KSR - KSR Postgame UK MBB vs Alabama 01/18/25

Episode Date: January 18, 2025

Matt and Billy recap the Cats' 102-97 loss vs Alabama.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

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Starting point is 00:02:07 It is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. Kentucky Falls in Rupp Arena to Alabama 102 to 97. Their first home loss of the year and their first loss against the top 15 team after five victories. You can give a shout 859-2802287. A lot of you are driving back home. or heading wherever you are, so feel free to give me a shout. The cats, you know, scored 97 points and still lose, really the first time this year where they've had a game where they've played pretty
Starting point is 00:02:43 well offensively and still were not able to get the victory. And the other games where Kentucky's lost, their point total has been in the 60s. This one was 97 and still a loss. And I thought, honestly, the better team today won. Alabama, a couple things that I thought were crucial to the game ended up playing out. Before the game, if you were listening yesterday, we said basically two things were important. One was Grant Nelson because I think the one consistent thing we've seen this year is teams that have a guy at the four, sometimes at the three, but really at the four, who is versatile, can shoot from outside and go to the basket.
Starting point is 00:03:27 they really give us a hard time. Even going back to Cooper Flag to Asa Newell at Georgia, the two guys at Florida that got all those rebounds, and then again Grant Nelson here today, and he had a great first half, 19 points in the first half, 26 points in the game. He was a real issue for us. And I thought was really the reason Alabama was ahead at halftime
Starting point is 00:03:54 and a half where Kentucky may have even outplayed Alabama, but just couldn't really do anything with Grant Nelson. And then the second thing, and it sounds very simplistic, but Drew and I both made the point. These two teams love to shoot threes, and they're both good at it. Whoever hits the most will win. Well, you know, Alabama made 13. Kentucky made 11. We lost by 5.
Starting point is 00:04:22 It really, I'm not saying the whole game can be broken down into something that simple, but it's a pretty important thing. These two teams each have strengths outside of three-point shooting, but the one thing they share is three-point shooting, and they made two more of them than we did. And we had open looks. We had chances to hit shots that I think if you hit, maybe it's a different ending.
Starting point is 00:04:43 Almanor had a couple open threes. I thought Perry in the second half had an open three that was big. Butler had an open three. You know, you miss those. and Alabama in that little run where it was tied 8181, and then they scored nine straight points, they hit two open threes in similar situations. And in my opinion, that was maybe even the difference in the game. Some, you know, smaller things.
Starting point is 00:05:14 First of all, I thought even though his stat line looks pretty good, and I think he played well defensively, I thought Lamont Butler struggled. offensively, especially down the stretch. That little sequence from 81-81 to 90-81, you know, obviously is a sequence where they won the game. And Lamont made a couple big mistakes during that sequence, especially on offense. The turnover on the fast break was huge. It was 84, 81.
Starting point is 00:05:46 We had a chance to get an easy basket there, maybe even an AM-1, and he throws it away. Then they come down and hit a three, and then the next six. secret for us. Butler gets a step and gets into the lane but then throws a lob to Amari that just really didn't have much of a chance of success and Amari doesn't catch it. 87, 81 becomes 90 to 81 when they hit a three and then that's kind of that. I think Amari Williams is a really good player. He hustles a lot. But when he is having to be a centerpiece of your offense, you're going to struggle. And there were three or four times where he tried to initiate offense by dribbling.
Starting point is 00:06:27 I never think that's really a good thing for us. And even throwing lobs to him, I think I saw a stat somewhere that we're one of the worst teams in the country at throwing and executing lobs. And I'm not shocked at that because, again, we're not a crazy athletic team. We're a good shooting team. We're a good execution team, but we're not crazy athletic. And I think you see that in lobs where we try to do stuff
Starting point is 00:06:52 that maybe some of our guys, it's not their strong. point. Defensively, you know, you give up 102. It's going to be hard to win. We gave up 100 to Florida and did win. I gave up 102 today. You know, I don't talk about or write a lot about defense because I just don't think we're ever going to be great at defense.
Starting point is 00:07:12 I just don't think this team is built with guys who are really good defensive players outside of Butler and sometimes always. I mean, I think Carr is a big defensive liability. Bray is a defensive liability. Robinson can be a defensive liability. Perry's a defensive liability. So you get that many guys on the court that are not great defenders. You're never going to be a great defensive team.
Starting point is 00:07:42 Now, what you can do, however, is get loose balls and get rebounds. And we did give up 15 offensive rebounds. Now, that's a big number. Didn't crush us, though, because we actually outscored them on second chance points. We had 13 offensive rebounds. So we gave up 15, which is too many, but I don't think that's why we lost. I think part of the reason we struggled there was 50-50 balls. You heard Mark Pope say on the post game that he thought we just weren't, we were like a step
Starting point is 00:08:16 slow getting to some of those 50-50 balls, and I kind of agree. some of their offensive rebounds were long threes that we just really didn't scramble and weren't in a good position for. But, you know, defensively, you can't give up 102, but I think we're going to give up 102 against teams like that sometimes. They ended up shooting 85% from the free throw line. What were they, Billy, 26 of 30 or something like that from the free throw line? Alabama, are you saying? Yeah. Yeah, they were 29 of 30.
Starting point is 00:08:50 29 of 34. That's a great percentage. They got 34 free throws. We got 24 free throws, but they got 34. And, you know, most of these teams, we've actually had some pretty good free throw percentage luck this year when the other team shoots them. Not today. 29 of 34, and they made the big ones when they needed to. You know, there was the big foul on the three-pointer by Sears. That is the fourth time in the last three games. we have had a landing area three-point foul called on us. And, you know, it's frustrating to watch those calls. But at the same time, the NCAA announced before the season they were going to emphasize that. And we have to stop doing it. Like, whether you think that's a foul or not, we can't keep doing it because they're going to call it. Which gets me to a greater sort of conversation about fouls in general. we're just not doing a good job of drawing fouls.
Starting point is 00:09:55 And I think, you know, Almanor had a three at the end where they went into his landing area. It was the one he made. But he didn't fall down. And like, they're not going to call that unless you fall down. So, I mean, there may come a point where I'm not saying flop, but if somebody land, if you land and he's in your landing there, you got to fall down. And we've got to do a better job of drawing. fouls. These other teams are doing a really good job of drawing fouls on us. And, you know, we gave up 34 free throws. And I actually think the refs, a lot of the game kind of let the guys
Starting point is 00:10:31 play. We're not getting the whistle. You know, some of that can be, you know, you can say, oh, the refs stink. And sometimes I think that. But like some of it is also, you know, we shoot jumpers. These teams are driving to paint and they're drawing fouls. And we're we're not. Sears was great. Nelson was very good. I heard Jay Billis say one time a long time ago. When two teams are basically even, if the top two players in the game are on one of the two side, that team will win. I thought about that tonight because I think UK and Alabama are close to even. Alabama might be slightly better. But if we're close to even, the two best players on the Florida and I were Sears and Nelson, and that's why we lost. If a game's close to even,
Starting point is 00:11:22 and one team has the two best players, they're going to win. And I think that's kind of what happened tonight. I'm not overly down about the game. I thought there was a chance they could lose this game. That's why I thought it was so important that they beat Mississippi State and they beat Texas A&M, and they did. This game probably makes it hard for us to win the SEC, but I don't know that we were going to win the SEC anyway. I still think a really good goal for this team is to get the double by, be a top four in the league, and then if you're top four in the league,
Starting point is 00:11:57 you're probably going to be a three seed in the tournament. I think if the tournament started tomorrow, we'd be a three seed today. So I think your goals are still there. Now you play Vandy next on the road. You got to win that one. You play at Tennessee, which is a game that's going to be very, very difficult to win.
Starting point is 00:12:13 And I think if you do lose, not the end of the world. And then what are the next three after that, Billy? Do you know after Van Dyne? I don't. I'll pull it up right now here. Yeah, pull it up. The game at Vandy next Saturday, I do think is very important. It's sold out.
Starting point is 00:12:27 And I've got to think if it's sold out, it's sold out with a lot of Kentucky fans there. So we get this week off. Van D. Play Saturday. I think that's going to be a big one. What's after Tennessee? Versus Arkansas, February 1st. Obviously have to win that one.
Starting point is 00:12:42 What's next? And you're at Old Mid. W. 4th? Tough game, but winnable, but a tough game. And then what's the next one? You're at home versus South Carolina.
Starting point is 00:12:51 And you will win that one. So there is this little sequence here where you play, you play, if you win what you're supposed to, if you can win at Vandy, you win Arkansas, and you win South Carolina, you get those three. And then you play at Tennessee and at Ole Miss.
Starting point is 00:13:06 You know, if you could steal one of those and go four and one in that sequence, be seven and three in conference. I think you would love. Love where you're sitting. Love where you're sitting. So we played five ranked teams to start the conference. We're going to play two in our next five games instead of five.
Starting point is 00:13:25 We've got to take advantage of that during this sequence. And I'm going to look at these five and say, we'd love to go four and one. Four and one, got to go three and two, but four and one. And I feel like you're in pretty good shape. 859-28027. We're going to take your calls. disappointing loss against a really good Alabama team. You know, at some point a top 15 team had to beat us.
Starting point is 00:13:50 We were 5 and 0, so they finally got one. We'll take a break and be right back. It's the local Toyota dealers, KSR, post-game show. Well, you know, people are down about the loss because this is that, Billy said the first time this year where the phones are not full going into the first segment. So 859-28027. Look, Saturday afternoons, you know, I know you got other stuff to do. Probably a lot of people thought,
Starting point is 00:14:13 I don't want to relive that game, but hopefully we can talk throughout the show. One person, the Prince writes, Matt, I want your take on this. There's been a big foul discrepancy in our two SEC losses. Am I just seen it as a biased fan? Or do you think we're not getting a fair shake because Pope is too nice? I like how we used to always say. The refs didn't like us because Cal complained too much. And now it's that Pope is too nice.
Starting point is 00:14:43 Look, in these five SEC games, I thought I wasn't a huge fan of the officiating at Georgia, but I think the complaints about officials were doing too much of it, to be honest with you. I thought the game was officiated fine tonight. I didn't, you know, look, they're not going to get every call right, but I did not think it was unfair. Alabama's going to draw more fouls. They cut to the rim. They go at the rim. they try to shoot layups, they shoot over people, they're going to get more fouls.
Starting point is 00:15:17 We shoot jumpers. Like we fade away. When you do that, you're not going to get anything else many foul calls. That's just a fact. Like, our guys, I was given them, I think our guys have been a lot tougher in the last couple games than they were, for instance, in the Georgia game. But our guys do not play to contact. The Alabama, and a lot of these teams we've played, do.
Starting point is 00:15:40 And you're going to get more foul calls. when you play the contact. So, you know, I mean, there were calls. I thought we're wrong today, but we got benefit of calls, too. I mean, think about if that Kobe Brea, the, in the, what do you call it, Billy, when they say you're, like, in your zone or whatever. In your bag. No.
Starting point is 00:15:59 Like when they would say that, when they called that foul, Brea had the ball and the guy was in his face and they said he would, they would. Oh, oh. What do they call it? Not in your bag. They were like, they called it in your something. What was it? I'm not sure.
Starting point is 00:16:11 Whatever it was. I mean, a guy didn't even touch him, and we got that call. So, you know, I just, every game, when I look at the text machine, half of the comments, if not more, after the game or the officials stink. I mean, I just, the officials, I do think, go to the monitor too much. But beyond that, they beat us. That's kind of how I look at it. Now, by the way, Almanor, I guess, did fall.
Starting point is 00:16:37 I didn't see that. So people are telling me he did fall. I think they also called a foul on Amari on the same play. So maybe because the whistle blew on that, they didn't call the other one. I don't know. All right, who's up first? Andrew is up. Andrew, go ahead, Andrew.
Starting point is 00:16:51 Hey, Matt, how's it going? Can you hear me again? Doing good. Yes, I'm doing good. Awesome. I think this is the first time chatting with you. I actually interviewed for a KSR internship right after Ryan's hand got bitten in the Chick-fil-A parking lot. So it's been a while, man. I feel like I'm the first fan that's very skeptical that Pope will be able to string together
Starting point is 00:17:18 six games in March to help us win a title at any point just because I feel like we live and die by the three. Well, I mean, I don't, I think that worry is completely, first of all, how many coaches string six wins together in a tournament every year? Like one, right? So, I mean, and how many coaches have ever done it in history? You're probably talking like 40 or 450. So, you know, there's a very good chance he won't because it's very hard to do.
Starting point is 00:17:52 But I still disagree with your premise. I think this team right here, I think that argument is fair about. But how do you know he's not going to have teams that have guys who can get stops? He is going to have athletes on next year's team. that are better, he's going to have three at least athletes on next year's team that are better than any athlete we have right now. And the longer he's here, he's going to get more guys like that. And he wasn't able to get guys like that at Utah Valley State and at BYU. So, excuse me, I don't know how you can say that because he'll have different kinds of rosters in the future.
Starting point is 00:18:30 Well, I agree with you. I just think that Caleb Wilson is definitely key for next year to be able to make a run. But I'm just a little bit afraid, especially watching Pope's previous tournament games with... But he's never had a roster. I mean, he was at BYU. And he was at BYU before they started giving big in aisle money before the new guy came on. So, I mean... No, that's true.
Starting point is 00:18:56 I'm not... He's never had... Just think about it like this. He's never had an NBA player on his roster, ever! And now he's going to have them. So, like, the idea that he can't have a team. to play defense. He was at BYU without elite
Starting point is 00:19:12 athletes and he probably thought his best way to win was to get a team that could shoot threes. Same thing with this team. He looks at it and says, look, I don't have any elite defenders. I have won. So I've got to play a way that can give us a chance to win. Wait
Starting point is 00:19:28 till he gets those guys and then I think there's a lot better chance we will see really good defense. I agree, Matt. I just hope that Pope will be able to I guess change his philosophy in March where games are usually a little bit more low scoring. And if we shoot 30% from the three point line, we can still win those games and move on. Well, I do too, but you also, and I appreciate the call, have to deal with the roster that you have.
Starting point is 00:20:01 And this roster, and I've said this since like game two, we're never going to be good on defense. They just don't have the players. So we got to be the best we can be. But we got four of our top seven guys, maybe five of our top eight, who cannot guard. I think Butler can guard, O'Way can guard, and Amari can kind of guard. But the rest of our guys can't guard, and they're never going to be able to. And that's not to criticize them. They can do a lot of things really well.
Starting point is 00:20:37 But I don't care how much Carr and Braya and those guys lock in. They're not, they cannot stay with these dudes. You know, Travis Perry, there might come at time he's a good defender. But I don't care how much he locks in. When he's guarding Mark Sears, he doesn't have a chance of staying in front of that guy. And Grant Nelson, Andrew Carr, with a hurt back, is not going to stay in that guy. And so it just makes it, it makes it hard. Who's next?
Starting point is 00:21:07 Mike. Mike, what's up, Mike? Hi, Matt. I enjoy your postgame analysis. I'm 73 years old and even after 50 years. I'm a very unlearned student of the game. So I always listen to your show. And I agree with you.
Starting point is 00:21:28 I just think I'm happy, basically. I mean, not, I'm disappointed, but. We're a very nice team, but Alabama appears to be a little bit better. We might easily go down there and beat them by 12 or 15, but I think they're a slightly better team. I think UK is a legit sweet 16 team. I think we have realistic hopes for being an elite A team and realistic dreams. of being a final four team.
Starting point is 00:22:07 I think that is a perfectly, like, I think that is a very cognizant analysis. I appreciate to call him. Thank you for your nice guy. I think that is a, you know, the good thing about the NCAA tournament is you can pull an upset or a team can get upset before they play you, and you can be no better and go a round or two farther, right?
Starting point is 00:22:28 Like San Diego State made the championship with Lamont Butler a few years ago. That was not a championship team. But there were a couple upsets. They ended up getting, you know, I can't remember who they got in the final four that year. It was like what, Miami, Florida Atlantic, Yukon, and San Diego State, right? So, you know, I think they played Florida Atlantic in the final four. Well, you get Florida Atlantic in the final four, all of a sudden you might be in the championship game. So I think that I do think this is kind of a team that would be like a lead eight.
Starting point is 00:23:04 to really good sweet 16 kind of hover in that mark. But if they get a matchup that works and they play really well or they hit 14 threes instead of 11, they could be in the final four, right? That's, and that is not, that is not me being critical. I love this team. This is one of the most fun teams to watch that I can remember us having in years. But they have limitations. And when you score 97 and you still lose, I think it's fair to say defense is going to be a limitation for this team.
Starting point is 00:23:39 Who's next? Michael's next. Michael, go ahead, Michael. Hey, what's up, man? I hope you all having a good day, brother. You too. I'm going to be a fan that's just going to say I'm enjoying watching Coach Pope. I didn't expect this year to play out the way it was.
Starting point is 00:24:03 I was expecting, you know, to have a little bit more struggles. I know going into the game today, I didn't, I'm not going to say I was expecting a win, but I definitely expected as close as it was. I'm proud of watching the kids play the way they did today. I do think that we would have pulled off the win had we not allowed. a back to back to back three points. Oh, I totally agree with you. I mean, that was the swing right there.
Starting point is 00:24:36 That was the swing. That was the swing. I mean, if you let's, if Lamont Butler on that fast break throws a better pass and you get a basket or maybe even an A and one and the crowd's going crazy and you come out of that timeout and Alabama has to score could be a different game, right? Like it could be a different game. I'm totally with you on that. Yeah, yeah.
Starting point is 00:25:01 I really feel like if that portion, that few minutes would not have happened, I think we could have at least pulled off a win by a few points, but I think that really changed the dynamics. And anyways, appreciate listening to y'all. You all have a good day. Appreciate the call. No, that was the swing. And even on the play after the timeout, it's 84-81.
Starting point is 00:25:21 Alabama makes a little baseline drive, and Amari cuts it off and gets a block. and the ball, you know, I mean, he blocked the shot. So that's what he's supposed to do. The ball just falls into Mark Sears' hands. Someone probably Butler or Oway should have been boxing out Sears. But Sears gets the ball and then he kicks it out for an open three and the guy makes it. And, you know, that may have just been a bad bounce because Amari blocked, you know,
Starting point is 00:25:51 Amari did exactly what he was supposed to do. It's just it fell into Sears hand. And then he kicked it out. and the guy hits a three. And so it went from what could have been a tie game to a six-point game. And then, of course, the next possession, I think Almanor had an open three, misses it, comes down. We play 23 seconds of good defense, and then the guy shoots the three and lands on Butler and, or O way, or whoever it was. And that's that, you know, I mean, that little run loses you the game.
Starting point is 00:26:26 859-280-2287 who's next? Kyle. Kyle, go ahead, Kyle. Hey, Matt. I'm going to piggyback off the last two callers and then add a little bit of just like a generalized thing. I think it is important to look at like this. I think we're a fringe elite eight team, probably a sweet 16 team. But you're looking at two teams who are on paper probably elite eight teams,
Starting point is 00:26:51 sweet 16 team. So as you said, it comes down to sometimes just those balances. Maybe we can get them back at Alabama. It's nothing to hang our head over. But I think where I've started noticing this team starts to struggle or when we lose games is if you look at that five minutes before the end of the first half, and then I don't want to put the last minute in because fouls come into that. But maybe like the five minutes before that, those swings have like killed us in some of these games where we either shouldn't have won or we end up winning like at Gonzaga or against Duke. We struggled a little bit at the end of first halves. I can't remember there is a game, and I can't remember which one it was,
Starting point is 00:27:34 where I felt like that run was really good for us. But yes, we have had some problems. I think tonight, I haven't even, I haven't mentioned it yet. I think fatigue was an issue tonight. You know, Andrew Carr did not play well, and he was in foul trouble. And Butler, I mean, had to play because Perry couldn't really guard Sears. Butler had to play pretty much the whole game. And I kind of felt like at the end, Butler and Robinson,
Starting point is 00:28:03 maybe there was a little fatigue there at the end as well. Yeah, I guess like what I look at and I was texting like a friend group is that I felt like we should have been up maybe five or seven at the end of the first half. When we were down two, I felt really concerned about that. I think we should have been up. But I think it was, I think it was Grant Nelson. We, Grant Nelson just absolutely, and again, I'm not picking on car,
Starting point is 00:28:33 but Grant Nelson abused Carr in that first half. He just abused him. And that was the difference. It was kind of like in some ways the A&M game in reverse. If you remember the A&M game, we probably should have been behind. And Jackson Robinson just had a great half. Well, I think that's what happened with us. Yes.
Starting point is 00:28:54 Or half. Like, yeah, as you talked about earlier, the individual players making the game important. So if you have that player who does that, you end up winning. But before you go on to the next point and you can keep talking about what we were, but are we going to see a game under two and a half hours this year in the SEC? Or should we just make this the NFL? I mean, I appreciate the call. The Matt Norlander of CBS was talking about how the SEC games are longer.
Starting point is 00:29:23 than any other conferences this year. And I think there's a few things about it. One of them is these monitor reviews. I mean, I think he said the A&M Alabama game the other night had 11 monitor reviews, Billing, during the course of the game. I mean, the fact that they went to the monitor on a shot clock one minute into the game, like, stop.
Starting point is 00:29:45 The rule needs to be monitored like last two minutes, last three minutes, and each coach gets one challenge. That's it. There's no reason to do this. I mean, they were looking at stuff that wasn't even close, right? I mean, that slows the game down. And then part of it are the fouls. I mean, you know, we specifically have played in a lot of games with fouls.
Starting point is 00:30:10 And again, I'm not saying there aren't calls to go against us. But part of the reason we foul so much is because we're not good defenders. We get beat. and so we foul to keep them from scoring. I mean, that's part of it, is we foul a lot because we've been beaten. You know, I think if you go and look at the guys who generally speaking foul the most, it's usually the guys that we don't, that aren't the best defenders. Car's been probably leads a team in foul.
Starting point is 00:30:45 So, you know, it is what it is. Let's do one more and we'll take a break. Chris. Chris. Go ahead, Chris. Hey, guys, thanks for taking my call. First time caller actually took my five-year-old to the game, my daughter to the game.
Starting point is 00:31:00 She loved it. Sour Patch Kids and the popcorn was great. That's all it matters for them, right? Yes. I've got a couple of things. I thought it was a well-played game. Both really good teams. Toward the end, some of the 50-50 balls went their way.
Starting point is 00:31:17 And I thought, you know, you all touched on it, fatigue did play a factor, I think, toward the end there. Some of those 50-50 balls that Mark Pope's team, I think, would get, went their way and a ball kind of bounced the wrong way. But I do want to talk a little bit about our Biggs, specifically Williams and the fit for the offense. Big Z, I think a lot of people would agree would have been an awesome fit for this offense. And his hair was on fire playing for Arkansas earlier in the season.
Starting point is 00:31:47 He was banging threes and looking really. good. The last three games that they've played, he's scored zero points and he's had 10 or less minutes played. I don't know if he's heard or what he's got going on. But we've already had one free big Z moment when he was at UK. I think we need another free big Z moment when they come on February first. Well, I think I think Garrison. Get him out of that. There's a lot of players out there that are, I mean, I appreciate the call. We know Z. because he was here. But, I mean, there are dudes all over the country that, you know, here's my guess.
Starting point is 00:32:28 My guess is his Pope's big men next year are going to be a returning garrison, and then he will go find a guy somewhere to be what you're talking about. I agree with you. I don't think Amari is the ideal big for Pope's offense. He can't shoot threes. and I think Pope would like to have a big who can dribble and while Amari certainly I think thinks he can dribble it is not his strong suit.
Starting point is 00:33:01 Now, I think the thing Pope probably likes is his passing, which is probably why he brought him in, because he's a good passer, really good passer. But I think you will see probably next year in the portal him get a big that is more attuned to how he plays. I've got a feeling. and I have no idea if this is true. But I got a feeling that our big most years is going to be a transfer
Starting point is 00:33:26 that Mark is going to look around and see, because the big is so important for his system with the passing and running the offense at the top of the key, he'll look around and go, where are the bigs that can shoot that are good passers at the top of the key? I'm going to go look for a dude like that and are smart. I think that's going to be what he'll do going forward. But with this year, he had to get who he could get.
Starting point is 00:33:48 He looked at Amari. He looked at Garrison and he looked at Osabor. And if you were to watch great Osabor play, he's a load, but he's also a good passer. Like, I can see why he was interested in him, right? So, you know, I think the passing is why Marie is the center. 859-280-2287. We will take a break and we will come back.
Starting point is 00:34:09 Kat's tough loss against Alabama. It's the local toy dealers, KSR post-game show. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers, KSR post-game show. It's in the cylinder, is the rule. I was trying to think of. That makes sense. Yeah, that's what they called the thing on the Braia, the Braia play.
Starting point is 00:34:27 859-280-2287. I need to, somebody reminded me, as I should have, is we also have Malachi Moreno coming next year, who is very, very talented. I don't know how much, like, I don't know if he can be your, I don't know, maybe that's Pope's plan, is to have Garrison as the starter, Malachi's the bench player.
Starting point is 00:34:48 Garrison, you know, Garrison defensively, I don't love the way, you know, he's a step slow, too. I actually looking at the foul leaders. He's actually third on the team in fouls, and he plays significantly less minutes than everybody else. So he's also a kind of a foul first guy. One person writes, Matt, next, our team shoots a lot of threes, and when we make them, we're good, when we don't, we're bad. Is it just that simple? Yeah, but no. I mean, yes.
Starting point is 00:35:24 I think it was that simple today because we were playing a team that plays just like us. But I don't think it's that simple like next week when we play Vanity or when we played A&M. I think it's different in those games. But against the team, Florida and Alabama are going to play just like us, and I think whoever makes the most shots wins. We said that before the game. and I think that'll be true down in Tuscaloosa too. And I also just think the one thing this team has struggled with
Starting point is 00:35:53 is when we play against a guy that we just cannot guard, we have a hard time overcoming that. The only team I think we've beaten that had a dude we just couldn't guard was Cooper Flagg and Duke. We couldn't guard him, but like he made those errors at the end of the game. But tonight we could not guard Nelson in the first half, and we could not guard Sears in the second half. And even when he didn't score, he was kicking it out for open looks.
Starting point is 00:36:23 Like, we just, we had no answer for those two guys tonight. And I think it's ultimately what took us down. Who's next? Andy. Andy, go ahead, Andy. Hey, how's it going? What's up? Yeah, a couple of things.
Starting point is 00:36:39 You know, I hear people talking about the free throw discrepancy and the foul calls. I mean, I don't really know if that's the best. thing to really kind of blame the game on. I think the Georgia thing is one thing, but it's kind of just the nature of how we play. I mean, you know, they take a lot of outside shop. They don't really drive the ball a lot. So, I mean, that's just kind of how it's going to end up. I totally agree with that. I mean, we don't, you know, Jackson Robinson, Kobe Brea, they avoid contact. O.A. gets a little. Butler will try to draw contact, but he also fades away. We just, We just don't play in a way that's going to draw a lot of fouls, especially at the rim.
Starting point is 00:37:21 So we're not going to get as many free throws as everybody else the way we play. Yeah, and I think, I think, well, I think Butler, I think Butler could sort of fix that. You know, I like that he plays off a two feet, but I think that, you know, he sort of, when he drives to the rim, I think that he's predetermined. He already makes up in his mind that he's going to come to a jump stop and pump fake when I think that he should just lay the ball up and try to draw contact. instead of trying to go for a pump take and get him up in the air. I think that's a pretty good critique.
Starting point is 00:37:54 Also, you know, he had that play at the end of the game where he gave up a wide open layup to circle around and shoot a contested three. I don't know what he was doing right there. But, you know, listen, he's a great defender. He's the only guy we have. It's a really good defender. But I didn't think tonight was his greatest game offensively.
Starting point is 00:38:11 Well, if you agree or disagree, but I think they kind of surrendered the game, really sort of in the first half, and especially in the second half, they stopped trying to run with them. They stopped trying to match them on their three-point attempts. And even in the first half, there was at least like three straight possessions where they just started force-feeding the ball into Amari Williams, and I didn't really understand that. Those three possessions were big to me.
Starting point is 00:38:36 Yeah, those three possessions were big to me. Twice they forced fed him and once he tried to take a guy out the dribble. And I, you know, I like Amari Williams. and I don't think he played bad tonight, although his plus minus was awful. I think he was like minus 18. But you, I don't know. I don't know. I don't think you force the ball to him offensively.
Starting point is 00:38:57 Sometimes it's going to happen, but like when he takes off dribbling from the free throw line, I just am like, oh, no. So you're right. There were like three straight possessions that kind of went through Amari, and I don't think we scored on any of them. Yeah, I don't understand that. I'm not saying like they, to me, it just seems. seem like they surrendered it in that sense.
Starting point is 00:39:17 They stopped trying to match the volume on their three-point shots. I mean, they got to shoot more to be able to win a game like that. Yeah, I appreciate the call. I mean, I think Brandon Garrison was like plus 10 tonight, and Amari was minus like 18. But, I mean, that's one game. There have been a couple games this year where Amari was first and plus minus, including, I think, our last one.
Starting point is 00:39:41 So, you know, that stat can be a little misleading, depending. in an individual game. Who's next? Stubb is next. Stubb. What's up, Stubb? Hey, Matt. So the SEC is not messing around, man.
Starting point is 00:39:56 I've been on my calculator for the past few minutes. So first of all, Mark Pope works the officials. You can work the officials not be a lunatic about it. He works. I agree. I agree with that. The five teams like Kentucky played outside the SEC and the Power 4 conference, Duke, Clemson, Ohio, St. Gonzaga, Louisville.
Starting point is 00:40:15 those teams shot 101 free throws. Okay. The five SEC opponents have shot 150. Okay. It's not even close, man. These teams are so good and so skilled. If Duke was in the SEC, they'd be two and three, I think, five games in. I think it's also, when you're playing those other teams,
Starting point is 00:40:38 I mean, there's a culture of officials, too, like how many fouls they call. and the SEC officials may just call more. I mean, I don't know. But you're right. The athleticism is so good in the SEC. You're going to get more collisions, which means you're probably going to get more files. And we just have guys that don't,
Starting point is 00:41:02 our guys, I think, are so, I think they're a little bit more undersized. So even when they do draw contact, I think the officials are just like, well, the other team's just bigger, more athletic. I mean, Kobe Barrae has only shot 10 free throws for the year. Jackson Robinson has only shot 27. Yes, but think about Kobe Braille. He avoids contact. You know what I mean? Like Kobe doesn't, Jackson, that number should be higher. But, you know,
Starting point is 00:41:29 I appreciate the call. The person on our team that I think gets the worst whistle, to be honest with you, is Amari. Because I think the very nature, he fouls a lot and he gets fouled a lot. and I think they end up just, it's like when Shaq used to play. Like Shaq got fouled more than anyone in the league. But he also was massive, and I think they used it against him. And Amari, I think, Mari's the one guy that I think gets fouled and then doesn't get the call more than most. Because Amari does not avoid contact.
Starting point is 00:42:03 But, you know, he's also not the greatest free-throw shooter. Who's next? It's hard to avoid contact when a guy like Grant Nelson pushes off every single shot that he has. Wow, you have some strong feelings there. Are you anti-Grant Nelson? I am. I mean, you don't like the little whiskey mustache?
Starting point is 00:42:21 He was carving him up. I mean, I thought he was, you know, in the second half, I think he only had five points, but I thought in the first half he was, he was great. He was great. Like, that was the dude that Alabama thought they were getting when he originally transferred him. Who's next?
Starting point is 00:42:35 Hunter. Hunter, what's up, Hunter? Matt, Dudley. How are we doing? Good. Yeah. Hey, for my first ever game, that was a top two atmosphere, and it wasn't two. That's for damn sure.
Starting point is 00:42:49 Yeah, you like that. That was Willie's line. Yeah, it was, it sounded loud in there. And, you know, again, with ESPN, it's hard to tell sometimes. But it sounded like it was a good atmosphere. Yeah, I sat with Mario. Mario said this was just as good as Louisville, and I agree, just from hearing it. But my two points, as far as, like, the game goes, really what it just kind of came down to,
Starting point is 00:43:10 everyone blaming the rest. So, like, maybe it was a factor. But ultimately, it just came down to, like you said, the 50-50 balls. And honestly, it was a lot of trying to do one-handed rebounding instead of two. And what was happening is they'd have to pop that ball up with the one hand. And then you're scrambling trying to find it, where if they got the two-hand ball, maybe we're going to be able to get more rebounds. Could be a different ball game.
Starting point is 00:43:30 I think you're right. I'll tell you the one guy we have that does rebound with two hands is Oway. I thought he had some really strong rebounds tonight. I love the way he crashed the glass. Yeah, he did an awesome job. It's just everyone else. Again, it was the 50-50 balls. And then my second point is, I'm not worried about this game at all.
Starting point is 00:43:50 Just especially because I could see it, like, in the March post-game show, after he was done answering and he would cut to the break, you could just see on his face that he was just, like, he was just sad and angry and he wanted to put on the best performance he could. And I know that that's going to translate into this little mini-byweek that we have, and I am not worried to come in these next couple games. Yeah, I'm glad you brought that up. I appreciate the call.
Starting point is 00:44:12 He both said in the media post-game press conference, and then he said on his radio show, he used the phrase, losing is the worst. And, you know, I love, I love that he hates to lose. He says, we are supposed to win every game. That is a stark contrast from, you know, wait till March and it's process and blah, blah, he is like we should win every game. And I love, I feel like. Billy, if he were not the coach, he would be pacing in his room like I'm pacing in my room, right?
Starting point is 00:44:52 You think he'd do a lot of the similar stuff you do? Yeah, like I think he would do, I think he would go up and get in the shower, right? Like, I feel like, I feel like it matters to him on such a level. And I really do, I really do appreciate that about him. that it, you know, this is the second time now we've lost a game, uh, this in Ohio State where we were losing going into a week, a buy. And you can tell he hates that. Like he's going to, it's going to bother him all week that we lost going into a buy.
Starting point is 00:45:24 I like that, uh, I like that these regular games matter because they, they do matter to us. I mean, on one level, if you're in the tournament, like it's all the same. But it's not here. Like here, we want to win these games. I like that he seems like he does too. Who's next? Jake. Jake, go ahead, Jake.
Starting point is 00:45:45 Hey, Matt. I've just got a couple of points. I know this has been talked about a lot, and this is not a complaint about the officiating at all, because all of the fouls I thought were pretty legitimate, but I really think that Alabama getting in the bonus, like six minutes into the second half, as well as they were shooting free-tage.
Starting point is 00:46:02 Huge. That's huge. Yeah, huge. We had three fouls in, like, 30 seconds in that game and that got them in the bonus early and you're right with them shooting the way they were that was huge yeah and then my other point you brought up garrison's defense and i agree with you that his defense is pretty bad but i've really enjoyed watching his development as an offensive player throughout the season so far i think he had if i'm correct i think he
Starting point is 00:46:33 had 11.6 rebounds five assists and no turnovers today so i mean if he can keep just improving and if he can get better on defense, I think he could be a difference maker for us later in the season. Well, and his ability to shoot threes has an impact with the other players, right? They have to come out and guard him and they have to close guard him. They have to face guard him, which they don't face guard Amari. So that's a big deal. That allows backdoor cuts. That allows guys to get more space. You know, in the first half, Alabama was due. doing to us every possession, what Garrison allows us to do on offense, which is play five out and then take a guy off the dribble or back cut, et cetera. So yeah, I mean, I think Garrison
Starting point is 00:47:22 next year will be our starting center. And I think, you know, his defense needs to improve. But there's a lot of stuff I think he does really well. Yeah. And then my last question, what would you think about him maybe getting more minutes over Carter? Because in my opinion, neither of them are really great defensively. And I just don't think that Garrison might offer more. I just don't think you can play him and Williams together. I don't think that's, you know, and I appreciate the call. If there was ever a game, you could probably do it.
Starting point is 00:47:51 It would like being against Arkansas because, you know, Cal plays two bigs together a lot. But I just, I don't know that that works with him with Williams. You know, I do think, though, with Garrison, you know, you could put all menor. at the four. You know, I thought going into the year you'd be able to play Brea at the four a lot, and I just don't think you can because he can't guard those guys. And he struggles with the guys at the three, too. But he just, when he's had to play the four and we've only had one big out there,
Starting point is 00:48:25 we do struggle. I mean, he just, he has a heart. He has a heart. He can't rebound with the fours. That's the problem. He can't really guard the threes or the fours. But he can't rebound with the fours, and that hurts us. So if you're putting, you know, Carr or Garrison at the five with him at the four,
Starting point is 00:48:43 you kind of have a defensive problem. They went on a 10-0 run, and our lineup, I think, was Perry Almanor, or excuse me, Perry, Braya, Garrison, and then maybe O.A. and Robinson, and it just, that lineup can't play defense. is. Billy, do you, I mean, I know I guess you don't hear it because you're hearing the radio broadcast, but do you, can we get one Billis game without the ice cream? Just one. Did they do it again? They did it again. Wow. Like, is there any, like, will they ever have a game where they don't do it, ever? I don't think so. I think that's kind of Jay's thing at this point now. So, I mean, kill some time after a commercial break. By the way, SMU beat Miami by 45 points on the road today.
Starting point is 00:49:31 45. and Virginia lost by 20 at Louisville. Those two coaches, listen, Tony Bennett and Laranaga, legends, but quitting on your team mid-season and then watching them collapse is to me a really, really bad look. We'll take a break and be right back. It's the local toy dealers, KSR post-game show. Welcome back.
Starting point is 00:49:53 It is the final segment. Local Toy Dealer's KSR post-game show. You got the Chiefs and the Texans about to start. It's freezing cold in Kansas City. Already started, by the way. It's already started. Yeah, it's a 3 O Kansas City. Three O Kansas City.
Starting point is 00:50:06 Tennessee is losing to Vanderbilt in the second half. 4137. Vandy trying to pull an upset in Nashville. We'll see what happens. And then at midnight tonight, Billy, the TikTok CEO has announced they will pull TikTok at midnight tonight. What do you think about that? It's disappointing.
Starting point is 00:50:28 Yeah. I guess Trump, announced that he would give him 90 more days, but then I saw he actually doesn't have the power to do that unless they can prove that there are papers ready for it to be sold. But I feel like Monday there's going to be a lot of things that they go. I don't know if he can do that. And then maybe they will anyway. But either way, it's going off at midnight tonight.
Starting point is 00:50:56 So get all your TikToks in tonight. You're going to give like a goodbye, Billy? No, but I am going to be disappointed to not see any more dancing videos from you. I mean, you kind of got started and didn't really upload a lot after that. Well, I mean, we've, the KSR account has gotten a lot of people. You know, I bet it'll be back. Even if it's gone for a little while, I kind of bet it'll be back. My Democratic Party is really terrible at PR because, I mean, think about this.
Starting point is 00:51:26 They set this thing up where the Republicans and Trump wanted it banned. the Democrats helped them ban it, ban it, and now Trump's going to get to save it. He's going to come in and save it. He's going to come in and save it. Like, we are the worst at PR, like the worst. And, like, Trump's really good at PR. Like, it was literally their idea.
Starting point is 00:51:49 And then he's going to be the one that gets to save it. So, oh, well. 859-280, 27. Another three from Andy, man, they're hot. Who's up next? Joy is next. Joy, what's up, Joy. Hey, Matt.
Starting point is 00:52:03 Two things. One was at the ball game about the officiating. After we had a ninth foul called on us and they had won, Pope actually got to talk to the official, and he was hot. Was he? Was he? Oh, he was hot. And when he sat down, he was still hot.
Starting point is 00:52:21 Fox had to go out and talk to Coach Fox had to talk to the official. Oh, interesting. See, none of that was on television, so I didn't get to see that. No, I was in. So you got to see Mark Pope get hot. Somebody called this week and asked if he did that, so you saw it. Yes, he did. And it changed.
Starting point is 00:52:40 I mean, you started seeing Fowl's on both ends that way. Because every time they went down the floor, and it was a stoppage in play, Alabama's coach would be talking to an official. It was every sink in time that they go down. He would be talking to the officials. And I think Pope finally said, hey, wait a minute, I needed my chance to talk to him too. So anyway, that was one thing. But the other was, I have to tell a funny story about Arkansas.
Starting point is 00:53:05 I was listening to Paul Feinbaum the other day. And a guy called in, he's an Arkansas fan, and he said, Mr. Feinbaum, I think you probably know more about Coach Cal than we do. But what kind of offense does he run? He said he dribbles the ball all around the floor, and then he shoots a shot at the last seconds. And I thought, that's exactly the kind of offense that he plays. So I just said that here.
Starting point is 00:53:28 No, you're exactly right. Well, we could have told them that, couldn't we? We kind of knew that in advance. No, but they didn't listen. I appreciate the call. They got a big one tonight. They can't lose tonight. They have any chance of pulling it off in Missouri tonight, Billy?
Starting point is 00:53:41 No, no, not on the road. I don't think they're going to win until they can get an easy team at home. LSU. There's some reason I feel like, for some reason I feel like, though, maybe they'd pull one from the ashes tonight. We'll see. 859-2-80-22-87. Bandy up. Ken now in Tennessee.
Starting point is 00:54:01 Let's do five more. Who's next? Greg. Greg, go ahead, Greg. Hey, Matt. Second time caller. Love your show. All right.
Starting point is 00:54:10 Thank you. Two points. And first of all, I love folks. But just two points, and it just drives me crazy. And I coach, so, you know, first part of the game for me is so important in the first half. I get my teams to drive the ball and get foul, right? and I isolate on the two players, the three players, or one player that I know is going to kill us in this game. I go after them and drive at them and get them in foul trouble.
Starting point is 00:54:37 We did it the second half with Nelson, and it just drove me crazy. Why didn't we do it in the first half? That's one point. No, we did. I think that's a really good point. They did clearly start going at Nelson. He got his fourth foul. He had to sit a little bit.
Starting point is 00:54:51 Probably should have done that earlier. Yeah, it makes the game so easy because you got him in foul trouble. The second point is I hear what you're saying about defense, right? We're never going to be defense. But I'm watching this team play defense, and I did the same thing with Cowell's because he couldn't pick coach defense for crap. But the things they're doing are so correctable. It's stuff you learn in seventh grade. Don't let your man drive baseline.
Starting point is 00:55:16 They keep doing it, and they keep doing it. Amari, put your dang hands up in the air and some of the other ones. I wonder, coach, though, I wonder about, I feel like, and I could be wrong about it. this. But I wonder if they tell him to or if he just does it on his own. I feel like Amari sits back like a half a step to then try to go for a block. I don't know if you notice that. Yeah, but he doesn't, but he doesn't do it. Well, he doesn't always get it. But yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, but two things to that point you had, if you look at, I think, watch 2012 video, right? They were great at the second guys and the third guys behind. They
Starting point is 00:55:57 would wait and then they'd jump up and block it. Perfect if you want to do that. But watch the film how they did it. Second thing, off ball, defense, and help. We're still terrible at it. They got a couple times today. They kind of got it a little bit. I saw a little bit of progress.
Starting point is 00:56:13 But if you see guys coming in, you've got to come off your guy a little bit and then go towards the ball and help out. They did it a little bit better, but, you know, it's just got to get better. And those are all correctable things, right? Okay, well, that's a fair, that's a, yeah, that's a fair point. I might have to let you go because we're going to get cut off here, but I appreciate the call. But those are all good points.
Starting point is 00:56:36 You know, you probably know more about it than I do. Four more. Vanney now up 13. Four more. Who's next? Drew. Drew, go ahead, Drew. Hey, Matt.
Starting point is 00:56:47 For some very long time. Who are? Just a quick point about Amari Williams. I mean, honestly, I think over. he could be great at the end of the season. We just got to get him to play a little bit more aggressive. And by that, I mean, going and grabbing the ball with two hands, going to the basket, not really trying to be pretty with it and fading away.
Starting point is 00:57:09 But I think at the time the season's over, I think he could be really good for us. And then the question I had for you, and just real quick about the officiating. Like any fan, I mean, I hate the officiating, but that's not why we lost the game. With the gambling that we have now with all these sports, Do you think, I mean, is there any way that some kind of accountability will be brought with bad calls and miscalls and things like that? Just kind of want to get your take on. Well, the officials do get graded now, right? Like, they get graded by the league, and they don't release those grades.
Starting point is 00:57:43 But it decides who gets the marquee games, who gets the NCAA tournament, who gets the Final Four. Now, I mean, are those grades good? I don't really know. I mean, I don't see them. But they are graded. Now, if you're talking about with gambling, like, if you're thinking like, oh, well, there could be a ref cheating. I mean, I would say to you, if any ref thought about doing that, he is an idiot because you would be looking at federal prisons. So, you know, it's not just like a little thing.
Starting point is 00:58:15 It's like a, you know, federal prison thing. And so, like, go see what Michael Porter's brother is looking at for the Raptors right now. So, yeah, I don't, I would be surprised. I wasn't accusing anything like that. I just, yeah, I wasn't trying to accuse anything like that. I just didn't know. I mean, there's a lot more money at stake and like that, like, bad calls, miscalls, things like that.
Starting point is 00:58:36 There would be just something. And I didn't, I didn't know that there was any kind of grading going on. They do get graded. And I appreciate the call. They don't release the grades, but it decides who gets the big games in the marquee, the marquee games. Three more. Who's next?
Starting point is 00:58:51 WC. WC, what's up? thanks for taking my call, Matt. It was a little bit, this is, I guess, first time. Well, I got on there one time a little bit. Okay. But it was a little bit easier to get through tonight than it was the before and after the Duke game. Yeah, I bet that's true.
Starting point is 00:59:11 Yes. So I tried to get through beforehand in the footing, and I was going to predict the score for you. And I didn't get on, and I texted it to you. I know that you read the text. I may have. I mean, it was a while. Okay, but what did you say? I know you did because when you came on air,
Starting point is 00:59:34 you said, we just got through beating Duke by a certain score. You gave the score that I sent you instead of the score that the game actually was. Okay, well, I guess you got my brain then. Yeah. Well, I think, if you go back about 10 months and think about what we thought we might be at this time of year.
Starting point is 00:59:55 You compare that to what we are now, and everybody would be real happy, I believe. Totally agree with you on that. Totally agree with you. I'm sure glad we've got Coach Polk instead of Coach Octave. You know that Alabama coach. His name is eight notes. Eight notes, you know, all you musicians know that, you know, eight consecutive. Well, he's a good coach, too.
Starting point is 01:00:19 I will say, I mean. He's an oxen. he's a good coach we need to start calling him co-talk Dave yeah he lines a lot but he's okay but anyway about that game and another little more about the last game
Starting point is 01:00:34 or the next home game you all when he played Florida have you all serve gator gator fail at the yeah we do yes we do now you know there's a certain part of the a pig and I admit
Starting point is 01:00:51 The pork, you could serve some pork dishes there that night. We're already doing. Don't you worry about it. I appreciate the call. We're already planning on that. I like Nate Oates, by the way. I didn't know until today that he was a math teacher. Did you know that?
Starting point is 01:01:08 Have they said that before? I did not know that. I never heard that. He doesn't look like a math teacher, but he was a math teacher. He said he was a high school math teacher when Bobby Hurley hired him as an assistant at Buffalo. So he's smart. He's a good coach. like the two I think it was easy when he first got here to kind of dismiss him is just a loud mouth
Starting point is 01:01:27 blah blah blah but he's he's a good coach and he his schemes are good and and I think you can tell pope respects his offense and vice versa so I think I think those that's a he's a he's a smart smart guy two more who's next Luke Luke Luke look look what's up Luke hey Matt just kind of wanted to say, I think, you know, obviously losing sucks, but I don't think that my view on the team as a whole has necessarily changed after today. I think this is kind of who we are. We are a suite 16, elite 8 team, and Alabama, to me, is an elite 8 final 4 team. I think we are a slight step below them, because they, in my opinion, I think the difference is very simple. They have a Mark Sears, and we don't. We just don't have that truly elite.
Starting point is 01:02:18 elite go-to guy. I mean, we have a group of very good players and we're very, very well coached. And I'm obviously very, very excited about what Mark Pope can do here in his time at Kentucky. But I just don't think that we are truly an elite elite team. I think we are a top 15, top 10 team, but I don't think that we are a top five team where we're a legitimate national title contender. Now, that does not mean that something crazy can't happen where we can make a final four. I'm not going to rule that out and I'm not down on the team by any stretch. But I've always felt that that's who we are. That's kind of who we are.
Starting point is 01:02:53 But one more thing real quick, I just want to say, we obviously play them again. So we will have a chance to go down there in about a month. And what they did to us today, we will have the opportunity to return the favor and do that to them and beat them on their home floor. Totally agree. And for the tournament, you're better off winning. I had somebody explain this to me when you play a team twice for the tournament. tournament, you're actually better off beating them there and losing at home than the other way around.
Starting point is 01:03:21 So if you can... Yeah, which is weird. That makes no sense. It doesn't. I understand the net ranking don't make sense, but that's, you know, it is what it is. But, you know, I'm still very excited about this team. We're obviously very, very, very good. The question is, can we, can we shore up the defense to become more of a truly elite team?
Starting point is 01:03:42 And I'm not really sure what the exact answer is. No, I think the difference is what you said just a minute ago, and I appreciate the call. The difference is we don't have a Mark Sears, right? Like Mark Sears, and remember Grant Nelson has been a little disappointing at Alabama, but he was one of the, maybe the best player in the portal last year, two years ago, or whatever he was there. Mark Sears is like, he's been, he's not had the best year, but last year he was an SEC player of the year candidate and maybe even won it.
Starting point is 01:04:16 won it last year. It was Reeves Sears and somebody else were the three guys. Oh, Dalton Connect. Connect. Connect. But Jackson Robinson's good, but he's not bad. And Andrew Carr's good, but he's not Grant Nelson. And I honestly think if you take Mark Sears and Grant Nelson and then put him up against, say, Robinson and Carr, that's the difference in the two. teams, honestly, is that those guys, Robinson and Carr might be our two best scores, even though OA probably leads the team in scoring, but if I'm just talking about guys who at their peak can get you buckets, and their two guys are better, and that's, I think, ultimately probably what it is. Let's do one more.
Starting point is 01:05:03 Who's next? Mike. Mike, go ahead, Mike. Hey, Matt, how are you all doing tonight? Doing good. All right. I just want to say, I'm not too worried about the loss tonight. Alabama's a good team and I got faith in Pope.
Starting point is 01:05:17 I'll figure it out. I also want to say that me and my wife listen to you every day and we love you all. But we disagree with you all. We disagree with you. But we disagree with you with Jay Billis and the ice cream. We look forward to that whenever he calls a game. Okay. That is a rup arena thing.
Starting point is 01:05:36 He only does that at rup. So just lay off of him a little bit with the ice cream. All right. It's fine. I understand. I love you to death. Appreciate the call. All right. So there's one vote for the ice cream, Billy, for the bringing it up. I love you, Matt. I'm not taking an opinion on whether or not the ice cream is good. Like, I've only had it once or twice, and it seemed fine.
Starting point is 01:05:59 And then I met the young woman who started it and her dad, and they seem really, really nice people. So I want it to succeed. I'm just saying, I'm just surprised they bring it up every single time he's on there. But you know what? That's okay. Maybe that's the thing. That's our thing, right? That's the Willie played wide receiver.
Starting point is 01:06:19 It's just it will be that in perpetuity. Ever long as Jay Billis is the announcer. Hey, thank you folks very much. If you get up tomorrow morning and you are feeling it, turn on ESPN radio, listen to me on the NFL pregame show. We are off on Monday. We're taking the holiday off, and then we'll be back Tuesday. National Championship game is Monday night at the bar.
Starting point is 01:06:44 We're giving away money, so be watching my social media. I've got to see how many spots we have open, but I'm going to give away the final few spots. Billy, enjoy your holiday, and thank you all very much. Alabama wins. 102.97. We'll get them next week. This has been the local toy dealers, KSR, post-game show.
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