2025-03-13- KSR - Hour 1

Comedy Off Broadway in Lexington. Welcomes Jay Drena March sixth through the eighth, Then catch club favorite and f you Tommy March thirteenth through the sixteenth, and don't miss Michael Bellisak March twenty first and twenty second. Comedy Off Broadway opened in downtown Lexington in nineteen eighty seven and they're still bringing the best and stand up comedy to the

Welcome everyone.

It is Kentucky Sports Radio here live in Nashville at ten Roof, where.

The crowd is ready.

Rock in Kentucky has returned to the SEC Tournament.

Let me hear from you guys in Nashville.

What an absolutely amazing crowd here at ten Roof on Broadway. If you're in the city, come and join us. The top stairs is full. Downstairs, there's a ton of people. For the first time in five years. I kind of feel like the SEC Tournament is back in Kentucky. For Kentucky and Nashville. This is exactly what we've been waiting for and we are here. We'll be here ready for you eight five nine two eight oh twenty two eighty seven. Clark's Pumping Shot fold line is eight five to nine

Smith Law.

If it's called TJ, He'll make them pay.

Tonight, Kentucky opens up its SEC Tournament run against Oklahoma nine thirty Eastern, eight thirty Central. But Ryan, you wouldn't know that if you were out and about. There are Kentucky fans everywhere. I know, probably dozens on their way here right now. I think tonight this is going to be a literal sea of blue, and it is nice to have this energy, in this excitement back in the Kentucky fan base.

I mean, this is why this is our favorite show of the year.

Man right here to show up at eight thirty in the morning, you get ready to a show and they're packed it already. I think I agree with you. I think a lot of folks since they played late tonight, waiting till today to come down. It's about to get on Broadway.

Well, there's already a ton of people here, So let me point some stuff out, Drew.

We got some people here that we're here at four in the morning.

I got some people have come here all the way from Middlesbrough, some of my high school classmates. You got the Bay and Scottie crew, you got my college crew, and you got people from all over who've made.

The Uh there you go.

I guess Bartstown is one of the places that people have come from. You know, this tournament. We were talking about this yesterday, Drew. It feels like I think today and tomorrow, if Kentucky makes tomorrow, I think tomorrow might be one of the hardest tickets in a long time, because I think Auburn's gonna have a ton of people, like Tennessee is gonna have a ton of people. Then you throw in us this this arena in this city over the next two or three days, I think is gonna be awesome.

Oh yeah, and I'm so excited. This is my Christmas to the people here at four am. That is truly unbelievable. I've been here at four am.

They're asking me to leave at that point, but you all start your day that early. It's crazy.

I mean just yesterday the Arkansas South Carolina game one in that first session, where's blue? But you could just look around and there's blue everywhere. Just to be at the first game on Wednesday, so I know we'll be excited. And then there tonight.

Yeah, I knew there was blue in that arena.

Was when they announced John cal Perry and he got booed yesterday during that game.

That said to me, there's probably blue in the arena, and then there.

Was yeah, I know.

We had the debate do you boo John Caliperi at the s he turn them out the answer.

Yes, yes, and he plays this afternoon.

But Kentucky will open it up against Oklahoma that last night, Oklahoma, after being down in the second half, comes back and takes the win. I don't know, you guys may have all gone to bed, so you may not have gotten to see some of the Oklahoma quotes after the game. But it's a pretty chesty bunch from the Oklahoma Oklahoma players.

They all said the.

Same thing, we should have won last time and then we didn't. And the one kid, I think his last name is Moore, said I can tell you this tomorrow night, we're getting the dub he literally all but guaranteed the win in the locker room. Yeah, I think that's worth a boo, Ryan Lemon. Do you think the players will see those quotes and get ready? There was already a lot of I mean, probably the most tension of any game all year was Oklahoma.

I guarantee they see those quotes. And if they don't, Brandon Garrison's gonna see it, and he's gonna show everybody he's the guy man, he's the wild card.

He had maybe the best game of the year.

We need to hold him back.

Shit, I'm gonna go ahead and call it. There's going to be a technical foul at some point. They said it was too chippy last time for it not to be, and I'm sure there's gonna be some carryover for this game today.

You know, for Oklahoma, I think they're probably in the tournament, but this is a big game for them, maybe to avoid the playing game.

But for Kentucky.

Actually, if I were you and you're watching the games today, here's what I would watch. If Baylor could somehow beat Texas Tech and then we were to win, I think all of a sudden, if you believe Joe Lenardi and he tends to be pretty good at this. We'd be right on the verge of a two seeds, something we haven't really even talked about at all.

I think if you win or lose, you're probably a three drew.

But I think you could set this up if you were to in today then beat Alabama, I think a two would really be on the table. But either way, win today and I think your seed is a two or three.

Is locked in.

Yeah.

I feel pretty comfortable as a three.

I've thought since good Missouri two is possible because you're gonna have to run into Alabama that was at one time considered a one seed, and really, just I know we want to think about seeding, but can we just please win in this damn city. It has been so lost since we've had an extended stay here.

I do not want to be home by Saturday.

Well let me get Let me give you some stats that are negative stats, but that should also motivates we. I don't think I would have ever thought this. We've lost five of our last six SEC tournament games, five of our last six in a city that we own in terms of people, We've lost five of our six. We've lost nine of our last eleven postseason games, and it is time after all of that, in my opinion, Ryan, to see us go back to where we are. It's also important, Hey, we want Mark Pope to get some

That great in the postseason. So I think it's big for both entities.

Yeah, we've talked about how Kentucky used to own this tournament.

We come down, we own this town, we own the tournament, we kick your ass, we go home with our trophy and cut on nets down and need to get back to that. And then Pope knows that's how many time you heard him say, we understand the assignment. We know we're going to Nashville to win the tournament. What a change that is to hear your coach say something like that.

How about that? How about having a coach that says he wants.

To win a tournament down here. I mean, that's a big look. That's a big deal to me. I mean one of the things the old coach used to do is he'd be kind of cute about it. He'd be like, I don't care if we win, but oh, by the way, we win a lot.

So do you care? Do you not care? I don't. I want to hear a coach say that he cares.

I mean the money that this fan base brings down here, and the money and the amount for a lot of people, the amount that this cost them, how much they want to do it. Heck for me, I mean, this is a trip I've been doing. This is my thirtieth year doing it. Want I want a team and a coach that wants it as much as we do. And it thinks we have that right now.

Yeah.

I kind of understand the point about it not mattering for tournament seating if you make it far. But you can't say that to your fan base who pays outrageous prices to be down here.

But there's more to.

Life than tournament seeding. Like there's actually the memory of winning these games. I mean, think about how many of these games over in the SEC tournament. You remember, life is not just about tournament seeding. Like, they're also playing for banners and this Shannon is one of them.

Yeah, I mean this has been the most competitive sec OR conference that we've seen in our entire lifetime.

I don't know why you wouldn't want to win.

We just won I mean the last what if I told you the last four SEC tournaments were won by Alabama, Tennessee, Alabama, and Auburn. There's a name missing there, right, and there's a name that needs to get back into that slot.

That's why we used to own this tournament, was the Kentucky Invitational.

It's time to get it back. It's time to you know, like Drew said, just win a game.

We haven't even won a game here and since in twenty nineteen in Nashville.

You can even leave aside the fans seating. These don't have much left in their college career. I like to play several more games. So just saying that out loud, I think it's crazy.

All right.

So let's let's I always like to do. Let's see who's here from the farthest away. Who's here from you know, at least a thousand miles away?

Anybody? Where are you from? Where?

Naples, Florida, North Dakota? All right, I like North Dakota. So anybody here farther than North Dakota. California right here? With this hand up, where's California post Sacramento, California right there? It'll be hard to beat that one that one's gonna be hard to beat. What about you? Hey, wait a minute, you flew in from Jamaica. You know, sir, I can see you. You don't live in Jamaica. Nobody that pale lives in Jamaica. How but you came from vacation. You

We love it here, man.

You know the there was a crowd out the door before they even open the door to get in for the pre show. These people stay here all day watch games, and Shannon a poll earlier most of the folks that were here for the pre show are going to the game.

Yeah, I would say so if they come down this far, I would assume so.

Point being though, you know, there's always a good group of fans that comes down just to party, just to be a part of this atmosphere.

Because it's so exciting every year.

All right, So let's talk a little bit about scheduling.

You start the game, start as soon as we're off one hour later. But then we have a Shannon will be playing right here on this stage.

Is it down here? Up upstairs?

Here?

Right here?

He'll be playing at this stage tonight from four thirty to eight thirty, So do your pregame get He will literally go up to tip of the Kentucky basketball game. And then our pre show will be at seven o'clock Eastern, so six o'clock Central. We're gonna be doing it from undisclosed location. But I my postgame show may finish at two thirty in the morning tonight. But let's see what are we gonna be talking about, Drew? Are we gonna be talking about victory? How do you like Kentucky against

Do you like our chances? I do like our chances.

I mean winning at Oklahoma took a pretty superhuman effort from Otago. Oh way, what do you have the last eighteen points of the game. You know, I think that was kind of unique circumstances. I think it'll be a much more well rounded effort. I do wonder about the emotions how that ended, because more Jalen Moore, you mentioned they physically had to pull him away from the handshake.

Line, and that wasn't that long ago.

Brandon Garrison probably needs to wear a helmet from that beer being thrown at him. So you can almost get too amped up. But as far as the matchup goes, I think Kentucky should be in a good spot.

If you were on draft King Shinnon, would you bet on would you bet on over a half for a technical or a fight over?

Yeah?

That was I mean, we haven't seen our guys talked trash, but we really haven't seen him be chippy this year. But that game that brought out I think they couldn't even do the post game handshack.

That brought out a side of this team that I haven't seen.

I always just thought watching the games, but this team was kind of soft a little bit, didn't like, you know, a whole lot of confrontation. But watching that game, I said, all right, this team's got a little fight to him. Maybe they can get a little chesty if they need to.

Jar Williams carried Brandon Garrison the link of the court to get him away from that post game whatever he went for. I mean, that was pretty outrageous that all the postgame stuff that went on.

Hopefully they moved past that.

They were in a battle last night too. I mean, Oklahoma played a long game. It was a close game against Georgia throughout, so I think that'll help us as well. I also think the good thing about Oklahoma is you can get shots off against him.

We did.

You just have to shut down Jeremiah Fears and because he can kill you, he can go for thirty five if you're not careful. We do have to make sure and that's why. By the way, remember if we had Butler against Oklahoma, only played like twelve minutes or something like that, trouble.

Now you'll have him for a full.

Game and he's helped pretty close to being in one undred percent healthy. He's a big key to this game tonight because Fears is good and they're not shy about jacking up shots. Third perimeter guys, they'll shoot a lot of threes today. We just have to match that.

And we have to and you know, hope they miss him.

I always point to you because you say this, this is definitely a Kobe Brayan needs to hit three or four game because they're gonna put up points. I think if we're in the eighties, we're in pretty good shape. But we got to get there.

Yeah.

I've been worried about Kobe when he leaves Roperina, but that game in Missouri when he had four threes, I think just knowing his role now with Jackson Robinson being out, he knows he has to do it. He's stepped up, he's been making shots outside of up, and he's really played better defense. He's rebounded, he's become more of a complete player as the season's gone.

Hopefully that continues. They're gonna need a lot of contribution. I think for the bench.

You know, this last game, they basically relied on otego away.

He had twenty eight points.

But that was a legendary performance.

It was it was, but you know, you can't rely on that again.

I think tonight it would be kind of awesome if he did it again against this former team. Hight twenty two eighty seven. What person rights, Matt? You guys are in Nashville for the SEC Tournament. Most memorable Kentucky SEC Tournament games in Nashville. First one that comes to my head is the Mississippi State Wall Cousins, the boogie put put back and going to overtime and winning. I never thought I'd see a grown man closer to being broken

Uh?

I go back to ninety eight where Jeff Sheppard got hurt Freendy's ankle right before the championship got here.

It was I think it was here, Well maybe in.

Atlanta, Yeah, that's not here.

I got a couple Blake Monk versus Arkansas when like an assistant gar he was trying to fight Milik Monk.

There was bad blood in that one.

And I believe it was the game before the Cousins tip in Tennessee. Had a good team in Kentucky beat him all destroyed. Where any of you all at that game?

I still think best Kentucky crowd that's ever been in an SEC Tournament game was that Tennessee game in the semi finals, because it was kind of like this. People to me, that crowd we had in that Tennessee game, if we win tonight, that could be the crowd tomorrow night in terms of people being ready, I agree with you. That crowd was insane. In twenty ten. I remember a

Yeah about the Dominique Hawkins game that was here, that was.

Here, Yes, yeah, I think you the Tyler Eulis game where they beat Texas A and M in the championship. That was a great one here. There's been a lot of memories here. But as we talked about Shannon, haven't had him in a while. Need to get it back tonight.

I was just sitting here trying to rock my brain and think about ones that you all haven't already mentioned. And unfortunately there's not really a whole lot to talk about for the last few years down here in Nashville. But we could change that today.

We are gonna change it. We're gonna get to victory today. We're gonna take a break and be right back. We are here at ten roof Kats in Oklahoma tonight. This is sports Radio. Welcome back here Kentucky Sports Radio AF. I'm nine two twenty two eighty seven. Rick's gonna have to bring the energy with this music. Rick, it's the SEC Tournament. I'm gonna need music energy from you, not boom chicken boom.

Can you do that for me?

Uh yeah, I think I could do that.

Yeah, yeah, you got there.

You go.

We gotta get some energy.

Rick.

You can't just hit the random button. You gotta give us some stuff to go. We need to talk about what happened yesterday during the very first game of the tournament with your Arkansas Razorbacks.

Drew I love them well.

Turn First of all, a couple things. Let's start with.

During the game, they were up twenty in the second half, nearly blew it. South Carolina cut it to one, and then a guy dribbled it off his foot or they might have actually won the game. When it was over, South Carolina was up two with three seconds left. Or see me, Arkansas was up two with three seconds left. Arkansas makes the first free throw. They're now up three. South Carolina's got three seconds and one time out. Now none of y'all are coaches, your basketball bennies. But you're

John L.

Davis, the Arkansas player, looks to the bench, then shoots and tries to miss it on purpose. Now, he's played so bad this year that even when trying to miss it, he still made it and it went in. But you could tell you tried to miss it. I was sitting with Mario and Shannon. I was like, I think he tried to miss that. Yeah, he threw it hard off the glass.

It went in.

So after the game, Cal has asked, why did you try to miss the free throw?

And he goes, that's just my style.

If you miss the free throw, it throws them off and it gives Here's Cayle did not know there was a timeout. There's no way he could have known that because if they caught it, they could have called time out.

He said, I'm un conventional in my style, was what he said.

That's one way to put it.

So now they won the game, drew it ultimately doesn't matter, But doesn't that sort of sum up the Cal experience in a nutshell trying to miss a free throw when you're only up three with three seconds.

Yes, and honestly, we got there about halftime. They were up twenty I think South Carolina. What was up sixteen the whole time I was there, But not just that last dumb decision that I can't believe he even tried to explain. I'm looking at that bench, not that I needed confirmation, but that look.

They had that look that they had against A and M.

Saint Peter's he was doing throwing his hands up. They didn't know what was going on. They looked so rattled. Kenny Payne, who was a nice guy. If that had been a statue of Kenny Payne, would believe.

He didn't move. I'm not sure he move turned his head, he didn't speak.

They just looked like a staff that was completely rattled when they're stept ten and I do not miss that at all. Congratulations on winning, but I mean they almost completely blew that, and I'm glad to be way past that.

When after this, I'm not gonna say which one it was, but there was a member of that staff, so I accidentally we had just gotten there at halftime, right and I accidentally found myself. Like, the SEC Tournament's different than these other Like, if you go to rupp Arena and you're in the media, you can't get near the locker room right right, Like there's really no way to get close to the players. But the SEC Tournament, because they have four different locker rooms, you can end up right

Oh no, oh, that's awkward.

Face to face.

Now he is kind of looking down like in a note sheet, So I don't even know if he saw me.

So it was that was no thing.

But one of the people on the staff, I'm not gonna say which one, but one of them was walking with a big smile, and he saw my face and he just looked at me, and he just stared at me right in the eye and walked right by, staring at me the whole time. And I wanted to be like, man, what are you staring at? If I wanted to see you, I'll just go to Broadway tonight. You'd be out there

That had to be a little bit of an awkward moment for it.

I didn't expect it to come.

So you just stared him right back in the eye contact.

Byron West from from Middlesbrough was not there to back me up. If you'd been there to back me up, I would have stared hard right back at him.

But I will say, like behind the scenes, the security is very relaxed.

Behind the scenes. We'll get to another sea.

We'll get to this latter. Mario ended up almost getting kicked out last year.

But to your point, like Ryan and I I thought we were we could have just ran out with the Vanderbilt basketball team and gotten in the layup line if we wanted to.

Nobody was like there to stop us. It was really well.

This is also, by the way, you'll see this after the game tonight.

This will be the first time all year that Kentucky reporters can go into the locker room after the game and talk to the players.

So Ryan, you've done this back in the day.

This is usually a time where you get a lot of stories and a lot of stuff about the UK players maybe you didn't get during the year.

Postseason is the first time.

Yeah, you actually can go into their their world, into the locker room, interview guys at their locker because in the past the UK they always bring guys out to the media talk area.

So it is kind of a different feel after the game.

I'm excited to not have to the rapid reaction outside too. I get to be on the court all kinds.

Of cool rules.

Well, so anyway, it was interesting to sort of go face to face, and I have to tell you, had they lost Arkansas, I might have been petty and gone and stared back at the press conference.

That would have been did you see him call out Tyler Thompson? And the press conference he did.

He called out Tyler Thompson and said how many of how many championships have I won? And looked right at her. So he was he was feeling himself yesterday. We'll see if he is when he plays Old Miss today. I would have said, which a decade are we talking about?

Because not this one.

Let's talk about UK guys for a minute. Mark Pope said yesterday that Colin Chandler could play almost twice as many minutes in the postseason as he was playing in the regular season. I think with that, I think with that phrasing, Ryan, that means you're talking about him basically becoming the sixth man. I mean, if he's gonna really play twice as many minutes towards the end of the year, he was playing twelve or thirteen, so that would be

I do, especially today Oklahoma, they're so perimeter oriented. Those guys, they jack up a lot of threes. They needed just a little glimmer of daylight. So I think that's why Colin will play a lot, especially today, just for defensive purposes.

We all love Travis Perry because he's from Kentucky, But would you, Drew do what I think I would do, which is make Colin Chandler the backup point guard at least until he loses it.

Oh, you're gonna make me say this in front of my Western Kentucky friends. I mean, step Fring's a level of athleticism that a lot of the other bench guys can't have. In the first game against Oklahoma, he kind of got beat off the dribble. But I think he's had a breakthrough, especially offensively, in the last couple week. He just looks like a completely different player. And I agree that he should climb up the rotation and get a lot more minutes.

If I'm sitting there on the postgame show and I'm looking at the box score and I'm looking at minutes and I see Chandler, Garrison, Almonor Perry, Noah Shannon, and I have to tell you, I cannot believe I'm saying this. If I'd said it six weeks ago, I would have thought I was crazy. I think I want Chandler to have the most minutes out of that group.

To be honest with.

You, I think I agree with you as well.

Lockdown defender, and you know he doesn't have to offensively go out there and get you fifteen or twenty points, just give you seven or eight off the bench.

And I think they're in good shape.

And part of it is because cars playing so well. I don't think you need the allmanor minutes as much as you did. I mean when he was hurt, I thought you needed a bunch of allmanorm minutes. I don't know if you need that anymore because he's playing well. Carr played thirty seven minutes against Missouri, which is crazy. We'll take a break, be right back to see is Kentucky Sports Radio? Walter back, It is Kentucky Sports Radio? Eight five to nine, two aight, oh twenty two eighty seven.

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That's a lot of words. Eight five, nine, two eight oh twenty two eighty seven. Let's do a real quick pick here at the end of the SEC and NCAA tournament, which Kentucky player is going to be our MVP for the postseason. I think you can make a case for all five starters, depending on how you look at it.

Who's gonna be our MVP in the end of the postseason.

I think it's oh Way, the guy that they've leaned on so much this year. I mean, he's scored in double digits in every game except for two, So I think if they're gonna have a run, it's gonna be on him oh Way.

Last May and throughout the whole summer. You might remember, I kept calling Andrew Carr my most valuable player.

In the tournament.

I'm gonna stick with it. I can't change my opinion. I called my shot a year ago. I'm sticking with I'm going with Car. So Car, what do you got.

I'm gonna go somebody different. I'm gonna go Lamont Butler. I mean, he's already he knows what it's like to make a big run. He's your leader, he's your defensive stopper. He's looks like he's getting close to be one hundredercent healthy. I'll go Butler.

You stole my answer.

I think if Kentucky, there's only one player on this team that has had massive success in the postseason, and it's Lamont Butler. He's the one guy that when he plays, we're different. I've watched, you know, on TikTok. They're doing all these like biggest March Madness moments. You know, if you haven't, if you didn't pay attention, go watch Lamont Butler hit that shot to send San Diego State to the finals. He runs down the court, he shakes this guy, he shoots a mid range jumper and nails it.

He was a huge part of their final four bid.

I'm gonna say, if we're gonna have a run Drew that I want to have, I.

Think Lamont Butler is gonna be what it would do. Yeah, I saw that clip going Vioral yesterday.

It says like he looked at the clock because he liken literally yeah, yeah, he dribbles. He he takes the time to look at the clock and then shakes him back.

I mean it was a you talk.

It's probably what forgotten clutch shot, but I mean it's a literal buzzer beater.

I mean it goes off as the buzzer does.

And I said car But in the SEC Tournament, I think Butler is gonna have to be the guy because there's so many good point guards. You're gonna see Fears today, gonna see Mark Series tomorrow, you can see Walter Clayton on Saturday. He's the only guard that I think can really defend those guys we saw it was like when we didn't have him. So I think in this tournament he'll be the key.

Since this is the SEC Tournament, I know we've got big Kentucky fans here who appreciate the history of the conference. It is worth noting we should take a second to note the passing of Oliver Miller from Arkansas, the big O when Arkansas joined the conference.

He was him, Todd Day and Lee Mayberry.

He was part of what I think is the best SEC tournament on the court that we've ever had in nineteen ninety two when all those guys and latreel' spree, Well, Hollywood Robinson, Robert Ory Shack, all those guys, Jamal Mashburn were all in the same tournament.

He passed away yesterday, a legend of basketball.

And when you're a kid and you see a big, hefty dude playing in the post, you can't help but like him, even though he was our rival. So everybody joined me and wishing a round of applause on the and rest in peace for Oliver Miller and Arkansas basketball legend.

You know, we all remember him because he was a big guy, one of the first really big guys that could really hoop it up at this level.

But he was a hell of a player.

He was great. He was played in the NBA for a number of years as well.

Was on that Phoenix team that played the Bulls in the finals. If you remember, Oliver Miller was a big part of that Barkley Phoenix team years. Who's up first, Stubb is up first, Stub go ahead, stub.

Hey, guys, shout out to my buddy Chris, who's down there in fronty ell somewhere, all right.

Where's Chris? Where's Chris in here? How you doing? All right? Big shout out to Chris. Go ahead, sir.

By the way, I think when I mess up in my job, I'm just gonna say I'm just unconventional, and this'll be okay.

That's actually a good answer, that just I'm unconventional. I don't follow the rules of the I got it, man.

My question to you, like, there was no question Like the LSU team last night, they absolutely they were done.

They were they quit, they quit.

They quit. And now today in the portal era, I think these guys even more so than usual when you're on a bad team, they're just gonna want to be done so they can get gone.

Yeah, I mean South Carolina. South Carolina didn't quit yesterday. South Carolina played really well, and uh, you know, I just thought LSU to me, had Drew shown the signs of quitting way before yesterday. I thought they actually think they quit in our game within about ten minutes. And so to me, that was the easiest pick of the day yesterday because I LSU had quit.

Yeah, and that was a big spread.

If I find a seen him in Reperena because it was in the moment Kentucky got that lead a few weeks ago and lexdon you just saw a team that had their eyes on spring break and being done with the season, and that obviously carried into yesterday down here.

Appreciate it to prop for being in cal Perry's here again so that he about he about got him.

I almost went to four and oh against him.

Appreciate the call. Porter Moser, the coach at Oklahoma.

Uh.

I don't know if you saw he was giving Uh.

He was giving his postgame thing yesterday, his postgame and there was a UK fan behind him going go Cats, Go Cats. Cal Perry when he was given his postgame interview, had a UK fan behind him holding up a hat saying go Cats, Go Cats. And then like earlier in the night, the Mississippi State coach Chris was giving a postgame interview and had a guy behind him go Cats, Go Cats.

Is that gonna be our thing in this tournament? Ryan? Is that we just put people behind the coaches screaming go cat.

That's our job, man. We're not here to support the cats. We don't want the other guy to wins. So that's what we're supposed to do.

So I hope that happens again today, whether it's Chris Beard or John Caliperia in that first game.

Shan and somebody needs to get behind him and hold up.

The Okay, if it was already happening on day one, I'm a one hundred percent confident it's gonna be happening every day, Amen going forward, because this fan base just continues to grow.

Down here, Drew, how many threes do we need to hit tonight to beat Oklahoma?

We I mean we hit Missouri twelve something like that. Do we need that many? I was actually thinking twelve. I'll sail eleven.

I think o Way might be able to drive on this team again, but they're gonna have to hit threes if they go cold and have a bad shooting day. I think whatever this tournament or next week, it'll be night to night whoever they're playing.

That takes too well for any kind of run.

I think Kentucky's only lost one game this year when they hit eleven threes, so you almost wonder if that's the magical number. I think we hit eleven against Alabama the first time, and we but otherwise you hit eleven threes, Ryan we end up winning the game.

And you get if you get from everybody, you know the other Gay Otega hit one, bray a Car, Travis, Trent, Colin, Chandler, you know they got three from everybody.

They get something like that. Man, they are gonna be hard to beat today.

I agree with Ryan.

The bench three is at four at Missouri.

I think the bench, whether it's Chandler, Perry, Noah almanor if those guys can collectively make four or five, that's gonna be a big difference maker too.

Let's look at it.

The two Kentucky kids, Perry and Noah, what what what can they play in this postseason?

I mean like, yeah, okay.

But spot medics.

We're talking about on defense.

I mean that's where that's where the issue is, is on defense can they get Because the thing is in March the defense gets tighter. So if you were struggling in the regular season, the defense even gets tighter in March.

I don't think you're gonna see fifteen or twenty minutes out of them, but just here and there, you know, to give the guys a breather for a few minutes.

I think they can they can hold their own.

I don't know if tonight's a game for the those two guys now they're playing George tonight.

I agree with you, Actually that's a Trent.

And Travis game.

Tonight's game may may be a tougher Themers down on the floor because they're so quick and good on the perimeters.

This is also a big game for the big guys.

I mean, this is a game where in theory Amari and Andrew Carr should have a huge advantage. You remember Garrison had maybe his best game of the year against these guys. This is gonna be a game the big guy if their guards are good. Our big guys need to play well tonight because that's I think where our advantage is.

If we can keep Garrison's emotions in check, I think he can have a big game because his beef with Oklahoma goes back to he played two years in Oklahoma State lost on a buzzer beater once they waved goodbye to him. So this is a team that he's got bad blood with, even going before he transferred to Kentucky. I think he'll play wellseon.

Here's one thing, nobody's gonna be throwing a seventeen dollars beer at him tonight.

We don't have to worry about that. The beers are seven.

This is the first time, by the way, they've ever sold beer at the SEC tournament unless you were in one of the luxury items. How many of you are going to partake in the seventeen dollars beer at the thing?

Oh?

Not many?

Not many? So how ma you're gonna protect before at ten?

Roof?

There we are.

Yeah, I've already got to start.

Yeah, I think that's and that's a more more likely scenario. Who's up next? Got Scott up next? Scott? Go ahead, Scott?

Yeah.

I was just wondering if you all thought the game time tonight would affect our play any fuck if we played better in late games this season or early games.

We haven't had.

We haven't had a lot of late games, I mean the amount of as far as I can remember, we've played three games this year late at night, and it was Duke, Gonzaga and Missouri, which were three of our better performances of the year. So I think to the extend it matters, it helps us. Where drew this late night thing can matter would be if we get to Saturday, you know, if we end up having to play at nine thirty tonight, nine thirty Tomorrow night, and then getting

I hope we get to that problem. I meaning we're playing on Saturday. But that's just one of the worst things about being that late team. It's an inconvenience every year. Also, where you know we talk about car playing thirty seven minutes, Butler playing a lot this back.

To back to back. I think you could have some wearing tear on the guys.

Yeah, there's only been one team in the history of the SEC Tournament win from a nine to thirty starting slot.

Like when the whole thing.

So like it is a It is definitely a negative to have to come through this side. But that's why you want to be a one or two seed. Appreciate the call. If I think good lefting speeches. If I'm nine two eight oh, twenty two eighty seven, we are here at ten roof a massive Kentucky crowd, We're gonna be here. I'll be on and off all day. Shannon is here today at four thirty. We will take a break and be right back Kentucky and Oklahoma tonight. This

Tell me where you're coming from. I'd like to read.

I know there's a lot of people headed down the roads right right now. I have a couple of stories I want to tell you that I think are kind of neat. We'll start with probably nobody in here knows the name Natalie Zito, but I bet a lot of you over the years have seen the video. You may remember many years ago there was a young woman who was trying to sing the national anthem in a Portland Trailblazers game and she forgot the words.

You may remember this, and the coach, who at the.

Time was Maurice Cheeks, he walked over, put his arm around her and sang the words with her. Do you remember this video from years ago? Twenty two years ago. She forgets the words, she gets nervous, she starts to cry. He comes over as the coach puts his arm around her.

They sing together.

Apparently after that she kind of lost her nerve to sing. It made her very nervous and she never had sung the national anthem again, even though she was a great singer, because she was scared of that moment. Last night in Portland, they brought her back. Twenty two years later. They had Maurice Cheeks come out and she sang the national anthem last night.

At the game.

Nice.

I think that's a very cool story.

Maurice Cheeks stood next next to her and she sang the national anthem.

I think that's a really neat story. I remember that video well.

I mean, it broke your heart just watching it was like I couldn't get through it.

It was painful being in that moment.

She was very young, obviously a big crowded an NBA game, and she did not have it in her I do think she had a good chance to do something really funny and do it again.

Got like forget the words intentionally but running back.

Like later on when I'm singing fat Bottom Girls and I forget the lyrics. I hope that one of you will do the same for me.

Yeah.

By the way, I've heard through the grapevine your boy Vince Merriw wants to come up and sing simple man, We'll do it.

Absolutely, We would love to have.

It, all right.

He did that the last time, the last time you were here eight feb nine, two twenty two eighty seven. Then another video on the internet this morning, John Gruden, who is now working for Barstool, but the former Raiders Tampa Bay head coach. He's doing this thing where people send him stuff and he unboxes it. And today's unboxing was UK gear sent personally by Mark Pope, and he asked John Gruden to cheer for Kentucky during March Madness,

That's really cool, you know that.

Again, Pope just kind of doing things like that that makes him more endearing to everybody, not just our fan base, but everybody.

Yes, one person writes here, Matt, you all talked about this a few weeks ago, but now at the end of the regular season, I'd like this question.

What is the.

Final regular season grade you give for Mark Pope for year one? We'll probably have a different grade after the postseason, better or worse. But Shannon, what grade are you giving Mark Pope year one? Considering everything that went into it? What's your final grade?

Throwing the team together in two weeks, injuries that he's dealt with the entire year, the best conference that we've ever seen I've given, I gotta give him a Soliday. I think that considering those factors, there's no other grade you can get the guy.

So ay, all right, I'll go second.

I think when it came to building a roster, I think he built like a B roster and got close to a performance, which I think is in even more I thought I always thought coming in the season we were one player short. I still think we were kind of one player short. But the way they won games against big teams, I think it's important who you beat. We beat Duke, we beat Gonzaga, we beat Florida, we beat Louisville, we beat Tennessee twice. Right, like to win

I would give him an a slash a minus. What about you, I'm going with an A.

I mean, I agree with everything you just said. Also, it's lost on people. Yes, he built a roster in two weeks. He didn't have a coaching staff, That's true. He had to go out and get these assistants. He didn't have a house. I mean, he's doing all this on the fly. It all happened so quickly, and we all know the games. You listened to them. But one more thing I think we got to get a lot of credit for is this fan base has been so

It's just been different in there. So I also have to give him a bump for just uniting BBN.

I mean, we've always been the best fan base, but it's been a different experience this year getting behind him.

I want you on.

Let me ask you a question, if you're honest with yourself, how many of you were more into Kentucky basketball this year than you've been in the last few years. I mean I almost every hand. I mean I certainly am. There's no doubt in my mind. I like, I really liked last year's team. I really liked Reeves and Shepherd

We all got that joy back, you know. He brought the joy back in Kentucky basketball again. Now, let's see what you can do this weekend. Win a couple of games this week. I'm gonna give him an a minus. I can't give him an A because they didn't beat Arkansas. That's the one game we thought we were gonna win or had to win Arkansas at home. He didn't get it, So I'm gonna give him an a minus.

I had somebody ask me, what do you think would have happened at this school if you had the exact same record, if cal had been here? And I think, if we're honest, it would have been worse. It would have been worse even if we did the exact same thing.

It was just Drew. It was just time to have a different a different voice, right.

Absolutely, we would have been told this doesn't matter, that doesn't matter, Wait till March. We're bill for March, YadA, YadA, YadA. But also with Pope, little things. I mentioned bringing fan base together, But how many times after a game is it an hour and a half later and he's still out talking to people, facetiming someone's grandmother, singing Happy birthday to a kid? And I know that'll eventually wear off over time. I don't think he can do that forever.

Totally agree Who's up next? Dave is up next? Dave, Go ahead, Dave, how you doing, Fellas doing good? What's up?

All? Just in there to White House, Tennessee, getting ready to drive down and watch all the spectacles of his UK basketball. Do you think today is going to be a really close game Oklahoma? Are they going to give us their best? Which I think they will. How many you think we're gonna win? By it? I'll hang up and listen.

I think every game from now on Ryan's gonna be close. I do. I mean, I don't think there's I think today will be close.

I think with eight minutes to go, we'll be up like five or six, and it'll just depend do we keep extending that or does it come down to the final possessions. But outside of maybe the very first game of the NCAA Tournament, I think every single and I'm hoping that one's not close, But I think every single game from now on is gonna be closed, and we just have to be ready for that.

I think that's right, and we've seen it this year a lot of our games going down to the final possession. We've got a bunch of senior veteran guys. We've got Lamont Butler, who knows how to win these close games. So yeah, especially in this weekend, every game we play is gonna be a tight game, down to the last possession.

And just read you some of these places.

People are coming from Louisville, Bardstown, Evansville, Henderson Town, Tennessee, which I didn't even know was a place, Middlesborough, how about that? Sturgis, Kentucky.

Where's that? Webster or Union?

Yeah, Union County, it's right, Floyd's not Indiana, Owensboro, Millport, Kentucky.

Where's Millport? Never heard of that one?

Never heard of it?

Brandon, Mississippi, Barberville, Wow, Enterprise Alabama, and Versales and they just keep coming. I'm expecting drew a massive, massive crowd tonight. If you don't have tickets, I think it's gonna be expensive.

And you mentioned it being a close game. What I like is, look around. Have you seen one Oklahoma fan in Nashville?

No?

No, but look at it the Oklahoma students section, the Oklahoma student section yesterday, zero students in it, not one. They did not have one student. I bet we'll fill our student section. We will take a break and be right back. This is Kentucky Sports Radio Live at ten routs