KSR - Hour 1 | December 3, 2025

Podcast: Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR)
Hosts: Ryan Lemond, Drew Franklin, Shannon Dawson (Matt Jones absent)
Date: December 3, 2025
Episode Theme: Dealing with disappointment after Kentucky's home basketball loss to North Carolina, and updates on UK football with new coach Will Stein.

Episode Overview

This episode centers on Kentucky’s tough loss to North Carolina in men’s basketball, frustration among fans, and analysis of what went wrong for the Wildcats. The team looks ahead to a challenging matchup against Gonzaga and also discusses the bright spot of new football coach Will Stein’s introduction. The hosts field several calls from fans—ranging from venting and concern to optimism and musical tributes—while Matt Jones is absent, supporting his father after surgery.

Main Discussion Points & Key Insights

1. Reaction to the Kentucky-North Carolina Loss (03:40–14:28)

- Game Summary & Emotions

• Kentucky lost 67-64 at home, wasting what the crew described as an electric Rupp Arena atmosphere.
• Drew Franklin summed it up:

  "Just so disappointed. I mean, I don't even know where to begin." (04:04)

• The hosts expressed disbelief at a 10-minute field-goal drought in the second half:

  "10 minutes without a field goal, 10 minutes without a bucket. And they finished the second half two of their last 16." — Ryan Lemond (04:57)

- Offensive Woes

• Only attempted 13 threes, making one.

  "This is a Mark Pope team. [He] wants 30 threes a game, spacing, let it fly. And they went one for 13." — Drew Franklin (08:10)

• Inconsistent offensive identity, possibly due to missing starters to injury.

- Rebounding and Effort

• North Carolina secured 20 offensive rebounds and outscored Kentucky in second-chance points 22–5.

  "I'm shocked. It's a three point loss." — Drew Franklin (05:16) "UK wasn't even trying... they were sitting around and just watching them grab their own misses." — Drew Franklin (06:43)

- Defensive Performance

• Hosts credited the defense for keeping the score close.

  "Defense kept them in the game. You hold the team... to 67 points. Especially in this day and age, you think you're going to win..." — Shannon Dawson (05:20)

2. Player & Coaching Analysis (09:31–12:22)

- Injuries and Depth

• Discussion of missing key players such as Jalen Lowe, and whether injuries are a valid excuse.

  "You should have enough depth to be playing better than you are right now." — Drew Franklin (10:23)

- Attempts to Fix the Team

• The consensus: little can be fixed until the team gets healthy.

  "If you trot this same lineup out there Friday against Gonzaga, I think they're going to get murdered." — Shannon Dawson (11:11)

• Lack of shooters in games despite reputations from practice.

  "All summer long, we heard how Trent Noah hit 100 in a row. Cam Williams hit 100 in a row. Yet out of the 13 three pointers you shot last night, your best three-point shooter on the floor, Colin Channer, only took two." — Ryan Lemond (11:40)

- Late Game Execution

• Critique of inbound play and effort at the end.

  "With two seconds left, they just threw in the towel... they had him inbound the ball and he just threw it to the other free throw line." — Drew Franklin (12:22)

3. Broader Program Concerns & Fan Reaction (13:14–27:27)

- Losing Record in High-profile Games

• Kentucky now 0–3 in major non-conference games this year (Michigan State, Louisville, North Carolina).

  "All of our high-profile games in the last couple weeks have been disasters." — Ryan Lemond (25:33)

- Disappointment Despite Strong Fan Support

• The Rupp Arena crowd was praised for energy.

  "That's one of the better Rupp crowds I've seen... some of Rupp’s best stuff." — Drew Franklin (13:14)

- Ineffective Substitution Patterns

• Mark Pope ran with primarily five players in the second half, possibly due to bench ineffectiveness.

  "A lot of those guys off the bench did not look good last night. I mean, you knew the moment they were in. All right, go sit back down." — Drew Franklin (20:09)

- Recruiting Consequences

• Concern that sharing minutes among many players might deter top recruits.

  "...no 5-star wants to come play 24 minutes when they can go play 35 and take all the shots somewhere else." — Drew Franklin (21:28)

4. Listener Calls: Frustration, Humor & Optimism

- Big Don Venting (21:52–23:51)

"That's as bad as the Billy G era right there... It's just aggravating and I don't know what to do." (22:11)

Big Don describes his long, costly, and emotional night, including getting a ticket on the way home from the game.

- Braden Criticizes Spending vs Results (27:41–28:17) Complaints about the program's lack of return on its financial investment:

"22 million. And this is what we get?"

- Isaiah Offers Tempered Optimism (33:57–35:23)

"...the pieces are potentially there. So I'm just asking the UK fans just to be optimistic... Mark is a smart guy...he will figure it out."

- Kentucky Joe Delivers Original UK Songs (36:32–39:47) Kentucky Joe delivers impromptu musical performances, including "Roar, Mr. Wildcat" and a reprise of "Willie Collie Steinman."

5. Quick Football Updates (29:20–33:54)

- Will Stein Introduction

• New football coach Will Stein received an enthusiastic welcome at the basketball game.

  "That was a loud pop. And then... when he started pumping his arms and yelling, let's go. Rupp went even louder." — Drew Franklin (13:55)

• Announcement of upcoming staff additions (e.g., Pat Biondo, Justin Burke).

• QB recruit Ponotoski signed, providing a positive note.

6. Key Stats & Historical Lowlights (44:17–45:42)

- Notable Quotes & Stats

"Last night was the first time in UK history that we had more Y's in a game than threes made in a game." — Jay in Lyndon, Tweet of the Day (44:00)

"In their last eight ranked matchups, Kentucky is 1–7, 0–3 this year, 1–4 last five SEC games last year." — Ryan Lemond (45:14)

"What the Power Four games are now: 14–15, a losing record [against] teams since he's been here." — Drew Franklin (45:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On how the game felt:

  "I'm shocked. It's a three point loss." — Drew Franklin (05:16)

• Summing up the team’s offensive woes:

  "I've never seen someone airball threes as much as Denzel Aberdeen has airball threes this year. It is truly remarkable." — Drew Franklin (08:39)

• On effort and fatigue:

  "I hate hearing the fatigue. I mean, played 30 minutes." — Drew Franklin (20:32)

• Big Don’s emotional reaction:

  "I went and watched that crap... That's as bad as the Billy G era right there. I'm not kidding." (22:11)

• Fan call for optimism:

  "With our defense, you know, we held them to 67 points... the pieces are potentially there. I'm just asking UK fans just to be optimistic." — Isaiah (33:59)

• Statistical absurdity:

  "Last night was the first time in UK history that we had more Y's in a game than threes made in a game." — Jay in Lyndon (44:00)

• On home-court letdowns:

  "Whenever we played good teams this year we have showed we cannot shoot, we cannot out physical a team... I don't even know where we begin to find a way to win." — DG (45:54)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:40] – Initial reaction to the loss and atmosphere at Rupp Arena
• [04:57] – Discussion of scoring drought and rebounding issues
• [08:10] – Three-point shooting failures and personnel
• [11:11] – How can the team be fixed?
• [13:14] – Crowd energy and high-profile game disappointment
• [15:35] – Matt Jones absence explained (supporting his father post-surgery)
• [21:52] – Big Don’s caller segment (raw fan emotion)
• [29:20] – Excitement over Will Stein’s introduction as football coach
• [33:57] – Isaiah’s call for patience
• [36:32] – Kentucky Joe’s musical interlude
• [44:00] – Don Franklin tweet of the day: More Y’s than threes
• [45:51] – DG’s call about loss of home-court advantage

Conclusion

This hour of KSR blended sharp criticism, down-to-earth fan angst, flashes of humor, and a rare sliver of optimism after a demoralizing Kentucky basketball loss. The discussion ranged from technical shortcomings and coaching decisions to the broader health of the program and its relationship with the fan base. Sprinkled in were football updates to soften the blow, and classic UK fan entertainment courtesy of Kentucky Joe.

Overall tone: Frustrated, candid, occasionally comic; an honest portrait of Big Blue Nation nursing its wounds and asking tough questions.

For those who missed the episode:
Expect a deep dive into what went wrong against UNC, soul-searching about the team’s direction, passionate calls from fans, and a look ahead to another tough matchup. Plus, a dose of football optimism and signature Kentucky fan culture.