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- [00:00]
Matt Jones
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- [00:30]
Ryan Lemons
Welcome everyone. It is the local Toyota dealers. KSR Post Game show the Cats, for the first time since 2019 are back in the Sweet 16 with a huge win here in Milwaukee over Illinois 84 to 75. We are here just kind of hanging out in a lobby of one of the hotels. I don't. They've asked us not to say where it is because they actually don't want people to come. So. So they were nice enough to let us be in here. We decided to stick around. We're going to leave right after the show. What an amazing win. I wanted to stay because I wanted to go inside and feel the experience of a victory again. It's been a while since we've had it in March and we got it. And now the Cats move to the sweet 16 where they will play Tennessee of all teams in Indianapolis in what will be, I think, one of the hardest tickets that you will see in basketball. Kentucky, Tennessee, Purdue, all in the same region in Indianapolis. It's going to be a heck of a Friday night. You can give us a shout. Billy will open up the phones at the end of this segment. Is that all right? I'm going to have Ryan, Ryan and Shannon are actually getting us food so that we can leave right after. Drew will be here. They'll all be on before this, before this show ends. But what an amazing victory. I mean, Kentucky really controlled the game from start to finish. It was, it was about as good as you could hope for for a performance. They came out early, made buckets and then kind of got a lead that they kept five to eight points throughout the first half and then after a great run to end this to start the second half, kept essentially an 8 to 12 to 14 point lead throughout the second half. A bunch of stories, but I think the biggest one is Kobe Bray at 23 points, including three in a row shots that I don't know. I think that gets Kobe into Kind of the legend status. When you're thinking about the sort of moments from the season, I think always lay up at Oklahoma and is won in the SEC tournament. And then I think you're going to think of this little Kobe bray, a montage of the three shots back to back to back. Huge performance by him. Lamont Butler, an absolute beast. I mean for me, as great as Kobe shot, Lamont Butler's kind of the MVP to come out there, have 14 points, five assists, play the defense that he played, you know, I mean he's playing with one arm essentially and you know, listening to Mark Pope talk about him in the post game press conference where he said basically somebody asked him about Lamont Butler and he had a great quote. He said courage is real, but love is too. And he said he is playing for the love of his teammates. And I will tell you, I've talked to a lot of people around the program, they all say that, some of them say he probably shouldn't be playing with his injury, but he wants to play. And how can you not, how can you not only appreciate that but love that for his teammates, for the program, for Mark Pope, I mean, just a warrior. These dudes, these dudes are a special group of guys. They become the first team, the first team in the history of the NCAA tournament to get to the Sweet 16, having returned 00 points from the year before. Think about that. Zero. And this is the first team to ever do it. Maybe it'll happen more often in the transfer portal era, probably will, but this is the first one. And to see this group of guys, dudes from Drexel, dudes from Dayton, you know, guys who came off the bench at Oklahoma, Wake Forest, San Diego State, Fairleigh Dickinson, you know, a kid from a two year Mormon mission. Two kids who one year ago today were playing in the finals of the Kentucky high school state tournament. Yeah, that was one year ago today. It's just an awesome story and what a, what a cool thing to be a part of. And in that arena tonight, Kentucky fans were probably outnumbered 3 to 1 in that arena yet the Illinois fans could just never really get into it because of the way Kentucky played. And even though they only won by nine, I actually think, you know, if they make some layups, I mean this was, this was a double digit game in my opinion. They did exactly what they needed to do. They limited Illinois star players. Let's see, Casparis was sick, was 6 for 13, but he had a hard time getting shots all 5 or 13. Excuse me, especially early in the game, you know, their best player was little Z Billy, who had five threes. I was lighting up. First of all, he looks like. He looks like the kid Dwight Schrute's cousin from the office. Do you know what I'm talking about? What's his name?
- [05:12]
Matt Jones
The Moe's?
- [05:13]
Ryan Lemons
The dude? Yeah, Mose. Don't you think with that little beard he looked like Moe's? Yeah, I could see it now. I think he looked like Mo's with that little beard. I couldn't help it. I kept thinking, well, you know, what's this beat farmer doing out here hitting all these threes? He really kept them in the game. To be honest with you, without those threes, it gets a lot worse. They hold Will Riley to one for seven. I mean, if you tell me before the game, we take two guys who may both be first round picks, Kasparis and Will Riley. They combined only for 18 points and they made two threes combined. Went 2 for 12 from three point land. That's a heck of a job. And this team, we've talked all year that they really weren't that good defensively. I didn't know how much better they could get. They've gotten a lot better. They were 113th or whatever in Kim Palmen defense. They're up to 45th and I thought they played really good defense today. Didn't give Illinois a lot easy and they get an 84, 75 win. And big picture, this is massive for the program. It's massive for Mark Pope. It's also massive for the fans. I mean, there was a lot of people that I was around today, Kentucky fans who, you know, just kept saying, we really need this, we want this, especially honestly, even though I said it shouldn't matter. It does matter to some people that Cal won yesterday. And then we get to the Sweet 16. I do think it's worth noting four new coaches in Division 1 have made it to Sweet 16 in their first year with their first team. Cal Perry, Dusty May, Mark Pope and the guy at byu. I don't know that that's ever happened, that that's happened very often. But for Kentucky fans specifically, you know, we're used to winning here and there's been a lot of. There's been a lot of losing. There's been a lot of disappointment since COVID And to get that joy back, I hope people all over Lexington were going crazy. I hope if somebody was at KS Bar for the game, I hope you'll send me a video. I finally got my phone working Again, so now I can actually get them. But, you know, nights like this, we've had a lot of them in the last 20 years, but we haven't had a lot of them in the last five. And to get back to it is really, really exciting. Ansley Almanor, five points. Trent Noah, a big set of free throws before halftime. Just one thing after another, positive stuff. One thing after another is a really, really cool thing. Ryan Lemons just walked up. Ryan put on a headset there and joined me for just a second. He's eating. Rather than come on the show, he's eating food.
- [07:43]
Matt Jones
I went and got.
- [07:45]
Ryan Lemons
Thank you very much for that. What'd you think of the win? You were sitting there. I watched it at the St. Kate Arts Mode. Of course you did. I went to the Saint Kate's. I once. Brandon Garrison got that and one at the end, I walked back and I got it. I literally walked on the court as the game was finishing. What did you think?
- [08:01]
Matt Jones
Well, really, you're two and. Oh, in that hotel. So you did.
- [08:04]
Ryan Lemons
You know, when they play in Indianapolis, maybe I should just come up here and go to the St. Kate Arts Hotel.
- [08:09]
Matt Jones
I. It was one of the few times all season. I think Kentucky won the game based on their defense.
- [08:14]
Ryan Lemons
I do, too. I think they. I think Lamont Butler, obviously. Obviously Kobe Bray is shooting and then.
- [08:18]
Matt Jones
Their defense, no doubt about it, they came out and really stuck it to Illinois. Kind of really rattled them. The Jasperis guy was really rattled. And look, I was all called Lamont Butler.
- [08:27]
Ryan Lemons
I don't know that we've ever gotten his name right. Both of the show Friday, the pregame show today, maybe not even now, but he's going to be a good player. But. But he especially early was. Was rattled.
- [08:38]
Matt Jones
He really was rattled. And I think Lamont Butler deserves all the credit. Ortega goes to the bench and foul trouble and that.
- [08:43]
Ryan Lemons
I mean, we didn't even mention that he only played five minutes in the first half. Yes, you tell me. Otega only plays five minutes in the first half and we're leading at halftime by five. I wouldn't necessarily believe that.
- [08:52]
Matt Jones
I think it's because Kobe Bray stepped up and was doing Kobe Braya things. I mean, Robbie Abreu was getting off tonight.
- [08:58]
Ryan Lemons
Colin Chandler. Colin Chandler. Two threes, 18 minutes and one was deep.
- [09:05]
Matt Jones
I mean, like, no hesitation. He just pulled up and yank.
- [09:07]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah. And I think the. I think the second one especially was kind of in a big moment.
- [09:12]
Matt Jones
It was.
- [09:12]
Ryan Lemons
They were making a little bit of a run and he. We. There were two or three times that they started to make a run and then we made a play. I thought the Chandler 3 was one. The Butler Steel may have been the biggest player.
- [09:23]
Matt Jones
Yes.
- [09:24]
Ryan Lemons
That the arena was starting to get worked up. And the steal to garrison with the N1. That's when I decided to walk. I have, just for the record, walked in torrential rain four different times. I walked from the pregame show to the game to the arena and got drenched. I walked from the game to the St. Kate Arts Hotel, got drenched. St. Kate's Art Hotel back to the game drenched. And then game to here drenched. Four different times. I've gotten drenched but smell like a wet cat.
- [09:51]
Matt Jones
Even though it's a cold, wet rain, it really doesn't matter right now. We're going back to the sweet 16. So I think, you know, this kind of dry off. We'll dry out. Our socks are a little soggy right now, but who cares?
- [10:01]
Ryan Lemons
Let me also just talk for a second about the scene after the game. I think sometimes they don't get to show as much of this as you would like, but I think fans love it. Like I said, decent Kentucky crowd. Not what it is normally, but the fans. A big chunk of the fans are right behind the Kentucky bench. When it's over that Mark Pope and I believe Kobe Braya do an interview with cbs. I think Ortega away is maybe with Jack and then maybe Mari or somebody's with like. So three different guys are doing interviews. Fan the play. The players that are not those three come greet the fans, head to the back. When the three guys that are getting their interviews. I think it was Butler, Brea and Otega. So it's Butler, Brea and Otaga. It's those three. As they're walking off, Mark Pope grabs the three of them and the four of them do a huddle. I tried to get a picture. I don't know if I got it. I'll have to look here and see if I got it.
- [10:59]
Matt Jones
I hope you got it.
- [11:00]
Ryan Lemons
I don't think. I don't think I did. I got it after the huddle, but I didn't get the huddle. But it was a really cool moment. It is clear he, like hugged them. And with the crowd going crazy, the four of them had their heads together. I don't know what he was saying to him, but you could tell it was like a really kind of special moment between the four of those guys. Then he walks off. They walk off. The players, you know, say hi to the fans. Pope. You gotta remember there's Another game starting. Ole Miss and Iowa State are coming, and the people are right on the court. And it's clear Pope does not want to leave. So Pope is standing at the bench. He's waving at the players. He's waving at the fans. He wants to go up there, but, like, the Ole Miss staff is coming to replace him. And you could tell Mark's like, I don't want to leave. I don't want to leave. Then he walks off, and I just found myself standing there, and he gave me. I actually just wanted to shake his hand and say congrats, and he gave me a hug. And I have to tell you, Ryan, I'm still, you know, Piper Goober Face from. From Illinois can shut up. I don't care if I'm a media member. I'm still a fan at heart. And that was a neat moment. I want to thank Dylan Ballard, who got a picture of it. Mario Got Video. I'll. I'll cherish that for all time.
- [12:11]
Matt Jones
You know, I think not only did we need this as a fan base, Mark Pope needed this because, look on the other side of the bracket. There's byu, his old school. There's John Calipari, our old coach. And I think Mark Pope needed this. And I think he realizes the moment that he's just got going to the Sweet 16 in his first year as well.
- [12:28]
Ryan Lemons
He's going to Sweet sixteen for his first. His first year as a coach. He doubled Seth Greenberg's total career NCAA tournament win.
- [12:34]
Matt Jones
There you go. Eat it.
- [12:37]
Ryan Lemons
1.
- [12:37]
Matt Jones
Eat it.
- [12:38]
Ryan Lemons
Mark Pope now has two. And yes, Mark Pope can hug people in the stands and win.
- [12:42]
Matt Jones
That's right.
- [12:43]
Ryan Lemons
And that's what. And. And that's what he can do. And just. Just a cool moment. Just an absolutely cool moment. You know, Tennessee is going to be tough. I think it's going to be hard to win that game for a third time in the season. It's gonna be a great crowd in Indianapolis. Probably gonna be wild. I was just saying Purdue's there, too. So think about what that ticket's gonna be like. Oh, that's the other Kentucky, Tennessee, Purdue and Houston. So you're gonna have Kentucky, and Houston travels better than you think. But Kentucky, Tennessee and Purdue in the same regional in a day's drive from all those places.
- [13:13]
Matt Jones
Purdue's like an hour away.
- [13:15]
Ryan Lemons
Produce an hour away. I mean, that's gonna be a heck of a ticket. But. But everyone should definitely take a moment tonight.
- [13:22]
Matt Jones
Amen.
- [13:23]
Ryan Lemons
Couple things to look at if you haven't seen it yet. Watch of the team. I think this is a cool tradition they've started where they smack the board and move their team on. I love watching it when other teams do. They really started that during COVID I don't know if you remember. They were trying to get something when they didn't have fans at the games. So they started that tradition, and it's kind of become a big thing. I love watching it from other teams. We haven't gotten to do it very much, so it was nice to get to watch it. And you need to see all the players tried to. All right. Hey, Mario, you two got to bring the volume down just a little bit. If y'all are going to sit right there. They have to, you know, the two of them, all the players each tried to hold it while they did it.
- [14:02]
Matt Jones
Oh, that's cool.
- [14:02]
Ryan Lemons
They all circle around and they all smack it there because it's a team effort.
- [14:06]
Matt Jones
They. Everybody, like you went through there. Everybody had their moment tonight. It seemed like it was a complete team effort to pull.
- [14:10]
Ryan Lemons
It really was a team effort. It really was. What about Trent Noah's play at the end of the first half?
- [14:16]
Matt Jones
It was huge play.
- [14:17]
Ryan Lemons
I mean, again, Illinois making a run.
- [14:20]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [14:20]
Ryan Lemons
Does he gets the. The fake and gets the foul? That's going to be a veteran play. He's going to make people mad during his time at uk. But I love it. Colorado State, by the way, just hit a three to go up one against Maryland. They were down to four seconds to go, and they hit a massive three to take.
- [14:36]
Matt Jones
You know, that's. That's the KSR bump. We went to the Colorado State bookstore. Remember?
- [14:39]
Ryan Lemons
We didn't even think about that. We went to the bookstore. I bought a hoodie.
- [14:43]
Matt Jones
I bought a hoodie.
- [14:44]
Ryan Lemons
You bought a hoodie. That was probably a big part of it. All right, open up the lines. 859-280-2287. It is 8:12 Central Time. Probably 9:12. Probably. It is 9:12 Eastern. I'll commit to doing about 50 minutes because we do have to get on the road here and head down the road, but I also want to enjoy this. We'll take your calls. 859-280-2287. I got my phone to work, so I don't have to try to page ryan on his 1940s Android. And we'll be right back. This is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. We have our first NCAA tournament buzzer beater. Derek Queen of Maryland hits A shot at the buzzer, Colorado State. Drew wins his bet. He bet on one buzzer beater and he wins it. That was a heck of a play. Derek Queen, who I saw play earlier this year and I thought was a little bit disappointing to me, well, now I see the hype. A bank runner. He's gonna be a first round pick, maybe even a top 10 pick. Ryan. And what a shot.
- [15:45]
Matt Jones
That was a tough shot. They obviously, they ran the ball play to him. Could put the ball in his hands. Go in the game for us, big fella. And he did.
- [15:51]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah. The crab five is through to the sweet.
- [15:54]
Matt Jones
Crab five. That's right.
- [15:55]
Ryan Lemons
Is a good name. Not a tournament for the little guy. By the way, with that win, all the mid majors are out.
- [16:02]
Matt Jones
That's the last surviving one sec.
- [16:04]
Ryan Lemons
By the way. Now has six teams in the Sweet 16. If Ole Miss were to beat Iowa.
- [16:08]
Matt Jones
Ole Miss was ahead last time I looked.
- [16:09]
Ryan Lemons
If Ole Miss were to beat Iowa State, we would break the record for most teams in the Sweet 16 ever from one conference. The record is six and we've already tied it. Ole Miss is up 11 at the half. Yeah.
- [16:18]
Matt Jones
At the half.
- [16:19]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah.
- [16:20]
Matt Jones
Didn't see that one coming.
- [16:22]
Ryan Lemons
Well, you know, hottie Toddy, blah, blah, blah. 2802287. Drew and Shannon will join us here in a little bit. Billy, you weren't at the game, but it was it awesome sitting in your little booth there in Lexington.
- [16:35]
Matt Jones
It was. You know, Tom and Jack getting into it late in the second half too was my favorite part. Kobe's 100 run was just incredible by we.
- [16:44]
Ryan Lemons
Can you. I mean, I don't want to give you work, but is there a way for you to just play those three Kobe shots kind of at some point before the show's over?
- [16:51]
Matt Jones
Can you do that already ready to go if you want to hear it. I just got to pull it up.
- [16:54]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah, let's do it. Let's play. This is all three of them in a row.
- [16:58]
Matt Jones
This. Yes, it is.
- [16:59]
Ryan Lemons
This is all three Kobe Bray shots in a row. Perfect. Thanks.
- [17:03]
Matt Jones
I'm not ready yet. Hold on, I gotta get it.
- [17:05]
Ryan Lemons
I thought you just said you were ready. All right, let's take a call. We'll do it in a minute. Go ahead. Who's next? Classic Billy. I got it. No, I don't have it. All right, go ahead.
- [17:15]
Matt Jones
Eli.
- [17:16]
Ryan Lemons
Go ahead. Who's up first? Eli. Go ahead, Eli.
- [17:18]
C
Hello? Can you hear me?
- [17:19]
Ryan Lemons
Can you hear me? Yes.
- [17:23]
D
Man.
- [17:24]
C
I just. I just need like 30 seconds of your time. I just. I just Want to say this team has so much grit and I love it so much. Mark Pope had two months to make this team without a single player returning. And we're going to the second weekend, baby.
- [17:42]
Ryan Lemons
Well, I mean, they do have a lot of grit. I appreciate the call, especially now that Jackson Robinson is out. I mean, this really is a team where the hole is greater than the sum of the parts. I'll say this again, I don't expect, I don't think any of these guys are going to play in the NBA. Maybe away. If he comes back next year and has a huge year, maybe he finds a way into the league. Kobe Bray is not playing in the NBA. I don't think Amari's playing in the NBA. I don't think Lamont's playing in Beer. I think they're gonna play professional basketball.
- [18:06]
Matt Jones
Right?
- [18:06]
Ryan Lemons
They want for as long as they want to do it. I don't think they'll play in the NBA. I hope they do, but I think it's unlikely. But nevertheless, all of these guys, he takes them to another level. And like Kobe Bray is out there shooting. I mean, you got Kevin Harlan calling Kobe Bray and lighting it up. How awesome is that?
- [18:24]
Matt Jones
I was sitting in front of some Ole Miss like student managers and they were like at one point, like, this is unbelievable. That guy's from Dayton. That guy's from Drexel. That guy's from fairly Dickinson. You know, he's doing, he's put these guys together. They were like shocked that these mid major guys are now playing at such a high level.
- [18:40]
Ryan Lemons
And that's partially what I love about it is, you know, none of these dudes thought they'd play here. Yeah, you know, Lamont had success at San Diego State going the championship game. I'm sure that was something he never could have imagined, but he didn't think he was going to be playing in Kentucky.
- [18:54]
Matt Jones
He's never even recruited.
- [18:56]
Ryan Lemons
Like Ansley Almanor. I mean, Ansley Almanor is built like me, right? And he's out there. I'm serious. He's out there scoring points in the NCAA tournament. You get Kobe Braya, he's at Dayton. Right. Andrew Cars at Wake Forest. None of these dudes. Amari Williams is from Nottingham, England. I mean, the idea that that group of people found a way to Kentucky and then found a way to do this, just an incredible story. It's kind of like the 92 team. But if you didn't have Jamal Mashburn. Yeah, superstar, like you didn't have a Jamal Mashburn. And that's kind of what this is like.
- [19:36]
Matt Jones
And our best player gets hurt and is not even eligible for this run. Just makes anything even more special. What these guys have done and continue to do.
- [19:44]
Ryan Lemons
And we're going to continue to get guys like this. Like. Like, I think throughout the Pope area, you're going to have dudes that play at these random schools. But here's what I don't think we'll ever have. I don't think we'll ever have again. A team that. That's all there is. Because I think we're going to have great recruits coming to, like, even next year. We're going to have these guys, but we're also going to have Jasper Johnson, right, Who's going to be an NBA player. We're going to have, you know, these young, uber talented friends. We'll never have a group here like this again. I agree, and I think that actually does make it kind of special.
- [20:14]
Matt Jones
But I think this may be his most important recruiting class of his entire career.
- [20:17]
Ryan Lemons
No doubt. He had to show he could do it at this level.
- [20:19]
Matt Jones
Yep.
- [20:20]
Ryan Lemons
And he has.
- [20:20]
Matt Jones
Yep.
- [20:21]
Ryan Lemons
And now you can keep going on. Who's up next?
- [20:25]
Matt Jones
Well, I got the brea sound. Let me play that.
- [20:27]
Ryan Lemons
Okay, let's do one more call, and then I'll set up John. All right. Who's John? Go ahead, John.
- [20:33]
C
Hey, guys. It's been a while since I've called in the show, you know, growing up in life, and I. I love these players because. And I have nothing but love for Coach Cal. He did a lot for our state, and I'm nothing but, you know, proud of what he accomplished with. With our program. But it got to the point, like, when I was a kid, like, even if we didn't win that next year, it was the next year. Oh, they're coming back and da, da, da. And I know we might not get these guys again the same way because of the portal and everything, but there's just a heart that comes with, you know, these guys that are just working. They're working to play basketball, they're working to, you know, to get degrees and things like that that it's just. I missed from being a child, you know, and that's why I'm so proud of Coach Pope in his first year. And no matter what happens, it's a success because he. He brought a heart back that wasn't here. But it just. You kind of. You kind of get disassociated when it.
- [21:27]
Ryan Lemons
When, When.
- [21:28]
C
When the next year. It's just a whole New batch, you know, and so I'm just really happy. I'm really excited, and I look forward to game three against the team that we've done well against. And so I'm excited. I think the future's bright.
- [21:40]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah, this is. I appreciate the call. This is a kind of blue collar mentality.
- [21:47]
Matt Jones
100%.
- [21:48]
Ryan Lemons
That's, you know, look, I want to. We're Kentucky. I want to win national championships. I think to win national championships, I don't know if you guys to have elite freshmen, but you got to have elite dudes. I mean, you look at the teams that probably have the best chance of winning the national championship. You got Cooper flag, you got broom. You got Walter Clayton Jr right. I mean, you got the Houston guys. There's a bunch of them, but they're. They're old dudes. We go need guys like that. But having a group like this for a year, I do think really has brought the heartbeat and the energy of Big Blue Nation back.
- [22:24]
Matt Jones
They love this team. They're so endearing. They just. They love what these guys have been able to do their one year here. They know they're just here for one year. But to sacrifice and now get them to this level where they're back in the sweet 16 for the first time in six years is pretty incredible.
- [22:36]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah. And they're one and dones. But it's a different kind of one.
- [22:39]
Matt Jones
It is a different kind of one.
- [22:40]
Ryan Lemons
And listen, I love the freshman one and done. We had a ton of dudes here, and I think those guys respected the uniform. I think a lot of times when people are like, oh, they don't care. I don't think that was fair to a lot of those kids. There was probably less than five guys that were here that I. What didn't really enjoy being around. I love that group of players, but for a lot of Big Blue Nation, this is the kind of team they fell in love with.
- [23:05]
Matt Jones
Yep.
- [23:05]
Ryan Lemons
You know what I mean?
- [23:06]
Matt Jones
Yep.
- [23:06]
Ryan Lemons
And it's nice to see not necessarily.
- [23:09]
Matt Jones
The McDonald's, all Americans, just guys go out and just bust their ass when every practice, every game. And this is going to be a special jersey.
- [23:16]
Ryan Lemons
This is going to be one. I don't care. Even if we lose to Tennessee next week, this is going to be a team that fans are going to love.
- [23:21]
Matt Jones
Oh, yeah.
- [23:22]
Ryan Lemons
For a long time. And they deserve it. I think tonight, I think it was going to happen anyway. But tonight solidified. Yes, it did. I think. For real. All right, so here's the Kobe Brayer run. That was really Kind of the final, you know, differentiation in the game. Bounce feed to Garrison just outside the left elbow. Garrison hands it back to Brea. Brea backs out, shoots a three. Got it. Brea curls into the circle, runs into Garrison. So he backs out, slides left, gets into the left elbow with a jumper that bounces around and drops in. The soft shooter's role for Kobe braya. He's got 18. Here's Brea straight away between the circles started by Jakochonis. Goes left, gets screened off. Here's a three. Bingo. Brea, closely guarded by Boswell, puts it behind his back, comes off the screen, gets open at the high post. Got it. That was that. I mean, that last one was a huge one. But, you know, you can hear. You can hear by that call, the crowd wasn't on our side.
- [24:20]
Matt Jones
No, no, not at all.
- [24:22]
Ryan Lemons
And you were sitting over there with the Illinois people.
- [24:24]
Matt Jones
There were twice as many or if not more Illinois fans than Kentucky fans. And then when the Iowa State fans came in, they all started.
- [24:31]
Ryan Lemons
There were fewer Iowa State fans than I thought. I thought there was going to be a lot of Iowa State fans. It was Illinois.
- [24:35]
Matt Jones
I mean, it was Illinois.
- [24:37]
Ryan Lemons
50 to 60% of the arena was in Illinois. We might have had more than Iowa State. I expected Iowa State to have a.
- [24:43]
Matt Jones
Lot more than they, apparently, Friday night. I didn't go to the Iowa State game. They said there were tons of Iowa.
- [24:47]
Ryan Lemons
State gone home because there wasn't as many at this one for whatever reason.
- [24:51]
Matt Jones
I want to say one more thing about Brea. He did things tonight he wasn't doing earlier in the year. Creating his own shot, kind of, you know, finding a way to get free, give him some space to get that shot off. He wasn't able to do that.
- [25:04]
Ryan Lemons
Probably part of that is just having to do it with Jackson Robinson out.
- [25:08]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [25:08]
Ryan Lemons
Like, I mean, we need him to do what Jackson Robinson was doing, and so he's just getting more of an opportunity to. To do it. And you may remember when Colin Chandler had his first good game, I said, colin Chandler is not Jackson Robinson. But if we could get to where he's 60 to 70% of Jackson Robinson, remember me? That would be great.
- [25:29]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I forgot about getting there. He is getting there, for sure.
- [25:32]
Ryan Lemons
I mean, he. He's like, getting into that little zone that we're talking about, which is not Jackson Robinson, but maybe 60 to 70% of Jackson Robinson.
- [25:41]
Matt Jones
And he's not hurting you when he's running the point.
- [25:43]
Ryan Lemons
Not at all.
- [25:44]
Matt Jones
Not at all.
- [25:44]
Ryan Lemons
Not at all. Who's next? D.W. d.W. What's up, D.W. hey, you guys.
- [25:51]
C
What a win. Like, hey, man, I saw you getting dapped up by Mark Pope after the game. What was that like?
- [25:57]
Ryan Lemons
It was awesome. That was awesome. I mean, I'm not. I didn't expect Starstruck. I do. I know him a little bit. But I just, in that moment, I just wanted to, you know, I just happened to be there. I just wanted to shake his hand. And then he gave me a hug after giving me a hard time the other day. And you know, just on a personal level, man, it's been. That's a big difference of where we were one year ago. And that's absolutely. For somebody that's as big a fan as I am, that's a. That's a cool moment.
- [26:24]
C
It. Hey, and y'all have already said it. This team has coones like they're not going away easy. Like they're going to stick around. We're going to make a finals for four run. Don't worry.
- [26:35]
Ryan Lemons
Well, hey, listen, I appreciate the call that the bracket to me, I've said this a lot. I think there's four teams Kentucky's going to have a real hard time beating. Okay. I think they'd have a real hard time beating Duke. I think they have a real hard time beating Florida. I think they have a real. Again, we've beaten them before, but I still think it would. We would have a hard time. I think we have a hard time with Alabama. I think we'd have a hard time with maybe that's it. Duke, Florida, Alabama.
- [27:01]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [27:02]
Ryan Lemons
Auburn. Excuse me, Auburn. So four. But we. None of them are in our region.
- [27:05]
Matt Jones
That's true.
- [27:06]
Ryan Lemons
So when the bracket came out, I did think, all right, they put us in a region of teams we can be. Now, I don't think we'll be favored against Tennessee. Probably shouldn't be. I don't think we would be favored against Houston. I think we might be favored if we played Purdue, but all those teams are teams we can beat.
- [27:23]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [27:23]
Ryan Lemons
So I'm not expecting us to make the Final Four, but it's there for the taking if you play well, if.
- [27:31]
Matt Jones
You knock off Tennessee, I feel pretty good about either Purdue or Houston.
- [27:35]
Ryan Lemons
I think Houston. Houston's tough.
- [27:37]
Matt Jones
They're good.
- [27:38]
Ryan Lemons
But I think Purdue could be used. Purdue's gonna have a massive home court advantage. Yes.
- [27:43]
Matt Jones
I didn't really realize they were in that with us.
- [27:45]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah. Do we. By the way, we'll. The times late tonight will know what. But we. We play Friday nights. The game is Friday. But whether it's first or second game, if I, you know, if I had to get. What's the other regional. Billy, that's that night. Is Duke that night or not?
- [28:02]
Matt Jones
I'm not sure. I'll have to look that up right now.
- [28:04]
Ryan Lemons
Okay. Well, because that my. If Duke is that night, then I think we'll be playing at 7. If Duke is not that night, then I think we'll be playing at nine. The reason being if Duke's that night, Duke will be on cbs, we'll be on tbs. If we're on cbs, they'll put us as the late game. If we're on tbs, they'll put us as the early game. Just my guess. So I don't know. I don't know which. Which it's. Which it's gonna be because I don't know what.
- [28:27]
Matt Jones
I'm not sure either.
- [28:28]
Ryan Lemons
Who's up next?
- [28:29]
Matt Jones
Craig and Guam.
- [28:30]
Ryan Lemons
Craig and Guam. How are you?
- [28:33]
C
I'm good. Last time Kentucky made the sweet 16, I was still Craig in Alaska. But I guess little Z took a big L tonight and also feel bad for the women's team. That was a. That was a great game. But if Georgia Brut.
- [28:49]
Ryan Lemons
Oh, Georgia Amore. I mean, she.
- [28:52]
C
Yeah.
- [28:52]
Ryan Lemons
Had a four footer. I. I hate that for. Right. She's so good. But it.
- [28:56]
C
But if she's gonna stay around in the States, my Tinder profile is at Craig and Guam, so, you know, she can look me up.
- [29:05]
Ryan Lemons
I will make sure to pass on the message matchmaker here. I appreciate the call. I'm sure we'll get Georgia on again before. Before she takes off. She's gonna be great. Oh, I hated. They lost that game. They were playing that on the big screen in the arena before. And the Kentucky fans that were there. We were. Oh, they got. They had like four looks at it at the end and just couldn't make any of them perfect.
- [29:23]
Matt Jones
Out of bounds play. Go. She had a wide open look. A little floater on the baseline just didn't drop well.
- [29:31]
Ryan Lemons
But she had what an amazing career. She said we. She. She's going to be fun watching her. She's getting WNBA this year. She's going to be a top 10 pick in the WNBA. So I'm looking forward to that for her.
- [29:42]
Matt Jones
And it sounded like the crowd was awesome there, you know, in Memorial Coliseum. I think our local fans really got behind them.
- [29:47]
Ryan Lemons
And so Duke is Thursday night. So because Duke's Thursday night, I would assume. This is just a guess. I would assume we will be on CBS and If we're on cbs, then I think they'll put us as the late game at 9:30. That's just my guess. Yeah, but if I were to guess, if we're on cbs, they'll put the best game second. If Duke had been Friday, they might have put us on tbs, but now we'll be on. So I. I'm Gonna Guess Friday, 9:30 on CBS. That's my guess.
- [30:13]
Matt Jones
Well, you're usually pretty close, so I.
- [30:15]
Ryan Lemons
Called this one today, didn't we?
- [30:17]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [30:17]
Ryan Lemons
So Shannon's got food now. That looks good. Who's up next? We'll take a break so I can eat. Who's next? Jacob. Jacob. Go ahead, Jacob.
- [30:26]
C
Hey, Matt, Just a couple things. I think that if there's any doubts left by any of the fan base that Mark Both was the right hire, that Mitch Barnhart made a great pick with Mark Pope, then that needs to be put to bed. He's done an incredible job, fully 100% behind him. I think this team that we need to really appreciate, and part of that is because they've really bought into, you know, the Mark Pope system. They've bought into the. Like you said, the sum is greater than any one of them. So I think we really need to appreciate them. And then also I think that. I think that we are about as favorable of a position as we could hope for. I think that going into Indianapolis, I think we are. I mean, I like our. I like our odds. I like our chances too.
- [31:37]
Ryan Lemons
And I agree with everything you just said and I appreciate the call. I think we do. You know, I remember I said in 2010, Ryan, that there was no person who could have rebuilt Kentucky as quickly as Cal did because the way, you know, pre transfer portal, you got to get one like let's. Because, you know, they considered Tom Izzo. I think Tom Izzo would have won here. It would have taken a couple years, though. He would have had to build a program. John Caliperi was the only guy you could get at that point who could rebuild it immediately.
- [32:06]
Matt Jones
And he did.
- [32:07]
Ryan Lemons
He built it immediately. He was the perfect hire at that time to get Kentucky basketball. Now, fast forward to here. When you consider the emotion of the fan base, when you consider where we were just mentally kind of where we were after the last few years. And when you consider the sort of realities of a portal era now, where you're getting a different kind of player and you're doing an older kind of thing, Mark Pope was the perfect guy for this at that time. John Caliperi was the Perfect guy in 2010, at that time under those rules for this job. And I think in 2025, Mark Pope was the perfect guy at this time for this job under these rules.
- [32:50]
Matt Jones
I wouldn't want anybody else. I mean, you know, we were all a little leery when it came out that night, but I wouldn't want anybody else be my coach right now. Nobody.
- [32:57]
Ryan Lemons
If I told you, okay, I remember when I got the phone call on that Thursday night at like 10:30 that it was going to be Mark Pope. If you had told me at that moment that we'd be standing here in March in Milwaukee about to go to a sweet 16, I don't know if I'd have believed it.
- [33:13]
Matt Jones
I don't know if I would have.
- [33:14]
Ryan Lemons
Believed, but I should have because he's done an amazing job and he deserves all the credit. Watching. There's just something, you know, there's something really sweet. It was sweet yesterday when Ellen and Megan were crying after that win against in Arkansas. It was, you know, whatever your thoughts are on John and recently, that was sweet. Well, I'll tell you what else was sweet. Watching Leanne and the daughters and Mark after the game tonight. It's just like. It's just a. College sports are amazing, as you used to say.
- [33:44]
Matt Jones
What sports is awesome?
- [33:45]
Ryan Lemons
That sports is awesome. But the emotion of the NCAA tournament, because think about pretty great hope, you.
- [33:51]
Matt Jones
Know, from byu, had never tasted success in the NCAA tournament, never won, never.
- [33:56]
Ryan Lemons
Won a game, and now has doubled Seth Greenberg's total. 859-280-2287. We're gonna take a break and be right back. It's the local Toyota dealers, KSR post game show. Oh, we wants the screen. Takes it going down the left side, hesitates, crosses over, comes back to his right hand, banks it up and it rims out.
- [34:14]
Matt Jones
No good.
- [34:15]
Ryan Lemons
And Butler comes up with a steal. Over to Garrison. Layup good. And a foul and one. Levon Butler picked the pocket of Yakatonis.
- [34:25]
Matt Jones
As he was heading back up the floor.
- [34:27]
Ryan Lemons
He fed Garrison for the layup and Garrison got fouled. Lamont Butler, gotta love that, Love that energy from Tom and Jack. The big play. I think that was one of a couple of very, very big plays in the game, maybe the biggest at the moment. 859-280-2287. People are sending me that the game is already at 10 o'clock. They're pointing to DraftKings. I don't think that's official yet. I think it, it may end up at that time, but I don't think that's official yet. I think that's, that's probably their guess.
- [34:58]
Matt Jones
Does DraftKings already have the Tennessee spread?
- [35:01]
Ryan Lemons
That's a good question. Yes. He's a dog.
- [35:04]
Matt Jones
Four and a half point dog.
- [35:06]
Ryan Lemons
Four and a half seems about right to me, honestly. Tennessee four and a half. That makes sense. I wish I'd been guessed before. Before you said it. I don't know if I would have guessed. Yeah, that's about, that's about right. I mean we were, we were a two and a half point dog tonight when we tipped off. So, you know, what are you gonna do? We can be a dog.
- [35:26]
Matt Jones
I'm telling you. Illinois, they shot 25%, I think from three point land. They had some open looks from three.
- [35:32]
Ryan Lemons
What do you think about the SEC?
- [35:33]
Matt Jones
Didn't hit them.
- [35:33]
Ryan Lemons
Got six follow miss wins.
- [35:35]
Matt Jones
Oh, missed seven.
- [35:36]
Ryan Lemons
Set the record. You think. You know, everybody sang the, you know, sang a funeral song for the SEC after they only went 8 and 6 in the first round. But my point was our 12th place team is playing these other conferences. Second best team.
- [35:48]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [35:49]
Ryan Lemons
If you put seven teams in the Sweet 16, and I would argue all seven are good teams. I mean the only team that has lost for the SEC that I think is a good team. Well, who lost in this? Who lost?
- [36:03]
Matt Jones
A and M did they.
- [36:05]
Ryan Lemons
And they could have won that game. That game came right down to the end against Michigan. So I think A and M, we, I think we had seven really good teams in the SEC by the time the season was over. Arkansas was good. They weren't good most of the year, but I think they were by the end. And now of those eight, you might see seven of them in the Sweet 16. It's pretty good. Who's up next?
- [36:25]
Matt Jones
Brent.
- [36:26]
Ryan Lemons
Brent. Go ahead, Brett.
- [36:29]
C
Hey, Bad calling from Oklahoma. I just want to say this celebratory call. I'm so excited. I've been in a bar all night cheering, raising heck with everybody. I'm so, I'm so happy to get this team back from what we used to be in the, in the dark ages. So I, I just wanted to call in, say that I'm so happy. Go, Cat.
- [36:54]
Ryan Lemons
Well, thank you very much. Appreciate the call. I'm. I'm happy too.
- [36:57]
Matt Jones
Like I said, not just Mark Pope need this. Our fan base needed this. We needed at least get to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament.
- [37:04]
Ryan Lemons
I think Shannon put the headset on. Just a second. I know that chicken's good, but it'll still be there. I wanna.
- [37:09]
Matt Jones
You're interrupting.
- [37:10]
Ryan Lemons
D know, but it'll still be there. He's gonna be all right. I want to hear what he thought. He was sitting. I looked up and you were sitting on the second row. How'd you pull off those trip to referee?
- [37:19]
Matt Jones
Just act like you belong there. That's the main thing.
- [37:21]
Ryan Lemons
Right. You were sitting, like, with the Illinois administration.
- [37:25]
Matt Jones
I was, yeah. You know, fist bumped a couple of times. I don't think they realized that was a Kentucky fan sitting there next to him. But overall, you know, just a great team effort. I thought Kobe Bra shot exactly the amount of times that I wanted him to. Yeah. He took 16 shots, and I'm good with that.
- [37:43]
Ryan Lemons
Have you been. How many NCAA tournament games have you. Have you been to?
- [37:46]
Matt Jones
I know quite a few, actually.
- [37:48]
Ryan Lemons
Okay. I'm trying to think when was the last time you went to one? Because you didn't go to Pittsburgh.
- [37:52]
Matt Jones
No.
- [37:52]
Ryan Lemons
You didn't go to Indianapolis.
- [37:53]
Matt Jones
I was in Atlanta.
- [37:54]
Ryan Lemons
Went to Greensboro. You went to Greensboro? That's right. Yep.
- [37:56]
Matt Jones
Yep. The Kansas State game in Atlanta. We can forget about that when I was there. But, yeah, I was just really happy with the way they. They played tonight. And, you know, I give them a really good chance against Tennessee. I think they've got a great chance.
- [38:08]
Ryan Lemons
I think they got a great chance. We'll have a lot of time to talk about it. About this week. Kentucky Sweet 16 is this week as well.
- [38:15]
Matt Jones
Starts Wednesday.
- [38:17]
Ryan Lemons
Be very exciting now.
- [38:18]
Matt Jones
Where did you watch the game? Did you go back to the St. Kate telltale?
- [38:21]
Ryan Lemons
So would you like.
- [38:22]
Matt Jones
He's undefeated.
- [38:23]
Ryan Lemons
Would you like to know. Would you like to know my setup at the St. Kate Arts?
- [38:26]
Matt Jones
This is so ridiculous.
- [38:27]
Ryan Lemons
St. Kate Arts Hotel also has, like, it's. It's like connected to like a bank or it's like a big. I think they're like, their Milwaukee Theater is in there. It's like, you know, it's a big office building or something. And in that office building lobby is a television. So I found that the last game, and so I went back there and I was watching on the television, and there was no one there but me. And then one man whose whole job it seemed to be was to tell people that the bathroom was locked and they couldn't come use it. So he saw me. There's no sound on the tv. Right. So he saw me just, like, rocking back and forth in front of the television. And I just kept looking at him, and he looked at me like, who are you and why are you standing in this building?
- [39:15]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [39:15]
Ryan Lemons
And he came and he tapped me on the shoulder at one point and goes, just so you know, you can't use this restroom. And I was like, I don't care about the restroom. I'm here watching this game in silence. I rocked back and forth for two hours straight.
- [39:29]
Matt Jones
Just when you're swaying back and forth in a bank, it probably makes you look really suspicious. Like you're. Like, something's about to go down.
- [39:35]
Ryan Lemons
I want to know how you get a job, the whole point of which is to stand in an empty lobby and tell people they can't use the restroom.
- [39:40]
Matt Jones
That's a great job.
- [39:40]
Ryan Lemons
And he would also say, the door's locked. You can't use it. And I wanted to be like, well, I feel like if it's locked, you, they don't even need you.
- [39:47]
Matt Jones
Yeah, he's the one guy with the key.
- [39:49]
Ryan Lemons
Right? Just locks. You're not gonna be able to get.
- [39:52]
Matt Jones
I just want to understand you. Like, we drove all the way from Kentucky to Milwaukee.
- [39:56]
Ryan Lemons
Yes, we did.
- [39:57]
Matt Jones
The arena is right here.
- [39:58]
Ryan Lemons
It's right there.
- [39:59]
Matt Jones
You don't go to the game.
- [40:00]
Ryan Lemons
You go to a hotel, bank building.
- [40:03]
Matt Jones
Now, wait a minute. He goes to the game, but when it tips off, then he leaves like he's in the arena. Comes back when it's over, leaves.
- [40:10]
Ryan Lemons
I leave with, like, 10 minutes on the clock so I can get to the hotel in time to watch the beginning of the game.
- [40:14]
Matt Jones
Whatever works for you. I mean, we're 20 here, so maybe you should come back.
- [40:17]
Ryan Lemons
Here's the thing. I. You know, it's. We talked about. It's the waiting. I don't like the waiting. And then when you add the fact that the crowd was all Illinois.
- [40:24]
Matt Jones
It was. It was very.
- [40:26]
Ryan Lemons
It was like, I. You know, I don't. I need to be able to walk away if I get frustrated.
- [40:31]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [40:32]
Ryan Lemons
You know, I need to be able to take a lap and come back.
- [40:34]
Matt Jones
Kentucky did a great job of. Anytime the Illinois fans tried to get into it and try to take over. The loudest they got all night was when they cut it down to three. And at that point, Kentucky came back, hit a shot, and then they never really were in the game.
- [40:48]
Ryan Lemons
I mean, they didn't get it closer than six the entire second half.
- [40:51]
Matt Jones
Yeah. Six o'clock. They got.
- [40:53]
Ryan Lemons
By the way, they scored on the first 10 possessions of the second half. Kentucky. I mean, Illinois scored a handful of times, too, but Kentucky scored on the first 10 possessions of the first half.
- [41:02]
Matt Jones
And seemed like Otega probably got most of them. You know, he didn't play the first half. He Comes in the second half, goes off 10 possess.
- [41:08]
Ryan Lemons
You come out of halftime scoring 10 straight possessions.
- [41:11]
Matt Jones
That's pretty good coaching.
- [41:12]
Ryan Lemons
Pretty good. All right, go back and eat your way. Okay. All right. You're fine. All right, who's next?
- [41:15]
Matt Jones
Jay Witt.
- [41:17]
Ryan Lemons
Jay Witt. How are you? Jay Witt.
- [41:20]
C
What's up, Matt Jones. That Diet Coke's tasting a lot sweeter tonight. Cats are back in the sweet 16. Cats are back in the sweet 16. That's an awesome picture of you and Pope. Tennessee fans, they keep talking that crap. We done schooled them twice this year. What's one more butt whooping?
- [41:39]
Ryan Lemons
Let's do it. Let's do butt whoop it.
- [41:43]
C
Kobe Bray has stepped up in a big way. And the growth of Garrison and Chandler in the last five games, that needs to be talked about more than it has been been. Unbelievable job.
- [41:54]
Ryan Lemons
Let's talk about that play Garrison made at the end. I appreciate the call you got the and one, which obviously was great, but what about that defensive play? I thought he was about to foul that dude on a three and I was going to go absolutely insane. Instead, he moves his body, misses him, and then with his hand, knocks it off his leg.
- [42:11]
Matt Jones
I don't know how he did it.
- [42:12]
Ryan Lemons
I have a question because. Well, you were there, Billy. Well, I don't know, Billy. You may not know either. I didn't get to hear the game broadcast. What was the controversy like? Why were they. I mean, it was. It seemed to me it was clearly off. The Illinois guy. What. Why was the Illinois coach arguing? What were they. What were they. Was the controversy?
- [42:29]
Matt Jones
I'm not sure. I didn't. I didn't hear any of the game broadcasts, so I didn't pick that.
- [42:32]
Ryan Lemons
Okay. I couldn't tell. It seemed like the coach was very angry. It didn't. I mean, I don't think he fouled him.
- [42:38]
Matt Jones
It looked like they were arguing that they thought it went out on him. You know, just seeing it live action from that angle. Okay.
- [42:44]
Ryan Lemons
But when they did the slow motion, I thought it hit him twice. I thought he hit him in the arm and. No, the Illinois guy.
- [42:51]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [42:51]
Ryan Lemons
Oh, because wait a minute. You all were at the game. You didn't see the.
- [42:54]
Matt Jones
Correct.
- [42:54]
Ryan Lemons
So he flies through. I guess none of you also that saw it. He touches the ball. The ball kind of looked to me like it grazed off his arm and then grazed off his leg. But I will say it wasn't like definitive. So I didn't know if I thought they might not overturn it. But then they did. But if you watch the trajectory of the ball, it had to have hit him. You know how balls, like, go in a different direction. There's no way it would have gone where it went if it hadn't hit off. But it was an amazing play. I don't know if you could tell what an amazing play. He moved his body to keep from hitting him and then put his arm and hit. It was for a dude 7ft tall.
- [43:32]
Matt Jones
It was a heck of a play, seeing it live. I don't know how he did it. I don't know how he got up there and got that.
- [43:39]
Ryan Lemons
I thought he was going to fail, and I don't think he did foul him. Even on the replay. I don't think he touched him.
- [43:44]
Matt Jones
Okay.
- [43:44]
Ryan Lemons
I think it was. It was a pretty great play. Who's next?
- [43:48]
Matt Jones
Hunter.
- [43:49]
Ryan Lemons
Hunter. Go ahead, Hunter.
- [43:54]
C
How we doing?
- [43:57]
Ryan Lemons
Go for it, man.
- [43:59]
C
All right. Hey, man, how about calling Chandler, baby? That was crazy. Are you on his, Are you on his. The train now that we got to keep him for the offseason, he's going to be starting point guard. Come on.
- [44:09]
Ryan Lemons
We're going to keep him. I think he, I, I, I think they, they. I think there'll be five guys from this team that are on the team next year. Yeah. And he, I think he's back. I mean, his wife just posted something on Instagram about how they were getting married and she was moving to Lexington to start her life. I don't think that's going to be for, like, a month, so. So I assume that means that they're. They're back.
- [44:32]
C
Highly doubt it. Just a great win overall, and I am so. I'm so excited to go against Tennessee. Let's go beat them. Let's go send Rick Barnes in a retirement. Let's go, baby.
- [44:42]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah. Yeah, that's, that's true.
- [44:45]
Matt Jones
That's the word.
- [44:46]
Ryan Lemons
I mean, there's a lot of chatter that he may, he may hang it up. We could kind of end that career, maybe. And I like Rick Barnes. I think he, I think, seems like a good guy. I don't, I have no animosity towards Rick.
- [44:57]
Matt Jones
He kind of seemed to own Caliperi for whatever reason. He kind of beat Caliperi here several times, but, yeah, here. Pope, in his first years, beat the guy twice. A team that was number one in the country for a long. For a while there.
- [45:06]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah. 859-280-2287. Who's next?
- [45:09]
Matt Jones
Robert.
- [45:10]
Ryan Lemons
Robert. Go ahead, Robert.
- [45:14]
C
Hey, guys. I love Mark Pope's excitement post game. I really think he Felt like he was in that 96 jersey again. And I'm really glad that you all got to embrace post game after that. I have one question. I'll hang up. You know, Tennessee's gonna have a chip on their shoulder coming in this game Friday. What do you think our keys to success in this third matchup are? And also shout out to my friend Mr. Hogan. Thanks, guys.
- [45:37]
Ryan Lemons
We have been very blessed in both of the games against Tennessee that they have shot terribly in both games. I mean, I. I don't know what the number is, but they have. They have just thrown brick after brick up. If it wasn't for Igor, I don't know that they would have made a three in any of those games. Obviously, we got to hope that happens again. I don't think you can plan for them to shoot as badly as they have shot because they have shot awful both times against us. I think you just keep. I mean, I think the game plan will be very similar. Shoot it. Good luck.
- [46:06]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [46:07]
Ryan Lemons
You know, I mean, I think we try to limit the. Both games. We tried to limit their. Their scoring inside, and we've given them the outside shot, and they haven't made it. And I think probably, if it ain't broke, you do it again. Right.
- [46:18]
Matt Jones
Sakai Ziggler, I think, was one of 10 at Rupp arena from three.
- [46:21]
Ryan Lemons
He is again, knock on wood. But as good as he is, he's really never played well against us. Not what he would.
- [46:30]
Matt Jones
You know, I don't. You know, the first game down in Knoxville, we didn't even have Lamont Butler, and he still was rattled, still didn't play very.
- [46:36]
Ryan Lemons
The only reason they were even in that game in Knoxville was that Gainey kid.
- [46:39]
Matt Jones
Yeah, right.
- [46:40]
Ryan Lemons
In Igor. But both Lanier and Lanier played better.
- [46:44]
Matt Jones
In Ruff, and Ruppy did.
- [46:45]
Ryan Lemons
But. But again, Knoxville, they all. They both played bad.
- [46:49]
Matt Jones
And the Gainy kid, nobody in that game.
- [46:51]
Ryan Lemons
Remember the game in Knoxville? We had like, six players.
- [46:53]
Matt Jones
That's right. That's one of our first game, I think, without Jackson and Lamont both. It seems to me like I watched.
- [46:58]
Ryan Lemons
That game on my phone at the New York Rangers hockey game, so I forgot that. Yeah, we'll do one more, and we'll take our final break. Who's next?
- [47:07]
Matt Jones
Josh.
- [47:08]
Ryan Lemons
Josh. Go ahead, Josh.
- [47:11]
C
Hey, Matt, what's up? I thought it was funny, that video that Mario put out that Mark Pope actually made you look like smaller than you actually are, because you're not small, you're giant.
- [47:22]
Ryan Lemons
If you just see the still frame picture, we look like, we're the same size. Watch the video. You want a sense of how tall he is. Like, I'm like, six, three and a half, and he towers over. Now he is on a platform. He's on the court, and I'm under the court. But still, you get a sense of how tall he is.
- [47:36]
C
Oh, yeah. That's what I'd say, too.
- [47:37]
Ryan Lemons
It's fine.
- [47:37]
C
But no. Hey, my kids want to say one thing.
- [47:43]
Ryan Lemons
Hey, man, go big blue. I'm not shamed by height. I'm plenty tall, but that dude is another level at all.
- [47:49]
Matt Jones
I'm so happy for him. I mean, he needed this. Like I said, he's looking at the bracket, and he sees Arkansas and BYU and the Sweet 16. Pope needed this to get his second team.
- [47:58]
Ryan Lemons
And, you know, that's a good point. BYU makes a sweet 16. Cal makes the sweet 16. Mark says, all right, I'll see it, and I'll call.
- [48:05]
Matt Jones
I call you right there.
- [48:06]
Ryan Lemons
And then he keeps going. 859-280-2287. We will take a break and come back. Final segment. Eating wings in a random hotel bar. I'm about to get Mom. This Mario's first NCAA tournament. Tournament. Come here, Mario, real quick. Stop. Stop chowing for a second. Come here. Put this on. Come on. Hurry up. We don't have time for your lollygagging. All right, so this is your first ever NCAA tournament. What'd you think of it tonight? It was incredible, man. I'm. I. I don't have much words to say. It's just a whole lot of excitement that I. That I experienced, man. You caused another ruckus again. I did? What did I do? That dude took a picture of you?
- [48:44]
Matt Jones
Yeah. That was.
- [48:44]
Ryan Lemons
That was weird. A random dude. Dude was trying to take a picture of Tom Crean. I don't know why he wanted a picture of Tom Crane, but he did. But instead, he just took a picture of Mario. Just walked up and he just walked up and took a picture of Mario. And again, I don't know. For some reason, I act like I'm your dad or something, because I'm always like, what are you doing? Why are you taking a picture of Mario? And he was like, I'm taking a picture of Tom Crane. And I go, you could have got closer to Tom Green. I mean, why are you getting more Mario in the picture than Tom Cream? You barely could see Tom Crane in that, but you keep getting me in fights. But what was that? You had a big smile on your. When it was over, man, I just can't believe we're here. Matt, if you told me this and back in June when he got hired, or April, whenever he got hired, I would not believe that he. We would make it to the sweet 16. And the crazy thing is we're doing this without Jackson Robinson, our best player, arguably our best player, and we're still doing this. And what if I told you 16 months ago that you would be here? I mean, you were working in Enterprise. I wouldn't believe it. I. I'd probably be cleaning cars right about now, to be honest. But you know, you deserve it. Thank you. I appreciate the opportunity, man. Right. Ryan can tell you he's the most famous person here. I'm definitely not people nobody even want. Nobody wants to take people like Matt. Will you hold my phone so I can take a picture with Mario? That's where. That is not accurate. That's where we are. We'll take a break and be right back. It's a local toy dealers KSR post game show. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers KSR post game show. Ole Miss is up 20 on Iowa State. 20. So the SEC is going to get seven teams in the Sweet 16. Almost half if A and M and just held on and gets 7 and 1 in the second round. They will, they'll be there. I think the Big Ten. We'll see what happens with Michigan State here and the Oregon, Arizona as to how many they get in. But seven teams, only one from the acc, seven from the sec.
- [50:34]
Matt Jones
You know, and the Big Ten were banging their chest there earlier. They were the Big Ten and oh, they won their first 10 games. I think they've kind of lost at.
- [50:40]
Ryan Lemons
Least two today or they lost. Yeah. So we'll see. Maryland did win. So the Big Ten. I mean you could end up with situation where like 13 of this or 12 of the 16 teams are Big 10 or SEC. You know, that's. That's pretty good. But seven teams. I mean, who would have ever thought there were years where we were the only team in the sweet 16 from the SEC.
- [51:00]
Matt Jones
There were years where Kentucky, Kentucky was like the only for sure fire SCC. I mean potential NCAA tournament team, like maybe three now to get seven in the sweet 16 is pretty amazing.
- [51:11]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah, I thought I was. State was good, but I thought they were real good. Ole Miss just destroying them in that same arena right down the. Right down the street. 859-280-2287. We have six people. We'll do it and then we'll call it a night and do this Again in the morning. Who's next?
- [51:26]
Matt Jones
Isaac.
- [51:27]
Ryan Lemons
Isaac. Go ahead, Isaac.
- [51:30]
C
Hey, guys. I just wanted to share a quick story about bbn. I thought it was cool. So I work at a local Kroger in Kentucky and unfortunately I had to work tonight, so I like, had it on my phone. And so I would just stalk while I was watching the game and put my phone on the cart. At one point I turned around and there was like a group of people to shop in, but they were like huddled around my phone just checking the score. I thought that was so crazy. So I just let him check it out. And then we all kind of celebrated because we were up by a lot.
- [51:57]
Ryan Lemons
I mean, we were all huddled around. I appreciate the call. I was a huddle around Stories phone. Watching the women's game for a little while tonight. That's what we do, right?
- [52:05]
Matt Jones
That's how you watch the end of the women's game.
- [52:07]
Ryan Lemons
Well, until I realized it was on in the arena, I was like, I was. Jeff Drummond and Mark Story and I were huddled around a little cell phone and then somebody goes, you know, it's playing out on the arena floor. I was like, oh, okay.
- [52:18]
Matt Jones
Well, might be a little better way.
- [52:19]
Ryan Lemons
To watch a little bigger screen out there than it was.
- [52:22]
Matt Jones
I hate that for the women. That way they lost the game at home, but winning tonight sure makes it feel a little better.
- [52:27]
Ryan Lemons
Yes. By the way, Rick Patino is wearing a scarf. Billy, right now. Why is he wearing a scarf? Him and Shannon, the dude, he's indoors in the ring. He's at his son's game.
- [52:36]
Matt Jones
Oh, okay. He's wearing a scarf.
- [52:38]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah. Why is he wearing a scarf? All right, five more. Who's Moffatt? Moffat. How are you, Moffitt?
- [52:45]
C
I'm good, man. It's hard to complain after a win like that. Normally I try and get my two little girls on here to say, go, big blue, but they fell asleep tonight. They'll listen to this tomorrow. Scarlet, Lucy, I love you. I haven't heard anybody talk about Andrew Carr yet. I love Andrew Carr. Whenever he's got the ball, I feel like I can take a deep breath. That's about all I've got to contribute to this tonight.
- [53:07]
Matt Jones
Go Cats.
- [53:08]
C
Go big Blue. Let's get a three peat on Tennessee.
- [53:11]
Ryan Lemons
Appreciate. I appreciate the call. I completely agree with you. Andrew Carr has really stepped up and been and been awesome and I agree. I feel some, some confidence when he gets the ball. Ryan. Like, I, you know, this, this is. We're in good shape and he may. He makes big plays he's become a.
- [53:27]
Matt Jones
Battler down in the paint. I mean, he finishes, you know, Amari again had trouble finishing at time tonight. Why don't. What do you just dunk it, you know, instead of me trying to lay it in. But Andrew Carr has really.
- [53:37]
Ryan Lemons
First half, he had a couple.
- [53:38]
Matt Jones
Yes, he did. Andrew Carr has become a battler down in the paint.
- [53:42]
Ryan Lemons
Drew Franklin has now just appeared here. Drew, that was awesome, wasn't it? You and I have been doing awesome.
- [53:48]
D
I'm absolutely soaked and out of breath. That was the worst 10 minute walk of my life.
- [53:52]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah, it is pouring all right.
- [53:54]
D
Anyway, we're going to beat the hell out of Tennessee.
- [53:56]
Ryan Lemons
But that was. But listen, you. We were, you and I were sitting there next to each other in Pittsburgh when things kind of fell apart last year against Oakland. Kind of cool to see back where it needs to be.
- [54:06]
D
Absolutely. It's Kentucky's right where God intended them to be. Moving on the NCAA tournament. Indy's got a little bit of a curse, but this is a new era, a new team, new attitude, new and excited fan base. And we're going to break that curse and take down the ball.
- [54:19]
Ryan Lemons
You know, we've had two very painful losses there with the Wisconsin and St. Peters, but we also have two amazing wins. That Louisville win and the Michigan win. The Aaron Harrison shots were in Indianapolis too.
- [54:31]
D
They were, they were before the recent curse. You know, the. The 2015 is when everything went south. I'm ready to go exercise these demons. I don't know if Ryan kept that sage that we picked up in Denver, but we might want to take that with us. But just thrilled about the win tonight. That was an absolute whooping. Led for 37 and a half minutes. Anytime they try to come back, Kentucky always had a good answer. I mean, that was all Kentucky all night.
- [54:51]
Ryan Lemons
You were in the postgame press conference. I heard some of it. Any. Anything stuck out to you.
- [54:56]
D
They're really funny and loose and I think that's. It's easy to be funny and loose when you just want a game. But I kind of feel like they were like that all night before the game. They kind of seem like they were cutting up a little.
- [55:06]
Ryan Lemons
So I had someone tell me, I won't call them out, but somebody tell me that they were a little worried in the first game that they saw Mark Pope before the game and they were like, he's tenser than he normally is. And then they said tonight he looked like the Mark Pope that we've seen most of the season. He just had a looser feel to him, I'd be interested. I almost asked him that, and then I was like, well, I don't want him to know who told me this, so I'll leave. But I wonder what that was, because he did seem very loose before the game.
- [55:35]
D
And without really being among them and close to him, you don't really know what they're going through. But it did seem like they were out there to have a lot more fun. It didn't feel a lot of pressure like some teams do. And I think that's why it was what it was. Illinois led, what, five to four? And then it was.
- [55:47]
Ryan Lemons
That was it.
- [55:48]
D
Then it was it.
- [55:49]
Ryan Lemons
So Amari Williams told that. They told this story that apparently he. You know, he's. He's British and he eat. What's. What's the name of the Weetabix? Weetabix. So I guess he eats something called Weetabix. When he was growing up, it was. It looked to me like it was like Shredded Wheat, you know, the cereal. Shredded Wheat, but it's called Weetabix. And I guess he had toast before the first game, and he buys it in Lexington, Weetabix at some international grocery store. But when he was up here, they didn't have Weetabix, and they thought Amari had not given as much effort in the first game because he didn't have his Weetabix. So they sent a manager to go get whatever Weetabix is. It's like a British Shredded Wheat cereal. And I guess they found it at some store here in Milwaukee. They brought him Weetabix. He apparently. It's cereal. He apparently eats the cereal with hot milk, so not cold milk. He was like, you Americans use cold milk on cereal. We use warm milk. So they got the Hotel St. Kate Arts Hotel, shout out, you've been good to us this trip. They got them to make warm milk. And Mark Pope and Brandon Garrison and Amari Williams, I guess they decided in unison to eat Weetabix and to get Amari to tell the story. Mark Pope was like, I want to get you an nil. Deal. Tell the story, and I will bet you between now and Friday something Weetabix and Amari Williams is going to happen.
- [57:18]
D
Definitely. I like someone asked how it tastes, and Mari's like, it doesn't taste that good. And Pope went, no, no, say that again. He goes, actually, it's outstanding looking right at the camera. So, like I said, that was part of them being fun and goofy. I felt good. I Talked English breakfast with Amari last summer. So I'm glad breakfast is a big part of his routine.
- [57:35]
Ryan Lemons
What do you think about cereal and warm milk?
- [57:37]
Matt Jones
I think it sounds absolutely disgusting.
- [57:39]
Ryan Lemons
Because I'll tell you what, if somebody in Lexington wants to bring some Weetabix to the bar Tuesday at the show, I would love to try some warm Weetabix cereal on Tuesday.
- [57:51]
D
And it's not like the cereal Rod eats that's in a box and it's got a little word search on the back. It's like a brick that you actually have to break up into pieces.
- [57:57]
Ryan Lemons
Like Shredded Wheat, you know?
- [57:59]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I think Shredded Sweet, awful.
- [58:00]
Ryan Lemons
But it's.
- [58:01]
D
Well, first of all, it's not Froot Loops. You'll have to branch out.
- [58:05]
Ryan Lemons
Where in Lexington they sell. Do we. We don't have a British grocery store.
- [58:08]
D
I don't think he gets it in Lexington. I don't think he's had it in, like, a long time. And that's why I surprised him with it. Yeah.
- [58:12]
Ryan Lemons
So he hasn't had it.
- [58:13]
D
Yeah, I don't think he's had it a long time. And they found it somewhere around here.
- [58:17]
Ryan Lemons
So Milwaukee got him the Weetabix and the warm milk, so.
- [58:21]
D
But on Amari, another coast to coast dunk. I mean, I know he was missing every layup in the beginning of the game. We were ripping our hair out. But that was fun to watch him when he turned it on.
- [58:29]
Ryan Lemons
By the way, I just had. Our friend Jamie Shambari just said she just ordered Weetabix from Amazon. I wonder if they're gonna see, like, this huge spike in sales in Kentucky and be like, what is going on in Kentucky right now?
- [58:45]
D
Well, now that I know, I'll probably.
- [58:46]
Ryan Lemons
Wheat a Bix W, E, E, T A, B I, X.
- [58:52]
D
Well before the game in Indy. He better have just.
- [58:56]
Matt Jones
We'll just line it up breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Let him eat it.
- [58:58]
Ryan Lemons
All right, I got four more. Just let me give you a quick schedule. Tomorrow we're going to be wherever we stop on the interstate. Tonight. Probably somewhere in. Maybe. Maybe somewhere between Chicago and Indianapolis. I don't know where we're going to end up stopping. Tuesday, we will be at KS Bar. Wednesday, we will be at the Sweet sixteen. Thursday, we will be at KS Bar. Not sure what we're doing yet. Friday, because I'm going to opening day Thursday after the show as well.
- [59:25]
Matt Jones
Reds. Opening day.
- [59:26]
Ryan Lemons
That's. I'm hoping they're playing.
- [59:28]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [59:28]
Ryan Lemons
If I get up there and it's two more teams, I'M going to be very disappointed if that happens. Four more. Who's next?
- [59:33]
Matt Jones
Danny.
- [59:34]
Ryan Lemons
Danny. Go ahead, Danny.
- [59:37]
C
Yeah, I was thinking about Amari Williams. Why does he miss so many shots down low? He acts like he's a guard. He should dunk some of those. Think about what, how the point spread could have been with it, with him, you know, making better decisions.
- [59:58]
Ryan Lemons
You know, we won, though.
- [60:01]
C
I do. I do. And we lost games throughout the year because.
- [60:05]
Ryan Lemons
All right, well, you seem like a bundle of joy. I appreciate the call. The Cats are in the sweet 16.
- [60:13]
D
I mean, it was a slow start on layups. They figured it out. They're only 6 for 10 at halftime. It felt worse, but it was 6 of 10.
- [60:18]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah, he missed layups, and he does need to do better at that. I thought he played a great second half. I thought he was. I thought he actually had a really poor first half, but I actually thought he played a great second half.
- [60:28]
Matt Jones
He had a pass where he saw it. And Kobe Bray should have cut to the basket because Amari laid it in there. Just perfect. Bread, though, didn't make the cut. I mean, to have that vision, like he's a point guard was pretty amazing. To watch that.
- [60:40]
D
He still hit Bray on one later in the game, though.
- [60:42]
Matt Jones
He did.
- [60:43]
Ryan Lemons
Our friend Tall wanted me to tell you, Drew, he. We are 3.0when he wears his Snoopy Kentucky shirt.
- [60:48]
D
All right. And Snoopy shirt.
- [60:50]
Ryan Lemons
He has a shirt. Kentucky. It is a Kentucky shirt with Snoopy, which I feel like it's one of the many ridiculous shirts he wears. But we're 30 with that shirt on. He didn't wear it for the Friday SEC tournament game, and we lost. So we're 30 in the postseason with the Snoopy shirt.
- [61:06]
D
You're telling me we could have won the sec.
- [61:08]
Ryan Lemons
We could have won the SEC tournament. Tall. I expect the Snoopy shirt on Friday. Who's next?
- [61:13]
Matt Jones
Matt.
- [61:14]
Ryan Lemons
Matt, go ahead, Matt.
- [61:16]
C
How you doing, Mr. Jones? I just want to say, go Big Blue. And it feels great to be back in the sweet 16. Been a few years since we made it. I just hope we make some noise. Coach Pope, welcome. Welcome home, team. Stay tough, keep playing hard.
- [61:32]
Ryan Lemons
Appreciate the call. Now, do we. Do we get a huge crowd in there in Indy?
- [61:36]
D
Absolutely.
- [61:37]
Matt Jones
I think it'll be a massive crowd, but I think Tennessee and Purdue will also have massive crowds.
- [61:41]
Ryan Lemons
What the price is right now, they get in because that's a big arena, too.
- [61:45]
Matt Jones
It is a big arena.
- [61:46]
Ryan Lemons
Has a lot of tickets. What do we. What do we think it's going to be.
- [61:49]
D
Someone said they're doing at the football stadium. I wouldn't think that'd be the case. Is that accurate?
- [61:53]
Ryan Lemons
They don't usually do the Final Four at the football State. At the football stage, I'd be surprised.
- [61:57]
D
That I could have been lied to. But it'll still be a tough ticket. You know, Tennessee, they're excited. They probably don't love seeing Kentucky in the way because we love to remind them that they don't have a final Four and we can not knock them out before they get a chance to play for that. But I think they'll travel well. And Purdue being right down the street.
- [62:12]
Ryan Lemons
As of right now, the get in price, it looks like it is. It. It's at Lucas Oil.
- [62:16]
D
Yeah, that'll help.
- [62:17]
Ryan Lemons
It is at the football stadium. So even though it is at the. Okay. But they're not using the whole state.
- [62:22]
Matt Jones
Yeah, right.
- [62:22]
Ryan Lemons
So they're only using like. Actually they're not. They're using like a third of it. So it's probably 25,000 maybe.
- [62:29]
Matt Jones
Probably somewhere like that.
- [62:30]
Ryan Lemons
The get in price right now, though is $249 to sit in section 628, I suspect. Would you like. This seat is in the lower level.
- [62:41]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [62:42]
Ryan Lemons
$656.
- [62:46]
D
You got that on you, Ryan? Our buzzer beater cast.
- [62:50]
Ryan Lemons
We can use that.
- [62:51]
Matt Jones
You did. You won the buzzer beater.
- [62:54]
Ryan Lemons
What? Three more. Two more, two more, two more. Who's next?
- [62:56]
Matt Jones
Dwayne.
- [62:57]
Ryan Lemons
Dwayne. Go ahead, Dwayne.
- [63:01]
C
Yeah, thanks for taking the call. Damn. I forgot what I was going to ask you.
- [63:08]
Ryan Lemons
Come on, Dwayne. We just made the sweet 16. I know you can remember what you were going to ask. We was. Let me see if I can help. Basketball. We beat Illinois. Weed. A Bix.
- [63:20]
C
Oh, no. Yeah.
- [63:22]
Ryan Lemons
See, I knew I'd get it. The Weetabix is what did it. Go ahead.
- [63:26]
C
No, it wasn't a. It was the guy that called in, said, can you hear me? And you. There was such disdain in your voice when you're like, yes, I can hear you.
- [63:36]
Ryan Lemons
No disdain. I'm. I'm very happy there was.
- [63:40]
C
And then the next thing is. You hate shout outs, but I want to give a shout out to my. My buddy Bart Green, who is a huge, massive Kentucky fan. And then I want to talk to Ron Lemon because he's on the phone. Yes. I know a lot of people in Indianapolis and I'm going to have them go to all the tobacco stores and buy up all the chewing tobacco. So they're. When the Women come to Indianapolis, they can't find no chewing tobacco.
- [64:16]
Ryan Lemons
All right, that made me laugh. I'm not gonna lie to you. Well done, Dwayne. I appreciate Dwayne.
- [64:20]
Matt Jones
With the call of the night, he's gonna buy up all the Chewbacca.
- [64:23]
Ryan Lemons
How many times are you gonna talk about Tennessee women and chewing tobacco this week?
- [64:27]
Matt Jones
Every day. This week? Every day. Because it's a fact. It happens. It's not just didn't make it up. The Tennessee women chew tobacco and they spit it on your shoes when you're at the football games.
- [64:35]
Ryan Lemons
They spit on your shoes?
- [64:36]
Matt Jones
Yes. You have to be careful.
- [64:38]
Ryan Lemons
You had Tennessee women spit tobacco on your shoes?
- [64:41]
Matt Jones
On your shoes? Yes.
- [64:42]
Ryan Lemons
I kind of feel like you haven't had that happen. Where is Shannon?
- [64:46]
D
Always wondering, where did he go?
- [64:48]
Matt Jones
We did lose Shannon.
- [64:49]
Ryan Lemons
Shannon, by the way, what did I walk into?
- [64:53]
D
This is like an elegant ballroom with chandeliers. I didn't think you all would be up here.
- [64:57]
Ryan Lemons
Yeah, I don't think that woman goes, you all are staying here, aren't you? And I went. No rewards member.
- [65:04]
D
I'm a bronze.
- [65:04]
Ryan Lemons
Oh, you think that's a bronze Hilton member. You think the Hilton rewards members all they can. Okay, one. Oh, we weren't supposed to say where we were. We're good. We're finished. It. So it doesn't matter. One more. Cj. CJ how are you, cj?
- [65:17]
C
I'm good, guys. Dan, that's a tough shoes to follow for Dwayne, but I just got a couple of things. One, I. I'm trying to figure out a way to explain to my girlfriend why it's justified for me to be up and pacing and shouting and waving my arms around like a crazy person when I watch these UK games. And then the other. The other thing is, is when you.
- [65:47]
Ryan Lemons
All remember a time speak to. Let me speak to your girlfriend on that. Okay, Ask your second question, and then I'll finish the show by speaking to your girlfriend. Go ahead.
- [65:55]
C
All right, all right, all right, all right. My other question for you guys is, can you all remember a time where there's a. There's a possibility of there being the. All four Final Four teams being SEC teams?
- [66:11]
Ryan Lemons
There. There's a.
- [66:11]
C
There's a road for that happening.
- [66:13]
Ryan Lemons
Has that ever happened before? Yeah. I mean, the Big east had three in 85. I don't appreciate the call. I'm not sure that. I'm not sure that another conference has ever had three. The ACC may have had three one time, but it does not happen very often. Rarely happens with Two, that happens a decent amount, but now you have a chance to get three. As far as the final thing to your girlfriend who's like, why do you asking her boyfriend, why are you pacing around acting like a lunatic? You know, I thought about this while I was standing in the bank lobby with the guy telling people not to go to the bathroom on a Sunday night in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. You know, as we. As society moves on, we get more and more like, in our own world. These phones put us, like, in our own individual life where we can choose to focus on things. And the person that lives next to us has no idea what we do. We don't watch the same TV shows, we don't drink. You know, we don't listen to the same music. We don't see the same movies. Movies. A lot of the community aspect of life that was there, like, even when I was a kid, just sitting there as much as any anymore. We all kind of live in our own spaces. But I think that does make it to. When there's something collective, that it's even more beautiful. When there's something that binds people together that is greater than them, it becomes even more beautiful. And the best thing about Kentucky basketball, to me, it's not winning. Even though it's great to win. It's not the talent. It's not any of this. It is a community. What has been difficult the last few years is everybody knows that the community part of this just hasn't felt the same in the last few years. It just hasn't. The community aspect of Big Blue Nation, it just hasn't felt quite as coherent. And along comes Mark Pope, who understands the community part of it better than any coach we've ever had. Remains to be seen if he'll be as good a winner as these other people will. I think he can be. We'll see. But when it comes to the community aspect of what it means to be a Kentucky fan, what it leads me to sit and rock in a bank building, you to go crazy in your house and have your girlfriend think you're insane. These people to come sit here on a Sunday night and sit with us drinking beer in a hotel lobby. What brings that all together is this idea of Big Blue Nation as a community. That's what made ksr. That's what makes Tom Leach, K. Wood Ledford, Ralph Hacker, Jack Givens, Mike Praddick. What's. What makes them feel like they're a part of our lives. And tonight was another example of that community at its best. I personally, I've said this to Mark. I said it to him a few weeks ago. I thank Mark Pope for bringing that back, because that's what makes Kentucky basketball special. It's what makes us act the way we do. And it's why you guys are listening and why we're staying up in the middle of the night, and it's why we're going to go beat Tennessee next Friday in Indianapolis. Thank you folks very much for listening. We appreciate it. All right. I thank you very much. It's been an awesome night, awesome weekend here in Milwaukee. Let's go walk to our car and get drenched and get on the road and we'll see you later. This has been the local Toyota dealers KSR post game show Taxes was feeling so stuck sitting in traffic squeezing into a parking spot all to squeeze in getting tax help during your lunch break. NowTaxes is a TurboTax expert who does your taxes for you while you go about your day getting real time notifications about their progress and the most money back guaranteed. Now this IS taxes Intuit TurboTax get an expert now on TurboTax.com only available with TurboTax LIFO service. Real time updates only in iOS mobile apps. See guarantee details@turbotax.com guarantees.