KSR - KSR Postgame UK MBB at Tennessee 03/09/24

Episode Date: March 10, 2024

Matt and Billy recap the Cats' 85-81 win at Tennessee.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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The Cats get a big time win on the road at Tennessee four times in their last five games. They've won in Knoxville. Even though it hadn't been the best stretch of UK basketball, over the last five years. They've owned the Valls in Knoxville, getting another one today, 8581. You can give us a shout. Billy will open up the phones at the end of this segment, 859-280-2287. In many ways, it was the exact opposite of the game in Lexington. In Lexington, Tennessee got up early, kept an 8 to 10 point lead until the end. Dillingham made a run at the end to give them a shot, and then they still lost. That's how this game was in reverse. We had an 8 to 14.

point lead most of the second half. They, for the second time in two weeks, had a really rough last minute trying to get the ball up the court, but found a way to win and get a victory. And it's a big game. It was a big win, not just winning at Tennessee, but for seeding purposes. You go to the SEC tournament. Kentucky will now be a two-seed in the SEC tournament. They'll play Friday night at 7 o'clock against the winner of Texas A&M and O'clock.

Miss. I mean, you can't ask for a better draw than that, right? Texas A&M or Old Miss in the first round. It's not clear yet to me who will be the three seed. So who we would see in the semifinals. I think the three seed would be South Carolina, but I don't know that. If Auburn closes out Georgia, it's a four-way tie. We win the four-way tie, but I'm not sure who is next. But let's just say it, we're South Carolina. If I, told you a week ago to get to the finals of the SEC tournament, all you would have to do is beat Old Miss or Texas A&M and then South Carolina. I think you'd take it. So hopefully by the end of the show, we'll know who their second round. But Old Miss or A&M, they get it. So to get a two seed, it's just a huge win for Kentucky. And it's a culmination.

They've won what? Seven of the last eight. Could easily be eight in a row. I think they are now pretty solidly a three seed in the NCAA tournament. I guess the problem is I'm not sure they're going to get enough games against good teams in the NCAA tournament or excuse me in the SEC tournament to get a two because the way the NCAA does it. They just look to see who you play. They don't care how far you advanced. So we might not get games against good enough teams to get up to a two.

But I think we're pretty solidly a three. I think that means Kentucky will not have to go to the West Coast likely for the first and second round. They'll probably play in either Pittsburgh or Brooklyn, just looking at how it plays out, which would be a way for Kentucky fans to go. So you can't ask for a better night. And it was an awesome game. I mean, I was sitting here looking at the point total. Kentucky scored 85 points, and 83 of the 85 were four guys.

I mean, that's really unbelievable. We had four guys basically scored all our points. Reeves had 27. Shepherd had 27. Edwards had 16 and Dillingham had 11, and even Dillingham's were kind of at the end. For a while it was three guys. At one point, Kentucky had 60 points, 54 of them were either Reeve, Shepard, or Edwards. And those two guys, the first two especially, were unbelievable.

Played great. shot 10 of 15 combined from three point land. Reed Shepherd was seven of 10 from three point land. And it was a great culmination to the year because I think those two dudes especially. I mean, listen, Rob Dillingham's been good, really good. Edwards has had good moments, Wagner. But to me, this team is Reeves and Shepherd. And it's two guys who are great shooters, smart players,

and in many ways, kind of not, your typical Cal player and Cal embracing them. And by the end of the year, them kind of being the centerpieces of the team, and the team has just taken off. If you go, my friend Meyer-Metkaft took a lot of heat online, and I was giving him a hard time because he said Reed Shepard was the most Duke-esque player Cal Perry's ever had. And that's like the worst insult you could give in Kentucky.

But I actually don't think he's crazy wrong. Reeves, if you think about it, Reeves and Shepherd are guys that we've seen like Mike Shoshowski crush us with over the years. Guys that you look at and go, why is this dude beating us? And not say crush us. They don't play us a lot, but just crush teams. Guys who make threes are annoying. I bet if you didn't cheer for Kentucky, you would find Reeves and Shepherd really frustrating to watch. Because just when Tennessee would make a run, one of those guys would hit a dagger.

I was really, really impressive both. We'll start with Shepard. I think this will be remembered kind of as his game. He hit seven threes on the road, which is awesome. You know, it kind of got overshadowed a little bit, got a huge block at the end on a three that, you know, I think would have cut it to two maybe. He got a massive block.

Had a couple turnovers, but I thought he was excellent. I mean, it was, anytime Kentucky needed a shot, he hit it. And then Reeves, the season he's had. 10 road games. I don't know if we'll ever see this again. We played 10 road games this year, true road games. He had 15 or more every game, and he had 20 or more eight of the 10 games. That's crazy. And he now finishes his time at Kentucky as the highest points per game of the John Caliperi era. Billy, that's going to be a trivia question in 40 years. A lot of people are going to get wrong. Antonio Reeves is the answer to that question.

Antonio Reeves is going to be the answer. Who had the most points per game with the Calpheria era? It's Antonio Reeves. And that's pretty amazing. And those two dudes were excellent. I thought Justin Edwards was great, especially in the first half, hit three-threes in the first half. A lot of them kind of helping Kentucky separate in the lead. And then as he seems to do all the time, Dillingham made big plays down the stretch.

We could talk about the last minute. Hopefully this is not something in March in the next four weeks. we look back on and go, why, you know, because this is now two games of the last four where we've kind collapsed in the last minute. But both times we've won. They got to find a way to get the ball up the court better. You know, you would think it seems like some Reeves, Shepard, even Dillingham, Wagner, like everybody gets panicked and I don't understand why. They're all great free throw shooters. They all can take a foul and they have a timeout. So I don't understand why they get so rattled down the stretch, but they did. But again, as happened against Mississippi State,

they found a way to win. I thought Hugo was very good. Look, he didn't score, but Hugo, I thought defensively, was really, really good. He only got credited for four blocks, but in my mind, I feel like he either blocked or altered a lot more shots than that. I thought he was excellent. Big Z gave some decent minutes. You know, and Bratcha only played two minutes, which was a little crazy. Theero had some good minutes. It wasn't the best Trey Mitchell game. I'm still kind of a little, I don't know how he's going to fit in when you get in the postseason.

But we know what this team is now. And Cal knows what it is too. This team is basically get Antonio Reeves and Reed Shepherd shots. And between Edwards, Dillingham, and Wagner, two of those four guys are on the court, and if they're making plays, you can't guard Kentucky. If you can put four guys out there making plays, you can't guard them. You cannot guard them. And then the Biggs or Theero have to play just good enough defense so that you don't lose.

Dalton Connect had 40 points. He was awesome. He was awesome tonight. 40 points, 14 of 29 shooting. Took 29 shots. He had 40 points. But they didn't let the other guys beat him. Honestly, besides Ziegler, nobody.

else really played great, and they were able to get the victory. 859-2-80-22-87. So Kentucky will play at 7 o'clock Friday night in the SEC tournament. They get the buy all year. If you were looking at the projected standings, we were never once going to get a buy until this week, and now we get all the way up to a two-seat. And we will avoid Tennessee, Florida, and maybe Auburn and Alabama. Billy, do you know who the three will be once Auburn closes this out?

I don't. No, I don't know. If it's South Carolina, I don't think you could have dreamed a better scenario for Kentucky. So couldn't have worked, this day could not have worked out more perfectly. 859-280-2287.

I think I'm ready. Okay, so here we go. Here's the schedule. No, South Carolina is the five. So it'll be Kentucky is the two, plays the winner of Old Miss, Texas, A&M, and they will play the winner of Alabama and Florida in the semifinals. Tennessee will be on the other side,

and they'll play the winner of Auburn and South Carolina. So it projects, if everybody holds served, to Tennessee versus Auburn, Kentucky versus Alabama in the semifinals, if everybody can take care of business. That was a pretty good game. So, by the way, Florida can beat Alabama in that game in the quarterfinals, even though they lost a baby today. 859-280-2287.

We will take a break, take your calls, Get in here. It's a Saturday night of celebration. This is the local toy dealers, KSR postgame show. Back it is the local toy dealers, KSR postgame show. North Carolina leads Duke 4843 and Cameron. You think Philpowski tried to trip that guy on purpose, Billy? He 100% did. I was shocked seeing that, honestly. Wow, you were shocked.

Why were you so shocked? I don't know. Maybe I should have been because all Duke players have been doing that. But ridiculous. I'm surprised he was able to lift up his legs. after what happened at Wake Forest. And so for him to be able to still do it. Exactly. Duke is so Duke, man.

I mean, they are. They just are. I want, for many reasons, I want North Carolina to win this game, but one of which is this will help our seating if North Carolina can get this road win at Duke. Duke's been playing really, really well. So a win by North Carolina, you know, like I said, I think we are solidly a three-seat in the tournament. And now that we'll play Alabama in the, you know, the game.

the in the semis, you can get another quality win there. So I'm not going to eliminate a two seed, but I think they're now solidly a three, and I don't think they're going to have to go to the West Coast. I think there's a lot of really good stuff that came out of this game for the cats. And so let me ask you a question, Billy. If you assume we wouldn't get put in the West because it's likely Tennessee will be the two seed, so they're not going to put us a three against Tennessee. So that means you're either going to be with.

with Purdue, Houston, or Yukon. You'll be the three-seat in one of those brackets. Which one would you rather have? It seems like an easy answer. Purdue, right? I mean, you're joking in the tournament. Game would be in Detroit. Yeah.

You'd have a ton of Kentucky fans there if they got there. Yeah. I think that's the one you want, is you probably want to be in Purdue's bracket. And then the two-seed, I don't know who you'd get. I wouldn't want North Carolina. Honestly, if we're going to be a three, the only two I really want to avoid is North Carolina.

The rest of them bring it on. I like us against all of them. All right. The Wednesday games at the SEC tournament, Billy, you know I like the Wednesday games at the SEC tournament. They're selling tickets for $2 this year. $2. $2 to go to Wednesday at the SEC tournament.

Would you, Billy, pay $2 for Arkansas, Vandy, and then Georgia, Missouri? Oh, well, that's why they're $2. Would you play it? Probably not. No, no. How many people do you think are going to be in the Nashville arena for that 930 Georgia, Missouri tip off? Not many, but I know the KSR crew will. Yeah.

I'll be there, but you think anybody else will? I don't think they'll be very much. Maybe the Arkansas moms and dads of the team. They'll have a left, I think. So that's the way it goes. All right, who's next? Snoop. Snoop.

What's up? Wait a minute. Hang on. Did we just get a commitment? Did Kentucky just get a commitment? I don't know. Hang on just a second. basketball?

Yes. Kevin Knox's brother, Carter Knox, has just committed to Kentucky. A top 20 player in the country has just committed to UK. Kevin Knox's brother, Carter Cox is now a cat.

I guess he saw that game today, and he is now a Kentucky walk. I don't think we've ever gotten to break a commitment on the post game show, but that just happened. So there you go. How could this day get any better? How could it get any better?

better. It's almost too good to be true. Who's up next? Snoop is up first. Snoop. Go ahead, Snoop. Boy, that was good right there, Matt Jones. I'll take a drink for that one. But, hey, you know, in the South, they say, ain't nothing open after 11, but the legs in the liquor stove. My grandma must have never seen Reed Shepherd playing because that boy is open. I'm telling him, he's coming on tour somewhere around you, boy. Oh, my, Matt Jones. Oh, my. He got ice. How good was he today? I mean, he's, you know, he does. He has ice, in his veins. That's a good way to put it.

Man, he takes the big shots. He's not scared to do it, and he makes them. And, you know, he got huge buckets down the stretch. And then, you know, another thing, you know, you're from the South, if you ever heard of somebody say, that boy can steal sugar from a cookie without putting his hands on it, that's how good read is. That's how good read is that stealing. That boy, still, what is that? What is that?

What is that? I know. Tell me. Tell me what the phrase is again? Tell me what the phrase is again. Still sugar from a cookie without putting his hands on it? Yes, sir. Hey, he can steal your socks with your shoes still on.

That boy is cold. That boy is cold, Matt Jones. You know he is. Hey, he's cold. I agree. Oh, my. And I want to just give a shout out to my boy Smith if he listened. But, oh, man, I love me some Reese Shepard boy.

But appreciate the call. You ever heard any of those before? That's going to be my call on the night. Nobody's going to beat that. I could have listened to him for the next hour. I could have listened. He needs you. He needs a show.

Legs and liquor stores. Let's see. You got what time? We got an opening somewhere. Probably not until 6 a.m. We'll put him on from 6 to 7 on WAP and KRD. Who's next? Jeff.

Jeff. Go ahead, Jeff. Good morning, Matt. How are you? great day for the UK. A couple of things. One, thank God we have a depth chart. Thank God for that, because as you said, only four players in double digits carried us all the way through. But everybody gave some. Only four players had more than two points. I mean, look, it worked. It worked. But I mean, this team, listen, you got to give Cal a lot of credit because that's a dude who likes playing a certain way.

and he's got he's got two elite scores and then two really good athletic guards in the way that he likes to play in Edwards and Wagner and he's basically handed the team off to them which I know was probably hard for him to do but he's done it and it's worked out really well thank God for that also you know he's I think with the team much better ball and time management in the last five minutes of the game for sure. And do you believe that we're a solid three now? I do. I don't, I mean, I, Lannardi, somebody said Lannardi still has this as a four, but like, first of all, he probably hadn't updated his stuff yet.

But if he has, we're going to be, I mean, we just beat a top five team on the road in their place. I mean, think about our wins. Oh, that's true. We beat North Carolina. We beat North Carolina who's going to probably finish the day, fifth or six in the country, if they beat Duke. We won at Auburn. We won at Tennessee. So as Jay Billis says, and I've done the mock selection thing, the NCAA tournament people,

they care more about who you beat than who you lost to. And I want to show you show me a team that has three better wins than Carolina on a neutral floor at Tennessee and at Auburn. I don't know who has three better wins than that. Now, we have bad losses, but we have, I think, three elite wins. Yeah, those are all very strong quad one wins. The last thing I wanted to say was to my buddy Jacob, if he's listening, he canceled his reservations and his tickets for Nashville next week. Dude, if you're listening, get them back.

That's insane. I will tell you, I appreciate the call. I'm over here at my friend, Turkey Hunter's House, and Hubby, my friend is here, too. He was looking at tickets during the game. The ticket prices went up. He looked at the price for Friday night session with, like, like two minutes to go or three minutes to go. And then he looked at it after the game and it had already gone up like the getting price

had gone up $40 in like four minutes. People had the same idea. I think that Friday night session with all these people coming from Kentucky, they don't have to take off work if they don't want and get there Friday night. That's going to be a wild atmosphere. And if you think it'll probably be Kentucky, Ole Miss or A&M, Florida and Alabama, what, 80 to 90% of the fans, Kentucky, you think, for that session? Well, I think so many have been waiting for Kentucky to have some success in that tournament.

Yeah. I think the lot of people will show out for that. You'll get 80 to 90% of that crowd will be Kentucky. And then the next day, if they make the next day and you get a semi-final that is Tennessee and Auburn, Kentucky and Alabama. Those are probably the four next to Arkansas, the four best fan bases in the SEC. for traveling to the SEC tournament. Arkansas is there, too, but those are four of the five. That Saturday, if they all play each other,

will be one of the hardest SEC tournament tickets we've seen in a long time. That'll be, if you have those, if those are the four teams that make it, those will be golden. We've had a couple days like that in the past, but it's been a while since you would have had four like that if that's what it ends up. Who's next? Dave. Dave, what's up, Dave?

Thanks for taking my call, Matt. I appreciate it. Without no problem? I got a couple of comments here, if you don't mind. I don't mind. I like to say, first of all, I'm so proud of our team for going to Tennessee and beating Cropi Flop. It's just the greatest thing ever.

All right. Good. Me too. Yes, yes, yes. And our team has grown up so much here. Towards the first of the season, you're just kind of wondering if they're going to be good and different. and all of a sudden they're starting to trend up in the right moment. And I'm just so proud of Justin Edwards also.

He comes through some big shot today. I'm just so proud. And I'm going to hang up and go big blue. He hits a big one. He hits a big one. Did you, I think he said, uh, croppy flop. Is that what he said? Yes.

Yeah. I think he meant to say crappy, uh, flop or what do you think? Cropy? What's Cropy? I don't know. He also said we were gooder. We are gooder. We are gooder than we were last year.

And that is exciting. And we are much gooder than we were earlier this season. When, you know, this stuff looked bad about six weeks ago. Looks a lot different right now. Who's next? Craig and Guam. Craig and Guam. How are you?

Hey, I'm good. Leaning off of your point about how it looks six weeks ago, I would, I think I'd compare this team a little bit now with the caveat that were better. I'd compare it a little bit to the 19 team in that we lost, you know, embarrassing games in the fall. It took a long time for a bunch of players to come into their own, but then we had season-ending victories against, you know, two of the top SEC teams in the respective years. And we always talked about in that COVID year, you know, what could that 19 team have done? And I think, you know, now we have a chance to see what this team can do. And I'm really excited about it. Yeah, I mean, that's the 19 team, I think, is a good, a good analogy. I mean,

a lot of people talk about the 14 team, but that team really didn't hit its stride until the SEC tournament. This team is kind of like that 19 team, playing its best ball here as we go. I think, if I'm right, Craig, didn't we, like, beat Auburn by 30 that year at home or something? Just they came in in a big game and we just pounded them. And it was like, oh, when these guys are going, they can go. That's kind of how I feel. I think that's kind of how I feel like it is right now. Yeah, and then we got Florida in that last game and then everything went, you know,

crazy. Yeah, well, that was COVID. I think I was thinking about the year before. But, yeah, I, you know, I appreciate the call. Hopefully, look, there, I think I'm going to have my five teams. It's hard for me to leave Tennessee out. You think I should leave Purdue out? They're not going to win the title, are they, Billy?

I'm sorry. I was on the phone. I didn't hear you. I mean, I can leave. Should I leave Purdue? Because here's what I'm putting it. I'm putting in Connecticut. I'm putting in Houston.

Putting in North Carolina. And I'm putting in Kentucky. I'm for it. Should I have Purdue or Tennessee? Oh. Purdue. No, screw the orange. Come on now.

I'd put Purdue in over Tennessee. All right. I'll put Purdue. I think Tennessee's good. Connect's amazing. 40 tonight by him. He was fantastic. But I'll put Purdue as much.

I think that's going to be my five. I think it's going to, I think your champion's coming from one of those five. Who's next? Zach. Zach, how are you, Zach? Doing good. How are you doing? Good.

Look at these Duke fans. What dorks. Go ahead. Man, I think, I've been watching this all season, started out the season real good, and then obviously hit our, hit our little slump there in the middle, but I think we're hitting our strut again at the right time. And the biggest thing, I think we've got the. rotation kind of figured out a little bit. We were there, especially like around the Gonzaga game,

having a real hard time knowing who was going on the court and when they were going on and stuff. And I feel like we're, you know, we know why Nienzo's our guy now at the time. He seemed like, you know, at the beginning of the season, he seemed like he was going to be our third best five, that he's definitely our guy now. And it seems like we really know who's going on the court and when they are. Yeah. I mean, I think you think we have to. I think this is becoming, this is becoming a group where you have a core six guys, maybe seven, considering what you have where you think about the arrow. But it's looking like we have a core six guys.

You know, there are games maybe where Z will do instead of Hugo. I mean, Bratshaw only had two minutes tonight. So, I mean, I think, but it is clear Cal has realized this team is Shepard Reeves, Dillingham, Wagner, Edwards, and someone else. And that's kind of the group. And I think that's how you win. Yeah, man, and he's like, I remember back, I was a kid, but Darius Miller would get player of the game at that time and have zero points. And it's kind of like that with you.

Hugo was not the player of the game. I mean, I love Hugo, and he had a great game. He was not the player of the game. Reed Shepherd and Antonio Reeves are why we won. Hugo played well. But Reed and Antonio were awesome tonight. Oh, yeah, no doubt. I love Hugo, but I'm not giving player of the game to a guy who didn't take a shot.

No, but we miss him if he's not out there, especially on the defensive side. Yeah. Yeah, some games. But tonight he was very, very good. I appreciate the call. I mean, remember, it was last game. Was it Mississippi State, Billy, that Z played in Bradshaw? I mean, it just depends on the game with the bigs.

I think Ugo is probably the best of the group consistently, but I think the other guys will have their moments. but we can't win unless Reeves and Shepard play well. They're the two most important players on the team. Kentucky had nine blocks tonight. It felt like there were a ton of blocks in the first half. How about the fact that the two leading rebound? I'm sorry, go finish your block point.

No, I was just going to say, and also Cal got a technical tonight. Yeah, I didn't really understand that. I guess he got it for leaving the box. Is that what it was? Yeah, he was warned, and then he was mad when they weren't going to sub-robbing, and then stomp. It ended up not mattering. I think he missed the free throw and then they didn't score.

They did. They missed it. Yeah. I don't think it ended up mattering. But yeah, how about this? Not only do Reeves and Chepard both have 27. They also led the team in rebounding with seven rebounds each. Wow.

I mean, it's unbelievable. Those two dudes, man, what a game for, you know, that might be the last regular season game. They both play for Kentucky. And if so, they finished pretty awesome. Who's next? Jason's next. Jason, go ahead.

Ed Jason. Hey, first time, sometime. Thanks, they can call, Matt. Oh, you already. First time. Who are? Sometimes. Well, yeah, you know.

I don't know if you caught it if you watched it on TV, but they had the camera from across from the scorers table. And I think Wagner and Hugo was getting ready to come in. And they five while they were sitting there. I don't know if you saw that. But to me, that just shows the harmony that this team has, because I don't think you've seen that in the previous years. But that, did you see it or catch it?

I don't know what exactly you're talking about, but as far as on the Harmony thing, I don't think there's been a Kentucky team in the Cal era that I thought, like, didn't get along. But I think there have been some teams where, you know, they just weren't the closest. I think last year's team was kind of like that a little bit. But if you go back and you look at our best teams, 2010, 2015, 2012, 2017. Those teams loved each other. And, like, they really were close. And I feel like this one is like that.

Yeah, they were sitting against the scorers table waiting to come into the game. They both were just sitting with their backs proff against, and they just kind of gave each other five. And I just thought that was awesome. And one thing, you should have shut the showdown after the first caller, because I've been laughing about stealing socks off. I'm why he still has the shoes on. I mean, you can't cop that.

Thanks, go catch. You're not going to be able to. Thank you very much. 859-2-80-22-87. Let's take a break, Billy. Get your folks in here. North Carolina leads 61-53. I think trancy is about to, actually, they just tipped off in their big game.

And Moorhead is going to tip off here in just a minute as well. This is the local Toyota Dealer's KSR Post-Game Show. Toyota Dealer's KSR Post-Game Show. Cats win by four. Carter Knox, for people who don't know, Kevin Knox's brother, plays for overtime elite top 20 player in the country he at the end of his final overtime elite game pulled out a kentucky hat and picked him i kind of think billy that means that your guy uh your guy Kenny pain is done because the whole thing was that you you know he was there's situation you might get

carter knox if Kenny pain stays now they just i mean they just can't keep kidney pain right yeah i don't know if that was the breaking point but probably it doesn't help and also his comments and his press conference today aren't great either. What did he say? I didn't see what he said. Well, he was like, what I inherited in my first year, I didn't have to coach basketball. I had to coach these guys. He said that today?

Today, yeah. Well, he's got like a different team this year than he had last year. So I don't really know what is. Come on. Yeah. I mean, look, there's a lot of other people that found a way in their first year to be pretty good. Right? I mean, Rick Petino's got his team.

on the bubble at Louisville. Like, Eric, excuse me, at St. John's, like, you can't use that excuse anymore. Like, I mean, there was a time that was true. But now with the portal, you can't win, what have they won? 12 games in two years? Like, you can't do that. I mean, like, I mean, like Kenny as a person, but you can't do it.

All right, who's up next? Jared is next. Jared, go ahead, Jared. What's up, Matt? what a night what's going on yes it was an awesome night you're exactly right yeah first things i'm going to give some flowers like first and foremost billy what a pro oh i listen that's not deserved what what how's he like what did he do that was what what did he do that was worthy of being a pro yeah he just he just handles his business you know but i didn't say man like

You just handle your business. All right, fair enough. Yeah. You and I don't always see eye to eye, but I'm going to, I want to give you your props. You said on the pregame show today, we're going to let Dalton get his. Yep. And we're going to shut everybody else down. And that was the game plan.

I thought all, I honestly thought, I thought all week we were going to win. And I, I, I, I, I, I did put. a little bit on the money line, but I put a lot on the plus eight and a half was when I got it. Because I didn't understand why that was so much. I mean, you probably ought to favor Tennessee at home, but like they're not, I mean, we are playing as well as anyone in the country. Like, they're, I mean, Connecticut's losing right now 15 to 2 to Providence. I think they'll come back and make it a game. But we are playing as well as anybody in the country. So this idea that, you know, we should be that much of an underdog to anyone, I think is insane.

Oh, I agree, 100%. And next flowers go to Cal. He's adjusted how he's coaching this team, and he's letting the guards go with it, and we can beat anybody. We can beat anybody in March. And we're peaking at the right time. It's going to be a fun month. Totally agree with you.

We can meet anybody. appreciate the call. And I also think we're playing at a level that like that first and second round game, you know, I mean, if you'd ask me three or four weeks ago, I would have been like, you know, every game in the tournament to toss up. I don't feel like that anymore. We should get our first and second round draw when we get to the NCAA tournament and we should win. I mean, like, then you're, everything, you know, second weekend starts to be harder. But we should win. I mean, I'm sitting here looking. Let's assume we end up. up a three seed because I want to, I'm going to say that because I think that's where we're going. I

don't care what all these projections say, we're going to end up a three seed. Let's assume we end up a three seed. The six seeds, well, thanks a I don't know what the six seats are. I can't find a bracket. Why don't you do this, Billy, find me one of these latest bracket projections. I don't care who it is. And just read me who the six seats are. Okay. All right. And one of the good things about being a three instead of a four, by the way, is you don't have to play the like Appalachian in state, Sanford teams that, like, can beat you. If you loses the three seed, you screwed up. But those four 13s, the 13s are usually pretty good.

So being a three is huge. This win tonight was huge. We went from playing Thursday of the SEC tournament to Friday, from being on Tennessee's side of the bracket to being on the opposite side of the bracket. Like, you couldn't ask for a better result. All right. So six seats in the CBS projection.

I'm going to tell you whether or not. So this would be who Kentucky would play in the second round. I'm going to give you my, I don't even know who you're going to say how I think they would do. Go ahead. Texas Tech, Clemson. Cats, cats, Nevada and Wisconsin. Cats. Yeah, I mean, of those, probably Texas Tech would be the one I wouldn't want to play the least just because they've been playing in the Big 12 and they've played hard games all year.

So they won't be overwhelmed by us. But like, let's say you get Nevada. I think they played at UNLV tonight. It's a late game. I always look to see what's going to be on before I fall asleep. You know, watch Nevada tonight. If we got Nevada, you're going to be worried about playing Nevada? No.

In the second round? Come on. I mean, again, I say that and watch us lose to Nevada. But, like, I, that's so much different than a few weeks ago when it looked like we would be a five or a six in playing Duke. You know, that's a big difference when you get in the second round, Nevada instead of Duke. Who's next? Crystal. Crystal, go ahead, Crystal.

Hey, Matt, first time, long time. First, I want to see, my husband and I are UK grads, and we now live in Key West, and we drive back home to Kentucky. We hate Tennessee so much. We gas up to make sure we don't have to spend a freaking dime in that state. That's how much we hate Tennessee. Wait a minute. You hate Tennessee so much you won't even get gas in the state. Heck no.

Will you eat in the state? Will you eat in the state? No, we'll not. No, not a single penny. Does that state give in my mouth? So what do you do like the next weekend we play in Tennessee? Would you go or are you like it's a total tourism veto of Tennessee? Well, normally I would go, but my nephew is playing in a lacrosse tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina.

So we are going to watch my nephew play lacrosse because I've never seen him play live. But I will be watching from my phone in UK here. Well, good. Well, good. What else? All right. So just wanted to shout out to Justin Edwards because my husband said he needed a big game and he did. Not only just the shot team made, but he played great D.

And he got some critical rebound. Yep. Yeah, well, I mean, he had a tough task. He had to guard connect a lot of the game. He had a great job on it. He did a really good job on it. He did score 40. He did score 40.

Yeah, I mean, he connected score 40. But still. Yeah, no, he is really good. And look, I thought Justin Edwards play. Let me see. For Justin Edwards, five weeks ago, six weeks ago, he seemed unplayable. Like, it seemed like you couldn't even put him in the game.

And now he's one of the core guys, and he scored double figures, I think, four out of the last five games. I don't think very many people would have seen that coming outside of Cal. And I love it for that kid, because that kid, no matter how bad he played offensively, he never stopped hustling on defense and he did whatever he could to help us win. And he played his best. And I am just so happy that his whole game is coming together for him because he, flipping deserves it. I'm just so happy for him.

Did you say flipping? That's, you being a little harsh here saying flipping. I love it. Hey, I love it. And this team, this team just showed me tonight that they can play defense if they focused. And they did that tonight. And I just love it and it gives me hope for number nine. All right.

Well, I appreciate the call. Thank you very much. Billy, do you know who Barbara Eden is? Oh, God. Here we go again. No, no, I don't. I mean, I wouldn't expect you to. Have you ever heard of?

the show I Dream of Jeannie? I've heard of it, yes. Okay, so Barbara Eden was the star of I Dream of Jeannie. Today, she was signing at that Comic-Con where we did the pregame show. Oh, yeah, yeah. And I, she was charging $125. And I thought, that's outrageous. No offense to Barbara Eden, but who wants to pay $125 for a, like, autograph and picture with Barbara Eden?

Billy, when our pregame show was over, I walked down there to the autographs. There was a line 250 people. No. It's 250. I'm not kidding you. I'm not kidding you. Just think about the money that Barbara Eden was locking up tonight. Who knew?

There were like 40 women dressed as Jeannie. Who knew that was a thing in 2000 and 24? three or four comic cons across the state. What year was that show on? It was 50 years ago that show was on television. So I just want to I don't know why. I mean, 45 years ago and she's still charging a buck 25 and getting people to come. Who's next? Xerxes. Zerxes. How are you? I am doing wonderful, Matt. What a victory. I did well again. I think we know it's going to be champagne and hot tub the night, bubbles and bubbles. I think the play of the game was winning on the second half early.

Cal realized that he could not play Trey Mitchell anymore. And once he took him out, that was the game. Aren't you surprised by that? I mean, I know he hurt his shoulder, but like he looks, it looks like he's like slower and he just, it's just not, I mean, I still think there's going to be a game you're going to need him. but yeah, he was kind of unplayable tonight, honestly. I agree.

And that's what kept him close in the first half because he couldn't give us anything. And I was screaming at the TV. And I guess Cal heard me all the way in Knoxville because he took him out after a few minutes. And I think that shows tremendous growth on Cal's behalf. And I think it also shows how well Edwards and everybody else is playing.

this is a deep team, and I know we're not great defensively, but with the weapons that we can put on the court, I fear no team out there, none. No one can match as offensively. I said something, Xerxes, I think, after the, I think it was a Carolina game, because we won that game like 89, 85, or something like that. And I think I said at the time,

if this Kentucky team can score 85 points every game and get better on four or four or four, five plays of defense a game that you can't beat them, right? So you got to score 85 every game and you got to get four or five more stops. Well, tonight they scored 85. Probably would have had more if they hadn't turned it over so much at the end. And they got those stops that they needed really in that little stretch in the first half where they built up that lead.

And then maybe the most important sequence was Xerxes when they cut it to five and we called timeout. I think they made three straight threes on three possessions. And we came out. And instead of bending over and falling down and not being able to win, we were able to, I think we built the lead back up to nine and were able to get the win. I say one of the most impressive victories cows had since he's been here.

That was just a great coaching job he did, recognizing who to keep in and who to take out. And I couldn't be more ecstatic. I'm enjoying watching Duke lose to North Carolina. What a great day. Go catch. Great day. Appreciate the call. 859-280-2287.

Billy, let's do one more, and then we'll take our final break. Carolina leads 7264, 4 minutes to go against the dreaded Dukies. What do you got? Frankie. Frankie, go ahead, Frankie. Hey, Matt, I appreciate it. I've been on this call for a long time, and I'm just sitting here thinking, how great is it that I watched Reed Shepard in West Liberty playing like crazy when Jeff Shepard's unite

and he comes out and here he is now. Reed Shepard is like one of the heroes in Kentucky basketball right now. And I love every second of it. I absolutely love it. And I'm just enjoying it. And I have talked to you all forever. It's Franks-Given, whatever. But I love it.

Well, good. I'm glad. We are on, Matt. We are on a trajectory to make some really good things happening in Kentucky basketball. And I can't. Well, I hope so. And I hope we got four weeks of fun, hopefully. I appreciate to call it.

If they win like they should. should. We could get four weeks in a row, four weekends of a lot of fun, and I hope it happens. Billy, where do you think Reed Shepherd is going to rank in terms of most beloved UK players? I mean, you know, I think he's going to be high up. I don't know, you know, I don't know where it's going to end up, but he's pretty, it'll depend on what happens in March. But if this team makes a run to the Final Four, he's going to be one of the most popular players that's ever played here. And what's crazy is Cal's. all time leading score is also on the team. It's wild how it's played out. Yeah, no doubt.

If he's already not top three, I mean, I'm sure he's going to be one if they do anything. We tend to remember these guys by what happened in March a lot. Like, I mean, most of the guys, you sit there and you think how their seasons ended or whatever, but if he ends up having a positive ending to the season, this is going to be one for the books. 8.59-28027. We will take a break and come back for our final segment. It's a six-point game in Durham. We'll see what happens. Carter Knox commits the cats.

Kentucky beats the balls. This is the local toilet dealers. KSR post-game show. It is the local toy dealers, KSR post-game show. So Lennardi just updated his bracketology. He has us as a three-seed in the south. That's Houston's bracket. So that would be a tough one.

But us is a three-seed. So we would play first two games in Pittsburgh and then the regional in Dallas. While I don't love being with Houston, Pittsburgh and Dallas, there would be a ton of UK fans at those games. Our two seed in our bracket, according to Lenardi, would be Marquette. I like our chances against Marquette. That style they play, I think we would play that style better than them. So I like it.

Kentucky would be a three-seat because Kansas lost. by 30 and we beat Tennessee. We now move past Kansas as to a three in Kansas, according to him, is now a four. Also has Rick Petino and St. John's Billy in the tournament, according to him. Well, that'd be big for the most unenjoyable experience of Rick's life. So good to hear. Yeah, how about that? Most unenjoyable experience, and he might end up making the tournament.

Well, we'll see how enjoyable it continues. All right, you got six people on. I would assume let's do them all. All right. Go on tonight. Farmer. Farmer, go ahead, Farmer. Hey, Matt.

I just want to give props to Billy. I called the other night, and I only said Go Cats. And he informed me that if I only said Go Cats, I was not going to be able to be put on to the postgame show. So I just want to say that I'm surprised. That's good. You're doing some content moderation, Billy. It's all business over here, Matt.

He's screening these calls hard now. Listen, March is here. Everybody's got to step up their game including the callers. Exactly, exactly. I just want to say that, I mean, if you started before the game, told me that Onenzo, Thierro,

V6, Bradshaw, and Mitchell were all going to have zero points. Yeah. They did it contribute in other ways, but if all of them gave zero points before the game, that we were going to get blown out without any forward play. But our guard stepped up,

took care of business, and we demolished Tennessee's ever, ever chance of getting a one seat. That's a great point. I don't think I thought of it like that. But Kentucky's five guys that to some extent you might classify as a big man. I don't know if you classify Thierro as a big man,

but let's just say for purposes the argument he is. There are five big men combined for zero points. It was all guards. Guards scored every point on the team tonight. That's insane, isn't it? That's absolutely insane. I mean, the Fords, they, they contributed in other ways, like I said, but with zero points, the guards carried us to allow Tennessee to never,

and their lifetime as a program, never have a one seat in NCAA tournament. Yeah, they're probably not going to end up with it. That's true. I appreciate the call. Do you think a team, Billy, has ever beaten a top five team and had their big men score zero points before? I mean, maybe it happens more often after today. Maybe before the shot clock or something.

Yeah. The scores were like 3228. Ridiculous. But I mean, that's, I don't, I didn't, that didn't really register to me until he said that that's crazy. But that's true. All right. Who's next? Five more.

Badger. Badger. How are you Badger? Hey, what's going on, guys? What's up? I've got a stat, an opinion, and a question. All right. his last six games, Justin Edwards is shooting 67% from three-point range.

Is that right? 14 of 21. The opinion is this is the best group of guards that we've taken to March under coach Cal. And my question is actually for how I would say, I would just alter, I would just alter that a little bit. I think it's our best group of scoring guards. I think we've had guards who were as good. if not a little better all around. But as far as our best group of scoring guards, yes, I think that's true.

And I agree with that. And my question is for Hubby, actually. Is he still a member of Ms. Sewell's Army, his English teacher from... I will ask him that. I will ask him that. I appreciate the call. Hubby, this caller wants to know if you're still a member of Miss Sewell's Army. He says yes.

Yes, he is. he's trying to order his food. So I think he was a little distracted. But hopefully he gets that ordered. He says yes. Who's next? Chris. Chris, go ahead, Chris.

Hey, Matt. Number one, I'm 48 and I feel like I'm 15 again. These passes have just got me feeling excited and young and hopeful. They really are fun like that. First of all, before you go, the second point. I do think that is this Kentucky, I'll probably talk more about this on Monday, but this Kentucky basketball program not only needed some winning,

they needed an injection of excitement and fun. And I think what's really neat about this is just how fun it is. This is a really fun team. I think Kyle Tucker tweet after the game. It's not Cal's best team. I don't think that's true. I'm not sure whether it's fourth or fifth. I don't think it's in his top three teams.

But it might be his most fun team to watch that we've ever had. bro you couldn't be more right so much fun so i'm probably a little immature or premature on this question but in the nc w a tournament who scared you and i'll hang up on that connecticut houston um i wouldn't want to play tennessee unless i had to just because i think they're good even i know we won that game but i think that i do think they're good um no no one scares me in the sense of like there is not a team like say North Carolina was in 2017 or Wisconsin was in 2015 where I was like we don't match up with these guys I do not want to play them I don't really have a team like that with that said in those years like in 2015 we were

the best team and I knew we would beat anyone except maybe Wisconsin and we lost to Wisconsin I thought in 2017 we went in the tournament as the second best team. I just thought the first best team was North Carolina. This year, we could be the best team or we could be like the seventh or eighth best team. But I wouldn't say anyone scares me. There's nobody that I look at and go, we can't beat that team. But I do think, unlike, say, in 2015 or 2017, there's more teams that can beat us this year. But I don't know if there's a team that I'm just like, we just can't beat them.

Yukon and Houston are the only two teams that I think, if you were to ask me today, where does Kentucky rank in the power rankings nationally? I'd put us third. I really would. I'd go, I think Houston's the best team. Yukon is second and we're third. With that said, teams four through 10 can all beat us. But I would say we're third right now, which is amazing considering where we were six weeks ago.

Three more. Who's next? Terry. Terry, go ahead, Terry. Yeah, Matt, this game was really special to me because South End Steve would be up there tonight just glowing with pride because he used to like to watch the game. He listened to Leach and I would watch the games in the basement. and when Shepard was hitting all those threes, he would be screaming and then he'd be running in to see what happened.

And I would know what happened before. It just would have been a game. Because the radio broadcast was ahead, you mean? Yes. I mean, it just, just, now the bittersweet thing for me is, and I'm not trying to be a downer here at all, but I have been a holdout all year long that Reed was coming back. today sealed it he ain't coming back they can't i mean i don't think he can i mean i know there's

people who will still argue like there are people around the program who say hey it's not but he can't i mean he's gonna he's gonna be a top five pick i mean he's just he's such a stud such a cool customer and i mean that that was a great win and that point that you you just made before i came on i'm with you i think we all are in the top three teams. And I know there's no way we can get a one, probably not a two, but I still think we're in the top three or four teams. Well, there's a difference between where we should be ranked based on like the overall

resume. And I think like Terry, like where we are today, right? And today, I think we're the third best team. But I mean, we did lose to Wilmington and we lost these games. So you can't put us as a one seat. but I'll tell you this. If I'm a Houston fan or I'm a Yukon fan or I'm a Purdue fan, I don't want to see Kentucky in my bracket.

You know, you look at the three seeds you can get. You want to see Kentucky? Like let's look at, let's look at Lenardi's latest thing. I want to pull up the three seeds. The three seeds under Lenarty's. Iowa State, Creighton, Baylor, and Conduct. Kentucky. You want to see Kentucky out of those three? I don't think you do. Two more. Who's next? Jay. Jay. What's up, Jay? Hey, Matt. Thanks for taking my call. First time, long time.

Who up? I'm traveling home from the game with my son. My son convinced me to go this last week. I almost didn't want to go too much orange to deal with. But I'm glad he taught me into going. What was the noise level like in it? Because, you know, that place can be kind of bad as an atmosphere if the team's not doing well. Was it quiet or were they in like loud? Oh, man. Every time they would cut it to three or four, it just got crazy loud. And they had hit Rocky Top, of course. And they were just on the verge of that roof coming off the place.

And then Kentucky would hit a three. Somebody would hit a three or we'd make a play and everybody just sit back down. I mean, it was wonderful. wonderful. I've never been in that arena before. It's like Rupp Arena, just orange everywhere. I mean, it's huge. It's just unbelievable. And the Go Big Blue chance, could you hear them? I mean, to be on at Rocky Top and be able to chant, it was so exciting to be able to chant go big blue on Rocky Top. It was just nothing better than winning on a road place. Well, I'm glad you had a good time. I'm glad you can't talk to you into it. Yeah, yeah. Hey, you.

You all do a great job, a great job. You're always fair. You're always about, you just do a super job. Keep up the good work. Go cats. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Barbara Eden, by the way, is 92 years old.

Wow, 92, still making $125 a pop. 92 years old making $125 a pop. Wow. Was that the weirdest thing you saw at Comic Con? Turkey Hunter. Just screamed out wood. Anyway, go ahead. No, no, no.

The crowd is the weirdest. The crowd's the weirdest. All right. I mean, the, listen, I like it, though. I went into it last year making fun of it. I'm not doing that anymore. People are, there are no fights. People are happy.

They're non-judgmental. They're just having a good time. I'm pro-comicod. So I mean it. Like, I am. Like, it's nerdy, sure. But that's okay. Like, they have a good time.

And nobody's fighting. Nobody's arguing. like how can you beat how can you not like that one more who's next good we'll get you to dress up up next year that's not happening but go ahead let's go to trip trip go ahead trip go ahead trip hey man how you doing doing good i have two things uh you know early in the season we played kansas and hunter dickinson kind of whipped on us i know a previous caller already talked about this but do you think if we ran into it's not happening today no no we would be a big underdog against us today. First of all, he's not going to do what he did against this if he has to be, if Ogo's

guarding him. He's not going to be able, you know, Hunter Dixon barely jumps, right? Like he just kind of, you know, and he's not going to be able to do that with a guy like that. And the other thing is, like, I mean, remember, we didn't have Ugo Z or Bradshaw. Justin Edwards was like a fragment of what he is now. like we were playing six guys and and also uh well Reeves i think played well that game but shepherd wasn't what he is now like it was it's not like we're a different team then and they they're i don't know that they're good i mean i think they've lost nine conference games now um i actually think they're a lot worse maybe than they were then yeah also one more thing mine met cap is dead to me you see where he puts on twitter

I saw it. Yeah, give me a break. I mean, that was a dumb thing. I know what he meant. I know what he meant. I know people don't like it, but I know what he meant, but I love Meyer, and he's a great dude. Appreciate it, my man. Looks like North Carolina is going to beat Duke.

Another good thing. Like, you couldn't have asked for a better night if you're Kentucky. All the teams you needed to win, one. Carter Knox commits to Kentucky, and most importantly, we beat the dirty valls on their home court. to get the victory with two seed in the SEC tournament. Let me give you the schedule for the week. So we'll be back. We'll be a normal KS Bar Monday.

We're going to be in LaRue County on Wednesday. I don't know where, but I'm sure we'll tell you. High School. LaRue County High School. Then we will be in Nashville. I don't know where we're doing the show Thursday. It probably won't be like a show for a crowd. But then Friday at Tin Roof should be an awesome, awesome environment.

You're going to want to get there early. That's probably our biggest show of the year. You will be there Friday. And then Kentucky plays at 7 o'clock. If you're a UFC person, we're showing the fight, I guess, at the KS Bar. Who's fighting? Who's fighting?

Who's fighting in UFC? I'm not sure. Is the one guy with crazy hair? Crazy hair versus other guy that's tonight. And let's go, trancy women and more head, get a victory here in the next hour. This has been, Billy, thank you very much.

This has been the local toy dealers. KSR, postgame show. Another podcast from some SNL late-night comedy guy, not quite. Unhumor me with Robert Smygel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guest, SNL's Mikey Day

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