Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 1

Date: November 14, 2025
Host: Matt Jones and the KSR crew
Location: Live from Infinity Rooftop, Marriott City Center, Lexington

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Kentucky Sports Radio crew—Matt Jones, Ryan Lemond, Drew Franklin, and Shannon—gather live in Lexington to break down pressing University of Kentucky (UK) sports topics. The big story: serious injury news for UK basketball point guard Jalen Lowe and the uncertain impact on the team's season. The team also dissects head coach Mark Pope’s cryptic comments about an incident before the Louisville game, discusses roster and fan reactions, and touches on upcoming games and show logistics. The tone is characteristically candid, energized, and a little irreverent.

Major Topics and Discussion Points

1. Jalen Lowe's Shoulder Injury and Its Impact

[03:06 – 11:45]

• Breaking News: Jalen Lowe, key UK basketball point guard, re-injured his shoulder in practice following a collision with Diabate. Surgery is being considered, with decisions pending by end-of-day. Lowe will at least miss the non-conference season.

  • "He was hurt yesterday in practice...the injury is slightly worse than last time. Surgery could be an option...they are going to think about it for the rest of the day and then make a decision." —Matt Jones (04:15)

• Matt’s View: Lowe was seen as potentially the team's leading scorer. Losing him significantly lowers the team’s ceiling but optimism remains thanks to roster depth.

  • "If we don’t have him, it certainly hurts our ceiling...If you had asked me before the season who's the player UK can afford to lose least, I probably would have said Jalen Lowe." —Matt Jones (05:39)

• Fan and Crew Reaction:

  • The situation is reminiscent of last year’s injury to then-point guard Lamont Butler.
  • Odd coincidence to have shoulder injuries for point guards in back-to-back years.
  • "I can’t remember a shoulder injury ever. And our point guards got it two years in a row...We need the, we had the ankle doctor, we need a shoulder doctor." —Ryan Lemond (06:48)
  • Drew, echoing fan anxiety, thinks Lowe may need to shut it down for surgery, like Butler did, but notes it’s unusual and frustrating to see these injuries at the same position (07:32–08:00).

• Play-Through or Surgery?

  • Speculation about whether it’s better for Lowe to play through pain or have surgery now.
  • "Would you try to play or say, look, man, there’s no reason I’m going to be in pain for four straight months?" —Matt Jones (08:21)
  • Shannon: "I would say you just got to play through the pain and try to get to the offseason and then take care of that." (08:36)
  • Differentiation that Lowe's injury is to his non-shooting (right) shoulder, which may make playing through it more manageable than Butler's injury (09:01).

• Roster Adjustments:

  • Next man up is likely Aberdeen, but who’s the backup? Discussion about Chandler and Jasper Johnson:
    • "Jasper Johnson’s going to have to figure out how to be a backup point guard...because I love Chandler and I think Chandler is great in his other role. I do not think he’s a point guard." —Matt Jones (09:34)
    • Drew floats the idea of recruiting a point guard midseason, like BYU just did from the G League: "I would really consider that. Unless they really believe in Jasper..." (10:29)

2. Coach Mark Pope’s Cryptic Press Conference

[11:45 – 17:14; 25:28 – 28:13]

• The Incident:

  • Mark Pope hinted at a mysterious "situation" before the Louisville game that "threw the team off," but wouldn’t specify.
    • "He said before the Louisville game a situation happened...I’m not ready to say what that is now. Really bad decision to say that." —Matt Jones (11:45)
  • Hosts agree: Don’t tease news you’re unwilling to fully reveal, as it invites damaging speculation:
    • "People are going to fill the void...I’ve heard three different rumors...they can’t all be true but one of them probably is." —Matt Jones (12:19)
    • "It’s like when somebody says, I’ve got news, but I can’t tell you what the news is. There’s nothing more frustrating." —Shannon (14:09)

• Potential Impact on Game:

  • Mixed opinions on whether the secret "incident" actually affected team performance:
    • "Whatever it was, it seems to maybe affected him or he wouldn’t have even had the notion to bring it up yesterday." —Ryan Lemond (14:58)
  • Matt speculates it wasn’t anything like altercations with student sections, as rumored, but that the withholding only amplifies gossip.

• Host Critique:

  • Matt and crew urge Pope to disclose now or move on:
    • "If you’re gonna say it one day, why are we letting it drag on? Just say it." —Matt Jones (14:00)
    • "Sometimes we get on coaches for not being open enough. Pope may be too open about stuff." —Ryan Lemond (26:20)
  • Potential that it was over-shared or made to sound more significant than it actually was—risking the impression of excuse-making:
    • "It kind of feels like an excuse. Like, we don’t want to hear that." —Shannon (26:37)

• Speculation and Fan Culture:

  • Matt: If Pope doesn’t clarify, “the stories are going to get wilder and wilder...like the old story about the fight on the plane.” (28:13)
  • Drew: The risk is inflating a minor incident into something legendary in Kentucky basketball lore.

3. Fan Base Overreaction & Critique

[22:19 – 25:28; 44:25 – 47:41]

• Fan Overreaction:

  • Host annoyance with accusations that Lowe is “injury prone” or “soft” after a clear, tough injury:
    • "He separated his shoulder, then came back a couple weeks later...that's like saying you're soft because you break your leg." —Matt Jones (22:05)
  • General tendency for Kentucky fans to make "grand proclamations about little things" after injuries or losses.
  • "We overreact to everything. We beat Purdue, we’re ready for the national title. We lose the Georgetown…oh no, we suck. That’s just what we do as a fan base." —Shannon (24:02)

• Roster Mobility—The G League Solution:

  • BYU and Louisville inspire Matt and Drew to suggest UK could poach a point guard from the G League midseason.
  • "No rules at all…Louisville’s got one coming next year, but BYU’s got one coming this year that is going to start, I think it said in December." —Drew Franklin (25:07)

• Perspective on Early Season:

  • Hosts urge patience:
    • "We're three games into the season. Maybe slow down just a little bit." —Matt Jones (34:15)

4. Review of Team Construction & Coaching

[33:52 – 39:59]

• Caller Critique:

  • Caller “Neil” criticizes Mark Pope’s roster and defensive philosophy, especially at the center position (Garrison).
  • Matt and Drew counter:
    • They’re only three games in, had early success, and recent losses don’t mean the system is broken.
    • "Defense will not get worse. Our offense is going to get worse. Drew. But our defense will not be worse without low. He’s the worst defender on the team..." —Matt Jones (36:29)

• Player Development:

  • Discussion about year-two players and the risk of fans turning on returners.
    • "In this new era…we're going to have guys return...I do hope we’re careful not to always punish them for returning." —Matt Jones (37:14)
    • Colin Chandler called out as the only second-year player making a big leap so far (38:05).
  • Point that it’s too early to panic or make conclusive judgments.
    • "I would say, wait till we get to the conference schedule…we are three games in." —Shannon (38:34)

• Need for Shooting:

  • The one roster issue Matt would adjust: an additional shooter.
    • "I wish we had one more guy. Maybe Noah will be that guy when he gets healthy." —Matt Jones (39:40)

5. Comparing Mark Pope and John Calipari Eras

[44:25 – 47:59]

• Calipari vs Pope:
  • Some fans and former players (Marcus and Jeff Teague) question if UK still has enough star power.
  • Matt’s response:
    • Cal’s “star accumulation” model wasn’t working anymore, and Pope’s chapter is unwritten.
    • "The book on Mark Pope has yet to be written…we’re 30 pages into it…The book on Cal Perry was closed. It was finished. I was done with it. It was a great book. I loved it. But then I got to the end, and I was ready for a new book." —Matt Jones (47:07)
    • Drew: compares it to Game of Thrones—a classic tale with a disappointing finish (47:43).

Notable Quotes and Moments

Jalen Lowe Injury:

• "If you had asked me before the season who’s the player UK can afford to lose least, I probably would have said Jalen Lowe." —Matt Jones (05:39)

On Injuries Striking Point Guards Again:

• "I’ve been doing this a long time and I can’t remember a shoulder injury ever. And our point guards got it two years in a row...This seems like a deja vu that we don’t want." —Ryan Lemond (06:48)

On Roster Depth:

• "Why did they build their roster like they did? They did it for this reason." —Matt Jones (09:34)

On Coach Pope’s Press Conference:

• "Really bad decision to say that. In my opinion, you either say it or you don’t. What you don’t do is say it and then not say what it is." —Matt Jones (11:45)
• "It's like when somebody says, I've got news, but I can't tell you what the news is. There's nothing more frustrating." —Shannon (14:09)

On Overreaction:

• "We have the greatest traits in about 95% of what fans are. But a problem we have is we freak out and make grand proclamations about little things." —Matt Jones (23:44)

On Patience and Perspective:

• "We're three games into the season…not making any statements about the season after three games." —Matt Jones (36:58)

On the New Coaching Era:

• "The book on Mark Pope has yet to be written...The book on Cal Perry was closed. It was finished...But then I got to the end, and I was ready for a new book." —Matt Jones (47:07)
• "Some chapters are a little disappointing. Some chapters make you happy. I think we have a lot more happy chapters coming than disappointing." —Ryan Lemond (48:14)

Highlighted Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:06] — Show begins, Matt reveals Lowe’s injury news
• [05:39] — Matt on Lowe’s importance to the team
• [09:34] — Roster construction, backup point guard speculation
• [11:45] — Mark Pope’s press conference incident and the messaging pitfalls
• [14:09] — Crew critiques Pope’s approach to sharing news
• [22:05] — Reaction to fan criticism of Lowe as “injury-prone”
• [25:07] — G League mid-season recruitment possibility
• [36:29] — Matt on defense likely not dropping after losing Lowe
• [44:25] — Comparing fan attitudes—Calipari vs. Pope era; roster star power
• [47:07] — “Book” metaphor for the Calipari and Pope eras

Closing Thoughts

This KSR episode offers an honest, lively, and sometimes humorous look at the turbulence that comes early season for UK basketball: a key injury, cryptic coach commentary, and the perennial volatility of the Kentucky fan base. The hosts oscillate between concern and optimism, contextualize setbacks, and urge patience. Above all, they remind listeners that college basketball seasons—and new coaching eras—are unpredictable journeys, and it's best not to write conclusions too soon.

Next episode preview: More updates on Jalen Lowe’s decision, further fallout (or clarification) from Mark Pope’s pre-Louisville game remark, and breakdowns of the upcoming basketball and football games.