Kentucky Sports Radio (KSR) – Hour 1

Date: March 30, 2026
Host Crew: Drew Franklin, Ryan Lemond, Shannon the Dude, Jack Pilgrim (Matt Jones off this week)

Episode Overview

This lively Monday edition of Kentucky Sports Radio dives deep into NCAA tournament drama, especially Duke's stunning collapse, and unpacks the latest buzz around Kentucky Wildcats basketball—touching on roster shakeups, staff changes, portal watch, and fan sentiment. The hosts react with glee to the weekend’s upsets (particularly Duke and Tennessee losing) and address UK’s offseason maneuvers, including point guard turnover and staff departures. There's also time for listener calls, some fond storytelling, and a look at other UK sports.

Main Discussion Points and Insights

1. Elite Eight Reactions: Duke’s Collapse & Kentucky Fans’ Joy

[04:06–13:31]

• Duke’s Loss:

  • Recap of the Duke-Yukon game, where Duke gave up a 19-point lead and lost in dramatic fashion.
  • Intense satisfaction among the KSR hosts and UK fans.
  • “I'm a hater. I understand that it's probably not the best look to laugh at a team when your team's been out… but I don't care. I hate Duke. We all hate Duke. Loved every minute of that.” — Drew [04:06]

• John Shire’s Blunders:

  • Discussion on John Shire’s pivotal coaching mistake instructing Kaden Boozer to throw the ball—a call that contributed to Duke’s meltdown.
  • “Shire was telling him to throw it ahead. So that's on John [Shire].” — Ryan [06:26]

• Promos and Instant Classics:

  • Desire for Mullins’ game-winner to replace the infamous Christian Laettner shot in NCAA montages.
  • “That should replace the Leitner shot on all the promos … that one right there should definitely … replace that other one.” — Shannon [05:56]

• Final Four Outlook:

  • Relieved that archrivals are out, Kentucky fans are “frilling” at the lack of Duke and Tennessee.
  • “It's not a Kentucky win, of course, but it's not far beneath...watching Duke go down in that fashion.” — Drew [04:06]

• Heartbreaks and Connections:

  • Jack Pilgrim shares behind-the-scenes on UK recruiting misses: Braylon Mullins (who hit the game-winner for Indiana) almost became a Wildcat, but a sequence of events led him elsewhere (Jasper Johnson committed first).
  • “That one stings, man… I wonder how Mark Pope watched that final sequence there, knowing who hit the shot.” — Jack Pilgrim [08:00]

2. More NCAA Tourney Talk: Tennessee’s Loss, UConn’s Rise, and Fan Rivalries

[09:29–13:31]

• Tennessee’s Ongoing Final Four Futility:
  • Drew unveils the annual joke: Tennessee’s golf courses are digging up holes 15–18 so no one there ever plays a “Final Four.”
  • “That's breakthrough.” — Drew [09:58]
• UConn’s Championship Aspirations:
  • Discussion of UConn possibly winning three titles in four years.
  • Dan Hurley's wild sideline antics, including headbutting a ref and escaping a technical.
  • “I don't think you can headbutt the ref...and not get teed up.” — Ryan [12:09]
  • “He is a maniac.” — Shannon [12:46]

3. Kentucky Basketball Updates: Roster Turnover and Staff Changes

[17:52–24:03]

• Jalen Lowe Exits, Mason Williams Joins:

  • Lowe leaving via transfer considered best for both sides due to injury/inconsistency risks.
  • Mason Williams, though not a top recruit, is praised as a depth piece, not a centerpiece. “You get him for depth.” — Jack [20:07]
  • “No one's asking Mason Williams to come play 37 minutes a game…we want depth, we want to recruit and develop.” — Ryan [20:15]

• Point Guard Search, Portal Philosophy:

  • Dink Pate (G League Ignite) is a target; UK intends to spend NIL money on true game-changers, not 7th/8th/9th men.
  • “Let's prioritize money wise, the stars...” — Jack [21:24]

• Assistant Coaching Turnover:

  • Jason Hart and Alvin Brooks are out; Pope is reshaping his staff for a critical season.
  • "This is a make or break season for me...we gotta have somebody I feel totally I can push all my chips in on.” — Jack [22:25]
  • Worry about timing—need new hires before portal season ramps up in a week.

4. Listener Calls & Notable Fan Sentiments

[24:03–40:44]

• Fan Reliving Duke Heartbreak (Fuzzy):

  • Caller Fuzzy describes his emotional experience watching Duke’s loss, comparing it to suffering the Laettner shot live.
  • “When he hit that, I screamed almost as loud as I did at KS Bar whenever away hit that shot.” — Fuzzy [24:10]

• Kentucky Offseason Priorities:

  • Consensus that Pope must find star players, not a team full of solid “sixth men.”
  • “We need a couple of stars on our team to lead us…we really didn’t have any stars.” — Debbie [26:53]

• Jamal Mashburn Generational Gap:

  • Funny moment: younger people (even in their 20s) don’t recognize Wildcat legend Jamal Mashburn on TV.
  • “How does that make you feel?” — Drew [30:34]
  • “Makes me feel old!” — Ryan [30:51]

• Malachi Moreno’s Importance:

  • Fans ask about Malachi’s return; hosts agree keeping him is vital for on-court and PR reasons.
  • “If Malachi were to end up somewhere else, that's a big hit to next season. I think it'll be a big hit on the court. But also just Pope being able to retain a guy who grew up a county over from Lexington...” — Ryan [34:12]

• Frontcourt/Portal Strategies:

  • Pope wants value in the post—willing to move on from more expensive, less productive returnees to focus budget elsewhere and find “hungry” new talent.

• Heartfelt Segment:

  • Listener Casey calls in to request thoughts and prayers for fan favorite Andy, battling colon cancer.
  • “Andy was really—he doesn’t like the attention…he was getting so many [messages] his mom and his Siri couldn't even keep up.” — Casey [39:29]

5. Other UK Athletics & Miscellaneous

[41:34–47:24]

• UK Baseball & Softball Struggles:

  • Baseball loses series at LSU after squandering a big lead but remains Top 25.
  • Softball swept by Georgia.

• Women's Basketball:

  • Season ends against Texas in Sweet 16; positive momentum expected with Claire Strack’s return next year.

• Listener Commentary on UK Athletics Spending:

  • Joe repeatedly calls for AD Mitch Barnhart to "release some of that money" to better support UK teams, especially for recruiting and retaining talent.

• Refereeing Gripes:

  • Complaints about officiating in Duke vs St. John’s, especially the absence of charge calls on Cameron Boozer.
  • “He's talented, but he's also getting away with a lot because sometimes he just completely lowers his shoulder…” — Ryan [47:24]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Drew on Duke's downfall:
  "I hate Duke. We all hate Duke. Loved every minute of that. It's not a Kentucky win, of course, but it's not far beneath..." [04:06]

• Ryan on John Shire's coaching mistake:
  "John Shire was telling him to throw the ball forward when he should have just sat on it and taken a foul...that's on John." [06:26]

• Shannon on NCAA tourney promos:
  "That should replace the Leitner shot on all the promos...for the last, what, 35 years or however long it's been." [05:56]

• Jack Pilgrim on off-season expectations:
  "This is a make or break season for me and if I'm not even...90% confident...it's not good enough." [22:25]

• Ryan (to caller about Malachi Moreno):
  "Pope needs a PR win on that one. PR wins in general right now." [34:12]

• Casey on fan Andy’s health battle:
  "Andy’s my best friend I met through you guys and I can’t live without that voice...I just want everybody to keep him in your thoughts and prayers." [38:55]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Duke's Loss & Reactions: [04:06–08:55]
• Braylon Mullins UK Recruiting Backstory: [08:00–09:04]
• Tennessee/Final Four joke: [09:58–10:24]
• Dan Hurley’s Headbutt & UConn Chat: [12:09–13:14]
• UK Offseason (Jalen Lowe/Mason Williams/Staff Changes): [17:52–24:03]
• Fan calls on NCAA heartbreak, Mashburn generational gap: [24:03–33:36]
• Malachi Moreno portal/retention debate: [33:00–35:32]
• UK Baseball/Softball Recap: [41:34–43:03]
• Women's Basketball, NIL talk, listener calls: [44:34–47:24]

Conclusion

Hour 1 of KSR is a cathartic and celebratory show for Kentucky fans, relishing foe misery and using NCAA chaos as a lens to evaluate their own program’s next steps. The hosts emphasize a need for star power and strategic portal activity under Mark Pope, address staff shakeups, and commiserate—with hope—about other UK sports. The show balances passionate rivalry talk, down-to-earth recruiting realities, and a healthy dose of Kentucky pride and humor.