KSR Postgame Show: Kentucky vs. North Carolina (12/03/25)

Main Theme & Purpose

The KSR crew—Ryan Lemmon, Billy (co-host), and, later, Frank Franklin—provide the postgame analysis of Kentucky’s tough 67-64 loss to North Carolina at Rupp Arena. This late-night episode unpacks a disappointing performance and the growing frustrations within the fanbase, offering a hard look at Mark Pope’s roster construction, Kentucky’s ongoing non-conference struggles, player absences, and the downward trajectory of the program.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Frustration After Another Bad Loss

• Sense of Defeat: Ryan opens bluntly, “Well, that stunk. I mean, there's no way to sugarcoat that. That was a tough, tough loss at your on your home court Rupp Arena. The crowd brought it, it was rocking...and you stunk it up. I mean, it was bad. It was a bad loss. It was a bad performance.” (03:13)
• Matt Jones' Absence: Matt is out due to family health matters, so Ryan leads the show, noting, “Once again, we got an ugly, awful postgame show to do.” (03:36)

2. Offensive Collapse & Shot Selection

• Brutal Drought: “They couldn't score in the second half where they went almost 10 minutes without a field goal. Oh, for 13 from the field at one stretch. Finished the game 2 of 16 from the field.” (03:45)
• Shooting Woes: Billy: “A team that's supposed to shoot 35 threes a game only made one tonight.” (04:16)
• Three-Point Futility: The only three-pointer was made by Brandon Garrison, an unlikely shooter (04:21).

3. Roster Questions & Player Absences

• Missing Key Guys: Kentucky is without starters Jalen Lowe, Jaden Quaintance, and Mo Diabate. The co-hosts debate if their return can right the ship or if the problems go deeper (08:12).
• No “Waiver Wire” Fix: “You can't go to the waiver wire. You got some of your stars sitting out there hurt still. I don't know what the heck's going on with Diabate.” (05:54)
• Roster Construction Critique: Frank Franklin and callers question Pope’s offseason decisions—"How did Mark Pope sign off on all of these players, knowing that we brought him here for offense and for shooting, and how could he... miss that?" (Super Stein, 23:15)

4. Defensive and Rebounding Struggles

• Out-hustled on the Glass: Billy: “Kentucky couldn't grab a rebound. UNC had 20 offensive rebounds and [around] 22 second chance points.” (10:01)
• Effort Issues: Frank: “Kentucky was just standing around looking at them. They weren't even trying to rebound...I could have gone out there and rebounded against that Kentucky team.” (29:28)

5. Coaching Decisions & Fan Anxiety

• Mass Substitutions: Frank Franklin (35:00) criticizes Pope's habit of substituting multiple players at TV timeouts regardless of momentum, likening it to “third grade basketball” where every mom needs to be happy.
• Loss of Faith: Multiple callers (Big Don, Jerry, Robert) express they don't see Pope as the answer and fear the program is in extended decline—"Ever since COVID we haven't got anything good out of this program. We. It's went to hell." (Big Don, 18:38)
• Lack of Offensive Identity: Tyler: “This team has no offensive identity at all. I know we got to get healthy, but that's if these guys get healthy. And there's a lot of ifs.” (43:47)

6. Caller Perspectives: Despair, Resignation, and One Glimmer of Hope

Notable Calls:

• Big Don (17:33, 18:38): Gives a passionate, emotional response: “I've cried. I've cried. I've spent my hard earned money...and I just thought, why am I here?...This is Kentucky basketball. We don't do that. And I'm just. I don't know. I don't know where you go from here. Pope just. I don't think he's the answer. And I don't see how it gets fixed. It's...over.”
• Jerry (42:24): “We need more callers...like Big Don...They're not going to the NCAA tournament. They're not doing it. This team don't have it.”
• Bear Claw (37:38): Offers rare optimism: “We only lost by three. We didn't have our starting point guard, we didn't have our best defensive player Modiabate...We're still final four bound. Go cats.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ryan Lemmon on the team’s woes:
  “You can't make a stop in crunch time on defense. You're not going to beat anybody and, or it's going to be hard to beat people.” (04:49)

• On the lack of rebounds:
  Billy: “Kentucky had eight offensive rebounds, five second chance points, eight assists to nine turnovers.” (10:11)

• On hopelessness and roster construction:
  Frank Franklin: “Like you're a three point shooting team, but I'm not sure you have many three point shooters. Denzel Aberdeen. I don't know the record for airball threes in a season, but I think he's already doubled that up.” (31:11)

• On the emotional low in the fan base:
  Big Don: “It's been for the last, what, six years? Bull crap. Bull crap. Ever since COVID we haven't got anything good out of this program. It's went to hell. One sweet 16. I can't do it no more.” (18:38)

• On Pope:
  Caller Robert: “I think Mark Pope just doesn't have it...He just does not have the game knowledge to lead...Kentucky to, to be the...to win.” (15:47)

• Moments of levity:
  Frank Franklin jokes about wanting to “throw a Christmas tree off the top of the escalator” after the loss. (28:35)

Important Timestamps

• 03:13: Ryan Lemmon opens the show with his blunt assessment.
• 04:16 - 05:54: Dissection of offensive failures and Pope’s questionable player rotations.
• 07:44: Billy notes the loss is the first in Pope era where UK held an opponent to under 70.
• 10:01 - 11:45: Discussion of rebounding stats and defensive performances.
• 14:12 - 26:31: Callers vent, discuss missed shots, and question coaching/outlook.
• 28:35: Frank Franklin's on-site report: “wasted Rupp’s fastball tonight.”
• 35:00 - 36:07: Heated debate on mass substitutions and need for tough decisions.
• 37:38: Bear Claw's lone optimistic call.
• 40:29 - 43:51: Concerns about strategic errors, NCAA ramifications, and bleak non-conference resume.
• 44:35 - End: Final callers, “ifs and buts,” and show wraps with somber reflection.

Flow & Tone

• The show moves from shell-shocked humor to heated frustration, inviting fans to air their grievances.
• The hosts alternate between attempts at perspective (“Get the guys healthy, the year could turn!”) and resignation.
• Despite the bleak outlook, the closing segment includes a sprinkle of weary humor and camaraderie among the panel.

Takeaways

• Kentucky’s expectation is to win at Rupp, and the fanbase will not accept close losses, especially with repeated offensive and rebounding issues.
• Faith in Mark Pope is swiftly eroding, not just due to losses but visible strategic and roster problems.
• The non-conference record and lack of a quality win is alarming—“our resume ain’t looking too good right now.”
• The missing starting rotation is a factor, but listeners/hosts doubt that is a panacea, especially with deeper roster construction faults.
• Most importantly, there’s overwhelming anxiety about the program’s trajectory, and the next few games (especially Gonzaga) are viewed as potential turning points—or further evidence for pessimism.