KSR Postgame UK MBB vs South Carolina 02/08/25

Summary

KSR Postgame: Kentucky MBB Dominates South Carolina 80-57

Podcast Information:

• Title: KSR
• Hosts: Matt Jones and Billy Rutledge, KSR Crew
• Produced By: iHeartPodcasts and Sports Talk 790 (WKRD-AM)
• Description: Matt Jones and the KSR crew deliver the latest in University of Kentucky (UK) news and views Monday through Friday from 10 AM to noon.
• Episode: KSR Postgame UK MBB vs South Carolina
• Release Date: February 8, 2025

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Game Recap and Key Performances

In this episode of the KSR Postgame show, hosts Matt Jones and Billy Rutledge provide an in-depth analysis of Kentucky's commanding victory over South Carolina, with a final score of 80-57. Despite the rainy conditions in Lexington, the atmosphere at the KS Bar and Grill was electric, reflecting the exuberance of Kentucky fans celebrating a crucial win that was essential for their season.

Bench Contribution:
A standout aspect of Kentucky's performance was the unparalleled contribution from their bench players. Billy Rutledge highlights, "Kentucky had 39 of their 80 points off the bench, at one point scoring 29 of their first 34 points from bench players [00:50]." This depth proved pivotal in maintaining the lead and securing the victory.

Kobe Braya’s Excellence:
Kobe Braya emerged as one of the game's brightest stars. Rutledge remarks, "Maybe one of his best overall games at Kentucky... he had 10 points, six assists, two steals, and five rebounds [02:15]." His ability to stay in front of his defenders and disrupt passing lanes was crucial in stifling South Carolina’s offense.

Brandon Garrison’s Impact:
Brandon Garrison also delivered a noteworthy performance, scoring 15 points with an impressive 7 out of 8 shooting. Although his rebounding was limited, his efficiency and scoring ability provided a significant boost in the second half [04:00].

Lamont Butler’s Dual Role:
Lamont Butler's presence on both ends of the court was another critical factor. Despite shooting at 60%, his defensive prowess allowed Kentucky to pressure South Carolina's guards effectively. Rutledge emphasizes, "Lamont Butler is the most important player on the team... his effect on defense is even more important than his effect on offense [06:00]." Butler's ability to navigate the court and facilitate plays was instrumental in Kentucky's strategic dominance.

Coaching Strategy:
Mark Pope's coaching decisions, particularly his extensive rotation of seven players, ensured that the team maintained high energy levels throughout the game. Rutledge notes, "He was able to take a group of seven, play them a lot, and I think that's what you're going to have to do, because after we get past those seven, we start to see a bigger drop off [07:30]."

Player Health and Future Outlook:
Concerns about Jackson Robinson’s wrist were briefly addressed, with Rutledge reassuring listeners of his resilience despite a cautious start. The hosts also discussed Andrew Carr’s role, anticipating his return to a more significant part of the lineup as the season progresses [08:45].

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Billy Rutledge on Bench Performance:
  "Kentucky had 39 of their 80 points off the bench, at one point scoring 29 of their first 34 points from bench players." [00:50]

• Rutledge on Kobe Braya:
  "Maybe one of his best overall games at Kentucky... he had 10 points, six assists, two steals, and five rebounds." [02:15]

• On Lamont Butler’s Impact:
  "Lamont Butler is the most important player on the team... his effect on defense is even more important than his effect on offense." [06:00]

• Regarding Coaching Strategy:
  "He was able to take a group of seven, play them a lot, and I think that's what you're going to have to do..." [07:30]

• Caller Tribute:
  "My big takeaway from the game is I could not believe the announcer said Isaiah Briscoe was one of his favorite players in UK history." [09:27]

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Listener Callers’ Insights and Discussions

The episode features numerous interactions with listeners, providing a diverse range of perspectives on the game and the team's performance.

Caller on Team Resilience and Potential:
One caller, a middle school principal, reflects on the team’s ability to compete against formidable opponents:
"If our losses had been against Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville... we all would go to [March Madness]. Now it's like, we know we can go toe to toe with anybody." [10:32]

Caller on Future Matchups and Predictions:
Another caller expresses confidence in upcoming games, particularly against Tennessee:
"I saw enough improvement. It's encouraging." [12:03]

Impact of Lamont Butler:
A caller praises Butler's ability to handle pressure and facilitate the offense:
"...he can beat the on-ball pressure. When Robinson's at point guard, it just feels like hard to get the ball off the court." [15:28]

Discussion on Coach Bruce Pearl:
A caller brings up rumors about Bruce Pearl potentially moving to Indiana, prompting an extensive discussion on coaching impacts within the SEC:
"If Indiana is serious about basketball, they hire Bruce Pearl. If you don't get him, hire Chris Beard... you're not Indiana anymore." [21:13]

Emotional Connection and Fan Support:
A heartfelt call from a listener shares a personal story about his late father and the influence of KSR:
"My dad... was a big reason why I am a Kentucky fan... Mr. Stefan." [24:53]

Caller on Team Defense and Rebounding:
A listener critiques Kentucky’s rebounding strategy, emphasizing the need for better boxing out:
"I feel like we could get more rebounds by just boxing out our man and not allowing the opposing team to get more offensive rebounds." [45:28]

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Strategic Analysis and Future Outlook

Defense Improvements:
Rutledge commends the team's defensive tightening, especially in the second half:
"They put their foot on the gas and basically finish the game." [20:25]

Bench Depth and Rotations:
The significant contribution from the bench was highlighted as a key strength, providing the team with the necessary depth to maintain momentum throughout the game [00:50].

Injury Management and Player Roles:
Ongoing discussions about player health, particularly Jackson Robinson’s wrist and Andrew Carr’s role, indicate a strategic approach to managing player fitness and maximizing performance as the season advances [08:45].

SEC’s Strength and Coaching Impact:
The hosts delve into the robust nature of the SEC, attributing its strength to strategic investments in coaching and talent:
"The SEC is the best league this year, I think it's going to be the best league from now on... these coaches are just phenomenal." [31:56]

Final Record Predictions:
Assuming full roster health, Rutledge predicts a strong finish with a potential final record of 21-10, emphasizing key wins against top opponents to solidify their standing [30:16].

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Upcoming Events and Announcements

Meet-and-Greet Sessions:
Listeners are invited to meet players like Jackson Robinson and OA at the KS Bar and Grill, with details provided for scheduling autograph sessions prior to the Super Bowl [44:37].

Women's Team Game:
The hosts also briefly mention the women’s basketball team’s upcoming game, highlighting cross-promotion and support for all UK athletic programs [29:33].

Special Promotions:
Listeners are reminded to place orders for game-day food and wings early to accommodate large Super Bowl parties, ensuring a seamless viewing experience [45:15].

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Conclusion

The KSR Postgame episode offers a comprehensive review of Kentucky's dominant performance against South Carolina, celebrating the team's depth, strategic defense, and key player contributions. Through engaging discussions with hosts and active listener participation, the show not only analyzes the game but also provides insights into future matchups, player dynamics, and the broader landscape of SEC basketball. With a promising outlook and dedicated fan support, Kentucky looks poised to continue their strong season as they advance towards the SEC tournament and beyond.

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Notable Timestamps:

• 00:50: Discussion on bench scoring contribution.
• 02:15: Analysis of Kobe Braya’s performance.
• 06:00: Lamont Butler’s impact on defense and offense.
• 07:30: Mark Pope’s coaching strategy.
• 09:27: Caller’s surprise at Isaiah Briscoe’s recognition.
• 10:32: Caller’s perspective on team resilience.
• 12:03: Confidence in upcoming matchups.
• 15:28: Praise for Lamont Butler’s role.
• 21:13: Caller’s insight on Bruce Pearl coaching move.
• 24:53: Personal listener story about fan influence.
• 45:28: Critique on team’s rebounding strategy.

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This detailed summary encapsulates the essence of the KSR Postgame episode, providing listeners and non-listeners alike with a thorough understanding of the game’s outcome, team dynamics, and future prospects for Kentucky basketball.

Transcript

[Matt Jones]

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[Billy Rutledge]

Welcome everyone. It is the local Toyota dealers KSR Postgame show the Cats get a big win tonight at home, which they needed against South Carolina 80 to 57 on a rainy day in Lexington, but one that still led to a good result. You can give us a shout 859-280-2287. I am at the KS Bar and Grill where it is a full house of happy Kentucky fans getting ready to enjoy right now. I guess Kansas State and Kansas, but soon they will have Florida and Auburn here in just a little bit. Super bowl tomorrow but the Super bowl for Kentucky fans was today because the Cats had to get a victory. There was no this was not one you could play around with. Even though South Carolina had not won a game at home in conference. Kentucky, after what Mark Pope himself said maybe had been the two worst performances of the year by the basketball team. They came out played I thought excellent defensively, pretty good offensively, not not their top but but good enough, but a really good defensive performance against a South Carolina team that does struggle to score. But Kentucky to their credit, didn't really give them a chance to get going at any point. 859280, 2287 I think the big story today for Kentucky is probably the bench because Kentucky had 39 of their 80 points off the bench at one point. They had 29 of their first 34 off the bench, which is a pretty astounding number. Kobe, Kobe, Braya. Maybe one of his best overall games at Kentucky and it wasn't just because he shot well. Yes, he had 10 points but he had six assists. He had two steals, five rebounds. I just thought it was his best overall game. It's one of the first games I've seen where he didn't get taken off the dribble. Instead he was able to kind of stay in front of his man pretty well cut off passing lanes. I thought it was a really, really good game for Kobe and then Brandon Garrison still does a lot of good stuff. His, the things that are negative can frustrate you, but when he can come out and score 15 points, 7 of 8 shooting, got to get him to get one more, more than one rebound. But the 15 points, he finished at the rim, hit a three, we'll give him a, we'll give him a replay on the technical. It's, you know, that happens out of excitement. But I thought he gave him some good minutes, especially in the second half. The other big storyline besides the bench is Lamont Butler. I mean, Kentucky is just a different team with Lamont Butler. Even if he's at 60%, the way he, he affects both ends of the floor, I think his effect on defense is even more important than his effect on offense because he's able to get out, get pressure on guards so they don't get a chance. The point guards, they don't get a chance to get the offense initiated. He allows everyone on the Kentucky defensive end to take a guy that's a little bit less good than they would have to otherwise. So, you know, Jackson Robinson can take the second best player, no way can take the third, and then Brea can take the weakest offensive player. And all of a sudden everybody's in a lot more comfortable role. And then on the offensive end, look, he doesn't, he didn't score a lot, but it doesn't really matter. I mean, he had eight points, but he gets, he gets, as Jack Givens said, he gets guys into the position with which they are more comfortable. And I think that's especially true about Away and Brea. I think those two guys are much more comfortable kind of not having to be one of the primary scorers, and they're able to do that with him. And you saw that with OA having 17 points and really playing excellent in the second half. Lamont Butler is, I think Jackson Robinson's the best player, but Lamont Butler is the most important player on the team. They're just not the same team without him. And I thought it was great to get to see him play, but not only play to have 25 points or, excuse me, 25 minutes in the game. He didn't just play. He was able to stay out there for long runs. And I think that is really crucial. Thought it was also interesting. Mark Pope played the starters a lot of minutes, and even though, look, Garrison and Carr and Brea were good coming off the bench, he, until the very end, kind of limited his rotation. You had, you had Brea play 30 minutes you had Robinson with 20 away, 29, Butler 23, Almanor 24, Williams 21. He was able to kind of take a group of seven, play them a lot, and I think that's what you're going to have to do, because I think after we get past those seven, we start to see a bigger drop off. Also, shout out Trent Noah, who I thought had some really good minutes. He is probably the best player on the team at getting after loose balls and actually, you know, hustling and. And not avoiding contact, which is, I think, is a weakness from some of the other guys on the team. So they won by 23. I mean, the spread was 11 and a half. So this was a definitive victory for Kentucky, but they just had to get a win. As I was watching the game, I was just wanting the clock to tick down because ultimately all I wanted was to see them win. And they did. So now you got Tennessee coming in Tuesday night. I think that's going to be a really difficult game considering we beat them down there. And then next Saturday you'll have a game at Texas. And I think I look at next week for Kentucky and say, hey, if you can get both of them, then we're gold. But if you can get one of them, we're kind of still where we need to be heading, getting ready for March. Because I think what's clear is when this team is healthy, when every member of the team is healthy and is playing, they're as good as anybody in the country. But as we've talked a lot about the holes greater than the sum of the parts, if you take a couple of those parts away, the hole takes a big drop, at which point then they're susceptible to losing to anybody. This is the first time we've seen everybody back together, and it worked out great. Couple things going forward. Jackson, Robinson, little worried about his wrist. I didn't like when they put him back in and he had that play where he went up for a rebound and then he came down holding his wrist. You know, he made shots today, actually. I mean, he was. What was his percentage? He went two for eight. Well, that's not great. But he did make two threes, so I don't think his wrist is, you know, broken. But we got to keep him. I mean, he's another one. If you don't have him, then this is a completely different basketball team. So I think the. His health is one thing to watch. It was also good to see Andrew Carr only played 14 minutes, but it didn't seem like you know, during that time he was in pain and he had nine points. I thought he got a lot of easy baskets, which is what you get what you need from him going forward. So Tennessee Tuesday night Kentucky goes to now 5 and 5 in the SEC still in the top half as we get ready for the SEC tournament and a good showing by Kentucky and the BBN today on what was a nasty day, especially this Morning in Lexington. 859-280-2287 I'm here at KS Bar Miami. Billy, given Wolfe giving a little more than maybe we thought they would did.

[Matt Jones]

That game get close again because I.

[Billy Rutledge]

7267 with 66 minutes to Google has different kind of uniform on today. But this is, you know, we've got to be careful. This will be, this could be, this would be a terrible loss. But I think they'll probably pull it out. Their guy Chucky Hepburn I think is out today though. 859-280-2287 we will take a break. Be right back. This is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. Welcome back. It is the Local Toyota Dealers KSR Postgame Show. 859-280-2287 if you've ever thought to yourself I'd like to get in on the show now, your time. I, you know, last couple losses we were phone lines packed, got one or two open, which is rare. So get in. 859-280-2287 text machine. 772-774-5254. One person writes, Matt, my big takeaway from the game is I could not believe the announcer said Isaiah Briscoe was one of his favorite players in UK history. I noticed that same thing. Billy, I don't know, you may not have heard that because you or not you were listening to radio broadcast, but Damen Fishback was talking about who had triple doubles in UK history, right? And he said look at that list. Look at those amazing names. Chris Mills, dear and Fox, Isaiah Briscoe. And then he goes one of my favorite players of UK history. And I was like, wow, would it, would anyone outside Isaiah Briscoe's family say that? Like that was one that like that was one of the most surprising things I've ever heard.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, odd selection there.

[Billy Rutledge]

I like Isaiah Briscoe. I'm just not sure I would have ever thought of him as some one of someone's favorite UK players of all time. But good for Isaiah getting the, getting the shout out there during the game. 859-280-2287 let's get started. Who's up first?

[Matt Jones]

David.

[Billy Rutledge]

David. Go ahead, David.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt. Thanks for taking my call.

[Billy Rutledge]

Thanks. I appreciate it.

[Caller]

Hi. I just wanted to call in. I have to listen to the podcast every day because I'm a principal at a middle school and I always have to listen to the podcast on the way home. But you asked a question yesterday. Just kind of related to. We all love hope and have faith in hope, but how did we feel about the team? And especially with a big win today, which we all need not know we needed, I started thinking about our record. And if you take our losses that we had and we had just lost to the teams that we thought we might lose to, if our losses had been against Duke, Gonzaga, Louisville, you know, Florida, Tennessee, would we all go to. And I don't think, Jeff. I think we say no. We think we can play with the teams on our level, but the ones that are at the top, we just really can't stand up against, which is what we all thought we'd have at the beginning of the season. But now it's like you said, we know we can go toe to toe with anybody.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, it is a flip. I mean, it's exactly. It is a very. Like, you can look at our record and you can kind of see what you want to see. All right, so the optimist would say, man, if we just beat Ohio State, Vandy, Georgia, Arkansas, we only have three losses and we're ranked in the top three. Three in the country. Correct. Another person could go. If we didn't win those close games against Duke, Tennessee, Gonzaga and Florida, we're in the on the bubble from getting in the tournament. So I think it actually ended up evening out to probably what it should be. But it's one of the weirder paths that I think I've ever seen at Kentucky. Take in history. Kentucky team, take in history.

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

He'S gone. He's having fun.

[Billy Rutledge]

I mean, it really is odd. I mean, that Mark Pope has gotten maybe the best section of wins of a Kentucky team in a long, long time. But we've also taken some really weird losses. But if you look at it, I'd say 16, seven. Maybe we're a game. Maybe we should be like 17 and six. But, like, that's about where I thought we'd be at this point. But our path to getting there has been really odd and so just interesting. Who's up next?

[Matt Jones]

Ed?

[Billy Rutledge]

Ed. Go ahead, Ed.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt, I saw enough today where I'm confident that going in Tennessee is going to be the sweet no cats.

[Billy Rutledge]

So you like us beating Tennessee for the sweep?

[Caller]

Yes, I do. I saw enough improvement. It's encouraging.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, I. I. Listen, I've never thought we couldn't win. I just wanted. I just want us to get enough wins to get into March, and then come what may, we're ready to rock.

[Caller]

Oh, absolutely. And I'm with you 100%, but I'm confident. Mark it down. Sweet. I got the broom ready.

[Billy Rutledge]

I hope you're right. I appreciate the call. I think Tennessee. It's interesting. I. On paper, Tennessee should be a terrible matchup for us. They really should. But we won down there and pretty much led the whole game.

[Matt Jones]

So they missed, like, 40 threes, right?

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, they did, but that's what we wanted them to do. We wanted them to take those threes, you know? Now I don't. Do I think they'll miss 40 again? No, but, I mean, we didn't shoot great down there. You know, we. We shot. What'd we go, 13 of 35 or something? That's okay, but it's not. You know, we didn't have Butler either.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, it was a great. But they didn't have Butler.

[Billy Rutledge]

I don't think we had Car. We didn't have Butler or Car, and we still won.

[Matt Jones]

They're gonna have to start starting games better. They were one of nine to start even this one.

[Billy Rutledge]

They were. But their defense was. Was fine.

[Matt Jones]

Much better.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, we'll see. I mean, who does. Tizzy's already beaten Oklahoma. Yeah, they won, but that really good freshman didn't play for Oklahoma, so that's kind of a weird game. Who's up next?

[Matt Jones]

Zach.

[Billy Rutledge]

Zach. Go ahead, Zach.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt. Just wanted to call and brag about the bench. Was really happy with their production today. Right. Start 1 in 10, and then within that was maybe the first or second TV timeout. We go from 1 in 10 to 5. 5 out of 5, and field goals, and that's all go. All goes to Kobe. Right. And then Brandon was absolutely just magnificent. Hate that he only got one rebound, but I think there's a lot of potential in his game to. For Pope to build on.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, you know, Brandon is not as good a defender as Amari Williams. I think it's a step down in defense, so he's got to make it up in offense because he can hit that three, and he's shown a pretty good ability to finish at the rim. And that's exactly what he did today. He had some. He didn't have as many mistakes on defense as he has, but He's. He brings you down a notch defensively, so he's got to make that up on offense. And today he was able to do that.

[Caller]

He was. He was. Yeah.

[Billy Rutledge]

Appreciate the call. 859-280-2287. It's this place got, I think when the show started, got crowded. Billy, I think that's because of you, you know.

[Matt Jones]

Because of me?

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah. When people are waiting to get a table here, they look at me like. It's almost like they give me puppy dog eyes trying to save them, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Do you?

[Matt Jones]

I think they want you to sit them at a table.

[Billy Rutledge]

Right. There's other people in line ahead of them. What am I? I mean, they just want me like. I feel bad. I want to like go. I'm sorry. I wish I could carry you all over there, but I. But I can't. Who's next?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that is an awkward eye lock, Wilson, because.

[Billy Rutledge]

Because I'm looking right at them and I can't look away. Wilson. Go ahead, Wilson.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt. First time, long time. So I was at the game, atmosphere was solid despite the slow start. And I know it was South Carolina, but it was clear, like Lamont Butler's impact, even though he didn't have a ton of points or stats in the stat sheet, I feel like he can beat the on ball pressure. And when Robinson's at point guard, it just feels so, like hard to get the ball off the court sometimes. So it was just nice to have him out there and nice to have an easy win. And with him being back, I feel really good about the rest of the season as long as he can stay healthy. And we're going to be Tennessee, so.

[Billy Rutledge]

I think he, he changes the game on a pressure standpoint on both ends. You're exactly right. He handles pressure better than Robinson and away and Perry, but he also gives pressure better too. And so he makes it oddly. I think what's interesting about Lamont Butler is he makes the part of the court from the top of the three point line on each side, that area, from one top of the three point line to the other top. He owns that area in a way that our other players I think really struggle. And I think it makes it a huge difference when he's in the game whether he scores or not. Just his ability to navigate in between both halves.

[Caller]

Definitely agree there.

[Billy Rutledge]

Appreciate the call. I mean, we got, you know, you. We got a lot of guys who do, I think pretty good work in the half court with the ball. But I do think that, you know, what killed us in the game at Ole Miss especially, but also against Arkansas was we would just cross half court and our guys just really struggle getting the ball from half court to the three point line. And that's where I think Butler really is. Makes a huge, huge impact. Who's next?

[Matt Jones]

Allen.

[Billy Rutledge]

Allen. Go ahead, Alan.

[Caller]

Hey, just to continue on Lamont Butler, there's some things I noticed right around when, today when South Carolina was really keeping it at 10 or 11 points there kind of the first of the second half and during our motion offense when stuff wasn't opening up, Butler would just seem to drive down the lane and the defense would collapse and he'd get a handoff or they would kick it back out. And just his ability to make things happen when it seems like nothing else else is happening is pretty remarkable. And that doesn't always show up as a, as an assist or a stat. But just watching that today at the game, it was, it was pretty remarkable because in these last few games sometimes our offense just looks clueless and nothing happens as the shot clock runs out.

[Billy Rutledge]

I completely agree with you. And he also has the ability, whether it's himself or dropping it off to finish. I mean like we got some guys like Olay I think can get a step on most guys but he's actually not great finishing. But Butler I think finds a way. He's good at jump stop kind of head faking getting it in. I agree. I just, I think he makes such a difference on, on, on both ends. You really could see it today there. I felt like the team was a lot more in control in this game maybe than I did in the other.

[Caller]

Yep.

[Billy Rutledge]

Appreciate the call. 859-280-2287. Who you like tonight, Billy? Florida and Auburn. That starts here in just a few minutes. That's, that's a big one.

[Matt Jones]

It's hard to pick against Auburn. It, where's it at?

[Billy Rutledge]

The game is at Auburn. Yeah, it's hard to see Auburn losing at home, but Florida can put up when they get hot, they can put up big points. What about Duke? Do, do they go down at Clemson?

[Matt Jones]

No, no. I think this note card, you saying they go undefeated in conferences is going to be true.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, this is the last time they can lose, so I guess in theory they could lose at North Carolina, but of course North Carolina is not good. I mean I think tonight is really the only chance. And then does Cal get it done tonight against Alabama? This would be, I mean they win tonight. This would probably Put them on the right side of the bubble. Right. Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Hogs are back. If they beat Alabama tonight, they've, they've looked a lot better since that Kentucky game, but I think Alabama does get the best of them here. There's no way you're picking Arkansas, is there? I mean, maybe against the spread.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, the spread's only four. Yeah, I mean, I, I think either Alabama runs them off the court or Arkansas wins. You know, I mean, people forget Cal did a pretty good job against Nate Oats here. You know, I mean, we beat him last year by like 30. They went to the final four. So I think he kind of likes playing against those about. Against Nate Oats team. So, you know, we'll see. 859-280-2287. Who's next?

[Matt Jones]

Lee.

[Billy Rutledge]

Lee. Go ahead, Lee.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt, good to hear your voice. And go. Cat. One comment I like to make with y'all been talking about the defense. It was great to see the defense causing a good scoring spurt there that late in that second half when they kind of put them away. We hadn't been getting that the last few games.

[Billy Rutledge]

You're exactly right on that point. They cut it to nine. Right. It was 50 to four. It was 50 to 41. And you know, that's close to being a game. And then we went on a 15 to two run in three and a half minutes of game action. And that I, I was clapping at my house because that's what I want to see this team do. You know, teams are going to make runs, get close, but they just put their foot on the gas and basically finish the game.

[Caller]

Hey, two quick questions. I hang up. I want you to elaborate on if you would, if you got time. Real one, who do you think is the MVP on the UK team at this point in the season? And the second question I want to hear you ask. What do you think about the rumors about Bruce Pearl going to Indiana?

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, I think if Indiana is serious about basketball, they hire Bruce Pearl. I mean, if you're Indiana, you are in desperation mode to save that program because that program.

[Caller]

Will he leave Auburn?

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, I think he would. That's a school. I think he. I think there's. Bruce appreciates the history of the game. He's. He's coached at Southern Indiana. I think he would. I think he would do great at Indiana. To me, that's. To me, if you're Indiana and you don't hire Bruce Pearl, at least try to hire Bruce Pearl, then you're not serious about basketball. And then if you can't get Bruce Pearl for whatever reason. Let's say he stays at Auburn. Then I think you have to hire Chris Beard because, you know, he's a Bobby Knight. He loves Bobby Knight. He's got like, I don't know if he coached for him or whatever. Those are two dudes that I. That will guarantee to make you relevant. And if you don't end up with either one of those guys, if you cannot take those guys from football schools, then you're not Indiana anymore. Right?

[Caller]

Yeah. Let's get them out of sec too.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, no, I agree. So. So as far as your first question. So, yeah, I appreciate the call. I mean, if I'm Indiana, Bruce Pearl's first call, Chris Beard second call. And then, you know, and remember when those guys were choices here, you know, there were some character questions. But Kentucky was not in desperation mode. They are in desperation mode in Indiana. You just. They're in the mode we were after Billy, where like there were some questions about Cal, but like, you just had to do it. You just had to do it. And so same thing here. They just got to do it. As far as your first question, who the MVP is the most consistently good player on this team this year has actually probably been away. The best player is Robinson and maybe the most important player is Butler. So it just depends on what you're, you know, and it just depends on what you're. What you're asking. Right. But I would say if you're talking about who has played the best, the most consistently for Kentucky, I actually think the answer is probably OA. 23 straight games in double figures. That's a pretty amazing number. And I think in the Cal era there were only like four guys to do that and always done it this year. And he is by far the least predictable one to do it.

[Matt Jones]

Well, think about this team without Amari.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yes. That none of this is to downplay Amari. I just would put him a notch below those guys.

[Matt Jones]

Sure.

[Billy Rutledge]

But I mean, look, he's played well too. I mean, all those guys, all four, though. Andrew Carr, when he's healthy, his play well. All these guys play well. I just think I would put them, you know, a notch. A notch below a head on marijuana. 859-280-2287. Text machine is 772-774-5254. We'll take a break. We'll be right back. This is the local Toy Dealers KSR Postgame show. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers KSR post game show. 859-280-2287. The text machine is 772-774-5254 here at the KS Bar and Grill. Auburn in Florida bats tip off. Mississippi State leads Texas Miss, excuse me, Texas A and M leads Missouri on the road 2720. That would be a, that'd be a pretty big victory if A and M can get it there on the road to ranked teams going at it. A lot of people don't realize A and M and Missouri, two ranked teams playing each other, but they are. There's another ranked game like that later on tonight. So Texas, I think Texas Tech and Arizona, which might not be two teams. You people realize Texas Tech's text top 15 in the country this year. 859-280-2287. Who's up next?

[Matt Jones]

Jordan.

[Billy Rutledge]

Jordan. Go ahead, Jordan.

[Caller]

Hey Matt, two things. First, a lifelong Kentucky fan, a listener of your show and my papa passed away last Saturday at 93 years. And when I would go visit him something he would ask me, did you hear what Matt Jones is saying? And he he's a big reason of why I am a Kentucky fan and my dad. So I want to one shout out Fred Steffen. Just a funny side note on his when he was on his deathbed, the one thing that got the strongest reaction out of him was my dad asked him, did you know that Cal's coming in today? And so he said, oh yeah. So you know, it's more than a game.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, you're exactly right. And God Bless your grandfather, Mr. Stefan. And yeah, I appreciate him listening and getting you to be a fan and be praying for your family.

[Caller]

Thank you. That means a lot. And then how about, you know, Williams is not that flashy and sometimes when he's from the top of the court it feels like he does have hands of stones. But when you have a plus minus of 32, there is nothing to complain about. And then I loved just the dunks and the way they attacked. I mean they attacked the basket and that was really fun to see. You could tell that they really the hustle and the effort was there in a way. It just wasn't.

[Billy Rutledge]

Last game against it did look to me like there was much more of an emphasis placed in this game on attacking the basket. You could see it in the way, in the way the game was was the way you're exactly right. Just the way the guys seem to go at the rim in a kind of much more concrete way. And I thought that was I thought that really, really paid off dividends, drew some more fouls to get to the line. And then those dunks in the second half, they had three or four, like, power dunks back to back to back.

[Caller]

Well, thanks for what you do on your show. It means a lot.

[Billy Rutledge]

Thank you.

[Caller]

And I hope you'll have a blessed Saturday.

[Billy Rutledge]

Appreciate it. 859-280-2287. Who's up next?

[Matt Jones]

Matt.

[Billy Rutledge]

Matt, go ahead. Matt.

[Caller]

Hey, how you doing, Matt? How you doing, Billy? This is doing good, Matt up in Madison, Wisconsin. Good. Couple of quick things. One, seeing Butler back today. The Cats just look comfortable again. Their energy was good again. The effort was there on both sides. They just look more focused. They look so much more comfortable. And if we assume that that is going to be, you know, we've got a regular lineup back more or less for the rest of the season. What do you all feel like the final record looks like compared to, you know, a few days ago when we didn't know when Butler would be back?

[Billy Rutledge]

Let me do the first one, then we'll do the second. If you tell me all of these guys healthy for the rest of the year. Okay. If you tell me that, that, that that is happening and all year they are healthy, then I would say to you, I think we finish. We've got what, eight games left. We probably finished five and three in the last eight games. And then that would make us, what, 21 and 10. If we're not healthy, then it could be anything. But I feel pretty good about winning LSU and Vandy, and I think we get two of the three at Oklahoma, at Missouri, at Texas. I think we get two of those three and then we steal one at home against either Tennessee or Auburn.

[Caller]

Right on. Yeah, that would be a good outcome. I think everybody would be pretty happy if we could do that. Second thing, I wanted to thank you all for, for the KSR interview with Georgia Amore a few weeks back. It was. She was great, like a natural. That team is so fun. I. I live up in Wisconsin, but I was down in Georgia for work and I had the opportunity just kind of on a whim to go see them in Athens. And I got a seat right behind the bench and was just able to see the interaction between Coach Brooks and the players and the players amongst themselves. And, man, it's a special team, you all, I think. I think sky's the limit for this team and I don't know when we're going to see another point guard like Georgia Amor again. So thanks to you all for starting to talk about them more and also, you know, to the team and Coach Brooks, I mean, it's so much fun to watch them.

[Billy Rutledge]

Totally agree with you and I want to. I'm going to talk more about the women's team after this break because they have big game tomorrow. They got a lot lot coming in the next couple weeks. We're going to take a break. 859-280-20287 we'll do a little extra long final segment and be right back. This is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. 859-280-2287. Cats win 80 to 57 against South Carolina. Now move to 16 and 7 on the year. Eight games left. All right, so Billy, let me go through the last eight games and you tell me win or loss. Are you ready?

[Matt Jones]

Okay. Yes.

[Billy Rutledge]

Let's assume, let's assume a full roster.

[Matt Jones]

Everybody's healthy.

[Billy Rutledge]

Okay, let's assume a full roster. Tennessee in Lexington, win. Win. All right.

[Matt Jones]

At Texas, loss.

[Billy Rutledge]

I'm gonna flip those. I think Tennessee gets us.

[Matt Jones]

They've been flipping it all year.

[Billy Rutledge]

I think we win. In Austin Vandy at home, win. All right. At Alabama, loss. At Oklahoma, win. At Auburn or excuse me, Auburn here.

[Matt Jones]

Excuse me, loss.

[Billy Rutledge]

Law.

[Matt Jones]

LSU win.

[Billy Rutledge]

At Missouri, win. All right, so you've got, so you've got 5 and 3. Like me, just different games.

[Matt Jones]

5 and 3, 5 and 3.

[Billy Rutledge]

I think 5 and 3, which would finish, make this team finish 10 and 8 in the SEC. I actually think that would be a really good, a really good result for the, for the team. I think that would be a really good result. If they could finish 10 and 8. I think that would put them with at least one buy in the, in the SEC and I think that would be a really good result for the team.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, with Butler healthy, I mean, it's a completely different team without. It feels like.

[Billy Rutledge]

859-280-2287. Who's up next?

[Matt Jones]

Tommy.

[Billy Rutledge]

Tommy. Go ahead, Tommy.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt, thanks for the call. Thanks, Billy. I was just looking, you know, super bowl weekend, looking at the AFC with the Chargers, the Bengals, Ravens, Steelers, Bills. I mean, it's a very competitive chasing. Casey, is that league so good? Because they, you know, they're chasing Kansas City and is that why the SEC is so good? Because for a decade and a half we've been such a dominant program and I'll, I'll take your thoughts off there.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, no, I think the reason the SEC is so good is that the schools seven or eight years ago decided to really Invest in and focus on basketball. I mean, there was a time seven or eight years ago where you could make an argument the SEC was the best league in every sport, but was like fifth in basketball. And then all of a sudden, think about the coaches. Think about just the coaches that have been brought in in the last seven or eight years. They've brought in Rick Barnes, Bruce Pearl, Nate Oates, Chris Beard, Mike White, the guy that's now Todd golden, that's at Florida, you know, Gates at Missouri. They've just replaced, they've replaced coaches that were mediocre and they've decided we're going to spend money on and get to top level coaches. And then the other thing is the way the revenue sharings work. These schools in the SEC and Big Ten now have twice the money the other conferences do. So there would have been a time that a dude like Bruce Pearl, if he was at Auburn, there would have been eight Big Ten and six ACC schools that would have come and taken him. But now Auburn can, can keep their coach. Now will they be able to keep him from Indiana? We'll see. But, but just think about us. I mean, think we were looking for a coach last year. There would have been a time you wouldn't have been able to. You'd of course could have gotten Baylor's coach and you of course could have gotten UConn's coach. But that's changed now. So all of that, I think has made the SEC good. And then there's always. The athletes have always been here. Even when the SEC stunk, the athletes in this conference were great. Now we have talent to match the athletes and that's the league you get this year. Then you throw in Texas, Oklahoma, who aren't even particularly that good this year, but you throw them in and all of a sudden the league is just stacked.

[Matt Jones]

He's gone.

[Billy Rutledge]

So I think those things all combined have led to what we have now, which is not only do I think the SEC is the best league this year, I think it's going to be the best league from now on. I mean, I don't know why it wouldn't. I mean, this, these coaches. Just think about the coaches. With the exception of Rick Barnes, most of these dudes got like 10 years left in their coaching lives. We unlike, say in the ACC and Big Ten and even Big east, where the best coaches are old, our coaches are all pretty young. And, and that doesn't even include Cal, right? I mean, Cal goes to Arkansas, so you end up with a really good coach there. So the the league decided used to be Kentucky and like two other schools would care about basketball. Now the league's decided everybody cares about basketball. And that makes. That's why you get a league like this. I mean, we're never going to have what we had for a number of years, but I do think it will make us better as we go forward. Who's next?

[Matt Jones]

Unfortunately, this league has officials that want to have seven reviews in a single half at times.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, I didn't bother. I mean there was only that. Was there any reviews besides that? Hook and hold.

[Matt Jones]

It was a two and a half hour game.

[Billy Rutledge]

It was. But that's just. Cause they called a ton of fouls at. In. There were. There were too many fouls. Yeah, they were. The was a 25 point game and they were calling touch fouls. I feel like they needed some camera time or something at the end. Who's. Let's do five more. Who's next?

[Matt Jones]

Okay. Dale.

[Billy Rutledge]

Dale, Go ahead. Dale.

[Matt Jones]

Dale, you there?

[Caller]

Dale and I.

[Billy Rutledge]

Hey, Matt.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt. Sorry about that.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, anytime you're ready, Dale. Or you. You can finish your other conversation before you come on.

[Caller]

Look, man, I love Rupp arena, man, but why with all these renovations, why didn't they put more urinals up in there, man?

[Billy Rutledge]

Like they.

[Caller]

They made everything nice and. But they didn't. The bathrooms are still like, you're going to Powell County. What gives? I'll hang up with.

[Billy Rutledge]

All right. I appreciate the call. I'm not counting that as one of the five.

[Matt Jones]

Come on.

[Billy Rutledge]

We don't get the important question. He's actually right, though. He's not wrong. We are the only. Both football and basketball. We. We improve everything, but we do not improve the urinals. And it does feel like we should stand up and, you know, single, single users, please. But that doesn't count. Five more. Oh, my goodness. What a dunk by Florida. Who's next?

[Matt Jones]

Moffitt?

[Billy Rutledge]

Moffat. Go ahead, Moffet.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt. Man, these days right here are what makes life worth living. I don't know what's doing Lexington, but we've got a beautiful day here in Bowling Green. 70 degrees, the cast lawn. I'm out here with my girls. We're picking up sticks. All right, girls, let's sweep Tennessee on Tuesday. Go Big Blue.

[Billy Rutledge]

Let's do it. That would be awesome if we could get a sweep of Tennessee. I mean, we already. We're going to go into Selection Sunday. We could not win one other good game. And we can still go into Selection Sunday with, you know, more great wins. Than all but a handful of teams. But if we could get one against Tennessee, Alabama or Auburn before the year ends and you have like eight high level quad one wins then we're going to get seeded much better than our record is just because of those, those wins. Four more. Who's next?

[Matt Jones]

Tracy.

[Billy Rutledge]

Tracy. Go ahead, Tracy.

[Caller]

Hey. Well, I'm not going to pee on anybody's parade. I want you to know that right off the bat. Okay. Are you going to be on with Myron in the morning?

[Billy Rutledge]

I will, yes.

[Caller]

Okay. Next thing I know that it says that our bench outscored them and that's a little bit skewed because you got car coming off the bench, bench now. And I'm just wondering how quick do we have to make the move for Angley to go back to where he's comfortable and car come back in Because Angley has not been himself since he's been put into that role.

[Billy Rutledge]

So are you asking like how long is it going to be until car starts? Is that what you're asking?

[Caller]

Yeah, pretty much. Because I mean the truth is forever. Every team is just one twisted ankle away from being a lot less than they were. Unless you happen to be Auburn because they've already proved they can get by that. But I mean, I just want Ainsley to be back what he was and for Carr to take back over the start, maybe to take a little bit of the heat down the road.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, I mean, I think Carr will be starting in March. I mean, I assume they're just trying to get him work. I mean, we may only have a car that gets 20 minutes a game. I mean that may just be what his role is going forward because of his, because of his injury. So I, you know, we'll see. I appreciate the call. I, I think you have to understand Almanor is what he is like. His job is to shoot threes. He's not fast, he's not a particularly good defender. His job is to be the 8th or 9th man and shoot threes. With Carr's injuries having to play a little bit more, I've noticed they've been playing too big some. I mean they've been playing Williams and Garrison some. I don't love that. But because Garrison can shoot threes, you can get by with it for a handful of minutes here and there if you want to. So, so we'll see. But for this team to be where it needs to be, you probably need to get 25 or 30 minutes from Carr. I'm hoping by the time we get to March, he'll be able to do that. In his first few games back, he looked to me like a dude playing who had back trouble. I didn't feel like that today. He didn't run and he didn't like, he didn't look like a guy whose back was hurting, which I think is a good sign. I'm not a back doctor, but I've had back pain and I know what running with back pain looks like and he was doing that early the last few games, not so much today. So to me That's a positive side. 859-280-2287 who's next?

[Matt Jones]

Cindy.

[Billy Rutledge]

Cindy. Go ahead, Sydney.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt. I haven't heard anyone mention today that it seems like Trent Noah was originally going to go to South Carolina.

[Billy Rutledge]

He was, we met, we mentioned it on the pregame show. Sydney, you didn't listen to the pregame show like you were supposed to.

[Caller]

I, I listened, I was running. So I, that's, that's my excuse. But, and then the next question is, is it possible that we could bring out the denims on Tuesday and I'll hang up and listen.

[Billy Rutledge]

I mean, we thought it was going to be Arkansas, so maybe it will be Tennessee. I would venture to say that the game they're shooting for would be Auburn because I think we'll probably get game day. Auburn will probably be number one when they come in. So if I were to guess, that would be my guess as to when it happens. Sydney, I, I would think that Saturday, I think, I believe that game's at 6 o'clock, which is the ESPN prime slot. Now they're putting their big games at 6, so I'm going to say we see them. Just a guess, but I'm going to say we see it for Auburn.

[Caller]

All right, thank you so much and I love KSR and listen every day.

[Billy Rutledge]

Appreciate it. Thank you very much. 859-280-2287 I didn't realize Todd golden, the Florida coach, did you know he coached under Bruce Pearl at Auburn?

[Matt Jones]

I did not. I just saw that same montage.

[Billy Rutledge]

I didn't know that. I knew he was at San Francisco, but I didn't know he was a Pearl disciple. So, you know, put, I know he ended up getting cleared of the thing, whatever that was. Yeah, but, but I will say he's, he's a very good coach. And Pearl, man, you got to give him a lot of credit. I mean Auburn is now consistently in the last eight years a consistent top program and that's him. And again, if Indiana is serious about basketball. You got to make him say no. Because he, in my opinion, Bruce Pearl, he has. He built Tennessee from nothing. He built Auburn from nothing. He almost certainly would bring Indiana back as well. Who's next? Two more.

[Matt Jones]

Craig.

[Billy Rutledge]

Craig. Go ahead, Craig.

[Caller]

Mr. Jones, thank you, sir. I am first time, long time and I mean by a long time. I was on campus in the 70s with goose. So I just want to say we love Mark Pope. We love this team. But buddy, we really love your show. It is, it is, it is a blessing to us.

[Billy Rutledge]

That's very kind of you.

[Caller]

I mean, people have stressful lives, brother. And following and cheering the Cats is just a great stress relief. But I got to tell you, it's like that seasonal affective disorder where sunlight exposure affects people's mood. My wife has what I call BBN affective disorder. I mean when the Cats lose, she is mourning for days.

[Billy Rutledge]

Well, she's not the only one. You, you wouldn't want to be around me on Sunday after we lost that game Saturday night to Arkansas. So. She's not the only one. There are times I sit and go, you know, man, I'm 46 years old. I should not have my mood affected by kids playing basketball like this. But to be honest with you, I can't help it.

[Caller]

She can't either, brother. And she talks about you. She says, oh, Matt Jones is having a hard time right now. He's walking around the block. When they win it booster moods for days.

[Billy Rutledge]

Oh, this is great. We have a noon game. I'm going to be done here in a minute and tonight's going to be the least stressful night in the world. So it's going to be awesome.

[Caller]

Well, only on your show is where she can find people that are those die hard fans like that she can relate to. So just congrats to you personally for creating KSR and thanks to all your guys, Ryan, Billy, everybody. Just keep up the good work, brother.

[Billy Rutledge]

Thank you very much. That's very kind of you. And tell your wife thank you as well. By the way, tomorrow from 2 to 3:30, Ortega away will be doing a signing here at the bar. We had Jackson Robinson a few weeks ago. OA is going to do tomorrow. So 2 to 3:30 before the, before the Super Bowl. Come on in. I think it's a, I think it's $20 for an autograph. But he will be here signing tomorrow from 2 to 3:30. So spread the word. They don't like to announce it because in case they lose we were supposed to have him last Week, but we push it back a week because we didn't win. So I'll have him this week, Sunday, 2 to 3, 30 here at KS Bar Otaga away. Come see him. And what time's the women's team play tomorrow? That game may be on, I guess.

[Matt Jones]

I'm not sure. Let me check it for you real quick.

[Billy Rutledge]

Let's see. Come on. You're supposed to know these things, Billy. You don't. You work for the UK Radio Network.

[Matt Jones]

I'm in charge of all UK. 7pm they play at 7pm that's on Monday, February 10th.

[Billy Rutledge]

Oh, they play.

[Matt Jones]

You should know that UK plays on Monday, not Sunday.

[Billy Rutledge]

So they play at Ole Miss on Monday.

[Matt Jones]

Yep. So we'll have the Mark Pope show and it'll go immediately into the women's game.

[Billy Rutledge]

All right, so never mind then. You won't be able to watch the game here, here tomorrow, but you will be able to meet OA and you can watch the Super Bowl. The other thing is, they wanted me to remind you if you want wings or food for your super bowl party, you have to have the order in. I mean, you can come watch the super bowl here and just order normally, but if you want it to go, if it's a big order, you have to have it in by noon. Okay? So what I would suggest is call tonight, maybe when it settles down a little bit here, get your order in and. And by noon you can come and carry a big wad of. Well, actually, I don't know if that's the word we're supposed to use. Wad of wings. What would you say?

[Matt Jones]

Bundle.

[Billy Rutledge]

Flock of wings.

[Matt Jones]

Box.

[Billy Rutledge]

You can bring a flock of wings to your house. Florida now ahead at Auburn. We'll see what happens. Who's next?

[Matt Jones]

Our last caller, Knox.

[Billy Rutledge]

Knox. Go ahead, Knox.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt, love your show as well. One comment. I feel like sometimes when I'm watching, especially this game this afternoon, just watching them, it. It looks like when every time of the South Carolina shot it, we didn't really get a body on someone. We didn't really box out to get the rebound. I noticed Trent Noah a few times while he was in there. He just kind of chased after the ball, just kept his eyes on it. I feel like we could get more rebounds by just boxing out our man and not allowing the opposing team to get more offensive. Rebound.

[Billy Rutledge]

You are 100% right about that. We do not box out well. It's probably the thing this team does the worst, in my opinion. And if you want to drive yourself crazy, don't Watch the shot when we're on defense. Watch the box out. You'll go a little insane. But they've gotten better at it. I actually think Garrison is the worst on the team at boxing out. Amari's not great either. Cars pretty good at it, although none of them are great at it. But I will say this, they did a pretty good job in the second half of cutting down on second chances. South Carolina actually had a bunch of second chances in the first half. They just didn't make any of the second chances. But I thought they were better at that in the second half. But you're right, that's our weakness. That's. I would say the two biggest weaknesses this team has is on ball defending because of quickness and boxing out. But we do some things really well. We shoot the ball really well, we pass pretty well and you know, this is a resilient group and I've. They're fun. And now that they're all back together, hopefully they can get everything situated to head into March. Thank you all very much for listening. Ortega away here tomorrow. Enjoy your Saturday night, everybody. You got Florida, Auburn, you got Duke, Clemson and you got Arkansas, Alabama. Enjoy stress free basketball because the Cats beat South Carolina 80 to 57. We will see you all on Monday back here at ksr. This has been Kentucky sports, the local Toyota dealers, KSR post game show.