Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 2, December 5, 2025

Host: Matt Jones, with Ryan Lemond and Shannon Dawson
Recorded Live at: Ashley Furniture in Glasgow, KY
Listener Call-in Number: 859-280-2287

Episode Overview

This episode of KSR dives into all things Kentucky sports, focusing on the red-hot state of college basketball’s non-conference schedule, the increasing influence of money in college sports (especially with new lucrative tournaments in exotic locations like Dubai), discussions on team and coaching news, and lively listener calls. There’s an authentic, good-natured back-and-forth as the crew blends insightful commentary with trademark humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. College Basketball's Explosive Non-Conference Schedule

• [06:27] Matt Jones praises this season as “the best year I can ever remember for...really good non-conference [games].”
• Every night features top teams facing off, and changes in ranking systems (NET and Kenpom) encourage tough scheduling.
• [07:17] “If you play good teams, you get more of a benefit for playing and losing than you do for beating bad teams.” – Ryan Lemond

2. New Dubai Tournament: Dollars vs. Tradition

• [07:50–12:16] News breaks about a major “non-conference” (preseason) college basketball tournament slated for Dubai with huge financial incentives (rumored $3–4 million per team).
• Ethical qualms and fan impact: The guys question both the morality and fan accessibility of moving games to the Middle East.
  • "Leave aside any moral quandaries...Would you support Kentucky playing a tournament in Dubai?" [08:19] – Ryan Lemond
  • “It’d feel weird...If we’re gonna fly far, can we go to Maui? Maybe I’m old school.” [08:52] – Matt Jones
• Potential for foreign investors to influence (even dominate) college athletics is discussed with caution.

3. Call-in: Hypothetical – Trade Basketball for Football Glory?

• [12:31] A caller asks: Would you trade missing the NCAA basketball tournament for the best football season ever (11–1 plus SEC, playoff)?
• “I'll take one year of missing the tournament to have the greatest football season in the history of our school.” [12:58] – Ryan Lemond
• “Could just turn into, you know, momentum that could really change the course of football.” [13:53] – Matt Jones

4. Kentucky Basketball’s Struggles & Injuries

• [14:03, 24:02]
  • Jalen Lowe’s injury—a true point guard—comes under scrutiny. The team's lack of a vocal leader and chemistry issues are lamented.
  • “Part of it right now is they just don’t have a teammate that'll get up...and fire them up.” [25:13] – Matt Jones
  • “If Jalen Lowe does not play...I start to worry a lot.” [14:07] – Ryan Lemond

5. Call-in: Kentucky’s NIL Realities

• Discussion on the fairness and structure of NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) contracts regarding player performance and injury.
  • “You can give whatever kind of contract you want...If Kentucky’s offering $500,000 and Iowa State’s offering a million, that kid’s going to Ames.” [40:31] – Ryan Lemond
  • “Sometimes these 17-year-olds aren’t thinking the same way…I hate saying this out loud, but...in two years, we’ll have one title in 30 seasons.” [41:14] – Matt Jones

6. High School and Local Sports Shoutouts

• Recognition of Brandon Stockton (former Glasgow star) recovering from cancer [21:23]
• Nostalgic recounting of high school basketball legends and stats.

7. Kentucky High School Football State Finals

• Panel picks for big games: Franklin County vs. Boyle County, Owensboro vs. Pulaski County, and South Warren vs. Trinity [30:10–33:06].
• “Just bringing in a coach who’s prioritizing Kentucky recruiting...big year coming up next year.” [30:45] – Ryan Lemond

8. Light-hearted Banter

• New car technology discussion; “butt vibrator” seat alerts [04:38]
• Payday confusion for hosts [06:09]
• A caller’s childhood anecdote about being split between Baptist and Methodist churches based on gender [34:02]

9. KSR Parlay and Gambling Talk

• Final segment includes their weekly parlay picks for the weekend’s major college football games, emphasizing their ongoing, comedic struggle to get all picks right [45:58–48:12].

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On non-conference scheduling:
  “People are not going to pay to come watch you play somebody bad...the new rankings...reward you for playing [and even losing] to good teams.”
  — Ryan Lemond [07:17]
• On Dubai tournaments and foreign influence:
  “We're giving way too much of our information away to private companies...The second thing we're going to regret is normalizing these countries with our sporting events.”
  — Matt Jones [11:26]
• On Kentucky football’s hypothetical breakout:
  “Can you imagine what Kentucky would be like if we went 11 and 1?”
  — Ryan Lemond [12:58]
• On Jalen Lowe’s importance:
  “Maybe he'll bring that leadership they're missing...Part of it right now is they just don’t have a teammate that'll get up...and fire them up.”
  — Matt Jones [25:13]
• On NIL & player contracts:
  “Just being Kentucky is not enough.”
  — Ryan Lemond [40:54]
• On fan engagement in the NIL era:
  “What we can do as Kentucky fans is just love them the best we can, cheer for them...try to make them feel as welcome as possible.”
  — Caller “Chip” [51:08]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [06:27] – The golden age of non-conference basketball schedules
• [07:50] – Breaking news: College basketball games in Dubai
• [08:19–12:16] – Policy and ethics of moving NCAA events overseas
• [12:31] – Hypothetical: Best football season ever vs. basketball NCAA appearance
• [14:03, 24:02] – Jalen Lowe’s injury, team chemistry concerns
• [21:23] – Brandon Stockton recovery/prayers
• [30:10–33:06] – High school football state final picks
• [34:02] – Caller with unique family church split story
• [40:31] – NIL realities: guarantees, contracts, and recruiting
• [45:58–48:12] – KSR parlay picks & college football playoff implications
• [51:08] – Changing fan/player relationships in college sports

Concluding Thoughts

The KSR crew delivers a rewarding hour packed with both hard-hitting Kentucky sports analysis and warmth. Across discussions—from the nitty gritty of contracts and realignment, to debates over whether Dubai is the right place for college basketball’s future, and even familial jokes about church attendance—the show is an authentic window into the heart of UK fandom.

For Kentucky fans, the message is pragmatic optimism: cherish the games, support the players, and brace for the wild, ever-more-global future of college sports.