Kentucky Sports Radio – Hour 1 Summary

Date: November 12, 2025
Hosts: Matt Jones, Drew Franklin, Shannon Ryan
Location: KS Bar & Grill, Lexington, KY

Main Theme:

Recapping and analyzing Kentucky's disappointing 96–88 basketball loss to Louisville, focusing on what went wrong, who struggled, moments of hope, and implications for the team's season ahead.

Detailed Episode Breakdown

1. Opening Thoughts & Atmosphere (00:36–02:35)

• Matt Jones describes the electric environment at Louisville's arena—one of the best atmospheres in a decade, with a strong Louisville presence but still many Kentucky fans present.
• Despite the intensity, the crowd felt less hostile than in the past, with Matt humorously remarking, "The student section all told me I was number one." (01:47)

2. Game Analysis: What Went Wrong? (02:35–13:03)

Defensive Struggles

• Matt bluntly critiques Kentucky's defense:

  "Our defense... just awful for 30 minutes. Awful. And honestly, in the first half, atrocious." (03:01)

• Louisvile scored 51 in the first half, exposing issues with defensive rotations and effort.

Player Critiques

• Otega Oweh singled out for a notably poor performance:

  "Doesn't look like the same guy. I don't know if it's something… that went and attacked the basket and drew fouls and all that, we haven't seen that guy yet this year." (03:31) "OA was minus 16. Diabate was like minus 11. I mean always minus 16. When we made the best, the best lineup that was on the floor was low, Aberdeen, Chandler, Williams and either Moreno or Garrison." (06:48)

• Brandon Garrison is called out for his struggles in defensive decision-making; multiple open threes attributed to his mistakes.
• Coaching Decisions: Matt says Pope "got outcoached by Pat Kelsey" for not adjusting to a smaller lineup sooner. (04:42)

Turnovers & Pace

• Drew Franklin emphasizes the fast pace and Kentucky’s inability to adapt:

  "They had 20 assists and only six turnovers. We had 14 assists, 14 turnovers. I mean, that's the game right there." (05:24)

• Shannon Ryan adds that Louisville’s best player dominated, while Kentucky’s star player "didn't even show up."

Plus/Minus and Leadership

• Kentucky's senior leaders did not lead; worst plus/minus numbers.
• Shannon:

  "A minus 16 is crazy." (06:46)

3. Players and Moments: What Stood Out? (08:01–14:48)

• Matt and Drew shocked at Oweh's disengaged play, both offensively and defensively, and note his odd shooting mechanics:

  "He now does this thing where like he moves it in front of his face… but it seems a lot more kind of... it's worse." (09:45)

• Matt outlines the best run for Kentucky came with the unexpected group: Low, Aberdeen, Chandler, Williams, and occasionally Moreno or Garrison.
• The hosts discuss “dumb effort” (10:18) as Pope’s assessment—a phrase Matt and Drew joke about, agreeing the effort was there but not the execution.
• Shannon notes a critical game moment:

  "How many times do teams miss seven straight free throws at the end of the game? And we got zero points off of that. That is crazy." (14:00)

4. Solutions & Lineup Talk (15:30–17:36)

• Matt is "more disappointed than worried long term" (15:33) and proposes lineup changes:

  • Likes Low at point and Aberdeen at shooting guard.
  • Chandler could see more time at the three.
  • Demands more minutes for Moreno and possibly Yelovic, who "probably slid his feet better against Mikhail Brown than anybody." (15:39)

• Shannon and Drew support Aberdeen at the two for offensive balance.

• Collective concern over the lack of shooting and how poor spacing has limited Oweh’s ability to drive.

• Questions about Kentucky’s defensive game plan and why they repeatedly went under screens.

5. The Louisville View & Atmosphere Recap (23:07–26:47)

• Matt jokes about being taunted by Louisville students, waving back and feigning gratitude.
• Drew and Shannon praise the Louisville student section for their energy.
• Discussion of downtown Louisville's changing scene—Fourth Street now "dead," but areas by the river bustling on game night.

6. Listener Interaction & Notable Quotes (27:27–41:01)

On the Broadcast

• Callers note the number of times Donovan Mitchell was shown on TV.
• Drew jokes: “I think they showed Donovan Mitchell more than Pat Kelsey during the broadcast. And I am not even joking about that, they absolutely did.” (27:56)

Pope’s Adjustments & Lineup Debates

• All agree Pope adjusted too late, particularly on playing a smaller, shooting-focused lineup.
• Matt:

  "One of these two guys [Diabate or Garrison] is ended up on the bench because I don’t think those two dudes... can play together." (28:23)

Crowd and Fan Stories

• Callers share anecdotes about being pelted with drinks outside the arena (38:03).
• Matt: “That feels a little aggressive on their part.” (38:39)

New Rules and Officiating

• Detailed conversation on new NCAA rules for late-game reviews/challenges.
• Matt explains: “Refs can initiate a challenge in the last two minutes, but on out of bounds, you still have to have the [team’s] one.” (40:13)

7. Outlook for Upcoming Games & Season (19:55, 36:06–41:37)

• Next opponent: Michigan State, a stylistic contrast to Louisville. All feel more optimistic about this matchup (19:07).
• Worry shifts to teams similar to Louisville/Alabama, who play fast and space the floor.
• Matt: "You built your roster to have a shot in games like that, and you sacrificed offense to try to guard teams like that. And then we didn’t guard them any better than last year, Drew. And that's frustrating." (20:37)

Predicting Non-Conference Record

• Panel predicts 3–2 or 4–1 in remaining marquee non-conference games (Michigan State, North Carolina, Indiana, St. John’s, Gonzaga).
• St. John’s is flagged as especially dangerous due to their similarity to Louisville’s style.

Notable Quotes

• Matt Jones (03:01): “Our defense... just awful for 30 minutes. Awful. And honestly, in the first half, atrocious.”
• Shannon Ryan (06:46): “A minus 16 is crazy.”
• Matt Jones (09:45): “[Oweh] now does this thing where like he moves it in front of his face... but it seems a lot more kind of... it's worse.”
• Drew Franklin (12:14): “Your point guard has it. Instead of running offense... he jacks up a three from the logo.”
• Matt Jones (20:36): “You built your roster to have a shot in games like that... and then we didn’t guard them any better than last year, Drew. And that's frustrating.”
• Drew Franklin (27:56): “I think they showed Donovan Mitchell more than Pat Kelsey during the broadcast.”

Key Timestamps

• 00:36: Show opens, postgame mood set.
• 02:35: Matt reviews defensive breakdowns.
• 05:24: Turnover and assists discussion.
• 06:46: Plus/minus stats shock panel.
• 10:18: “Dumb effort” coaching critique.
• 14:00: Missed Louisville free throws & missed opportunities.
• 15:33: Is this a cause for long-term concern?
• 17:08: Defensive scheme against Louisville threes.
• 19:07: Michigan State preview.
• 20:36: Roster built for defense—why didn’t it work?
• 23:07: Crowd antics, Louisville student section stories.
• 27:56: TV broadcast critique (Donovan Mitchell).
• 28:23: Diabate/Garrison fit questioned.
• 36:06: Predicting non-conference record.
• 38:03: Listener reports crowd hostility.
• 40:13: Rule for last-two-minute reviews explained.

Tone

The conversation was candid, analytical, and sometimes self-deprecating/frustrated. The hosts combined good-natured banter with sharp basketball insight and honest criticism of Kentucky’s performance.

Conclusion

This episode provided an unfiltered, thoughtful review of Kentucky’s tough loss to Louisville, combining on-court analysis with coaching critiques, lineup debates, and lighter moments about the game environment and fan experiences. The panel expressed disappointment in individual performances and strategic choices, while remaining broadly optimistic about the team’s long-term potential, pending lineup changes and player growth. The upcoming Michigan State game will be an important test and an opportunity for Kentucky to reset and respond.