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- [00:01]
Matt Jones
Welcome everybody. It is the local toy dealers KSR post game show. The Cats get a massive win at home tonight. Hobbled, barely able to put forth a team at the end and still find a way to get a victory against Tennessee, sweeping the season series 75, 64. You know, this is, for me, this is one of the better wins we've had in the last few years for a variety of reasons. One is it's against Tennessee. Tennessee's obviously top five. Kentucky breaks an all time record for most wins against top 15 ranked opponents in the history of the school. We've never had seven in the regular season and we have seven this year. Now that's in part because we usually don't play enough for these teams to get there. But 7 and 1 against top 15 teams this year and that's an unbelievable accomplishment. This team is very unpredictable, but one thing you can predict pretty certainly is they show up in these games against top teams and they play well. And tonight they get the victory over the balls. The fifth time in the last six games they've beaten Tennessee and they do it in front of a raucous home environment. You tell, we talked when we heard the snow was coming. What's Rupp going to be like? I could tell at the bar before when it was extremely crowded that it was gonna be great. And then I. The arena, you know, we talk about ESPN and where they place the microphones. Well, wherever they placed them tonight, it was loud. And a big kudos to everybody that went there for what sounded like an absolutely awesome atmosphere. For me, this game is. There's a lot of people to talk about. Actually. This was sort of the epitome of, of a team win team. I would say almost everyone that played played really well. And I. There's maybe one person I wouldn't say that about. But you know what, I'm not gonna call them out because I want to be positive about all the people that did play well because I thought there was just so much good that occurred. Obviously don't have Jackson Robinson start, you lose Lamont Butler with eight or nine minutes to go. Obviously Kerr's not playing and Carr is still not even close to 100%. And then these other guys just decide, you know what, we're not losing this one. And I want to go through the people that I thought had the biggest impact. I'll start with actually Kobe Braya because his threes at the end. You know, when you don't have Robinson or Butler, you. You lose basically your two primary offense starters. And so it's, you know, how are you going to get the offense going? Well with Kobe Braya, you know, he's such a good shooter. Just how about step back threes, two step back threes. Down the stretch, game was tied. He hits two in the next three plays, and then. And then after they crowd out of him, he drives the basket and throws a lob to away. I thought offensively this was maybe as good a game as Bray has played completely. You know, against Florida, he obviously had seven made threes, but he did a bunch of stuff. He drove to the rim. I thought Kobe was great. You know, the two kids from Kentucky, like, I mean, that's going to be what most people remember this game, and they should. Trent, no. 11 points, three threes, you know, drove to the basket, played pretty good defense, rebounded, hit free throws. I mean, what a game by the Mountain Mamba. And all due respect to my man Mark Pope, who I love, I'm not doing holler baller. I'm doing Mount Mamba. That's the name. He seems to like it and the fans have clearly embraced it. And that kid you talk about, a kid that has grown into feeling confident. What I love about Noah is he believes not only he belongs out there, he's not scared. His third three, he knew. J. Billis pointed this out. He knew before he caught it, he, he was going to take it. And so much of a kid like that is about, do you believe you should be there? And he does. And he just keeps getting better. I thought he was huge tonight. Travis Perry, you know, Perry's got some limits on defense, but he keeps, like getting closer, closer and closer on defense, and then makes two threes, each of which were huge. Not scared. I love that about both those guys because the deficiencies they have, some of them they won't be able to overcome, but some of them they will. And until then, keeping the confidence, you gotta like it. And to have those two guys combined, did Noah have 11 or 13? Now in my head I'm thinking 11, 11. Okay, so to combine 11 points for him, six, prepare. You tell me before the game, we get 17 from those two guys from Perry, eight from Perry, 19 from those two guys. Come on, that's huge. I thought the most important play of the game was Ansley Almondor. We're down three, we're reeling. We're really not getting a lot of space on offense. We're really not getting a lot of movement. And he goes off the bouts and gets an and one. That, to me, was the most Important play of the game, stop their run. He makes the free throw, ties the game, and we really kind of take over from there when you go back and I will watch the last eight minutes of this game again. Ansley Almondor's play, I thought was the most important play. And it wasn't a three. It was him taking off the bounce. Thought that was. Thought that was huge. Amare was good in the role. He kind of does that. Top of the key thing. He also had a huge and one down the stretch in the second half. You know. You know, I still find myself Billy a. No, no, no. Yes. When he shoots sometimes. But that was a big one. I think that put us up two. He got a name when he missed a free throw. Maybe put us up three. But big play there by him as well. Away. Otega away has hit double digits in every game this year.
- [06:18]
Billy Rutledge
Every game.
- [06:19]
Matt Jones
Every game. That is an unbelievable statistic for that kid. Like every game, he is 24 for 24. Let me just give you a little perspective. The last Kentucky player to go 24 games in a row in double digits was Malik Monk. That dude was pretty good. You know how much I loved Antonio Reeves, and Antonio Reeves obviously could go for 30 and could do things that were amazing. But you know how many games he had in double digits last year? Remember, he was like, second team all American, 23 away already has more than Antonio Reeves had in the regular season. That's crazy. That's crazy. And it's between 10 and 17 every game, but you can rely on it. You can book it. And I thought he. I thought he played great defense. Like, he was excellent on defense. And he, especially with Butler Robinson out, he's our best defender now, and I thought he did an excellent job as well, so. And Butler, by the way, until he got hurt, played great. Butler had some huge drives to the basket there early in the second half. I thought Butler was excellent until he got re. Injured. So massive win. Tuck, he's now 17 and six, right. They now are in the top eight in the SEC and this win and other results kind of make it to where, you know, if they handle their business, they'll get in the top eight. They have a chance, I think, to get all the way to number four or five if they handle their business down the stretch. Obviously, sweeping Tennessee is great, but this team is starting to find their rhythm and, you know, it's going to be a piecemeal performance for the next couple weeks. I was excited to hear Pope say that Jackson Robinson and Lamont Butler he thought would be ready for March. That's good. But he also seemed to suggest they might not be ready the next couple weeks. Well, we've got some winnable games, but they're games that are not guarantees. We go to Texas now. Texas is struggling right now. They're getting. I think they're getting whipped by Alabama. Arkansas beat them at home. They lost to Vandy. Like they're on a slide. So that's a game that if we were at full health now, I think we'd win. But with this group, it's going to be a struggle. Then we play Vandy at home. We got to win that one. That's at home. I don't know who's going to be playing, but that's at home. And then we got Bama. We go to Bama the next week. The way I look at it is if you could find a way to win these next two, the bama game is free. But then we're going to have to piece it together. And then maybe when we get to the final stretch, play Auburn, go to Missouri, go to Oklahoma, we may end up at that point having our full roster. And I still think in March anything can happen with this group in March. I think they can lose to anybody, but I also think they can beat anybody. Like nobody scares me with this group. They, you know, they have a way. And with seven minutes to go, this game was tied and all signs indicated we were in trouble. We really didn't have guys to create offense. Our best defenders were hurt. We seem to be kind of out of sorts. And then the next thing you know they end up winning by 11. So big shout out to the team, Big shout out to pope. Big shout out to that crowd who I think played a huge, huge role in the victory. 859-280-2287. It is another happy win. What a year. Seriously, what a year this has been for Kentucky. I not only have I enjoyed it, this is. This is what we all kind of hope for. When we got Mark pope and I maybe could have guessed we'd be 17 and 7, but I certainly don't think I would have guessed it. With two wins over Tennessee, a win over Duke, win over Gonzaga. I don't know, man. This has been a heck of a run and hopefully it will continue. We'll take a break. 859-280-2287. Nice Tuesday night with a sweep over the vols. This is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. 859-280-2287. The text machine is 772-7745254. Let me give you a couple from the text machine. But first, before I do that, if you're at home and you're sitting there going, what can I watch? If you, most of you probably have the CBS Sports Network you should turn on, It's a great environment. UConn is playing Creighton. UConn's up three. It's at Creighton. Creighton had Dollar Beer Night Billy, so that their fans would be ready. So it is. It is wild. And UConn's player, Liam McNeely, who we recruited here at Kentucky, is just going off. I mean, he's like, I think he's got like 28 points and he's talking trash to a drunk crowd. And it's, it's actually quite an environment. So that's on the CBS Sports Network. On the text machine, one person writes, matt, I'm not going to compare Pope to Cal forever, but I do think we can say in the last five years we lose that game. Yeah, that's probably true. I mean, it's tough because we lost a cow, so it's hard to kind of do that whole thing a lot. But I do think this was like, this was a grind it out kind of game that I think may end up being, you know, Pope. You know, we, we lost a game like this at Vandy, but I feel like we almost got it back tonight because I thought the Vandy game was a grind it out game that we should have won. This was probably a grinded out game that we should have lost. And we end up kind of splitting them. So I think that works out. I think that works out pretty well. One person writes, matt, the substitution pattern I saw you didn't like, but I thought it was great. Good coaching by Pope. Well, I mean, I. Listen, you can't say anything bad about the bench because they play. I mean, how many points did the bench have? You had, you know, 19 between Noah and Perry. I guess Almanor is technically a starter, but I kind of.
- [12:32]
Billy Rutledge
26.
- [12:33]
Matt Jones
26 from the bench. And that's not even counting how many Almanar have. 12, 14, something like that. 13. Yeah. And I consider him a bench player even though he's starting. So the only thing I don't like, I, I don't like when he. I don't like that at the start, like four minutes into the first and second half. I don't like that he Puts all the reserves in at once. I. I don't think that does them justice, and I think we see that when they play with other starters, they're better off. But, you know, that's a nitpick. We won. So, like, he might say that the reason they had so much energy at the end is because he done it. He did that. So there you go. 859-280-2287. Yukon. This would be a big win for them if they get on the road. They've been struggling. Danny Hurley is doing all he can not to lose his mind there in Omaha.
- [13:19]
Billy Rutledge
Do you know who I am?
- [13:20]
Matt Jones
Yeah. He made his jacket into, like, a straight jacket right there. Who's up first?
- [13:24]
Billy Rutledge
Tyler.
- [13:25]
Matt Jones
Tyler. Go ahead, Tyler.
- [13:28]
Billy Rutledge
Hey, Matt. We're driving back from the game. Had a great time at the game. I was just. Kind of came to me when we were watching. I know you're not big on team nicknames, but I was wondering what you thought about the unpredictables for this team.
- [13:42]
Matt Jones
Somebody sent me that maybe it was you. Somebody sent me that tonight. And I. I don't think that's a bad name, but, you know, I don't. I don't do names. I. Mountain Mamba. I took. Because it was, like, the moment I heard it, it was good Besides that, but. Yeah. But of the ones I've heard, because they are unpredictable, to be honest.
- [14:02]
Billy Rutledge
Great. Yeah. All right. That's it.
- [14:05]
Matt Jones
Appreciate it. Thank you, man. Let me. But you were gonna say something, Bill. You. You said. And I wasn't at the game, but you said there was a halftime show that was. That was awesome. Is that right?
- [14:16]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. I don't know what you call it, but it is awesome. Drew Franklin posted a video of it, and it's this woman on her back using her feet to bounce a basketball on a contraption that then puts it in at hoop. So it's like. It's. It's something. I'll give you that.
- [14:31]
Matt Jones
So he puts it in a. Use it. She's dribbling with her feet.
- [14:34]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. You know the old, like, machine. You put a penny into the slot, and then you got to jiggle it and have the penny land on the slot below it. Like, it's usually at, like, Taco Bell or something like that.
- [14:45]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [14:46]
Billy Rutledge
Take that in reverse. And she was on a. On her back and bounced a basketball up until it went into a hoop. I'm probably doing a poor job explaining.
- [14:54]
Matt Jones
This, but Drew posted it, so it's on Drew's Twitter.
- [14:57]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. Yeah.
- [14:57]
Matt Jones
It's something to look at that. Your, your description is really bad. But, but I bet it will be, I bet it will be interesting when I actually see it. Who's up next?
- [15:06]
Billy Rutledge
Michael is.
- [15:06]
Matt Jones
Michael. Go ahead, Michael.
- [15:09]
Billy Rutledge
Hey, man. How you doing, man?
- [15:11]
Matt Jones
Doing great.
- [15:13]
Billy Rutledge
So tonight Rupp arena was amazing. I got a chance to take my daughter with me. Been a little while since we got to see a game and she just had a blast. And so he loved away. Watching him play was just jumping up and down and she knows her dear old dad's big blue fan. And my energy went a little bit down when Butler got hurt.
- [15:41]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [15:41]
Billy Rutledge
So when Butler went, got hurt, I sat down for a little bit. Was just, she knew, she just felt it because she watched me during the Arkansas game. I was furious with Dark just to talk to you, but no, the game was amazing. The place was just rocking. And to watch Noah do what he did tonight, I was just proud of him. And it was great seeing some Kentucky players step up. But my daughter actually has a question for you. Is it okay if she asks you?
- [16:11]
Matt Jones
Go for it. Yeah. Hey, I was just wondering why, why.
- [16:15]
Billy Rutledge
You weren't at the game.
- [16:17]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I don't, I, I, I don't go to most of the games. I think I, I get a. Too nervous and now the media seats are kind of terrible. So I, I watch at home. But I, I'm glad you were there for me. I appreciate it. I go to the games when we go to the SEC tournament in nca, I'll be it there. But appreciate the call. I'm glad, Glad you guys had fun. Yeah. The. Let me say one of the things I like about Trent Noah's game. I don't think this is a fluke. Right. So over the years, we've had Kentucky kids who have had moments where like, something crazy happens. Like Preston Le Master had that game where he scored like 20 against Ole Miss. Dante Allen had a couple of games and then there were times that guys played Dominique Hawkins and Derrick Willis I thought were good players, but they would have games where they just kind of went nuts. I actually think Dominique and Derek probably don't deserve to be on this list. But, but I felt, I feel like with Trent Noah, this is the start of him being a really good player. You know who I think he's going to be for us?
- [17:20]
Billy Rutledge
Billy.
- [17:21]
Matt Jones
I think he's going to be like that kid from Clemson, the one that we can't figure out. Oh, you know what I mean?
- [17:27]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, I know you're talking.
- [17:27]
Matt Jones
I think he's going to be that for Us, I think he's going to be like that kid. That kid's really good. I mean, that kid took Clemson to a Final Eight. He had 20 rebounds against us. He. He beat Duke the other night, like. And you go, why is this kid so good? I kind of think that's going to be Trent Noah. Like, Trent's a better shooter than that kid. That kid's a little stronger than Trent is. But I think we're going to be looking back and I wonder if he's going to be like, I can't remember that kid's name. It starts with an S, his last name. But I kind of think he's got a little of those vibes in him because I think. I think that. I think Tris could be really good. I think Travis is going to be good too, but Travis is always going to have some defensive limitations. I think Trent's got a chance to be really, really good if things connect for him. Who's up next?
- [18:15]
Billy Rutledge
Nate is next.
- [18:15]
Matt Jones
Nate. Go ahead, Nate.
- [18:18]
Billy Rutledge
All right, here we go. I'm going to start off by Danny Hurley getting squirrely, huh? So we're talking about nicknames also. If we had a third kid, I would reach out to call them Fluffy. You remember Harry Potter, the three headed dog? Those boys got doggy tonight. So I was trying to call in earlier on the postgame show or the pregame show to talk about what Robinson needed to. Or what we needed to do with Robinson being out. However, I figured you all would say something about Bread needed to come through for a good game or car.
- [18:51]
Matt Jones
Well, yeah, that's what Ryan said. And, and Ryan, I mean, Bray, look, we. We might have won anyway, but those two threes Bray hit were massive because we really weren't able to get any shots off. And he didn't need to run offense. He just stepped farther back and made two threes 100%.
- [19:11]
Billy Rutledge
Then after that, I was going to say, whoever thought the Kentucky fellows would come in combined for 19. I want to hear what you all have to say about that. And let's just keep going.
- [19:20]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I mean, nobody. I appreciate the call. I mean, I. Yeah, nobody would have thought that. I mean, they made five threes between the two of them. You know, when Noah hit those free throws, Billy, that was. I mean, we were only up three, right? Noah's free throws made it five.
- [19:36]
Billy Rutledge
Those were his first free throws.
- [19:38]
Matt Jones
Those are his first free throws of the year. Yeah, that's a tough. That's a tough spot to come in and shoot your first free throws of the year. And then he nailed them.
- [19:46]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. 32 points from Noah, Almanor, and Perry. That.
- [19:49]
Matt Jones
That's awesome. That's really awesome. And again, Almanor started, but I still consider, I think about at the beginning of the year what Almanor, Perry, and Noah were. Okay, so when we started this year, we had the starting five. Bray was the six man. Kerr was probably the seventh. Right. The eighth was what Garrison. And so you probably had. Almanor was the ninth man, Noah the 10th, and what, Perry the 11th. So if I tell you that we're going to play a top five Tennessee team in February and our ninth, 10th, and 11th men are going to combine for 32 points, I mean, that's pretty awesome. And that says a lot about how Pope believes in those guys and really, you know, builds them up. Who's next?
- [20:44]
Billy Rutledge
Thomas.
- [20:45]
Matt Jones
Thomas. Go ahead, Thomas.
- [20:47]
Billy Rutledge
Well, I'm gonna build on that because we were screaming, play your best five, po. Play your best five.
- [20:54]
Matt Jones
Well, but the best five tonight. Yeah, the best five tonight, though, wasn't. I mean, Noah was one of the best five tonight. Right? I mean, when I was saying playing the best, I think I tweeted out something like, play your best guys. Part of that was I didn't love the minutes we were giving Chandler in that moment. But then the other part of it was I just don't like when he doesn't play, when he plays all those guys together. But with that said, I thought Noah was one of our best five tonight. So he. I mean, he was in it down the stretch like he should have been.
- [21:22]
Billy Rutledge
Well, we didn't until he got the game and did what he did. I'm loving that.
- [21:26]
Matt Jones
That's true. If you'd asked me before the game, if you had asked me before the game, I would not have wanted it now. You're right. Go ahead. What'd you say?
- [21:33]
Billy Rutledge
Wouldn't you. Wouldn't you hate to play Kentucky right now? If you were anybody else, wouldn't you hate. You don't know what you're gonna get.
- [21:38]
Matt Jones
I think it's. That's exactly right. I think what would be hard is you don't know what you're gonna get. So, like, if you were playing Kentucky right now, you'd go, why couldn't we get the team that was down 27 at Ole Miss? Why are we getting the team that's beating us, like, in our place? You're right. Because you would have no idea going in the game what you're going to get.
- [21:58]
Billy Rutledge
And Brandon Garrison is the big question mark for me. I love Him I hate.
- [22:02]
Matt Jones
He is me too.
- [22:03]
Billy Rutledge
So I agree.
- [22:04]
Matt Jones
Yeah. I don't. Garrison is my. And I appreciate the call. Garrison is my biggest concern because we're going to get Butler and Robinson back. So like in other. Let's say we had. When Butler and Robinson come back, let's say Noah, Perry, Almanore, let's say they're not playing well. Like, we'll be all right, but we're going to have to play Garrison. He's going to have to be Amari's backup. Amari is foul prone and he's just a really bad defender. Like, he's a really bad defender. And I feel like he's gotten worse defensively. Offensively, he can give you some stuff. He's just a really bad defender. And, you know, I actually think because Noah's gotten better on defense, Travis Perry's gotten a little better. Alma Noor's got. I feel like he. Garrison is our biggest, weakest weakness defensively right now. And when he comes in, he just gets exploited. So they just put him in a pick and roll and, you know, it just doesn't. It kills us. And so I do worry about Garrison. But the thing is, you know, Garris had. Garrison had 15 the other night. So, like, he can make up for some of that because he can hit shots and sometimes finish. But his defense does worry me.
- [23:21]
Billy Rutledge
He'll shoot that three, though.
- [23:23]
Matt Jones
He will. And I want him to. He made one, I think, tonight.
- [23:26]
Billy Rutledge
Right.
- [23:26]
Matt Jones
But. But just defensively it's tough. I mean, Amare sometimes drives me crazy when he doesn't raise his arms, but he slides his feet and he can recover and get blocks. Garrison is. Gary. He's also slow, or at least he is slow laterally, but. Go ahead, Jacob. Jacob. Go ahead, Jacob.
- [23:47]
Billy Rutledge
Hey, Matt. Coming home from the game, I think that Butler really set the tone for the game with that first. That, that first steal and layup. I think that really set the tone.
- [24:00]
Matt Jones
That's crowd going and he had another big steal in the second half. He had another big steal in the second half. I think the game was like three and they. It looked like they had a layup that was going to make it one. He steals it and then goes down there and gets a layup on the other end and it goes from three to five. I thought that was a big play.
- [24:19]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. Yeah. One of the things that Pope really hit on in his post game interview was talking about the improvement in Noah and Brea especially. And I just wanted to kind of echo that. One of the things I Think Perry had at two threes, I believe. But the two pointer that he made.
- [24:40]
Matt Jones
That just little shot with the bank.
- [24:43]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, I think that was. I think that was almost more impressive. And it shows, I think, a little bit more of a. Of a diversity in his game. I think he's getting better that way. And then, of course, Noah's.
- [24:55]
Matt Jones
Well, I love that he's not scared to do it, right? Like. Like anybody that saw that kid play in high school. I mean, he certainly wasn't scared scared in high school. Neither was Trent Noah. But sometimes when guys like that get to college and they're seeing a different level of athlete, they'll shy away and like in Perry's case, maybe only shoot threes. Seeing him take that drive, I'm with you, sir. I thought, look, the fact that he'll take a running drive into a defender off and bank it, make it or not, I like that he's willing to take that shot.
- [25:25]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. Yeah. And then finally, away had a great game and the chant finally caught on.
- [25:30]
Matt Jones
I don't know if you caught it finally. I heard it. Yeah, it came through. It came through. Yeah, it was loud.
- [25:36]
Billy Rutledge
It was loud. Everybody's doing it.
- [25:38]
Matt Jones
Appreciate the call. I shout out to whoever got that going. I've been waiting all year, Billy, for the away. Oh, way away chant.
- [25:46]
Billy Rutledge
Sounded good on the radio.
- [25:48]
Matt Jones
I thought it sounded great on tv. Well, it was. It was awesome. All right, we're gonna take a break. 859-280-2287. Be right back. It's the local Toy Dealers KSR postgame show. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. If you're watching this Yukon game, I think you're seeing the start of a star getting born here with the Liam McNeely kid. He's got what, 34 right now in this game? 65, 62, UConn over Creighton. He's got very. He's got some Leitner looks, you know.
- [26:19]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, he's rocking the headband. He's meeting.
- [26:21]
Matt Jones
He's got the headband and he's talking trash and he can dribble and he's tall. He's got some sleightner vibes to him. No, don't make another one. No, I missed that one. All right, so, you know, he almost came here. It was down to UConn and us. I think if he had come, well, they, they saved a spot. I think he was going to be the 13th scholarship. It'd be interesting to see what happened if, if he did come here. 859-280-22-2871, person writes. Matt, the thing I love about our team is I think we're much tougher than we were a couple weeks ago. And that's good to see. I agree with that. I think we are much, much tougher. I think we. Toughness was a real issue, I thought, especially at the start of SEC play. I just didn't think we were tough at all. And I think that's. I think that has really, really gotten a lot better. A lot better. So. Yeah. 859-280-2287 all right, who's up next?
- [27:16]
Billy Rutledge
Ryan.
- [27:17]
Matt Jones
Ryan. Go ahead, Ryan.
- [27:20]
Billy Rutledge
Hey, Matt. Hey, Billy. First time, long time.
- [27:23]
Matt Jones
Who are.
- [27:25]
Billy Rutledge
Just got two quick comments. First of all, just wanted to say I haven't been to too many UK games, but that building was about to blow up. My voice is gonna be raspy for three or four days. It's so worth it.
- [27:37]
Matt Jones
I'm glad to hear that. I mean it certainly looked like it from afar. It seemed like it was, it was, it was great. I mean I love watching rough in a, in a moment like that is. Is the best.
- [27:52]
Billy Rutledge
It was pretty nice. Second comment. You may have mentioned something earlier in the show. I didn't catch the first few minutes, but what you mentioned either on the pregame show or earlier today during ksar about how we've seemed to stop over complicating defense and just playing more straight up and not forcing to a weak side or a strong side looks a lot better tonight. I thought we, we stayed in front, played a much more consistent type of defense if that makes sense.
- [28:14]
Matt Jones
Part of me wonders if they're just. If they've just changed that. Right. Like I, I do kind of wonder if. If they've just. That was the way they were defending and he's just gotten away from it because they obviously it felt like they changed that against South Carolina and the same tonight. So yeah, that, that was something. Apparently I missed this at halftime maybe of the Tennessee game, the first one. Tom Cream pointed that out as a weakness we were doing. I'm not sure but I think, I think we're not seeing the overplays like we were and that. That looks like that might have been an adjustment.
- [28:51]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, I completely agree with that point. Definitely saw a change in the South Carolina game. I just hope going forward that's something we stick with.
- [28:57]
Matt Jones
Yep, I agree. Appreciate the call, man. I know I keep bringing this up, but dude, Omaha, you know, except for that referee that lives there, a lot of good Things happen in Omaha. It's seems like. Like, what do you know about Omaha, Billy? You got the College World Series, right?
- [29:12]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah.
- [29:13]
Matt Jones
You got insurance company. Have you ever seen the movie Nebraska?
- [29:17]
Billy Rutledge
No, I haven't. No.
- [29:18]
Matt Jones
Really good movie. You ought to see it. It's Will Forte. His dad thinks. His dad, I think, thinks he won like a Publisher's Clearinghouse sweepstakes. And so he drives him to Omaha and like, it's the whole thing. Yeah. What are you laughing at?
- [29:35]
Billy Rutledge
Just that riveting plot of.
- [29:37]
Matt Jones
Yeah. But it's hard to describe. Like, it's. Like. It's not about the plot. It's like the. Maybe. So maybe like the halftime show. I've been to a Creighton game, by the way. Their crowd gets it. I've been to a Creighton game in. Oh, my. Their crowd goes wild. That's a. That's an underrated. Really good crowd. We do. You. You know, we played at Creighton. Did you know that?
- [29:55]
Billy Rutledge
Was that recent or was that.
- [29:57]
Matt Jones
Let's do a test. Can you remember when we played at Creighton?
- [30:04]
Billy Rutledge
No.
- [30:05]
Matt Jones
We played at Creighton the year we went to the NIT with Billy Gillespie. And I think we won that year. I think we beat UNLV at home with Perry Stevenson. That's when he flexed them bones. Then we went and I think we won at Creighton and then we lost at Notre Dame. And that was the game where Jody Meeks almost didn't come out for the second half.
- [30:31]
Billy Rutledge
So sounds like a high moment of the Billy G era.
- [30:34]
Matt Jones
We have played a road game at Creighton. I don't know if a lot of people remember that. Who's next?
- [30:37]
Billy Rutledge
Kevin.
- [30:38]
Matt Jones
Kevin. Go ahead, Kevin.
- [30:41]
Billy Rutledge
Matt, first of all, just want to say so appreciate you everything you do for. For uk. All the fans sometimes miss the forest for the trees with you. And I just wish that was different. So, first of all, appreciate you. Second of all, thank you very. Observations from sort of a macro perspective on the season that I think is a hilarious paradigm shift. First thing is, you know, I, along as well as a lot of other fans, criticize Cal for the lack of SEC wins. But I think a lot of fans would be willing to trade resting our best players and maybe not representing ourselves the best in the SEC tournament if it meant we would do better in the NCAA tournament. And then.
- [31:20]
Matt Jones
Yeah, you're probably right about that. The problem though, is you don't know. Like. Like, if you tell me. Okay, Matt. We sacrifice the SEC tournament for the NCAA tournament and we get to the Final Eight or whatever. Like then I agree with you. The problem though is when you sacrifice the SEC tournament and then losing the first round of the NCAA tournament, you know, I think that's what happened to Cal actually the last couple years a little bit. So the problem is you don't know during the SEC tournament what's going to happen in the next week.
- [31:50]
Billy Rutledge
Right. And obviously I'm operating on the sort of the cute side of that, you know, to make it interesting. But you know, second of all preseason we probably would have just done. Everyone would have been okay with a postseason win. And it's funny to see the goalposts move consistently and consistently. You know, Poker such a victim of his own success. So it's going to be interesting to see how it closes out here on the season. Man, I really appreciate you.
- [32:15]
Matt Jones
Appreciate it. Well, I mean, if you were to. If you were to have told me when the season started that the SEC would be as good as it was. Like, I knew the SEC was going to be good, but I didn't know it was going to be this good. Like, I thought Alabama, Auburn, Tennessee were going to be really good. I didn't think Florida was going to be as good as they are. And they are. You know, A and M and Mississippi State and Ole Miss are better than I thought they'd be. Missouri was owing 18 last year in conference and they're really good. You know, Oklahoma, even though they've struggled in SEC play, was better than I thought. I mean, really, if you look at the conference and you go, okay, who's disappointing? I mean, what, like Texas is probably the only team that has not been as good in Arkansas, South Carolina. Yeah, but I thought they'd be bad. I thought they were going to be the worst team in the conference. Texas and Arkansas are probably the only two teams in the conference that are worse than we thought they'd be at the start of the year. So if you had told me the SEC was going to be like it is and we were going to have a non conference scheduled the way we had, where Duke's probably better than people thought, Louisville's probably better than people thought, and you told me we'd be 17 and 7, I'd have been really happy. So I'm not going to not be happy as it is now. It's been a weird path there, but I just think I can't. We cannot under In a normal SEC, Billy, the SEC we dealt with in the last 15 years, this team would be nine and two in the SEC. Right now. And we're six and five, but we're not six and five because we're worse. We're six and five because the SEC is awesome this year.
- [33:55]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. And add on the fact that you're missing so many players, some of your best scorers.
- [33:59]
Matt Jones
Yeah, that's exactly right. If we weren't fully healthy, you're probably. I think we win. That Vandy game if we're fully healthy, was probably at least 7 and 4 if we. If we are fully healthy. So. Yeah, you're exactly right. Who's next?
- [34:11]
Billy Rutledge
Butler.
- [34:12]
Matt Jones
Butler. Go ahead, Butler.
- [34:16]
Billy Rutledge
Hey, brother. First of all, I want to say a heck of a win tonight. Go Cats. That's, you know, you sweep the balls. Heck, yeah. I've called in all these years and I've never told you congratulations for all your success. I mean, ksr, ks, bar, your ESPN KS pre show, ever, all that. Congratulations for that. I'm gonna run through a few things real fast so somebody else can get on here.
- [34:42]
Matt Jones
Okay.
- [34:42]
Billy Rutledge
I want to say hi to a guy that listens to you all avidly, and every time I pay my storage bill to him, he always says, I heard you on ksr.
- [34:52]
Matt Jones
So.
- [34:52]
Billy Rutledge
Hello. Anthony Heflin.
- [34:54]
Matt Jones
Hello, Anthony.
- [34:56]
Billy Rutledge
But. Yeah, hello. But fair foul. I live down here in Mercury County. I've told you that. You know, when I called in.
- [35:05]
Matt Jones
Yes.
- [35:05]
Billy Rutledge
You said it's not right for somebody to wear UK gear every single day, but I live literally 10 minutes from the Tennessee state line.
- [35:17]
Matt Jones
Yes, you do.
- [35:18]
Billy Rutledge
Fair foul.
- [35:20]
Matt Jones
It's pretty fair.
- [35:21]
Billy Rutledge
I'm wearing.
- [35:22]
Matt Jones
It's fair. Oh, it's certainly fair now. For sure. Yeah. I mean, like, you live.
- [35:27]
Billy Rutledge
See, okay.
- [35:28]
Matt Jones
You live like, there are. I don't think people in the rest of the state who don't live on the state line get it. Like, you get it. McCreary County's right there. Bell county, where I'm from, is right there. There's some places down. Like, I don't know if Hopkinsville is on the state line, but it's right next to it. So, like, Franklin, Franklin, Kentucky, I guess that's Simpson County. Like, those of us that are on the state line, it's a little different. So I know exactly what you deal with.
- [35:59]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. So I. I represent as much as I can. And. And we don't have a Walmart here, so it's either Onada or Somerset or Williamsburg or Wayne County. You know, we got to travel to get to a Walmart. So when I go to the Onado Walmart and Tennessee down there, I'm. I'M wearing my blue no matter what. I got a quick question for Billy, and then I'll let you go. I appreciate my.
- [36:25]
Matt Jones
All right.
- [36:25]
Billy Rutledge
You taking my call, Billy. When. And I love the pre show, by the way. When Cal was doing the pre show, compared to now that Pope is doing the pre show, what is the call amount like? Because I feel like the fan base is more ramped up now and you're getting more calls. Because I've tried to call in all night. I've tried to call in for a week and can't get into Pope's calling show. I only tried, like, two or three times with Cal and got in, but lost connection. Is that agreeable that it's more harder to get into Pope Scholin show than it was cows the last few years or. Yeah, no, very much so, Butler. I mean, there's just an excitement in the fan base that. I mean, I have full lines for the Pope show at the very beginning of the show.
- [37:18]
Matt Jones
So that's amazing because I can tell you there were some years I hosted the cow show, and it would be like Bob and Jamestown. And one of them.
- [37:27]
Billy Rutledge
Well, the last few years were like, really?
- [37:29]
Matt Jones
Yeah. You know, I mean, that's what it was. And so you're. You're exactly. Exactly right. By the way, speaking of living on the border, Trent Noah was asked after the game in the press conference about playing against Tennessee. And he said, my mom, he said, I'm always, you know, been on the state line right next to it. My mom even would go get her hair done in Knoxville. And I was like, that is such a 13th region, this thing to say. My mom would get her hair done at night because, like, that's. You know, when I was a kid of Middlesboro, the city we went to was Knoxville. Like, I mean, so. And I had to watch Knoxville TV stations, and so did Trent Noah. Right. If you're in Harlan or Middlesbrough, we got Knoxville tv now. Now you get a win like that, that's got to mean a ton for him to not only win, but play like he did in the game. Who's next?
- [38:18]
Billy Rutledge
Trey is next.
- [38:19]
Matt Jones
Trey. Go ahead, Trey.
- [38:22]
Billy Rutledge
Hey, what's going on, fellas?
- [38:24]
Matt Jones
What's up?
- [38:26]
Billy Rutledge
Well, so, mj, I got two points. The first one is that caller. The other the other day, he said some sports reporter said that he thought this team had peaked already. I don't think that's true at all. As a matter of fact, I think this team has a lot of growing room, you know, to see Trent Noah and Travis Perry. Transform right before our eyes and legitimate minute players and I, and, and I think come tournament time they may have.
- [39:00]
Matt Jones
A huge impact in a game.
- [39:02]
Billy Rutledge
A game or two.
- [39:03]
Matt Jones
Yeah. I don't think they've peaked if we're healthy. Right. So for me it's, there is a health sense. Like I don't think car is going to be 100%. So I think at best we're going to get an 80% car just because I, you can just tell he's, he's in pain. But if we can get Robinson and Butler healthy to where they are, like I thought Butler was 100% himself until he re injured his arm. If you can get those guys to where they're 100% themselves, then I agree with you. I think there's another gear they can still get. Now if don't get those guys healthy, then I do think there's a cap as to where this team can get. But if those two guys are healthy, then I'm with you. I think there's still a higher level they can reach.
- [39:48]
Billy Rutledge
Do we know exactly the shoulder injury extent of Butler? Not, not, not as far as tonight.
- [39:54]
Matt Jones
They haven't said. I mean, I'm sure I have not heard like what the official diagnosis is. I mean, I know before hurt at the end that I thought he looked pretty close to 100% and he was. You know, when you're right hand and you go up for a layup on the right side, you take a hit to the left shoulder and he took a few of them and seemed to be okay. And then I think he just fell in a weird way and then that's why he got hurt again.
- [40:19]
Billy Rutledge
Well, hopefully, hopefully he'll get, he'll get back soon. Second point. This is, this is really interesting to think about. So come next year, isn't it going to be crazy to think we're going to have four Kentucky guys on this.
- [40:35]
Matt Jones
Roster and they're all really damn good ones and they'll all contribute. You're exactly right. That will be, I mean, what you got to go back to. When would there have been four Kentucky guys contribute? I mean, obviously Rick's early days. I wonder, has there been a year since, since those, the, you know, the 92, 91 years. Has there been a year that four Kentucky guys.
- [41:05]
Billy Rutledge
I don't think Sutton had any. No.
- [41:08]
Matt Jones
Well, Patino had, I mean, so Patino had Reggie Hansen, Richie Farmer, John Pelfrey and Darren Feldhouse. So those were four Kentucky guys contributing. That would have been like what, 90 and 91. That's probably the last time that there's been four Kentucky guys there. I'm sure there's been four Kentucky guys on the rock. Well, wait a minute, let me think. Brandon Stockton, Josh Carrier, JP Blevins. Was there one other one on that team. But. But those guys aren't as good as the ones we're talking about. So. So yeah, you're probably right. I don't know that we've ever so certainly not in my lifetime have we had that. Oh, I'm excited for it.
- [41:52]
Billy Rutledge
I'm gonna hang up.
- [41:53]
Matt Jones
Guys. You guys have appreciate the call. Yeah, I know that's a good question. I mean that tubby had that group that had all those guys but they're not as good as the guys that are coming. I mean next year. Well, first of all, Kentucky has not produced two dudes as good as Jasper Johnson, Malachi Moreno in the same year maybe ever or at least for a long time. So yeah, that we probably will have more Kentucky contributions. And let me just say I think there's a kid out there that plays for another school that's from Kentucky that you could see here next year. So yeah, it might be the most Kentucky team since the unforgettables. 859-280-2287 we will take a break. Come back. Final segment. It's the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers KS Bar KSBAR KSR postgame show. Here's a little interesting thing that I just saw. Sports betters can no longer place wagers at Churchill Downs. The racetrack closed its sportsbook. Wow. That interesting. Like the whole, it's so funny how that whole, the whole idea of all this was that like it would be at the tracks and then it would like help the tracks and now everybody bets on their phone and the tracks. Things don't really matter, you know.
- [43:20]
Billy Rutledge
Is that because nobody's betting at the track? Is that why they're closing that? I guess.
- [43:24]
Matt Jones
Well they're, nobody's been on sports bet on horse racing but they're not betting on sports. So like I remember when, when, when Red Mile opened the, the, the in person sports betting there I was like worried about for ksbar and I just think everybody does it on their phone, you know. So it's like the, I think a lot of these businesses put in like a lot of money into their sports books and I don't know, I don't know how much that's working for them because people just do it on their phone, you know. So it's like a lot of things. Everybody does it on their phone. 859280, 2287. Let's do five more and we'll call it an evening. Who's next?
- [44:02]
Billy Rutledge
Luke.
- [44:03]
Matt Jones
Luke. Go ahead, Luke.
- [44:05]
Billy Rutledge
Hey, Matt, how's it going?
- [44:06]
Matt Jones
Doing good.
- [44:08]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. So two things real quick. I know the defense was a lot better tonight. How much of that do you attribute to Lamont Butler being back? I know he went down. Hopefully he is good to go for the rest of the season. But how much of that do you think it is?
- [44:23]
Matt Jones
I think it's huge. I think it's huge. I think you saw that when the worst defensive stretch we had was that stretch at the start of the second half when Butler went out, like from the 16 minute mark to the 12 minute mark. I think Tennessee scored on eight straight possessions and that was when Butler was out. I also think, though, we just oddly, we match up really well with Tennessee. Like, they lead the country in three point defense, yet we've shot 50% from three in both games against them. I'm not really sure why that's the case. And then they're not a good three point shooting team, but they're hideously bad against us. And so I don't really know why that is. And we seem to defend pretty well against them. So I just think for whatever reason, the matchup is good for us there.
- [45:14]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, I agree. The Kaiser is kind of a bum when he plays Kentucky. I don't know what it is well.
- [45:20]
Matt Jones
But I mean, so is Chaz Lanier. I mean, neither. Like.
- [45:23]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah.
- [45:23]
Matt Jones
And Lanier and Gainey tonight were over 11 from 3. Now, Gainey played pretty well against us down in Knoxville, but Lanier and Ziegler both just have. Not. Ziegler played better tonight, but, like, they just haven't played well against us and they play well against everybody else. So I don't really know what it is.
- [45:41]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, I mean, it's been his whole career. He's not played good against Kentucky. So I don't know if he's just got the jitters or what, but I know for a fact that he's no competition for the Mountain Mamba and the Bluegrass Bucket. Thank you so much.
- [45:54]
Matt Jones
Oh, I like that other name. Yeah. I think part of it is, you know, I think part of it is that that Tennessee. We're used to Tennessee being a really big, really athletic team and they're playing three guards for the most part. Their center, Igor, is a good stretch player, but he's not crazy athletic and Then kind of their athletic gods, May Shaq and the other one, they're not great scorers. So I think we're. We just seem to be able to defend them pretty well. The guy that used to always give us trouble for them was like a do. Who's now at Arkansas. We always struggle with those guys. They just don't have a guy like that this year. So UConn beats Creighton on the road. We'll do. You got four on there? Five. How many you got left?
- [46:36]
Billy Rutledge
I got five. You want to go to all five?
- [46:38]
Matt Jones
Let's do all five. Okay.
- [46:39]
Billy Rutledge
Casey.
- [46:40]
Matt Jones
Casey. Go ahead, Casey.
- [46:42]
Billy Rutledge
What's going on, fellas? So I just wanted to holler at you and see what you thought. So we had no Robinson. We played good defense versus the best defensive team in the nation, in my opinion. Not stagnant again. We usually play. I feel like.
- [46:59]
Matt Jones
Well, we were pretty stagnant. I disagree with you on the stagnant. We were pretty stagnant in that second half. But we got fortunate. The guys made big plays.
- [47:08]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. We lost Butler, though. That we did. We did.
- [47:11]
Matt Jones
Butler's the key. Butler, Butler and Robinson.
- [47:14]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah.
- [47:15]
Matt Jones
Butler is the key on defense. Butler's the key on defense. Robinson and Butler are the key on offense. And so. But having Butlers was huge.
- [47:25]
Billy Rutledge
All right, so Jackson and Rob. So Jackson, Robinson or Oway is our best player. Gotta be. But Lamont Butler is our key player. And you said before I could ask it.
- [47:39]
Matt Jones
Yeah, okay.
- [47:39]
Billy Rutledge
All right.
- [47:41]
Matt Jones
I think Robinson is our best scorer away.
- [47:45]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah.
- [47:46]
Matt Jones
Might be our best overall player. But Butler's our most important player.
- [47:52]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. Can't, obviously. And then also I just want to say the big Blue nation, we're in a position where we're at because of this man. Pope tells the truth. I've not seen my yet. He can't say all the things he's got to say. He had some things. But Pope tells the truth. He does not lie. I won't think he will. And I appreciate him for who he is and what he does. Thank you.
- [48:17]
Matt Jones
I appreciate the call. 92802, 2874 more. Who's next?
- [48:22]
Billy Rutledge
Katie.
- [48:23]
Matt Jones
Katie. Go ahead, Katie.
- [48:26]
Billy Rutledge
Hey, Matt and Billy, my 15 year old son and I are driving back from the game. We're going. We're driving back to Ashland. We had a family member give us three tickets and they were in the top row. So we walked into rupp arena at 6:35, got on the game time app and bought tickets eight rows up from the floor and had the best time And I'm calling because I'm just really happy, I'm really happy that this generation of Kentucky fans are getting to actually get a good taste of what Kentucky basketball is all about. My 15 year old son, die hard fan, he was 3 years old when we last won the national championship. We have season UK football tickets and honestly, in the last five or six years he's had better UK football memories than basketball. And we try to keep telling him, no, no, you don't understand. Like UK basketball, it's like it is, it is, it is. And I'm really glad that they're getting to see that now. And I'm just so happy we were at the game. Go Cats.
- [49:31]
Matt Jones
Totally agree with you. I appreciate the call. I think that it's been interesting to watch with kids. I do think kids, you know, when Cal first got here, kids loved John Wall. They loved Michael Kidd, Gilchrist, Anthony Davis. I think Malik Monk and Darren De'Aaron Fox were big with kids. And then for whatever reason, I mean part of it's that we weren't winning. I thought Dillingham and Reed kids really liked, but kids didn't seem to be. I would notice that. It just didn't seem like kids had the same energy that I had. And it seemed like kids had in the early Cal years. Well, that's back this year. I mean I, I see it at the bar before games and the kid like this group, for whatever reason, I think away really resonates with kids. And then I think having these two guys from California, Kentucky, I mean all these kids in Kentucky see these two dudes from their state and they're playing and I just. And on the back of Reed doing last year and kids loved Rob, but like it's good to see Kentucky just the younger fans being re energized. I didn't know this until I just saw Tyler Thompson's tweet. Did you know Mark Pope's daughter danced with the dance team tonight?
- [50:51]
Billy Rutledge
No.
- [50:52]
Matt Jones
Mark Pope's daughter either does or did she may not anymore dance for the Utah Jazz dance team.
- [50:59]
Billy Rutledge
Oh, okay.
- [51:00]
Matt Jones
And I guess she wore Mark Pope's jersey and danced with the Kentucky dance team tonight. So it's kind of a neat little thing. All right, three more.
- [51:08]
Billy Rutledge
Who's one question for you though. There was a goaltending call that was over or overturned in the game.
- [51:12]
Matt Jones
That rule. Hate it.
- [51:13]
Billy Rutledge
But they didn't do it until they were at halftime.
- [51:16]
Matt Jones
Yeah, first of all, I get reviewing goaltending, but there's a problem with reviewing goaltending. First of all, it should be at the first. At the next stoppage, there was a stoppage. They stopped it with 50 seconds left. Like, Tennessee called timeout. So if they're not. If they don't change it, then I don't think they should be able to change it at halftime. So that's my first problem. Second problem, I hate the rule that if they call goaltending and then they find out it's not, it just goes away because the guy blocked it out of bounds. We would have had the ball.
- [51:49]
Billy Rutledge
No benefit.
- [51:50]
Matt Jones
You don't get the benefit, like, so that they've got to figure that out, because if you're going to go review it and the offense would have gotten the ball back, you're punishing the offense for your bad call. You can't do that. So, like, I hate that. I get why they have the rule, and in theory, I like being able to replay goaltending, but I just don't think you can do it to where the team. I mean, we would have gotten the ball back. So not only did we not get the points, we didn't even get a chance to score. I. I just. I've never liked that rule, and I actually think it's kind of unfair, and I don't know why they do it like that. So. Also, I want to thank the Fans. We had 34 tickets given to me that I was able to give out to other people. That's a lot for people to. Because, you know, that's. Those are 34 seats that were filled that wouldn't have been otherwise. So thanks to the fans that did that. Who's that?
- [52:48]
Billy Rutledge
Todd is next.
- [52:48]
Matt Jones
Todd. Go ahead, Todd.
- [52:51]
Billy Rutledge
Hey, Matt. Yeah. That goal 10 call, that's pretty. That's pretty lame by the NCAA to do that.
- [52:56]
Matt Jones
Yeah.
- [52:57]
Billy Rutledge
But you open your show talking about the Almanor Drive, which I thought was huge, and then the Berea Drive with the lob to oa. And I think that's something this offense has to have because the dribble handoffs that we're trying to get a back door or a three, they're just pushing everybody out, but we get a little bit of penetration. It opens up Noah, it opens up Berea, and it gives that lob the oa. And I think that's something that we've missed with Butler, but maybe we can hopefully get those guys at least doing that to kind of open things up for everybody else.
- [53:29]
Matt Jones
I was really surprised because this team has been pretty weak, getting people off the dribble, like, oh, we can get to the rim, but then he can't finish. Usually he misses so many layups. Robinson has the same problem because he's not very strong. Now, Butler's a pretty good finisher, but then, like Bray and Almador. I'm not sure. I've seen Bray and Almanor take a guy off the dribble all year. And then they both did it in key moments tonight.
- [53:56]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, Almanor, that he's going to have to do that because everybody's just like, okay, he's going to shoot three. So they're putting a guard on him like Lanier was guarding him tonight, and he finally took advantage.
- [54:06]
Matt Jones
That's a good point. That's a really good point. Yeah.
- [54:09]
Billy Rutledge
And also good to see the Kentucky boys come through. Perry still makes me nervous handling the ball, but I'm sure that's something I'll come with experience. But Noah. Noah's defense is very underrated, I feel.
- [54:22]
Matt Jones
I agree. So he gets. He's really good at guarding. They. They have him guard the four a lot, and I'm shocked at how effective he is at that.
- [54:35]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, he. Well, he was on linear tonight, and he wasn't just trailing him off screens. He was kind of running on, like, side of his hip and like, going under a few screens, which I think we need to do more of. But just his overall IQ and, you know, the kid just makes. Just makes winning plays. And I hope he continues to get time and hope he continues to progress because that. That kid's something special.
- [54:58]
Matt Jones
Appreciate the call. I'm back to that. He's like that Clemson kid. Like, you look at that clips of kids, you go, how does he guard anybody? And then he's a pretty good defender. And Noah reminds me of that guy. Like I said, I think he shoots better than that guy. And that guy's probably a little stronger than Noah, but they have a lot of similarities to me. Two more. Who's next?
- [55:19]
Billy Rutledge
Lance.
- [55:20]
Matt Jones
Lance, how are you, Lance?
- [55:22]
Billy Rutledge
I'm doing good, Matt. I'm kind of piggybacking off of a caller a little earlier. I feel like tonight was a major advancement in the depth of our roster, honestly. There may be a game, you know, if we are completely healthy, hopefully we get everybody back where Butler or away or maybe another starter is in foul trouble or possibly they get injured during the game. You know, something comes up during. During the NCAA tournament where these crucial minutes in SEC play against teams like Tennessee will be crucial towards Perry and Noah's confidence going forward.
- [55:55]
Matt Jones
Well, we've already seen their. I agree with you and We've already seen their confidence go way up. I mean, I love. I don't really think they were scared earlier, but they were hesitant. They're not hesitant now. And to me, you can't play basketball at a high level and be hesitant. And I seen Noah and Perry, and it's not just no and Perry seeing Alma nor. And even seeing, like, Owe, who I thought win a few games where he didn't want to shoot, seeing all these guys be confident, you know, I love it because we. We need that because you got. You can't be scared in these games because if you are, you're already beat.
- [56:37]
Billy Rutledge
Absolutely. And it's just. It's just good to see their progress going forward, though. I got.
- [56:43]
Matt Jones
Yeah, I appreciate the call. That was one of Cal's best skills, is Cal made the dudes believe that they were awesome. Sometimes I wish they were a little less confident, some of them, but he was great at telling dudes, like, getting the best out of them and making them feel confident. I feel like Pope's got that same characteristic, like they. They go about it a different way, but they're both really good at making all the guys kind of believe, like, I can do it. And I think that's a. That's a great characteristic to instill. All right, let's do one more and we'll call it a night. Who's next?
- [57:14]
Billy Rutledge
Kentucky dude.
- [57:16]
Matt Jones
Kentucky dude. How are you?
- [57:19]
Billy Rutledge
Hey, I'm good. How you guys?
- [57:21]
Matt Jones
Good.
- [57:22]
Billy Rutledge
I'm glad to get on the Billy Show. Let's see, I'm down here in Louisville right now at Derby City, and the sports gambling is wide open.
- [57:34]
Matt Jones
Well, this is at Churchill Downs is what the things it said. February 16th will be the last day.
- [57:40]
Billy Rutledge
Oh, that's last day. But anyways, how about. I was down here. I'm out here on work. I had some guys from Michigan. They were trying to figure out how to. How to say Louisville. They said Louisville.
- [57:55]
Matt Jones
Louisville. Yeah. They're wrong.
- [57:57]
Billy Rutledge
I said Loserville.
- [57:58]
Matt Jones
Okay, I'll take that one, too. Yeah.
- [58:02]
Billy Rutledge
So where are you from? I said, well, I'm from. I'm from the 606.
- [58:06]
Matt Jones
Yeah, well. Well, I appreciate the call. They. They're good, though, and that helps us. Listen, Louisville being good just keeps helping our resume. So I'd say after this game, we're probably a solid four seed, assuming we win Saturday. But Saturday is going to be tough. I know Texas has not played well, but it's going to be 8:00. If you're just looking at, like, you know, first time Kentucky's played there. Well, I think we played there once in the ACC Big 12 Challenge, maybe, but we, we don't play there a lot. 8pm it's the prime game on ESPN. So I think it'll be a wild environment. And if we can get that one, then you got Vandy at home, got LSU on the back end like you can. We can get to where my goal for the rest, I want us to be. Get us get a buy in the SEC tournament, be a 3, 4, 5 seed and then let's just let it roll, see what happens. Thank you folks very much for being here tonight. Huge win for the Cats against Tennessee. We will be back tomorrow morning at 10:00am it is Wednesday at KS. So you think I'll have school tomorrow, Billy? I guess. Well, the roads don't look bad. I don't know.
- [59:17]
Billy Rutledge
I think they should.
- [59:18]
Matt Jones
They should probably should, but. But if they don't, come on out and join us. And if they do have it, come on out and join us. Anyway, your kid doesn't need to go to school. We'll see you later. This has been the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. The Cats take down the balls. We'll see you later.