Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 1

Date: March 19, 2026
Hosts: Matt Jones, Ryan Lemond
Location: St. Louis, MO (NCAA Tournament coverage)

Episode Overview

This episode of Kentucky Sports Radio finds Matt Jones, Ryan Lemond, and the KSR crew broadcasting from St. Louis as Kentucky prepares for its opening NCAA Tournament game. The show blends firsthand stories from their road trip and fan experiences with in-depth analysis of the tournament’s opening games, Kentucky’s roster situation, and the larger issues facing UK Athletics—especially its NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) approach in the new era of college sports.

Live from St. Louis: Road Trip & Tournament Atmosphere

• KSR in St. Louis: The crew shares impressions of their location, just down the road from the Missouri Botanical Garden and already enveloped in “the best four days of sports of the year” ([02:38]).
• Travel Crew: Drew Franklin can't make the trip because he's "on baby watch," leaving Matt, Mario, and Ryan as the “bachelors rolling to St. Louis” ([04:28]).
• Dining on The Hill: Recap of Italian food at Mama’s on The Hill, famous for classics like spaghetti and meatballs—“the highest version of what Ryan likes to eat” ([05:39]).
  • “Mamas was fire. As Mario was saying, well, it was perfect for you because… if you were saying, what's the highest version of what Ryan likes to eat? Mamas would have it.” – Matt Jones ([05:36])

Memorable Anecdote: Ryan’s Lost Driver’s License

• Ryan thought he lost his driver's license after scanning it for the DraftKings app. After significant panic and a restaurant search, Matt found it “in a secret pocket in Ryan's own wallet” ([08:13]).
• “This man had torn the restaurant up… He was about to ask to go back in the kitchen because he thought he left it on his plate.” – Matt Jones ([08:37])

NCAA Tournament Talk: Why We Love March

Opening Night Fun

• Miami (OH) vs. SMU: The KSR crew revels in the “March Madness magic” delivered by Miami of Ohio’s upset win, highlighting why underdog stories and quirky college traditions make the tournament great ([10:03]–[13:56]).
  • “That game was why we love the NCAA tournament.” – Matt Jones ([12:35])
  • “If they're going to expand the tournament… I don't want Auburns… That was fun. Random dudes…It was a joyous sporting [event].” – Matt Jones ([10:11])
• Mid-Major Magic: Discussion touches on how mid-majors keep the tournament unpredictable and fun, citing Miami's “frat guy” roster and wild fan section antics like the group of Speedo-wearing swimmers ([12:40], [16:14]).
• Kentucky Fandom’s Expectations: Matt posits that many UK fans expected new coach Mark Pope’s offense to mirror the fun, high-volume three-point shooting Miami-OH team – but that's not been the reality ([15:19]).
  • “I think our fan base watching that…they were like, oh, this is what we were going to be like, but with better players. And it hasn't really been like that.” – Matt Jones ([15:33])

Kentucky’s Prospects

• Though not a heavy preview, there’s confidence that UK is a level above first-round opponent Santa Clara, who, despite their shooting, “don’t guard anybody” ([42:23]).
  • “Objectively, we're better…Our guards should be better…We should win. That doesn't mean we will, but we should.” – Matt Jones ([43:01])

NCAA Transfer Portal & UK Roster Building

Portal Rumors & Fan Cautions

• Caution on Portal Reports: Matt shares skepticism about unverified player rumors and stresses the difference between “random Twitter accounts” and established recruiting journalists ([21:11]).
  • “So I saw some random account…which I'm not saying is not legitimate…but does anyone know where that account is from? …All of a sudden, that became UK websites saying Kentucky was the leader for this kid.” – Matt Jones ([22:09])

Specific Targets & International Recruiting

• Quinn Ellis: British point guard playing in Italy (age 22) is a serious target – “people are saying he could be one of the best players that will end up transferring into college basketball next year. Duke is interested. Kentucky and Louisville [are too]” ([23:30]).
  • “Would you like to have a good day? Tea and Crumpets, British point guard next year?” – Matt Jones ([23:47])
• Portal Misses: Matt and Ryan discuss the difficulty forecasting portal success; even highly-ranked transfers can flop, and vice versa ([25:24]).
  • “It seems like people still haven't gotten the science of the Portal down yet.” – Matt Jones ([25:24])

Returnees, Departures & NIL

• Ongoing uncertainty about returning players, particularly Jalen Lowe.
• “There is a person who's a big donor to Kentucky …that they do not think Jalen Lowe's coming back…” – Matt Jones ([23:58])

UK Athletics & the NIL Conundrum

The Capilouto Interview – A Missed Opportunity

• President Eli Capilouto’s recent radio interview drew criticism for being scripted and uninformative ([29:14]).
  • “If any of you ever thought that, like, Mitch Barnhart was too saucy and interesting, go listen to an Eli Capiluto.” – Matt Jones ([29:14])
  • The show’s hosts were even replaced by the station’s owner, Lynn Martin, for the segment ([30:08]).
  • Matt revisits Martin’s history of dismissing his potential for radio: “He met with me and he said…‘I just don't think you'll ever really be in broadcasting.’…I remember thinking, alright, we'll see.” – Matt Jones ([30:45])
• Matt reads the university’s official non-answer about outgoing AD Mitch Barnhart’s $2 million transition bonus ([33:08]):
  • “His compensation is in line with what comparable institutions have paid for similar transitions…” ([33:08])
  • Matt: “It says nothing. Yeah. I asked, why did he get 2 million more dollars? And that was the answer.” ([33:46])

Kentucky’s NIL Struggles

• Fans question if Kentucky’s difficulties landing big-time hoops transfers are rooted in NIL issues and/or coach–agent relationships ([34:19], [36:31]).
  • “In football, Will Stein basically had maybe two big deals to negotiate…But basketball is a different world…all the people are stars, all the people are asking for specialized deals.” – Matt Jones ([36:31])
  • “Mark Pope was kind of not connecting to people. So…it’s a fair question which one of those is most important? As of this moment, I don’t know the answer.” – Matt Jones ([37:19])

Kentucky’s Approach, Tradition, and Tournament Readiness

UK’s Tournament Prep

• Bracket Show Isolation: Pope opted not to let cameras in for Kentucky’s selection, citing desire for a private moment with the team. Ryan’s skeptical, but Matt says, “If you win, nobody’s going to care about any of this” ([44:19]–[46:31]).
  • “The fact that he didn’t make any comment at all before the game…That… is a number one complaint, which is the fans want to hear what you have to say. Say something.” – Matt Jones ([46:01])

Listener Contributions

• Calls range from predictions (with callers “being Joseph” for dry delivery and low expectations, [47:23]) to fun facts about Miami (OH) tricking recruits with palm-tree branding ([48:20]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• On Miami (OH) and the meaning of March:
  • “That game was why we love the NCAA tournament.” – Matt ([12:35])
• On Kentucky fan expectations for Pope:
  • “I think that's what…I think our fan base thought that that's what it was going to be. Now, Pope has never played exactly that style, but…I think they were like, oh, this is what we were going to be like, but with better players. And it hasn't really been like…” – Matt ([15:33])
• On the NIL climate:
  • “In basketball, all the people are stars. All the people are asking for specialized deals. That’s a different thing.” – Matt ([36:31])
• On media frustration with UK’s response to criticism:
  • “What's the point of saying nothing like that didn't. That didn't help the situation. Did not even ask or address the contract.” – Matt ([32:29])

Key Timestamps

• [02:38] — Show start & NCAA atmosphere in St. Louis
• [05:36] — Dining on The Hill, St. Louis foodie recap
• [08:06] — Ryan’s missing driver’s license story
• [10:03] — Miami (OH) vs. SMU tourney recap, tournament magic
• [15:19] — Kentucky fans’ expectations vs. reality with Pope
• [21:11] — Portal rumors and the need for verified sources
• [23:30] — On British point guard Quinn Ellis as a portal target
• [29:14] — Critiquing Capilouto’s interview and UK’s PR approach
• [33:08] — University response on Mitch Barnhart’s contract/payout
• [36:31] — NIL challenges: football vs. basketball recruiting
• [42:23] — Santa Clara first-round matchup preview
• [44:19] — Mark Pope’s bracket show decision and media access debate

Summary Takeaways

• The NCAA Tournament’s Unique Joy: The KSR crew celebrates why March Madness remains essential viewing—David-vs-Goliath games, school traditions, random personalities, and the magic of the underdog.
• UK’s Hopes and Challenges: While Kentucky is favored in its first game, bigger storylines loom: How will they fill their roster in a wild transfer market and closing NIL gap? Can Pope deliver on the fun expectations?
• The “Business” Side: The crew lays bare fan and media skepticism about UK Athletics’ lack of transparency, especially on issues like the AD payout and NIL infrastructure.
• Classic KSR Vibe: This episode blends banter, self-deprecating storytelling, sharp angles on UK’s future, and listener engagement all colored by the humor, warmth, and subtle sarcasm that makes the show a staple for Kentucky fans.

For listeners and fans, this episode offers both an on-the-ground sense of March Madness energy and a no-spin account of the major turning points and anxieties facing UK basketball in 2026.