Welcome everyone.
It is the Local Toy Dealers KSR Postgame Show. Why don't you tell me this before I start, Billy, It's a KSR Local Toy Dealers KSR postgame Show. We are here after a ninety five sixty four Kentucky absolute beatdown of the Vanderbilt Commodores in rupp Arena on Senior Night, a feel good game where Kentucky basically did everything they wanted to do against an LSU team that was not
up to the task of playing in the game. We're gonna talk about the game, but there's a lot going on that effects Kentucky right now, including a Texas Mississippi State game that it looked like Texas was going to win and they absolutely blew in a way that was amazing to watch, and they're going to overtime now. And if Texas had won, it would have guaranteed Kentucky a bye in the SEC Tournament. And now I don't know if that's gonna happen, but Arkansas's playing Vandy. If Arkansas
were to win, I think we're close to Garreta. There's a lot of different ramifications, but there are games that put Kentucky with a chance to have a buy in the first round of the SEC tournament, but none of it would have mattered if Kentucky lost, and they did not ninety five sixty four win in which they dominated.
I thought it was a feel good game.
Obviously Away had twenty four, but no other starter had double digits. So after the last game when it felt like no one except the starters played well, this was a game where three guys off the bench had double digits Ansley Aminor fifteen, Brandon Garrison, fifteen, Colin Chandler eleven. And you go from five points off the bench to just those guys with forty one points off the bench.
That's a pretty good change.
And it was senior night for six guys that, as we talked about multiple times today, both on the regular show and the pregame show.
You know, these are.
Guys who basically I think brought back the fan excitement that had been missing the last few years around the program. Still remains to be seen, what they'll do in March still remains to be seen, how the season will be remembered, but regardless, this was a program that needed an injection of life, and this group of transfers did it. And I thought it was great to have them go out with a victory like this. Some thoughts just on the game going forward. I thought the key was Kentucky getting
the pace where they wanted to. They were able to get out and transition. It did not look to me like LSU, especially in the first half, had the energy Kentucky did, and Kentucky was able to take advantage of that and get up and down the floor, play with pace, get an extra step. They made threes. Obviously it was the seventeenth game they hit double digit threes. Maybe, but they made twelve and they took thirty two. And you know, we've talked a lot about getting that thirty to thirty
five to three point mark. When you do and then you make twelve, this team can be pretty tough to beat.
So I like that.
I loved a couple things I really loved. I loved how Brandon Garrison played. I did not think he played well against Auburn, but now he's two out of the last three games played well. If you consider Oklahoma, that's
good going in the postseason. You know, I'm not gonna get too frisky about Colin Chandler because I don't want to, you know, I mean, he hasn't played a lot of the year, but I'll tell you what, the Colin Chandler you saw tonight is a guy who could He's not gonna he's not gonna like you know, change, He's not
gonna substitute for Jackson Robinson. But man, if he could give you games like that on a regular basis in March, even though I'd have to score eleven points, if he can just hit knockdown open threes and if he can play defense, he can be a key contributor. I've kind of felt like without when they had Robinson, I felt.
Like they had only eight guys that they.
Could rely on, and I've kind of felt like we were a guy short. And I'm not saying Colin Chandler can be that guy every game, but if he can be it in some games, his athleticism allows him not to kind of get taken on defense like some of the other guys, and you'd have a lot more freedom for Mark Pope to do stuff.
So I was very excited that.
To me, he's the biggest takeaway of the game because if he can play anywhere close to that the.
Rest of this year.
Okay, now you're talking about something. They hit the boards well shot well, Crod was into it. It was a great night and I love the story Mark Pope told at the end, which maybe you heard during his comments about the young man Zach Tal who is from I mean, it's a great story from Madisonville. Mark Pope had open tryouts for a walk on this year. Zach got picked.
They intentionally, I wondered, because even though he was at everything, they never listed him as exactly on the team, and so I didn't know was he on the team.
He didn't dress out for games. It was hard to really know what was going on.
Well, I guess they made the decision to let him dress out on senior night. Lamont Butler presented him the jersey right before the game. And as I was litting, and you know, that's a kid from Kentucky who now because not only he got to wear the jersey, because he got to check in with point two seconds left, he will now go down as a Kentucky basketball player. Officially. I don't know if he would have done that unless he had gotten in the game. That's what this whole
thing is about. And you go and look at this year again, We'll see what happens in March. We'll see what happens in the SEC tournament, We'll see what happens in the NCAA tournament. But what has become clear is something that I think had been lost a.
Little bit in recent years.
This name on the front, overname on the back right, that really kind of came back in this in this season. And you had a lot of players who were very appreciative to be on this roster, a lot of players who were very excited to get a chance to be at Kentucky. And this group did that, and then they also won a lot against really good teams.
And now we go into March, who knows with a chance to make a run. I thought it was interesting.
Mark Pope said, you know, we're gonna miss Jackson Robinson, but now we at least know who our team is.
And that's right. This is our team.
We're not fully healthy, we don't have Kreasa or Robinson, but we are fully healthy with the guys that are on the team. And now we see what we have. You got five starters that can all play. I think you got five starters that can compete with anybody in the country.
Can we get three bench guys to play with them.
I think if we can, this team can really make a little bit of noise. Af I'm nine two eighth twenty two eighty seven. Texas has not given up yet. They're up three with a minute and a half to go, although Billy, they once again turned the ball over and ends up in a dunk on the other side.
I don't know.
They don't want to win this game, but hopefully they do because if they do, I'm looking.
At this if they can.
If if they lose and then Arkansas beats Vandy, Billy, I think we're guaranteed to buy in the SEC tournament.
That's what I was gonna ask. Are we rooting for Arkansas to eight two?
I am? I am? I mean, I think.
Even even if Mississippi State wins, I'm still rooting for Arkansas because we have the tie breaker on Mississippi State. We Vandy we split with, so the tiebreaker becomes a little complicated when Vandy's in it. Who Doessissippi State play in their next game? Mississippi State plays at Arkansas, So again we almost need to root couch tights in order to make sure we get our ye they found nine to two eight oh, twenty two eighty seven.
We will take a break and be right back. This is the Local Toy Dealers KSR post game Show. Welcome back.
It is the Local Toy Dealer's KSR postgame Show. Since we took a break, the Texassissippi State game has been at the monitor the entire time.
So there you go.
That's a good thing that's consistent in college basketball is we do need to spend a lot of time at the monitor because that ultimately is where it is. They're looking to see if Texas stepped out of bounds, and they've been looking at it for three or four minutes. And in my view, if you can't see him out of bounds in three or four minutes, Billy, he's not out of bounds, right, just make a call. Just look at it, Like, what are you looking at, Doug shows are you doing long division?
Like, get off the camera.
These guys driving me crazy that there is nothing in my that is frustrating me more about college basketball. I mean, look at that they're still looking at this billion it's been going off for four minutes.
What could they be looking at? Yeah, I don't know.
I'm just surprised that you're not watching the Trump address right now, you've got basketball line.
I haven't watched the State of the Union since Obama, and I don't expect to start anytime soon. Like there, it's like those things used to have dignity and now everybody screamed at each other.
It's not not worth it.
But I'd rather look at that than Doug Shalls looking into that microphone.
Who's next? Soul train?
Sole train?
He was at the bar today. How are you soul trained?
Yes, I am doing fine, Matt Jones. It was awesome at the game tonight. I'll tell you. I got the crowd pumped up and I haven't had them had their hands up every time we went to the free throw line, and guess what they made every single free throw. It's my first yep, it was the first UK game I went too since the since twenty eighteen, well actually twenty seventeen, twenty eighteen, somewhere around there. But like, it's an awesome experience.
Well, I'm glad you had a good time. It looked like like a good crowd. Uh.
And it was nice to see you today, And I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I'm glad I enjoyed it. Too, and this is my first time ever calling your show. And you know I listened to it and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Appreciate it. Thank you very much, soul trade. If I'm nine, did he say this is the first time calling?
Oh? Who are? I thought you said it was the first time listening? I thought, but that would have been nice too, write if it was the first time.
Uh, if I'm nine to eight twenty two eighty seven, boy, I'll tell you man Texas coach looks like Gus Freeing on Americas.
I mean, he looks just liking what's his name, Rodney Terry? Yes, just like you. All right, go ahead, Who's next?
Miranda?
Miranda? Go ahead? Miranda.
Hey, guys, Sorry, the first time I've called.
Who what's up?
Sorry?
Sorry? Just give me god?
Yes, Oh got you Kentucky's first And I was explaining that at Repperena Elice, you didn't have a chance to settle in. Oh yeah, anyone.
You have fun at the game, Miranda, but no, really embarrassed?
Hang up?
You all go that? Wow?
Oh?
I just I wanted to call in really badly, and I just didn't want to sound stupid.
So you don't sound stupid. You sound excited, so I appreciate, appreciate the call. Thank you, Miranda.
You keep telling me to turn it down, Billy, I cannot turn this down.
I may need you to turn down even more.
There's no there's there's no other volume level to go.
It is on the lowest level.
We've got to fix something here.
What do you want me to do? I don't know what you want.
Me to turn it down a little bit more.
There's I might have to turn it off, and seriously, if you don't, I mean, this is all I got.
Who's next?
Ed?
Ed? Go ahead?
Ed?
Hey, Matt, first time caller.
What's going on?
A couple of things you said last week has one of the piggyback off of is to make up for Jackson Robinson. You talked about the first five guys, the starters, what they need to do in the second tier being Alan, Moore and Garrison, and then the three freshmen had to produce more than one point, which I thought tonight. You know, with Chandler, it was amazing watching him and he seems to be one that's kind of coming into his own as a freshman, which is great to see and see
his confidence rise. But do you think and I'll share this real quick let you all talk about it. Do you think with all the starters that if they could average about four to six points above their average with the next two probably about the same. And with what Channeler did tonight with the three freshmen, maybe for them to try to combine for ten to twelve points coming off the bench in the roles that they play. And also you know with the rebounding and the city.
Well, I mean you're.
Asking them to You're you're asking them to have like a crazy amount of points there. I mean like if you have each starter gets six more points, that's thirty more points. And then you do the same for the bench, you're scoring fifty more points. Yes, if we score fifty more points, we will win more games. But I guess I'm not doing much yeah thirty so but yes, we need them to play better. I don't know if you could expect them to to and O play that.
Level of better.
Okay, yeah, that makes sense that yeah, yeah, I probably exaggerated a little bit.
I'm glad you know.
That's what I want to bounce off to you. And but hey, I just want to thank you guys.
Because you know, being in.
I was a retired middle terry. I was deployed for three years from twenty eighteen to twenty in the Middle East, and you all really kept kept my spirits up in staying engaged. And I just appreciate your alls pre and postgame shows and your afternoon call in shows. So thank you for everything you all do.
Thank you very much, appreciate it. Eight five nine, and thank you for your service. Sir a f I've nine two eighth twenty two eighty seven. Texas once again, they're gonna blow it again. They were up five points with a minute fifteen and now Mississippi State's about the tide. This Texas may be the worst clutch How did we lose? And did we lose to them in the clutch?
Yeah? We did.
They're the worst clutch team I've ever seen and they beat us in the clutch.
How did that happen? All right? Who's next?
Duncan?
Duncan, go ahead, Duncan.
Hey, what's up, Matt? I love the show. I just had a quick question. So now we only have one more game left in the season, and we obviously still have the SEC Time Tournament, But where do you see us at this point?
Like in March.
Do you think maybe this is a sweet sixteen, Elite eight year we can get things going, or do you think that as I say.
Yeah, as I say, I feel I say, every time this comes up, the tournament is random, so it's all going to depend on the matchups, and uh, you know, I need to see what the bracket is. I think there's a big difference between this year being a three seed and being a four seed. I think if we beat Missouri on Saturday, we'll be a three seed, and if we are a three seed, I think if you look at the teams that could be the twos, we got a real shot to make a run to the
Elite eate. If you're a four, then it's gonna depend on who your five is and who your one seed is.
So I think the Missouri game is important. And then I think if you don't win the Missouri game, you know, getting a run and in the in the SEC tournament is important because I do think there's a big difference between it being a three and four because I think the one seeds are really good this year, but I think the two seeds are are gonna be beatable, and so I think it's just gonna depend on which which seed we get.
And the thing is too with the SEC tournament. I mean, if we get one or two games, I mean I would pretty much solidify us as I having a higher or a better seed. And that's going into the tournament. I'm just be I'm getting nervous with the things.
But if we're an eight seed, and and I appreciate the call, if we're an eight seed and you're playing Auburn in the second game, it's gonna be it's gonna be hard. And you know, we need some of these teams to help us, but Texas could not be helping us less uh here in the in the final moment. Let me, since I'm saying the negative, let me give you some positives that could happen out of the bracket. All right, If Mississippi State could somehow win this game,
excuse me. If Texas could win this game, and Arkansas could beat Pandy, if Auburn come back and beats A and M. You know, there's a world, Billy, we could get all the way up to a five seed in the SEC tournament. That world exists.
I would love that and avoid Auburn in that.
I mean, it's that a lot of things have to happen, but there's a world that you could get up to a five, and there's a real world you can get to a six. So uh in now, Mississippi State, just this is two free throws. It is boy, this is a This is a which team can throw this away the most game? Who's next?
Farmer?
Farmer, go ahead, farmer.
Yeah.
I just wanted to say I really enjoyed the fact that we actually shot the three. We got above that thirty mark that we're looking for. We shot thirty two of them, and we just out hustled them throughout the entire day. We hustled them and we shut down Damian Collins. They're a big man. Yeah, they really did.
They really played well against Damien, who had some success against us last year when we played against him.
Yeah, former Cat, we love him. We know he's going through hard times when he was a Cat, but we love him. But we shut him down this time. Get him two points and go Cats.
I appreciate it. They five nine, two eighty seven. Let's take a break and come right back. The Cats with a massive win first of one of the very few comfortable SEC games we've had all year. I mean, we haven't had too many where we just had a lead at home and just one going away.
Is this right? I guess this one in South Carolina.
Really are only two that have been like that, so it was nice to get it. We'll take a break right back. I'm not sure I've ever seen an uglier basketball game than the end of this Texassissippi State game.
But with all of it said, they got two free throws here to.
Mississippi State will take the loss, and it looks like they will, so that's good for Kentucky. So now Mississippi State has lost, so that means that Kentucky they'll win a tiebreaker versus them. So really, now, if we can get Vanderbilt to get a loss either tonight or in their next game, then Kentucky will be guaranteed to buy in the SEC Tournament, which would be I think very important for them going forward. So Vandy is playing Arkansas.
If Vandy either loses to Arkansas or if they lose well, if they play at Georgia, I don't know if they'll lose that one or not. So we need come on, John Calperry, like, you know, can you give us one here, like just for old time's sake, you just just get one for us here on the road, all right? Who's up next? Trevor, Trevor, go ahead, Trevor and Texas wins.
Go ahead A.
Matt first time?
Long time? Who are hey?
I could be crazy because it's displayed into the season, and it could because I grew up in the Southeast Kentucky. We beating and banging around down low, and Coach cal had a lot of those athletes. But I'm still not. I enjoy watching it, but I'm still not super confident in the three point game on the offense. Can you take some time to just boost my confidence a little bit?
What do you mean when you say when you say on the three point game? What do you mean?
I'm used to watching ball back in the day. I can't watch the NBA anymore. I am used to playing ball under the basket, not shooting.
Now. That's just not what basketball is anymore.
I mean, like it's I mean, it doesn't make sense to shoot under the basket unless you're open. Like, if you look at the numbers, back to the basket, basketball is next to long two's the worst shot you can take. So I mean, this is basketball now it's shooting threes and threes and layups.
That's basketball.
I did that and that definitely helps I appreciate it.
Yeah, I mean it's not like, you know, we have not shot the ball as well in SEC play for a variety of different reasons. But I do think the offensive style that Mark Pope plays is the right style for the future.
It really is.
I mean you, I think the way Auburn plays is honestly the way modern basketball on the college level is played.
They shoot threes.
Everybody on the team can shoot, but they have one big who can kind of go inside outside with Broom. And I think when Mark I think if you were to ask Mark Pope at its best, what would you like your offense to look like, he'd probably say a lot like that Auburn team is so I mean, I think the days of going okay, we've got I mean, when you have Anthony Davis, it's a little different because he's a special talent. But you remember that Yukon team that won with a Mecca Oka four at the center
and the offense went through him. I would be surprised if another team ever wins like that. I'm not saying it won't happen, but it would surprise me because it's just not the right way to play.
To be honest, I got you.
You were an attorney at heart, my friend.
I appreciate the call, you know. I mean, they like you look at like a team like Purdue. Like last year Zach Edie was like, he's like seven foot three, he would still shoot three, you know. I mean that's just what it is now, Like these guys like the old days of you know, twin towers and playing through
the post. I just I don't think you're going to see that very much unless you have a super special talent like an Anthony Davis type, and there just aren't many of those kind of guys that come around.
Who's up next, Henry, Henry, go ahead, Henry.
Hey, Matt, do you think LSU is just really bad or do you think we might be playing with the little extra after losing Jackson that sort of lockluster locks against Auburn.
I think what happened is we got up big on LSU early and they kind of quit. To be honest with you, I think that was this was a game. We're getting off to that early start. You know, we were up I think twenty we were up like thirteen to start the game, maybe twenty one to eight or something. They put a mass sub in or maybe it was eighteen to five, whatever it was, they put a mass sub in and then they kind of came back, and then Pope went back to the starters and we put
the foot on the gas again. Then I think they just quit. I think somewhere with about six minutes left in the first half, LSU just quit and really just kind of mailed it in the rest of the game.
So they're not good.
I don't think they're as bad as they were tonight, but part of it was us. We put our foot on the gas and they quit. Basically they stopped as as I think Jack Gibbons said on the post game that they just didn't look like they cared about playing defense, and we took advantage of it.
Yep, completely agree.
He thinks that.
Appreciate it, Yeah, I mean that's I think that's our offense, if not at its best, pretty close to it. I mean that that our offense looked good, and when we had Butler and Oway in it looked really good. I mean, that's the best we are. That's the best our offense has looked in quite some time. Now. Again, the opponent is not very good, so you do have to keep that in mind. I mean, well they're okay, but they're not.
But they quit. But part of that was what we did too. Who's next? DJ? DJ? How are you DJ?
I'm doing good, Matt.
I just want to say I got to go to the game tonight. My brother in law gave me my dad some tickets, so thank you to Jacob. But what an incredible atmosphere.
It was awesome.
And then even after the game, I mean, we could talk about the game all day.
It was awesome.
But even after the game, me and my dad probably left thirty thirty minutes ago, and Mark Tope and the guys were still signing autographs. And some of the guys did leave, but Mark Pope was out there signing the autographs and I'm I mean, I wouldn't be surprised if he was still signing autographs. And he's just awesome coach, And just shout out.
To Mark Pope.
Yeah, that's one thing that's great about him, is he you know, we talked about he gets the job and they do that. They do that after every win, after every win home and away, they stay out there and sign Sometimes they do it after losses, but they do it after every win. And uh, you know, I don't even think people realize often how long they stay for that. And tonight, with it being senior Night, a lot of people stayed longer. And I think they were there about as long as they could be.
Yes, sir, and you guys have a wonderful night.
Go big Blue at eight five nine two eight h twenty two eighty seven. See right now they're saying, like at the State of the Union, people are just getting up and walking out.
Like they It didn't used to be like that, Billy. It used to be literally a speech that was not a political speech. It was a state of the Union.
Well, the one guy got kicked out like five minutes in, think, yeah.
What's hee? What are you doing yelling?
Like, stop yelling the I remember what was like fifteen years ago one of those dudes got yelled and in each it's just a it makes me sad. I used to really like politics, Billy, and they've made it sad. But I do like march madness, which is much more fun. Anyway, who's next.
It's a good thing he didn't run. Then let's go to Bradley.
Yeah, that would have been a bad decision.
It would have been, uh take something that this would be like the worst time to be in it too.
So all right, go ahead, Bradley, Go ahead, Bradley.
Hey, Matt, great start to the game once again, at the first seven eight minutes, I thought I was gonna go nutty with those substitutions.
Overall, we played good.
I'm glad we got to win.
Uh, it's March, now, what what's your prediction for the tournament? I'd love to see at sweet sixteen. I bet everybody in Big Blue Natan would love to get in the stick and weekend.
What's your prediction, Matt from.
Mar Well, I gotta see the Like I said, I gotta see the bracket. I appreciate the call. I think this is a team that's very dependent on matchups. I'll make a prediction after the Missouri game because I I think the Missouri game will determine our seed probably. I think if we beat Missouri, I think we're definitely a three seed. If we lose, we could still be a.
Three seed, but will probably be a four. And so.
Ask me after the Missouri game, because I think we're a three seed. I like our chances because those twos, and you're looking at the twos right now, it's probably gonna be what Iowa State, Michigan State.
Then what maybe Alabama they won't pair us with them.
So Iowa State, Michigan State are those are teams we can beat, So i Wisconsin we can beat those teams. So I really hope we can find a way to get a three seed. And if we're a three seed, we'll play closer to home. We'll play either in Providence or Denver. We won't go all the way to Seattle. So that's what I'm hoping for.
There's next, Dwayne, Dwayne, go ahead, Dwayne.
Hey, there's a great one by the cast night.
But I ask you a question.
JD Vans he's from eastern Kentucky.
And he's not. He's not He's from Ohio.
Well, I mean he was born there, wasn't he.
No, his grandparents moved.
Yeah, his grandparents were lived in Eastern He might have been born there, but he lived in Ohio growing up. And then his grandparents lived in eastern Kentucky, so he would go, he would visit them, and that's where that book came from.
I mean, I'm just telling Kentucky or he's from Ohio. Okay, all right, I mean I don't know what else you want me to say.
I think he may have been born in Kentucky, but he lived he grew up in like outside of Cincinnati, in Ohio.
All right, Well, I appreciate the call.
Was he was still there. I think he just left him speechless.
Well, I mean, it's spot the book is about.
He would live in Ohio and then in the summers he would visit his grandparents and he would talk about the difference in the two cultures and all that. I mean, he has Kentucky connections, that that part is true, but he's I mean, I moved to Middlesbrough when I was five, so I consider myself from Middlesbrough. I was technically born in Lexington, but I grew up in Middlesbrough.
So born in Middletown, Ohio. According to wikipeople, he.
Was born in Ohio. That's what I said. He was born in Ohio. Like, what do you think his point was? What was he going to be asking?
I don't know, he's a Kentuckian. We need to support him.
And even if he.
Was like you don't I mean you said, well, okay, let's get back to basketball.
Who's next, Melissa, Melissa, go ahead and Melissa. Yeah.
I don't know why everybody's trying to talk politics tonight.
Here we are trying to.
Like watch a basketball game.
Let me read you, U how you do before you do your thing? Let me read you the bracket right now, because this was my point I was making a minute ago. The bracketology right now with Joe Lonardi has this is the three seed playing Utah Valley in Denver. If we won, the winner would be Saint the winner we would play the winner of Saint Mary's and Indiana. Feel good about that game, and if we won that play Iowa State. I mean, I don't know about you, but I think we got a real good shot in that scenario.
But go ahead, Yes, first time, long time, look super.
Do like Lexington transplant really.
Into the Cats this season, and yes, I feel like they came ready today for March.
So all right, well there you go.
I appreciate it, am, I am I offer a little like billion. This is an interesting set of calls tonight, if you go back even to the start.
Yeah, yeah, I've been an interesting show for a couple of reasons.
It's just an interesting senior night show, right, like you get We've had four I think first time callers, uh maybe even five, and so you never know what. That's the thing I do love about this post gap show. You never know what's gonna be on the other end of that.
Foe. Let's do one more then we'll take a break.
As long as we avoid tears, we'll be fine tonight.
That's up to you. Darlene is next, so Zachy He only took one three at Perdue.
Never mind, I feel like he took more than that. I know he takes a handful of him in the NBA, but go ahead, Darlene.
Hey, Matt, I spoke to you after the Oklahoma win.
I was just so excited about being able to speak to you.
I just make a lot of good points itself. I wanted to call in tonight to make a good point about our coach, Mark Pope.
Twenty wins.
I don't care what people are saying, first year coach.
Gotta give him credy.
Yeah, twenty wins when he only had a handful of weeks to build the roster and what is certainly the best sec of all time and arguably one of the best conferences of all time. And in the process, you beat Duke, you beat Tennessee twice, you beat Louisville, you beat Gonzaga, you beat Florida, You win seven games against top twenty five teams. As we said on the pregame show, I think if you took out the Arkansas game, you could almost argue you won every game that you went
into the season really wanting to win. So I have to agree with you, Darlene. I think it all things considered, you can't help but say it is a successful year.
Thanks Matt for saying everything I wanted to say tonight.
You're the best journey.
Thank you, Thank you, Darlene. I appreciate it.
If I'm nine two eight twenty two eighty seven, Arkansas is down three, are you not gonna pull for Arkansas, Billy? I mean, I know it's I know it's cow, but like, we need them to win. If we win, we don't have to play on Wednesday.
No, Yeah, we're I definitely will. I'll pull for them.
Yeah, I think we I think we need to, uh, we need to get it because I think, and again I could be doing the math room, but I'm fairly certain if we win. If they lose, then we would win all the time breakers. So we have play on Wednesday. All right, we'll take a break. If I'm nine two a twenty to eighty seven, it's a Local Toy Dealers KSR postgame show, all right? Well back, it is the local Toy Dealers KSR postgame show. We apologize there is
I think maybe because of the wind outside. Uh, the service coming in at bit so if I go away for a second, that's why.
But it's a windy night outside.
Everybody be careful, especially if you're in like the summrset area. There's a lot of wind warnings this evening and then it's supposed to be Did I hear snow Thursday morning?
Oh?
I don't say that?
Is that right?
What somebody told me today? I don't know if they knew what they were talking about. But good graef. We just can't get away from it, all right. If I'm not two eight oh twenty two eighty seven, Who's up next?
Jimbo?
Jimbo, go ahead, Jimbo.
Yeah, I'm more man. I'm sorry, man, his first time I ever called.
I'm a little nervous, but I just.
Want to say, I uh, I love the fact that we booed.
That boy they called the Star of Fish Sam.
Appreciate the all right, I appreciate the call.
Like listen, man, if you're going to try to, like you know, if you're going to try to like do a joke call, you gotta be better than that.
Like I was almost certain that was a joke from the beginning.
But like, you know, safe satire unless you're actually good at it, all right, I'm not gonna make that one.
Of the final calls. Leave us.
Yeah, like unless you're really funny, like I know, you think it's full, Oh, I'll call it's it's not all right, so we'll do us.
We'll do so. You can put some mails on. But who's next.
Okay, let's go to Brian.
Brian, go ahead, Brian.
Hey Man here in Nashville on a treehouse.
I think's gonna get blown over by the wind.
Smoking the victory cigar.
Good.
I mean, uh, I mean, I just say, it felt like a real senior day. That's the first thing I say. I mean, you actually knew the players who are seniors this year.
That was cool.
Well, I mean they've only been here a year. That's no different than it is. That's not I mean, all of our senior days have been guys who transferred in in the last seven or eight years, and we're here for a year.
Most of those guys were playing and that was that was cool. The other thing I want to say is is that Pope set up Brandon Garrison and his post conference interview.
He says, what do you think about.
Brandon when he shoots the three? I mean, personally, every time he shoots that, I'm afraid and it's not going in.
Yeah, you know, I was, I think at the beginning of the year. But he's shooting such a good percentage now that if he's open.
Now, I actually don't like when he gets it in the block and decides to do something.
But when he but when he shoots an open three, I've actually become almost.
And I think he I think he actually does. He's got good form. It's when he's open. He's he next to Bray. He probably makes it as much as anybody. You know.
Yeah, I think the numbers speak the truth. But it just makes me nervous.
I get it.
I get nervous when he dribbles. That's that's when I get nervous. I'd much prefer him shoot a three. When he starts handling the ball and he's dribbling it like stan Lee way out in front of him from the office, that's when I get nervous.
It's like one of those times where you're like, uh, you don't want to do it, but it goes in and you're like, yes, I'm glad I was wrong.
Yeah, yeah, well I appreciate the call. Uh yeah, I don't know. It's interesting. It's interesting to hear Pope talk about the players that might come back. Because he talks about them, you kind of get a sense of if he thinks they're coming back. He he talks about Garrison like a guy who is gonna come back next year to Kentucky.
So that's interesting.
That's good to see an interesting I think same with o Way, although when he talks about Cresa, it's harder to tell.
So I don't know. I think, uh, I think they probably.
I think one of the things that might be a little different with Pope in the last regimes, I think they know. I think they know what guys are gonna do, and I think they might I mean, I don't know, they might already know who they're gonna get from other teams. I'm not sure. A and M is now up eleven on Auburn. Uh, you know, we we hold the tie breaker on A and M. So if they had taken this loss tonight with that would have been good. But looks like they may win. Who did they play in their last.
Game, Billy? They played at LSU.
See, that's unfortunate because we owned the time breaker on them. I thought we they'd lost tonight, we might have had a chance to pass them in the standings. Who's next?
Steve is next?
Steve? Go ahead? Steve?
A Hi, Matt. First, I wanted to express my displeasure on ABC putting the rest of the game on ESPN News Saturday after they put their fire out. I thought that was kind of sucky.
But they did they end up putting any of it on TV.
I didn't know any of it got on TV.
Yes, the end of it was played on ESPN News. My Papa and I had slipped over and was watching a dodgeball on the ochow and I had come back from the bathroom and the game was just on.
Oh I didn't run, so we couldn't walk.
But that was after the fire was put out. But tonight's game, I wanted to point out that you had mentioned we had went up early in the game, and then Pope put in all the subs, and and you know, we started to lose that lead a little bit after that point. He never mass subbed again.
Agree much.
Every time I saw bench players in, I saw three starters and two bench players, I think, yeah.
He I totally agree with you. And he not only went to the bench again. Far be it from me, like he knows more than I do. I always want to say that.
But.
He literally had the worst defensive lineup that we could possibly put on the floor together because the only starter he had left in was Brea, who is our worst defender of the starters. So the lineup he had in was Perry, Breya, Noah, Almanor, and Garrison. Like you can't have a worst defensive lineup. He had the four starters out and then the one decent defender coming off the bench, which is is Chandler. So I think he quickly realized
that you're right. He didn't do it again, but like, literally, you couldn't draw up a worse defensive unit than that, and he just can't play all those guys at the same time.
Well, I'm just hoping he learned something tonight. Until the garbage time. He did three starters, two backups, and I think it worked because three of our top five scores tonight were bench players.
Yeah. Yeah, I appreciate, appreciate the call. Now.
See, these are the kind of people when they write in Billy that I appreciate.
Okay, can I read you a back and forth with a guy on the text? Please? Yes?
Okay, He writes, Matt, why are you so concerned about Vanderbilt? We beat them in every different tiebreaker possible. Uh, if we end up tied with them, we're ahead of them. Why are you worried? And I said, well, if they were to win tonight in their next game and we lose to Missouri, they'll finish one game ahead of us.
And he responded, I got you.
Sometimes I'm a lot dumber than I look, and I look pretty dumb. That's a great answer, right, that's like self deprecating. See that's what I like. Four more, who's.
Next, We've got another Steve on the line.
Steve, go ahead, Steve.
Hey Man. First of all, you do a great job. I love the work that Mario is doing as well. He puts out fantastic content. I hope people see what a good job he's doing. Kentucky.
Really, they had a fifteen.
To oh run in that first half, and that was a you know, it set him up for a substantial halftime leave.
They had two runs. They had a fifteen oh run and then they had a ten o run after that.
Yeah, and can you talk a little bit about the fact struggled with transition defense but tonight they were really solid defensively in transition and a little bit about how they limited their turnovers and actually got a lot more steels than we're used to seeing as well.
Totally agree with both of those points. And I appreciate the Colin thank you for what you said about Mario. He does a great job and has added you know, as we hit our fifteenth year here, you know, we've had kind of a core group. We added Billy a few years ago from an organizational standpoint, and then and content and then Mario with the social media. It's been great. I appreciate how everybody's welcomed him. Now on your point about the transition defense, we did do better at it.
Part of it was and this is actually I'm going to steal from Cal because Cal used to talk about this. There's difference between turnovers and bad turnovers. Right, the last few games, we've had a lot of bad turnovers, which are not just turnovers that occur, but that lead to fast breaks the other way or threes where you miss and it kicks out towards the other goal. We just didn't have as many of those tonight, so I think
it was harder for LSU to get transitioned. I mean, Damian Fishback kept talking about getting in transition for LSU, but they just had a hard time. Part of it was we got back, but part of it was we didn't turn the ball over in places that led the fast breaks. That was always something back when I would go to Cal Perry practices. He would say to the guy, if you're going to turn it over, you know, turn it over not at the top of the key because it leads to a layup the other way, And he's
exactly right about that. You're much better turning it over in the corner or down low because you can lead to a layup, and we had a lot of those, especially against Auburn, where we just turned up led to a straight layup down the other of the court. Arkansas leads by six at halftime. The bandy they go on a run. So Arkansas may be gonna help us book the day one by here tonight if they can hold on.
Who's next, Zachary?
Three more? Go ahead, Zachary.
Hey, Matt, you know, everything that Pope has done this season just you know, on or just remarkable. But with his philosophy about his bench, in his lineup, just the fact that he doesn't seem to want to like even think about alternating or keeping the main guys in for
longer in the game because of the max efficiency thing. Like, to me, that is just concerning for the tournament coming up, because if you're not even like even willing to negotiate, you know, who are going to be your main guys, Like I just think that that could really cost us maybe a game, you know, in the tournament. So it's just really concerning. But you know, like you said many many times, like the fact that he's done the job he's done in the matter of time he's had to
do it. You know, I don't think any other coach could really could do it like he has. But just the lineup thing is pretty concerning.
Yeah, although Jess, I appreciate Carl, I agree with you, but as.
The out you know he did, he didn't do it again after that run. I mean he kind of all until the end didn't really matter as much, but he always tried to keep I think the key is I don't think you can have Butler in a Way on the bench at the same time. I think our perimeter defense besides Butler in no way is not gonna be very Travis Perry is not a good defender.
Kobe Bray is not a good defender.
Trent Noah is an okay defender, but he's not a good defender out on the out on the three point line.
He's he's better inside.
So if you don't have either Butler or o Way in, the other team's guards are just gonna crush you. And so I just don't think he can ever take those guys out at the same time. And I think if he does, then he's got to have Colin Chandler in. So when you go back to that run they went in, he didn't have any of those guys in, and I just don't think you can do that. You know, in the interior, Amari's a lot better than Garrison defensively. I
think cars better than Almonor defensively. But sometimes you can make that work. But he just cannot have Butler and Oway on the bench at the same time. If he does, they just they cannot defend on the perimeter. And I'll be interested to see if he stops doing that like he staggered he took Braya out, put in Noah and then brought the subs in and put Praya back in. I'd rather see him take like Butler a way out.
Have Butler play with the reserves, right, But you can't have Braya with the reserves because then no one can defend and you just you can't do that. Two more, Who's next, Trey?
Trey? Go ahead, Trey?
Hey, what's up?
Matt? What's going on?
Hey?
So I think you.
Are one calling it like bay Ruth Colin Chandler could be.
He could be.
He could be the golden ticket for this team come March, because with Jackson Robinson going down, like you said, you got to make up those points somewhere. And he has really really gotten his game a lot better. It seems like every game when we turn the when we turn it on, he does something a little better and a little better and a little better.
So he's he's the first guy that I've seen. Okay, So, like I think Travis.
Perry and Trent Noah can have stretches where they really help you a lot, hit some shots, you know. I can see Trent Noah had that really great game against Tennessee. Perry had a pretty good game against somebody the other night. I can't remember who it was. But Chandler looks in the last few games like a guy who can play
with these athletes and can guard them. And so if he could get to the point he's been looked so nervous on offense, like he didn't want to shoot and he didn't want to dribble, if he can get to the point that he's even shooting decently, or even if he's not shooting decently, it's just not nervous. He helps so much on defense that like, okay, now all of a sudden, you got some And if he can get to the point that he makes open threes, just that sentence alone in Kentucky.
Because really difficult to guard. So that's what makes me a little excited.
Well, and we're gonna need it off the bench and you know a lot of people Matt forgid that you know he was a top recruit. Oh yeah, he did his fishing trip.
And he is a great athlete. He is a great athlete. Uh like like he like he is.
You watch him like during like dunk during warm ups and stuff. That dude is a great athlete. He just looks so scared for the first two thirds of the year and in the last three weeks he doesn't look scared. And that that you can't help but be kind of excited about that.
So totally agree. Uh. Last thing this is this is a bit obscure, but with so many seniors on this team this year that have already probably graduated, what what do they do during the day? Is it just is it just kind of hang out?
Well, they do have a class they have they have to take master's classes. Now I don't know how much class that is exactly, but they do. I mean a lot of these dudes sit around and play video games. To be honest with you, I mean I think that's a lot of nah And I appreciate the call we've had. You know, we've had teams over the years. You talk about a book you could write sort of like, what
are these dudes like off the court? Cow's guys didn't really get in trouble that much, but they're almost never but they had some dudes who liked to party and do I don't get the sense that this group, I mean, I don't know, but I don't ever hear about this group doing anything, you know, so maybe because they're older, right, But I don't know, Like I don't even you know, almost every team that's been in Kentucky, you'll get like
some picture of them somewhere, like at a bar. Not necessarily I'm doing bad, but like, look here this year about any of them. So maybe they're just like me, Billy, they're just all old men who uh maybe they sit and read like I do, or watch Breaking Bad.
That's right.
You're a freshman, you're eighteen nineteen. You want to go see the party. You want to say, it's very different.
Yeah, it's very different. Eighteen and you're eighteen and nineteen is very different than twenty two and twenty three. And that's what these guys are. So uh uh, what we got?
One more?
Is that? Right?
H one more? Who's next? Mon Monsey? What's up? Munsey? Mad Jones Monsey.
Yeah, what's up, brother, Shout up my childrens.
Shout out to my children.
Yes, old time friends, Shane didn't wear no stock.
We're good.
What you got, Brandon Garrison? These are these are a secret.
Uh, he's our secret.
He ist up hard.
Well.
He did play well today. Yeah, he did play well today. I mean I thought I thought he looked. I thought this was a year he said. Two of his last three games.
Have been uh, have been really good. You know.
I don't think he played well against Aubourne. We played great against Oklahoma, and I thought he played great tonight. So uh, you know he I mean, we need him to be able to not like be a disaster when he came in. But the last two of the last three games, he's been better than a disaster. He's actually played very well.
I thought, yes, absolutely, he's not a disaster. And now he's stepping up.
Yeah, appreciate the appreciate Okay, yeah.
You yes, yeah, yeah, you know. Uh first long time I've been here for a minute, and when you got your credentials and the first time you got onto Reperena the ship, Yeah that.
Was before I even had a show.
Yeah, crup and I was under the basket, and I saw you walking on the court and I saw you. You look like a twelve year old boy. You were smiling so big, and it was so much fun to see excel and get to where you are right now.
That's very nice of you. Thank you.
The first game I ever got credentialed was, and I appreciate the call, was Kentucky Louisville, and I want to say it was two thousand and seven, two thousand and six. Rondo was the point guard, and that was the first time I ever got a credential.
And I can't remember very many times in my life.
I was happier than that because I was, like, I honestly thought, I have a credential for the Kentucky Louisville game, like I made it. That's really all I need to do. Like I can stop now and go back. You know, I was still practicing law at the time. I can just go back to my legal job.
He peaked.
I did peak like I did peak. I remember, I was a huge fight to get credential. I was the first blogger to be credential in the entire sec. They would not the Dwayne Peebe was the was the sid here and and finally the SEC would not allow him to credential me, and then finally they said yes. In the first game I got to do, it was Kentucky Louisville, so nice memory by that guy. And I did look twelve years old, and I was chubby Billy that's bangs.
I looked awful.
You know.
Well that picture that that circulates, that's not that's like that year. Oh yeah, it was that year because it was that was Tubby's last year, and then Billy was there the next year.
So yeah, good times. Well, interesting show tonight.
Appreciate everybody staying up uh and listening. So let's go over some scheduling. Tomorrow is they the women start in the SEC tournament on Friday at two thirty. Don't know who they'll play yet, but the women's tournament actually starts tomorrow for the women's SEC Tournament, but Kentucky's got a double bye. They do not play until Friday. The men's
team plays next at noon against Missouri on Saturday. The pregame show will be at nine to thirty AM, but that will be I'm sitting here, I just ran through these scenarios. It looks to me like if and Andy loses tonight, we are guaranteed the bye. If we beat Missouri and the results happen that you kind of think should happen. Now that A and M is gonna beat Auburn, we could get up to be the seven seed and be in the bottom.
Half of the bracket and avoid Auburn. So the Missouri game's huge.
Vandy loses tonight, we don't, We'll have a bye, and then if we beat we lose to Missouri where they eight. We beat Missouri with the seven and I think probably a top three seed in the NCAA tournament. Thank you, folks very much for listening. Thanks to Billy for hanging out. We will see you in the morning. This has been the Local Toy Dealers KSR Postscape Show.