KSR Postgame Show: Kentucky MBB vs Missouri (01/07/26)
Date: January 8, 2026
Host: Matt Jones, with Billy Reed
Podcast: KSR Postgame Show (iHeartPodcasts & Sports Talk 790)
Overview
This episode covers Kentucky’s “bafflingly terrible” 73-68 home loss to Missouri—a game the Wildcats led by eight points late, only to collapse on a 15-2 Missouri run. Kentucky starts SEC play 0-2 for the first time ever. Matt Jones, Billy Reed, and frustrated callers dissect what went wrong: coaching (“a disaster”), player effort, team chemistry, late-game execution, leadership, and even NIL distractions, painting a bleak midseason picture for UK basketball.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Nature of the Loss: Historic SEC Start, Home Collapse
- Kentucky led by 8 with 4:15 left, but Missouri closed on a 15-2 run.
- First time ever Kentucky has started 0-2 in SEC play (00:30).
- Offensive execution was “brutal”, especially in the halfcourt.
- Mark Pope’s coaching and late-game management came under heavy criticism.
“This was bad… the first half the offense was just so atrocious that it was hard to watch... They have almost nothing they can do to get good shots in the half court.”
—Matt Jones (00:30)
- Defensive effort was improved, but not enough to overcome offensive woes.
- “When you’re up eight at home, with four minutes left, you need to win that game.” (02:49)
2. Late-Game Meltdown
- Execution failures: turnovers from Moreno and Garrison, missed layup by Otega, failed box-out on a key free throw.
- Confusing substitutions: questionable why Moreno and Garrison handled the ball in crunch time; rotation confusion.
- Missouri’s first win ever in Rupp (17:00).
“The last minute was just a comedy of errors. The turnovers... The execution, poor man.”
—Matt Jones (03:50)
- Mark Pope’s late game plan (drawing up a play down three with 9 seconds left) made little sense:
“You have maybe your two best three-point shooters standing next to each other… What is the play?”
—Matt Jones (04:40)
3. Coaching, Roster, and Leadership Criticism
- Matt Jones calls Pope’s coaching “a disaster” and “awful,” but stops short of claiming he “can’t coach.”
- Repeatedly mentions the team feels “tense and panicked” and that “the coaching staff doesn’t know what to do.”
- Roster construction flaws were visible even in preseason: not enough shooters, poor fit, unclear roles.
“This is a disaster. This is terrible management of the roster... This was a terribly constructed roster.”
—Matt Jones (15:09)
- Criticizes the reliance on Jalen Lowe:
“What if Jalen Lowe stops playing?... That’s how poorly constructed this team is.”
—Matt Jones (16:09)
- Coaching staff “spiraling out of control” with no clear answers.
4. Team Chemistry, Body Language, and NIL
- Several mentions of poor chemistry:
- Fighting/arguing on court (e.g., Diabate/teammate friction).
- Lack of energy and emotional disconnect.
- NIL distractions: players posting personal game highlights and even selling hats on Instagram within hours of a devastating loss.
- Discussion of changing attitudes in the NIL era—players are professionals now, and expectations must shift accordingly.
“You are now a professional. You are going to be treated as a professional... This is part of responsibility.”
—Matt Jones (44:09)
- Frustration with attitude:
“I’ve seen 80-year-old women show more emotion at Walgreens about coupons than these kids show on the court.”
—Caller, Path U (24:41)
5. Caller Reactions: Frustration and Hopelessness
Callers reflect a range from sadness to outright alarm:
- Nostalgia for past coaches but strong calls for accountability (“this guy has got to go”).
- One recounts the passing of his 102-year-old grandfather, a UK fan, showing generational disappointment (17:12).
- Persistent sense of lost identity/connection and a “laughing stock” feeling (24:27).
- Multiple callers question Pope’s future if no turnaround happens.
“We’re not the gold standard right now. We’re the laughing stock.”
—Caller, Path U (25:28)
6. Tournament Hopes Fading
- At 9-6, with a tough remaining schedule, concern Kentucky could miss the NCAA Tournament for the first time in a non-COVID season in decades.
- “You’re not going to get into the tournament with more than 12 [losses] in the regular season.” (10:25)
- Back half of schedule is brutal, little confidence in easy wins ahead (12:26).
7. Specific Player/Rotation Talk
- Otega OA, despite missing a late layup, acknowledged as best performer:
- “20 points in 35 minutes; led team in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.” (43:12)
- Repetitive rotation changes, no set closing five. Players like Quaintance and Diabate, sometimes playing well, totalling inconsistent roles game-to-game (28:13).
- Frustration at high-price recruits getting little to no playing time.
8. Notable Stats & Anecdotes
- At least five (maybe as many as seven) current UK players are making more money (NIL) than star MLB rookie Elly De La Cruz (51:11).
- UK may have as many as five players older than the NBA No. 1 pick from two years ago.
- “Missouri's first win ever at Rupp Arena.” (17:00)
9. Quotes & Memorable Moments
On Pope’s Current State:
“This thing has spiraled out of control and they don’t know what to do to stop it... the players... are tense and panicked and they get tight and they don’t particularly like each other, and it leads to what you had tonight.”
—Matt Jones (08:08)
On NIL Era Impact:
“With that comes some of the excuses I’ve given for people over the years—you’re kids. True. But now you got to grow up quicker.”
—Matt Jones (44:09)
On Team Identity:
“I feel like Kansas, when they’re at home... I just feel like even when they're down... they're going to find a way to win. I don’t feel that way about us right now.”
—Matt Jones (33:07)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:30 — Episode opens, recap of ugly loss, historic 0–2 SEC start
- 03:45 — Breakdown of late collapse, failed plays
- 07:55 — Rotational confusion; "he still doesn't know who he's playing"
- 10:06 — Tournament chances discussed
- 12:00–14:44 — Schedule worries, context from previous coaches (Calipari)
- 18:04 — Caller reflects on loss of fan enthusiasm (enthusiasm “not there any longer”)
- 24:27 — “More bland than Greek yogurt”; need for accountability (Path U)
- 28:13 — Roster depth, lack of playing time for certain big-name players
- 39:39 — “$22 million... Lamborghini... you put us on a Kentucky mountaintop.”
- 44:09 — NIL expectations: players acting as pros, growing up
- 51:36 — “At least five, potentially seven” UK players making more than MLB rookie Elly De La Cruz
- 55:08 — Caller: "It's got to be team dynamics, attitude issues..." Matt: "But that's on him."
- 56:00–end — Closing notes, hope for turnaround, frustration with new team culture
Final Notes & Tone
- Overall Tone: Candid, passionate, at times scathing, but not entirely hopeless; fans and hosts both looking for a silver lining but struggling to find one in the current state.
- Fan Base Mood: Lowest of the Pope era, real threat of tournament miss, questions surrounding culture, chemistry, and leadership.
For Listeners Who Missed the Episode
This is a can't-miss breakdown for any Kentucky basketball fan wrestling with the program’s uncertain future under Mark Pope. You'll get the unfiltered pulse of the fanbase, hard questions about modern college basketball, and a thorough summary of where UK stands (and why) after the Missouri collapse.