Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – January 12, 2026, Hour 1

Host: Matt Jones
Co-hosts: Drew Franklin, Ryan Lemond, Shannon Dawson
Location: Lexington Studio

Episode Overview

This edition of KSR dives deep into the latest surrounding Kentucky basketball, reflecting on a much-needed win after a rocky stretch, fan reactions (including some eyebrow-raising booing at Rupp Arena), candid debates on player performance and team dynamics, and a surge in optimism for Kentucky football’s transfer portal haul. Matt and the crew blend humor, insight, and local flair, making it a must-listen for UK fans aiming to catch the pulse of the Kentucky sports landscape.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Kentucky Basketball: Bouncing Back After a Crisis

• After a difficult loss to Missouri and a rocky first half against Mississippi State, Kentucky pulled away dramatically in the second half, ultimately winning by 24 points.
  • [06:04] Matt Jones: "Kentucky gets a much needed victory ... It looked bad. Started down 12. Jalen Lowe gets hurt. Jaden Quaintance doesn't play ... Then they start sharing the basketball ... a heck of a team in the second half."
• Major lineup adjustments by Coach Pope (Diabate benched, shooters favored at the four) led to improved ball movement and offensive flow. Moreno and Yellowvic had notable performances off the bench.
• Debate over the crowd’s significant booing in Rupp Arena after a sluggish start—seen as surprising and premature by the hosts, yet a sign of pent-up fan frustration:
  • [08:03] Matt Jones (on booing): "It's a little bit of premature boojaculation ... it was a little early to boo."
  • [08:52] Matt Jones: "It just felt like there were more people booing than I would've thought at a RUP home game."
• The crowd shifted from booing to actively willing the team to recover, especially after football OC Will Stein appeared on the jumbotron, which seemed to rejuvenate the atmosphere.

Lineup Insights & Player Dynamics

• The transparent benching of Diabate due to fit (clogs the paint, lacks shooting threat) was a major turning point. Hosts speculate that the team may be better going forward without Diabate in the main rotation, despite his early-season contribution as an enforcer:
  • [11:46] Matt Jones: "I do wonder if they're going to be better with him on the bench because they just shoot better. Diabate crowds the paint ... I don't know if it works."
  • [12:56] Ryan Lemond: "There are multiple examples ... last three or four games, yelling at an assistant or a teammate when they cut to the bench."
• Injuries continue to plague the team:
  • Jalen Lowe’s repeated shoulder injuries may likely sideline him for the season, with Drew and Matt both voicing support if he opts for surgery and rehab.
  • Quaintance’s absence sparked fan theories, with Drew joking about "conspiracy theories" and the impossibility of spelling "Quaintance" correctly ([16:00]).

Team Chemistry Rumblings

• The hosts candidly question the team’s cohesion and off-court relationships:
  • [27:19] Matt Jones querying Mario: “Do you think they get along? ... Not really.”

2. Player Pronunciation Drama & Family Moments

• Debate erupts over how to pronounce Malachi Moreno’s surname. The definitive answer comes from his mother, who calls into the postgame show radiating joy and clarifies it’s “Moreno”—contradicting UK’s own public address ([22:27]):
  • [22:28] Matt Jones: “She says, Moreno ... Can we all agree his mother is the final definitive source?”
• Humorous attempts by the crew to roll their Rs, highlighting the light-hearted tone.

3. NCAA Tournament Odds & Schedule Breakdown

• Matt and Ryan map out potential wins and losses down the stretch—concluding 9–9 in the SEC should suffice for a mid-seed NCAA tournament bid ([25:39]):
  • [25:39] Matt Jones: “I think we win. I'm going to say we go nine and nine in conference, get in the tournament. We're like a seven, eight, nine seed, and that's that.”
• Reference to KenPom’s more pessimistic projections, keeping everyone on their toes.

4. Football Recruiting Surge via the Transfer Portal

• Kentucky football’s transfer portal performance is lauded, highlighting the acquisition of top-ranked linemen and former five-star talents:
  • [39:36] Ryan Lemond: "He [Stoops] has been absolutely killing it so far. Got a lot of it done already with still five days to go."
  • Major pickups: #2 OT, #4 LB, #10 QB in the portal, plus star recruits C.J. Baxter (Texas RB), former #1 high school RB ([40:11]).
• Emphasis on how new talent (if healthy) could quickly elevate the program.

5. Fun & Memorable Moments

• Booth Banter:
  Mario’s mysterious new Audi prompts playful speculation about side hustles and KSR stardom ([03:04]).
• Calling Out 'Premature Boojaculation':
  • [08:03] Matt Jones: "A little bit of premature boojaculation ... it was a little early to boo."
• KSR Family:
  Sharing of a heartwarming moment when Malachi Moreno’s mother calls the postgame show, beaming with pride and playfully settling the pronunciation debate ([22:27]).
• Home Makeover Comedy:
  Mario’s attempt at creating a TikTok set at Matt's house ends with furniture chaos—Matt returning home, finding his kitchen occupied by a living room chair and furniture everywhere ([41:54]):
  • [44:05] Matt Jones: "I walk into my house Saturday night. He has moved everything I own into a different place."
• Inside Jokes:
  Drew’s “conspiracy theory” bit about Jaden Quaintance’s injury creates running gags about spelling and fan-generated drama ([16:05]).

6. Discussion on Press Conference Etiquette

• Spirited segment on whether it was appropriate for a Jacksonville journalist to tell a player to “keep your head up” in a postgame Q&A, revealing different perspectives on the line between journalism and human empathy ([30:34]–[32:14]).
  • [31:00] Ryan Lemond: "Because he was getting a nice, positive, inspiring message."
  • [31:12] Matt Jones: "Well, I'm a human at my core."

7. Listener Interaction & Hot Takes

• Text and call-in discussion covers:
  • Emotional reactions to booing and its meaning for the players ([20:55]).
  • Substitution pattern debates, namely Coach Pope’s tendency to sub in three at once and sometimes ice a hot hand ([36:55]).
  • Calls for more minutes for freshman Jasper Johnson, especially if Lowe is sidelined ([47:25]).

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• On the Team’s Comeback Effort:
  “Next thing you know, you think, oh, gloom despair, season’s over. And then they start sharing the basketball ... and they look like a heck of a team in the second half.”
  — Matt Jones [06:04]

• On Fan Booing:
  “It's a little bit of premature boojaculation ... it was a little early to boo.”
  — Matt Jones [08:03]

• On Diabate’s Fit:
  “He just doesn’t fit with what Pope does. I think Pope thought he could be Amari Williams, but that hasn’t really worked out.”
  — Matt Jones [12:28]

• On Moreno Pronunciation:
  “Can we all agree his mother is the final definitive [source]? ... So we say Moreno. If UK has Marie, they’re just wrong.”
  — Matt Jones [22:46]

• On the NCAA Tournament Path:
  “I'm going to say we go nine and nine in conference, getting the tournament. We're like a seven, eight, nine seed, and that's that.”
  — Matt Jones [25:39]

• On Mario’s Audi and Networking:
  “Look at Mr. Audi here. This is what happens when you start making films ... like, how do you even know them, Mario?”
  — Matt Jones [03:40]; [28:05]

Important Timestamps

| Time | Segment / Topic | |-----------|------------------------------------------| | 03:04 | Opening banter; KSR cast introductions | | 06:04 | Mississippi State game analysis | | 08:03 | Discussion on crowd booing (“boojaculation”) | | 10:14 | Recruiting tactics at UK basketball games| | 11:46 | Diabate benched, team chemistry issues | | 16:00 | Quaintance injury “conspiracy theories” | | 18:10 | Listener feedback on booing | | 22:27 | Moreno name pronunciation, call from mom | | 24:09 | NCAA Tournament projection, schedule breakdown | | 27:19 | Do the players get along? (“Mario, spill the tea”) | | 39:36 | Football transfer portal haul | | 41:54 | Mario’s home makeover for Matt’s TikToks | | 44:49 | Callers on player injuries, future plans | | 47:25 | Jasper Johnson and depth chart |

Summary Takeaways

• Kentucky basketball showed dramatic improvement in effort and team play after a worrisome stretch, but questions about injuries, rotation, and chemistry linger.
• The fanbase is on edge, as evidenced by rare booing at Rupp, but the crowd’s energy remains impactful.
• Team “fit” and the evolving rotation, especially around Diabate and the injured guards, will define the season’s path to the tournament.
• Kentucky football continues a robust transfer portal strategy, injecting optimism into the offseason.
• The KSR crew remains the pulse of Big Blue Nation, delivering insight with signature wit, candid fan debate, and local flavor.