00:53:36
Speaker 2: Hey, uh So the one thing I was actually calling about was because you're you're joking that the walker horn might be the turning point, and I was thinking, okay, well, in all honesty, that was the funnest I've ever seen this team have this year. I agree so much better when we're loose, and I mean like so much, we're very rigid and not you know, that's when we're getting stagnant and everything like that. So in all honesty, I hope they can take that, you know, the fun that they saw right there and how Rupperena blew up and take that and move forward and have some momentum.

00:54:09
Speaker 1: So I'm totally with you, like I was kidding, but not really when I say that about the turning point, because I appreciate the call. I think you're exactly right. They did have fun in that moment. They look like a team that liked each other in that moment, and they look like college kids. And one thing that cal Perry used to say that I think it's totally true is these dudes at this level play better when they play loose. I think that's all. I think that's true of almost everyone. I think it's probably true at the professional level, but I definitely think it's true at the college level. And they did in that moment look like a group that was having fun, and I do hope it carries over. I mean, and if we win, I'm going to give walker Horn, Big Iron Horn, his credit because I think he deserves it. Four more. Who's next?

00:54:55
Speaker 5: Well, what it's time now for the Johnny Rocker personal injury attorney, moneymaker of the game injured get small town compassion with big city results when you call the Rocker at two seven zero three two one four four two nine. And while walker Horn is our MVP of the game. We'll go in a different direction for the money maker and pick Colin Chandler, who scored fourteen points, had five rebounds, and five assists. In twenty six minutes. He was plus thirty eight, which was tied for first on the team, and he scored or assisted on twelve of eighteen straight points near the end of the first half. That was really the run that got Kentucky to the blowout stage. He is our moneymaker of the game.

00:55:30
Speaker 1: How would you define for people what it means to be the money maker of the game?

00:55:37
Speaker 3: Yeah, I uh, somebody.

00:55:39
Speaker 1: If you're picking it, you need to you need to have a definition.

00:55:43
Speaker 3: Yeah, there was not a clear definition given to me when we made the name change.

00:55:47
Speaker 1: But how are you picking the people?

00:55:50
Speaker 5: You know, somebody that maybe made a little money tonight, maybe they did something else.

00:55:55
Speaker 1: That's a Ryan limit definition. You just repeat the words he's money. Yes, it's someone who makes money. Yeah, okay, all right, Well maybe we need to work on the definition because I do think it like we should be precise as to who the money.

00:56:08
Speaker 3: Maker and it does not involve gambling. This is a completely different kind of Sorry. Four more, Who's next lane?

00:56:15
Speaker 1: Lane go ahead, Lane.

00:56:18
Speaker 19: Yeah, Hey, you mentioned that, Hope, it is difficult to read this year, and I agree with you on that. I think the original concern with him coming in was that he was just kind of giving off really corny, youth pastor vibes, and then that quickly was squelched by his passion and it's just his firsthand experience understanding the UK fan base and that was awesome. But I'm just curious if you have any observations on his ability to kind of motivate a locker room because he's not coaching the fans on the court, and I know that he his his past experience has been at Utah Valley and BYU, which is just a very different type of player. And I'm just curious to me he seems I love him, I love him as a coach, and he's a really likable guy, but he also seems really unrelatable to me, and I'm curious as a player.

00:57:15
Speaker 1: A Vince Marrow type that well, I think he has that. I do think he has that in some of these assistants. So I think Alvin Brooks, from what I understand, is really good at relating to players. Jason Hart is really good at relating players and even Cody figure. I think his assistants do serve him well in that regard. But I do think everybody takes the lead of the head coach. So there are many, many, many different ways to be successful as a coach as a leader. So let's take last year. I agree with everything you just said. Last year, I think he really connected with that team, But you have to remember what that team was. That was a lot of guys from places like Drexel, right, that were kind of like Mark Pope, right, people who were kind of very smart, underappreciated working hard for everything they did. And that was probably a group that really vibed with Mark Pope's and they would talk about how much he motivated them. Okay, some of the we've got some of those guys on this team, but we also have and are going to especially if he gets like Tyron Stokes and some of these guys, a different kind of guy, a guy that's got super talent that probably is not going to be you know, reading yates when it's over, And so how does he relate to those guys? And I don't know the answer to that question. I don't know. I mean, I think it's an open question because you're right, he didn't have those guys at Utah Valley and he didn't have those guys at BYU, and so I don't know. It seems like it's go ahead.

00:58:54
Speaker 19: Well, I don't think he's really landed like a killer or like a dog type of care yet. I mean last year that was that guy was from Nottingham, England and Amari Williams, and he was virtually mute on the court.

00:59:07
Speaker 12: Yeah, So like I'm curious.

00:59:08
Speaker 19: I'm excited to see quaintance, but I'm curious to see if he can get.

00:59:12
Speaker 1: Well the acquaintans is a unique guy because a quaintance is like quaintance is an anime chess guy. Right, So like quaintance, right, he'll probably work out really well with Quaintance. So we'll see. I appreciate the call. I think it's a fair question. I I have found Pope to be I don't want to use the word odd because that implies like a negativity, and so I don't want to I don't feel negativity. But I've found him to be very difficult to read in these last few weeks, and I'm not sure why that is. I think losing his part of it. He sounded more like himself tonight. He clearly was very happy having the unforgettables there. But I don't know. I mean, we've all talked a lot about the way he looked at the Michigan State game and what he said after. I guess we have to see what it's like Tuesday night, because it's been It's been odd to me. I mean, I feel like with most of our coaches, we kind of know him, and I still think with Mark like it feels like I don't completely feel like I know what I'm going to see. Every time he talks three more, who's next?

01:00:15
Speaker 3: We have two on the line, so we need one more person to call in two.

01:00:19
Speaker 1: I think we had I think that you're probably scared.

01:00:22
Speaker 3: I don't blame him after all, Right, hopefully we'll get someone before.

01:00:26
Speaker 1: This is ron n Go ahead, Ron Billy, everything good, every Thanksgiving to you.

01:00:35
Speaker 9: A quick question, No, hope. You know you had mentioned that he's been going third and stuff. Do you think that he made me, uh upset that he's left me like you with what they have?

01:00:48
Speaker 1: And no, no, not at all. This dude is in heaven with this job, So no, I don't think he's regretting. And look we've got We've by just got more n I L than they had when he was there, but we still have more than they do in Aisle. Is not gonna be an excuse here. I mean that we we probably spent more on this roster, or at least equal to every other team, so uh, BYU. He might be like, well, you gave him more money than I got. And that may be true at b YU, but when it comes to here, as much as they have at BYU, Kentucky will have equal amounts.

01:01:26
Speaker 9: And they at all the money out there.

01:01:28
Speaker 1: You know they do, but they didn't spend I mean they you know, they spent a lot on AJ Demonsa, but a lot of those guys, most of their players returned from last year. I mean it's not like they you know, they didn't go get seven portal guys. Well they may have gotten said, but like they still have returner. I mean the Richie Saunders kid who we wanted returned, so.

01:01:48
Speaker 9: I mean they they you know, we had him on campus and he went back or something or that.

01:01:56
Speaker 1: I guess that may have been his first year. But anyway, I appreciate it. Yaxel Landenberg twenty points, ten assists. There's some ten rebounds and seven assists tonight. That's pretty good, crazy, almost triple double. They are up forty four points on Gonzaga right now. Make that forty six points on Knzack. Wow, that's that's one of the more impressive. That's one of the more impressive December performances I think I've ever seen in a college basketball game. Who's next? Lucky, Lucky, go ahead, Lucky.

01:02:35
Speaker 16: Hey, thanks for taking my call. Guys, poor Hudson. By the way, I got a random, quite hypothetical. Lowe is starting, so I've got to set somebody. I'm not setting Chandler, I'm not setting Aberdeen. I'm setting oh Way. What would you do, and what do you think Pope would do?

01:02:58
Speaker 1: If you were talking about based only on their performance this year? You would sit Oway? Yes? Without question? What do I think? I think I would have to know Oway's mind to sort of know. Am I gonna lose this kid if I send him? And I don't know the answer because I don't know him. My guess is Pope will give him every chance to be the starter, and he would probably sit Chandler or Aberdeen. But if you just based it on performance this year, yes, you would start low Probably what will happen is that Lowe will come off the bench at least for I mean, that's what he did in the Louisville game, So I'm gonna suspect that's what he does at least at first. You still go, man, appreciate it well, I mean, look, Michigan's taking their starters out with seven minutes and twenty seconds to go. I mean that's insane, like they are getting like putting in the backups with seven minutes and twenty seconds to go. All right, let's do one.

01:03:58
Speaker 3: More, Josh?

01:03:59
Speaker 1: Is that the last one? Right? Yeah, you've got one. We're calling go ahead, Josh.

01:04:05
Speaker 11: Hey, Matt, I just want to say, in the Thanksgiving spirit, I'm almost home from driving down to see my good buddy and Charlotte tonight, who watched caller Anthony Towns kind of kill the Hornets, but just a come full circle. The Big Blue Nation is special. I went to school there twenty something years ago and met Saint Barney at Hagen Hall and went and watched the game with him tonight. I just want to tell you guys, you know I'm not sure how to do we're going to be this year, man, but I'm just happy to be a cat and it just this show and everything you guys do brings it full circle. And want to wish everybody have Thanksgiving and go cat.

01:04:40
Speaker 1: That's a great way to end. Thank you very much, and I appreciate you saying that. And we love Fake Barney, one of our oldest listeners and parts of the KSR group, So please tell him I cit hello. Thank you all very much. I give him a hard time, but I do want to give a shout out to Billy, who Saturday end a streak of him working like an obscene amount of football, basketball, women's basketball, like all these games back to back to back to back to back to back over the course of the last three or four weeks and going to Buffalo in the interim taping podcasts. So have a happy Thanksgiving, Billy, enjoy your two days off that are coming out.

01:05:22
Speaker 15: Thank you for.

01:05:24
Speaker 1: Saturday morning. We will be back at nine o'clock for the UK Louisville pregame show. We need to go down to what used to be Papa John's and get a victory. It'll be a program defining day for UK football one way or the other, Saturday, and we will be ready for it. We will see you later. Cats win by fifty. This is the local Toyter Dealers KSR postgame show.