KSR Postgame UK MBB vs Tennessee NCAAT 03/28/25

Summary

KSR Postgame UK MBB vs Tennessee NCAAT 03/28/25 - Detailed Summary

Release Date: March 29, 2025 | Host: Matt Jones and the KSR Crew

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1. Introduction

The KSR Postgame show kicks off from Indianapolis following Kentucky's season-ending loss to the Tennessee Volunteers in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Host Matt Jones is joined by Ryan Lemond, Shannon The Dude, Billy Rutledge, and Drew Franklin to dissect the game, reflect on the season, and discuss future prospects for Kentucky basketball.

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2. Game Overview

Dominance by Tennessee: Kentucky struggled throughout the game, never maintaining a lead after the initial moments. Tennessee showcased superior rebounding and bench strength, contributing significantly to their victory.

• Rebounding Stats:

  • Matt Jones [02:45]: "Tennessee dominated Kentucky on the boards. Tennessee had 11 offensive rebounds compared to Kentucky’s 12 defensive rebounds, which is not a recipe for success."

• Bench Performance:

  • Matt Jones [03:10]: "Tennessee got 26 points off the bench while Kentucky managed only six."

Key Takeaways:

• Kentucky found themselves trailing by 10 early and couldn't close the gap.
• The crowd mirrored the intensity of classic Kentucky NCAA Tournament games, but the team couldn't rise to the occasion.

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3. Season Review

Overall Success Amidst Disappointment: Despite the painful exit, the season is viewed as a success due to significant improvements and rekindled fan enthusiasm.

• Season Achievement:
  • Matt Jones [02:55]: "I think still an awesome season, disappointing way to end."
  • Shannon The Dude [05:11]: "I really think these guys will be beloved by our fan base for the rest of our lives."

Emotional Moments: Players exhibited genuine emotion, reflecting their dedication and the season's significance.

• Player Emotions:
  • Matt Jones [06:02]: "I saw all these dudes cry over the years... Picture of Amari Williams... crying on the sideline."

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4. Coaching and Roster Development

Mark Pope’s Impact: Mark Pope, the head coach, has been instrumental in transforming the team’s dynamics despite limited athleticism and numerous injuries.

• Roster Building:

  • Matt Jones [11:04]: "Mark Pope got this job a year ago... with no returning players, he brought in a new roster through the transfer portal and still led the team to the Sweet 16."

• Strategic Acquisitions:

  • Shannon The Dude [12:22]: "He strategically went out to the portal and got the guys to fit his program the way he wants to play."

Player Development: Key players like Amari Williams and Lamont Butler have thrived under Pope's guidance, becoming pivotal to the team's success.

• Player Highlights:
  • Matt Jones [12:55]: "Amari might have been the most important player on the team... Lamont Butler was his point guard."

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5. Emotional and Fan Impact

Reigniting Fan Loyalty: The season has rekindled the passion among Kentucky fans, bringing families and new supporters closer to the team.

• Fan Experiences:

  • Caller [40:11]: "This season really reclaimed their love for UK basketball... sitting around here kind of choked up thinking... we got to watch 17 years of games together."

• Generational Support:

  • Shannon The Dude [44:42]: "Kentucky basketball helps families... something special that draws these families, moments, and memories together."

Memorable Press Conference Moments: Players expressed their gratitude and optimism, further strengthening the bond with fans.

• Player Statements:
  • Caller [39:31]: "Don't want to untie my shoes... welcome into the Kentucky family."

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6. Future Outlook

Expectations for Next Season: With Coach Pope’s effective recruitment and strategic planning, the prospects for the next season are promising.

• Recruitment and Portal:

  • Matt Jones [12:22]: "Mark Pope has built a solid foundation... he's going to get a new set of really athletic guys who can play defense and get up and down the court."

• Team Athleticism:

  • Matt Jones [19:31]: "We were the least athletic team in the SEC and still were able to have success. Next year, they will be much more athletic."

Coach Pope’s Tenure: Mark Pope is viewed as the right leader to sustain and build upon the team’s success for the next decade.

• Long-Term Vision:
  • Billy Rutledge [06:16]: "Mark Pope has put on that jersey. He knows what it means to wear that Kentucky jersey."

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7. Listener Engagement

Heartfelt Calls: Listeners shared personal stories of how the team’s resurgence impacted their lives, highlighting the emotional connection between fans and the Wildcats.

• Family and Traditions:

  • Caller [55:04]: "We journeyed through the Caliper years... this team was unique and super special."

• Reignited Faith:

  • Caller [58:34]: "This season will go down as a lot of firsts for me... grateful for the show."

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8. Conclusion

Returning to Joy and Excitement: The season has successfully reignited the love for Kentucky basketball among fans and the hosts alike, setting a positive tone for the future.

• Host Reflections:

  • Matt Jones [44:46]: "It became more of a job at times... I find the games to be slogs... but now the excitement is back."

• Final Thoughts:

  • Matt Jones [51:00]: "Sweet 16, and Kentucky basketball is back."

The KSR crew concludes the show with gratitude towards the listeners, reflecting on the memorable moments of the season and eagerly anticipating the next year's potential.

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Notable Quotes

• Matt Jones [05:23]: "What makes them really cared."
• Shannon The Dude [07:37]: "We grew to love them as not just players, but as people."
• Matt Jones [16:24]: "If you tell me starting over is this year, that's pretty good."
• Billy Rutledge [17:14]: "If rebuilding is going to the Sweet 16, I'd say that's a pretty good start."

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This season marks a significant turnaround for Kentucky basketball, driven by strategic coaching, player dedication, and an enthusiastic fan base. The future looks bright as the team aims to build on this success and aim for higher achievements in the coming years.

Transcript

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[Matt Jones]

It is the local Toyota dealers KSR post game show. The cats see their season end 7865 in the sweet 16 with a loss to the dreaded Tennessee Volunteers. We are here in Indianapolis. I got Ryan and Shannon, Mario and my mom sitting around the table. Drew will join us here in a little bit. The Cats were kind of never really in this game from the beginning, had one lead but for most of the game were behind and got down 10 early and just never really were able to get it close again. I Tennessee dominated Kentucky on the boards. Out rebounding them they had Tennessee had 11 offensive rebounds and Kentucky had 12 defensive rebounds, which is not a recipe for success. Add the bench points where they got 26 points off the bench and we got six and there is the game. It was, it was a tough performance in what was otherwise a pretty amazing night here with a ton of Kentucky fans who made the trip. It was like old school Kentucky NCAA tournament games in terms of how many people were here. Crowd was ready, they wanted to be able to explode, but they just never really got a chance as the Cats were never able to get back in and get the game. If 859-280-2287 I'm going to bring Ryan and Shannon in, but I just want to say something sort of big picture. We can talk about the game, but honestly, you know, the season's over. What else is there really to say? Big picture, I think still an awesome season, disappointing way to end. Not the loss, but just the fact that we weren't really in it most of the game, but overall a great season and we're going to play a little bit later. A couple of clips from the post game press conference, but you know, Ryan, I'm. I'm going to remember this year hopefully as the start of something great, but I'm going to remember it as a year that sort of Kentucky kind of got the joy in basketball back a little bit. Last few years have been, it seems like sometimes like a tedious march. You know, there was some lot. There were some fun with some of those dudes last year, Reed, Rob and Reeves. But there was still. It was like, it was just fans were always at each other's throats and it seemed like disappointment was around the corner. This was a team that I thought sort of brought the joy of Kentucky basketball back and a group of guys that, you know, I don't know if we'll have a group of guys like this again. Like a group, because I think Pope is going to go. We saw this with his commitment today from Cam Williams. You're going to get a new set of really athletic guys who can, you know, play defense and get up and down the court. This is like, you know, not the kind of guys we have at Kentucky a lot, but I love them. I mean, I loved watching this group. Lamont Butler, Kobe Braya away who hopefully comes back. Amari Williams, Andrew Carr, you know, just. Just a special group and a season that I will look back on very fondly.

[Shannon The Dude]

I really think these guys will be beloved by our fan base for the rest of our lives.

[Matt Jones]

I do, too.

[Shannon The Dude]

I mean, I really do. Like, Yoga girl sent me a text that, you know, they persevered through injury. They gave everything they had.

[Matt Jones]

Jackson. Robinson, too. He's hurt, but.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yes, absolutely. So I think the program is in much better shape today than it was at this time last year, and these kids deserve all the credit for getting the fan base back in touch with the team.

[Matt Jones]

Totally agree with you. And, you know, look, they. They performed to their seed, which is something we haven't done in the last few years in terms of. I mean, if you're a 3 seed, this is where you're supposed to lose is in the sweet 16. And they did. I think they overperformed their talent.

[Shannon The Dude]

I do, too.

[Matt Jones]

I genuinely. I mean, I. You know, I took some criticism earlier in the year for saying. I mean, I don't. I don't think there's any NBA players on this team. Maybe one of them will, but I. I'd be surprised. But they overperformed their talent, which I think is part of what made them. Shannon. Lovable to me in some ways.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, no doubt about it. I stuck around for the press conference. It was.

[Matt Jones]

You don't do that a lot.

[Billy Rutledge]

I don't. The first time I've ever done it, it was kind of sad, you know, the finality of all of it. But, you know, I think Mark Pope has a lot to be proud of. I think this team has a lot to be proud of. I think the fans have a lot to be proud of. And Pope said, you know, these guys will be talking about 10 years from now because they laid the foundation for what's to come with Mark Pope as the head coach here.

[Matt Jones]

I agree with that. You know, Drew and I used to always say, because I've been in a lot of last game of the year locker rooms, and it's. It's a really sad place. Often, you know, you've been in more than me. Like, it's. It's a really sad place. I can still remember John Wal, you know, Darren Fox and Malik, or Jam Fox and Bam Adebayo crying, Brandon Knight crying. I've seen all these dudes cry over the years, and, you know, the picture of Amari Williams on the sideline while the game's still going on. I don't think mom saw it because she was up in the stands, but they showed him on TV crying in the last couple minutes, sitting on the sideline. Picture of Mark Pope and Lamont Butler walking backstage, which is a great shot. That'll be one that I think people remember for a long time. Ryan. Like, you know, that's. Those are tough scenes, but it also shows how much the guys really, you know, really cared. I just showed it to my mom. She's, like, about to cry herself.

[Shannon The Dude]

That's what. That's what led us to love these guys so much. You know, we grew to love them as not just a player, but as people. We saw what they were doing for us, giving everything they had every night, all the, you know, the ups and downs they had this season with the injuries and who's going to play, who's not going to play. But like I said, now Coach Pope is in a better shape to recruit.

[Matt Jones]

You call him Coach Pope.

[Shannon The Dude]

He's my coach, okay.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, is it? He's my coach.

[Shannon The Dude]

Coach Pope.

[Matt Jones]

Go put Coach Pope.

[Shannon The Dude]

Coach Pope is in a better position for recruiting now because of what these.

[Matt Jones]

Guys said in the post game press conference. Hey, if last thing he said, this is the last thing any of the players said. Shannon, I guess you heard it. Hey, if you're in the portal.

[Billy Rutledge]

Kentucky. That's right. Yeah. You know, Pope gets it. We've said that so many times. But he's a guy who has put on that jersey. He knows what it means to wear that Kentucky jersey. And I think that rubs off on the players. You see that? You know, they mentioned they're gonna have a hard time taking this jersey off.

[Matt Jones]

Me because I think those are great quotes. Billy, pull those up. I tweeted those two out. I'd like to play the car in Brea. Comments? Let me know when you have them. But, you know, that is. It's we want. And let me just say I. I think the guys during the Calperia love being here.

[Shannon The Dude]

Sure they did.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I. I think in general, that was something I really give Cal a lot of credit for. He had all these guys who were here for a year, but he did get them to love this place during the year.

[Shannon The Dude]

I agree.

[Matt Jones]

But this is a little bit of a different kind of thing because for a lot of these guys, this will be the biggest basketball they will play from now on. I mean, most of these guys will probably play professionally somewhere if they want to.

[Shannon The Dude]

Overseas.

[Matt Jones]

Overseas. I mean, maybe in the G League. Like, I could see. I mean, I could see Bray on a G League team. You know, maybe. Amari. I don't Know, but in terms of basketball, that really matters, and that gets your blood going. This will be a last time for a lot of these guys, even if they. I hope I'm wrong, but it's. That's probably true. And. And so there's something about, you know, when you hear which we'll play car and brea saying, like, I don't want to take this jersey off, there's something that pulls at your heartstrings about that.

[Shannon The Dude]

Sure it does. Because, you know, every one of us listening right now wish we had the opportunity to be them, be play basketball.

[Matt Jones]

I think you still think you are.

[Shannon The Dude]

Like, I think I can still hoop a little bit about the size of Zakai Ziggler. So I think we're about to say.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, by the way, that was a big tonight. Those guards who really had not played well against us, they all played well. Ziggler played well, Gainy played well, and Lanier played well. They all three played well.

[Shannon The Dude]

And it just, like, from the opening tip, just seems like we were not in it. This was just not going to be our night from the opening minutes.

[Matt Jones]

Why do you think that is? It didn't feel. I didn't feel like they weren't hustling. It just felt like they were just tougher than us. It reminded me that Ole Miss in Georgia games that we played earlier this year where it just felt like from the first moment, we just kind of weren't.

[Billy Rutledge]

Sometimes it's just not your night. And Tennessee came out and they set the tone immediately. And it felt like the entire game we were down 15. And every time you come down and try to cut it to 12 or 13, they had an answer every single time. And every loose ball Tennessee got.

[Matt Jones]

Probably the way Illinois felt the other night. Yeah. It was almost the reverse of that. Like, every time you go, well, now if we can get a stop right here. And then we wouldn't then.

[Shannon The Dude]

So since you're talking big picture, how do you view the season? Is it a success?

[Matt Jones]

It's an A to me.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, it's. You know, if you. I said if you won today, it'd be A plus, but it's still an A because I think you played your seed. I think you also played to your talent or above your talent. I mean, you know, you got to take a step back and think about. Mark Pope got this job a year ago next week. Right. Like, it's not even this week. So think about where we are with the portal. We already have a portal commitment, Right?

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

We didn't even have a coach this time last year. Right. And then he gets the job. And in five weeks, four weeks, he has to get a staff.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yes, right, Right.

[Matt Jones]

He has to get a roster. And unlike, you know, the only other person that was in this situation was. Is Pat Kelsey at Louisville. They're the only two guys who had to build it from scratch. I mean Cal had seven or eight of his Arkansas guy. He already had all the freshmen and he had the guys that transferred and even Dusty May at Michigan, who they're playing. They had five or six guys stick around. Pope and Kelsey had to start over and they both did. And Pope gets to the Sweet 16 with guys that besides Travis Perry, not one of the dudes on this roster was going to be on his roster until Mark Pope got here.

[Shannon The Dude]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

And to do that and have them come together and you know, think about the portal. If they. I don't think we got one guy that was ranked in the top 15 in the portal. Right. So not only like he went and got dudes down the slots in the portal and then had success with them. I just think that's really impressive the.

[Shannon The Dude]

Way he built the roster by getting the guys he needed.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, Jackson I guess was in the top, but most of them were not.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah. Getting Bray as a shooter, getting Lamont Butler's a point guard, getting Amari is a big guy. He strategically went out to the portal and got the guys to fit his program the way he wants to play.

[Matt Jones]

Think about Amari Williams. I remember when he committed and I remember thinking, so our big is going to be this random dude at Drexel average 10 points a game or whatever. It was 11 point. And then, I mean he might have been the most important player on the team in some ways. Pope knew exactly what he wanted in him and he went and got it. And you know, Lamont Butler was his point guard. Immediately went after him, went after him immediately. And so, you know, to take that group, go to the sweet 16, have all the injuries we had. I mean, remember we had Jackson Robinson, I mean our best players out, like that's another Jackson Robinson on paper should be our best player. And he's out. And they still were able to do this.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah. And not doing it the way that we've been used to seeing rosters put together, not a bunch of one and dones, bunch of transfers from mid major programs and Pope taking all these guys and somehow making it work.

[Shannon The Dude]

Dudes that were never even recruited to come to Kentucky out of high school, never thought they'd ever Play at Kentucky, end up getting to the sweet 16. That's a huge success.

[Matt Jones]

And they all. You can tell they, like, appreciate. Yeah, I think that's another thing. I do think that people were a little. Some of Cal's critics were a little harsh on the. I think the players that were here appreciated.

[Shannon The Dude]

Oh, I didn't.

[Matt Jones]

But I also think it was a stop along the way to another destination. Right. Like, I mean, that was. And that was part of what they sold for these guys. This was the destination. And I think our fans really appreciated that this was the destination. That Kobe Braya said, I never thought I would be here. You know, Andrew Carr said, I never. I mean, Ansley Almanor is built like Ryan and he was here. You know, I mean, the fact that those guys did that, I just think it makes it more. I mean, Mari Williams grew up Nottingham, England.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, right.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, he has the whole state eaten wheat. Like, like just, you know, pulled a wheat.

[Billy Rutledge]

What were they called?

[Matt Jones]

Weed.

[Billy Rutledge]

A big. Out of his pocket.

[Shannon The Dude]

Earlier today, Washbourne ate some on the sideline during the broadcast.

[Matt Jones]

Like Drew, he got choked, I think.

[Billy Rutledge]

When it was happening, you know, that warm milk, you get choked on it, it gets dry in your mouth. But to your point, though, wherever these guys go to play, if they go play professionally, it's never going to be as special as it is right here. You get 35, 000 people in there and all these Kentucky fans show up. There's nothing like this.

[Matt Jones]

There's not. And you. I mean, even dudes who have amazing NBA careers, like DeMarcus Cousins, talks about that. Right. He never had more fun than the year he was here.

[Billy Rutledge]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

Right. And I think they're, you know. But these dudes, I don't know about you. Like, I was a different person when I was 22 than when I was 18. And like, the fact that they're 22 and they can appreciate what they're going through, it's not just looking back in hindsight and going, that was awesome. They're appreciating it while they're doing it. I just think our fan base is really. It needed that shot and that and gave it. And so, you know, you can focus on, well, you know, they had a poor performance. We lost to Tennessee. Vol. Fans are going to what big picture. If you had told me when I got the phone call at 10:40 at night on a Thursday night that Mark Pope was going to be the next coach, if you had told me one year later, I'd be sitting in this ballroom having gone to the sweet 16 and had this year. I don't know how you couldn't be happy.

[Shannon The Dude]

You got to be happy with that.

[Matt Jones]

Because I used to say, you remember I used to say on this show, the day Cal leaves, Cal's been a great ride. But the day he leaves, this is going to be a long rebuild.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah, yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Now some things have changed, the portal and all that, but I thought, listen, that's the trade off with him. You're going to have a great time. But when he leaves, you got to start over. Well, if you tell me starting over is this year, that's pretty good.

[Shannon The Dude]

And you get to the Sweet 16.

[Matt Jones]

Sweet 16, and you have this run and remember, in arguably the best conference ever.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

And by the way, if we've gotten a draw where we didn't have to play another team from this conference, who knows, right? I mean, we unfortunately had to play one of the teams from our conference.

[Shannon The Dude]

What if we were played Marylanders, you know, on this?

[Matt Jones]

Well, I mean, if we, you know, I don't know. I mean, Ole Miss took Michigan State down to the wire tonight, you know, who knows? But regardless, I think we got what we deserved had we won some of those games like against Texas and you know, some of those regular season games. Maybe we're a two seed and we get a different game, whatever. But still, overall success.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah. And if rebuilding is going to the sweet 16, I'd say that's a pretty good start.

[Shannon The Dude]

You know, been there since 2019, you.

[Billy Rutledge]

Know, like, along with a lot of fans. I think was critical of the hire with Mark Pope at the very beginning. But I mean, he's grown on me. I mean, there's no doubt in my mind now that he's the right guy for the job.

[Matt Jones]

And how can you not like him? I mean, that's, I mean, I, you.

[Shannon The Dude]

Know, you call him Coach Pope.

[Billy Rutledge]

No, he's Mark Pope. He's not my coach.

[Matt Jones]

You're the only person.

[Shannon The Dude]

He's my coach.

[Matt Jones]

Although I guess we called coach. We said Coach Cal sometimes.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, it was alliteration.

[Matt Jones]

But you just call everybody coach, don't you? If you saw Rick Barnes, would you go Coach Barnes?

[Shannon The Dude]

Absolutely. Coach Barnes.

[Matt Jones]

That's what I thought. 859280, 2287. We're gonna take a break. We are here in Indianapolis after a long but fun day. Take your calls at the local toilet dealers KSR post game show. Welcome back. It is the local Toy Dealers KSR postgame show. Auburn leads Michigan by one with 10 minutes to go. Purdue leads Houston by two at halftime in the 859-280-2287. One person writes, Matt, this team was great. They have the heart to know in. It was an honor to have them to wear the jersey. I agree with that. The person says, matt, why do you think we couldn't rebound well this year? Do you think that'll be a worry for Pope teams? No, I think, again, I think a lot of our problems ultimately come down to we just. We didn't have many athletic guys. I genuinely think that was our biggest problem this year. We just didn't have a lot of athletes. And, you know, I think we probably had three guys. Well, four. Well, I don't even put Garrison because he didn't play enough. I think Amari is a really good athlete. Always a really good athlete. Jackson is a pretty good athlete. Butler's tough, but not the best athlete in the world. Carr's not a good athlete. Kobe's not a good at. So, like, we just didn't have the athletes, and that hurts us in rebounding because we just had dudes. Like, I was watching in the first half when I was. When you sit right there on the court, which I did for a little while, the athleticism pops. You know what I mean? When you're sitting there, we talked. Mario and I talked about this during the games in Milwaukee. When you're on top of the court, the athleticism pops. And you could just tell that Tennessee's just more athletic than we are.

[Shannon The Dude]

Every team in the SEC was more athletic.

[Matt Jones]

I think we were the least athletic team in the SEC and still were able to have success.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yep. But, you know, that's when Pope goes out, he hits the portal, he gets some of these.

[Matt Jones]

Well, that's not gonna happen next year. I mean, Jasper Johnson's a great athlete. Malachi Moreno's a great athlete. A Kaden Lewis, a great athlete. This kid they got from Tulane is a great athlete. Always coming back. He's a good. You know, I mean, it's. This will be a much more athletic team next year. Now, will they be able to shoot as well? That's what we'll have to see. But they will be much more athletic.

[Shannon The Dude]

He'll probably go out and get a shooter. Looks like he went out and got Kobe Bray. He'll find one in the portal. Bring him in.

[Matt Jones]

One person writes. Matt, One of the things I'm the happiest about is knowing your mom is sitting there listening. Hello there. To your mom. My. My mom. People just taking pictures of her everywhere. Rock stars at Tin Roof like they're all taking selfies.

[Shannon The Dude]

Larry, Larry, come here.

[Matt Jones]

A man just grabbed Billy, grabbed Larry, put his arm around him and took a selfie with him. And I just wanted to be in Larry's brain when that was going on. Going, what is happening right now? There's a nice crowd at Tin Roof. It was a crazy crowd.

[Shannon The Dude]

Well, you said you were walking them down to the arena. People were coming up.

[Matt Jones]

The only time since I've been doing this that I thought we need security. But it wasn't because of me. It was because of my parents.

[Billy Rutledge]

Larry know that he's talked about on the show?

[Matt Jones]

I don't think so. I'd like to have been in his brain as this was all happening. As they were playing, you know, the songs at Tin Roof.

[Billy Rutledge]

It was really loud in there. Looked over a couple of times. He was taking it in stride.

[Matt Jones]

Took it in stride, though. 87 years old that he had to be the oldest person at the pregame show, though.

[Shannon The Dude]

Oh, there's no doubt.

[Billy Rutledge]

If I make it to 87, I hope I'm partying.

[Shannon The Dude]

Amen. Just like Larry Blondell.

[Matt Jones]

I wouldn't say he was partying.

[Billy Rutledge]

Oh, he was partying hard.

[Shannon The Dude]

I looked over, he was in the corner's head was bobbin.

[Matt Jones]

Okay, who's up first? Billy. Matthew. Matthew. How are you, Matthew?

[Caller]

I'm good, guys. It's by the way, path you with a P called in after the Gonzaga game. So I want to bring the season full circle here.

[Matt Jones]

I've never heard of that before.

[Caller]

Barnes. Well, there's a story behind it, but that's okay for sure. I thought where Rick Barnes, I think said something about Tennessee becoming the new blue blood. So I got two questions for you. Given recent history, do you think we're facing some competition as the blue butt of the conference? And also all year long I said sweet 16 was our ceiling. So I'm happy before we ended, but I'm going to put you on the spot here. What do you see as our ceiling next year?

[Matt Jones]

Well, I need to see what the roster is first. I mean, I. Yeah, you know, I don't know. I think. I think if we. It's all going to be about who they get over the next few weeks in the portal. You know, they did the one kid from New Mexico, he ended up picking ucla. I would have really liked that kid, but I was worried we were going to spend too much of our budget on him and he's going to ucla. They got to get a good point guard. The number one thing for me Is they got to go get a good point where. When we get the good point guard, then I'll. I'll make a judgment then. But I think there's more people still to come in the portal. I. I'm going to assume we're going to get a really good class. And then it becomes. Can one of the. If. Is one of these freshmen great? You know, do we get. We'll see. As far as the blue blood, I appreciate the call. Blue blood, by its definition, is not about what's just happened in the last few years. True. Right. Like, it's. It's historic. You know, when I think of blue bloods in college basketball, to me, there's five. There used to be six in Indiana. Dropped out.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Fair. So I. For me, the blue bloods are still Kentucky, Duke, Carolina, Kansas, and ucla. UCA waivers, but they're still good.

[Shannon The Dude]

Can't ignore that.

[Matt Jones]

And then UConn's in it now. UConn is the new one. And I. And I think now you have to have UConn in there. Michigan State's close.

[Shannon The Dude]

Villanova's probably close.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. But I wonder how much of that's Jay Wright, you know. Now, if you're talking, though, about new bloods to. Auburn is one.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yes, they are.

[Matt Jones]

Alabama is one.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yes.

[Matt Jones]

And you could argue Tennessee is one.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Like, so, I. I think it's in Florida. I think it's good for the conference that I think we have a solid five basketball schools. Now. I think. I'm not saying over football, but Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, Tennessee and Florida are basketball schools. Arkansas, we'll see what happens with Cal. Maybe. Maybe they become one. We'll see. But I think we have five really solid ones.

[Shannon The Dude]

And it wasn't, you know, the last 25 years. You could probably say there's one or two solid basketball.

[Matt Jones]

It was Kentucky, and then when Bruce Pearl was there, Tennessee, and Billy was there, Florida. But like, we got. We have five programs that I think will go into every season expecting to be good.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yep.

[Matt Jones]

And that's a really good quality to have.

[Billy Rutledge]

And I mean, I would expect the SEC to be just as tough next season as it was this year.

[Matt Jones]

You.

[Billy Rutledge]

14 teams into the NCAA Tournament.

[Matt Jones]

It looks like Buzz Williams, though, may take the Maryland job. So.

[Shannon The Dude]

Really?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that's probably a resources thing. Like, he probably is. Like, you know, A and M, they just can't get them to care.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

You know, but I think he's a really good coach.

[Shannon The Dude]

I do, too. I think he's a good coach.

[Matt Jones]

Who's up next James. James. Go ahead, James.

[Caller]

Hey, you got me.

[Matt Jones]

Yes. Go ahead.

[Caller]

Hey. Hey, Matt. Long time. First time. I'm just sitting here. I can't believe that we got our ass beat so bad by.

[Matt Jones]

By the balls tonight.

[Caller]

And. And to be honest, how do we feel about Mark Pope moving forward? Because he's a Mormon.

[Matt Jones]

I appreciate the call. I appreciate the call. Like, I. I think you got to get a goober in here. Within. Within. That was a Tennessee fan. No, I mean, we did get beat, though. Like, we got beat down.

[Shannon The Dude]

They whooped us, man.

[Matt Jones]

They did. I mean, they. They were better than us. Yep. They whooped us. That just, you know, it is what it is. You do wonder how, like, you have those two performances in the regular season and then this. I think the difference between the teams is smaller than what it was in all three games. But, you know, so we haven't seen.

[Billy Rutledge]

Too many games where Kentucky's just handily beat. I think the Auburn game comes to mind. And then this one tonight. But.

[Matt Jones]

Well, we've had a few. I mean, we had the Ole Miss game, the Georgia game, Auburn.

[Billy Rutledge]

But I mean, like. But tonight I never felt like we were even in the game.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, this. This reminded me of the Ole Miss and Georgia games. If you remember, we fell down quickly, those games, and we're just never in it.

[Shannon The Dude]

Can you buy anything into the fact that maybe some of the guys weren't ready for the moment?

[Matt Jones]

No.

[Billy Rutledge]

I mean. No. Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, these dudes are all experienced. Like, what? I just think we were down 27, 17 or, you know, whatever, and we just never. 17, seven. Like, we just never.

[Billy Rutledge]

If they weren't ready for the moment, they would have lost Detroit in the first round, you know.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. And if they weren't ready for the moment when. When Illinois cut it to six.

[Shannon The Dude]

But what about tonight? Sweet 16? Little more. Well, bigger prize at stake.

[Matt Jones]

So all I can think about is the first six or eight minutes, and it felt like me. In the first six or eight minutes, they just out rebounded us and just got the ball. You know, we. Andrew Carr had two open threes. He just missed them.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Now if he makes them, maybe it's a little different. Maybe it's different, you know, I mean, like, that. That stuff he had. But they were wide open. He just missed them. We missed, like, two layups. We missed a layup to start the game, you know, I mean, every loose.

[Billy Rutledge]

Ball went to Tennessee.

[Matt Jones]

Every loose ball. I mean, when they. They had one less offensive rebound than we had defense rebound, like, that's the stat. Isn't it?

[Shannon The Dude]

And, you know, we wanted Amari to dunk one. He goes in the dunk one and clangs it off the back of the.

[Billy Rutledge]

That's what I said to Mario when that happened. I said, you know, we've been saying, mario, why don't you dunk it? That. That's why you don't.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Who's up next? Brock. Brock. Go ahead, Brock.

[Caller]

First time caller, longtime listener. Okay. Well, anyways, I just want to kind.

[Matt Jones]

Of get your input on, like, what.

[Caller]

Like, what you think Mark Pope's expectations are for next year.

[Matt Jones]

Like, because, like, my friends, like, honestly, I'm very disappointed. I'm like, but what are you disappointed? I mean, are you really disappointed? Like, you really thought. I am not put together at all. Let me say that, like, I.

[Caller]

Sweet Sweet 16 this year, they have exceeded all of my expectations by far.

[Matt Jones]

And like, like, even after the lost.

[Caller]

Time here, I'm here with the sweet 16. Some of my friends tonight, I was.

[Matt Jones]

Like, next year will be the Empire Strikes Back. And like, well, I mean, but again, the tournament. And I appreciate the call. The tournament. You gotta remember there's a random. That's why I always hate when people go, are we a Sweet 16 team? Are we an Elite 18? There's randomness in the tournament.

[Shannon The Dude]

Oh, yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Like. Like, Rick Patino had an amazing season at St. John's then they got beat. Now, was that not a good season? Because they got beat.

[Billy Rutledge]

Still a great season.

[Matt Jones]

They just got beat. Like, it happens. I mean, Auburn could lose tonight to Michigan. They were the best team in the country for most of the year.

[Shannon The Dude]

Of the year.

[Matt Jones]

And if they lose to Michigan, well, you know, that happens.

[Billy Rutledge]

When you say, what's Mark Pope's expectations for next season? What do you think he's going to say? He's going to say national championship.

[Matt Jones]

Auburn's up nine, so maybe they're going to.

[Shannon The Dude]

Well, I flipped the switch pretty quick.

[Billy Rutledge]

Yeah, but he's not going to put a team together and go, this is going to be our Sweet 16 team that can only reach the Sweet 16. The goal is to win a national title.

[Matt Jones]

I think we're going to know. I mean, this is going to go quick. Like we talked about this on the show. I mean, because the. The judge meets on April 7th and could that day enact the settlement. I've read that there's some thoughts she might say it's enacted. It goes into place in two weeks or three, but in theory, she could say it's enacted. These. A lot of these dudes are Going to make their decision before that.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah, they will.

[Matt Jones]

So that it's not like the deals are not structured by the settlement, meaning they can be paid to play before August, before April 7th. Which means a lot of these dudes are going to sign in the next week. Yes. So Mark Pope's like, got to get out immediately. He can't feel sorry for himself because he's got like eight days to go get a team.

[Shannon The Dude]

My guess is tomorrow they're in the office on the phone talking to people in the transfer portal. Well, the next day after losing.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Houston's up for. Auburn's up six. Who's up next?

[Billy Rutledge]

Thomas.

[Matt Jones]

Thomas. Go ahead, Thomas.

[Caller]

Hey. He's gonna crush it in this portal. I guarantee it. And here's the other thing. You guys gave this guy an A minus. Are you kidding me?

[Matt Jones]

It's an A. I gave you an A minus in the regular season. I give him an A. When you consider the fact that we beat Illinois, made the Sweet 16, my A minus was. I mean, we was just based on some losses that I didn't think we should get. With the loss to Texas, you're right. Ohio State, yeah, there was a handful, but otherwise, I mean, mine is still a good grade.

[Caller]

The injuries, though. The injuries, really no athleticism. You all make the case. No athleticism, injuries. I think it's A plus plus, but I'm reeling tonight. But I just say I just love this guy.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I do too. I. I appreciate the call. Don't. I'm finishing the year with an A. You know, when I teach, I've told you, I usually go into the final with my students and I kind of know they're between two grades. I hate Georgetown's grading.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah, that's what you said before.

[Matt Jones]

Instant. Because it's. They should have A, A minus, B plus, B and they have A, A B, B. I hate a B.

[Billy Rutledge]

What does that even.

[Matt Jones]

Because there's a big difference between an A minus and B plus. And I always think I hate a B. But anyway, I usually go in like, if this kid has a good final A if they don't a B, etc. Right. For me, we came into this, I was like between an A and A minus. And even though this game tonight was disappointing, I think getting the sweet 16 for me gives him a solid A. I'm not gonna give him an A plus because we lost double digit games and like, you know, I mean, I can't. Guys save A pluses for like the.

[Billy Rutledge]

You gotta win a title for that or final.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, you know, but an A is still really good. That's not quibble.

[Billy Rutledge]

When I went to school, I got an A minus. I was happy. I was thrilled to death. I would even take A plus.

[Shannon The Dude]

I mean, did you know the reason I can't give you a high? Because they did lose the cow at home.

[Matt Jones]

That was a bit. Yeah. Yeah. You can't get an A plus if you lose the cow at home.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah. So that's probably my biggest hesitation.

[Matt Jones]

But I do think, you know, when that bracket came out, if we're being honest, I thought we were going to lose to Illinois.

[Shannon The Dude]

I think most people thought.

[Matt Jones]

I thought we were going to lose to Illinois. I thought we were going. I wanted Xavier, Texas to win because I thought if we play Illinois, they're going to beat us. Because. Because my view is when two teams are. You've heard me say this a lot. When two teams are equal, give me the team that's got the two best players, and I thought they had the two best players, and we basically shut those dudes down and we won the game. So I. I'm. I think that makes it in a.

[Billy Rutledge]

Road environment, too, if we're being in a road environment really loud when they, you know, try to make a rally. So it was. It was an impressive win over Illinois just to get here tonight.

[Matt Jones]

That's right. Let's do one more. We'll take a break. Who's next? Bill?

[Drew Franklin]

Doing good.

[Matt Jones]

Doing good. What's up, gentlemen?

[Caller]

I'm doing good. I hope, as always, you're doing well. Wish we would have pulled out the win tonight, but I think overall, as far as the season went, I'm a huge fan of how it turned out. We had some great victories early in the year that I don't think we would have if we had kept our previous coaching staff intact. I was a huge fan of Cal when he was here, but I think it was definitely time for him to go. I think Pope is absolutely the. The right person to lead us for the next 10 to 15 years. Cannot wait to see what happens. If we had gone with. With any other solution which would have, you know, included Cal being here through this season, we would not have had the year that we did this year.

[Matt Jones]

No, we wouldn't.

[Caller]

And then we wouldn't. We wouldn't have. And then we would have had two years of somebody else trying to come in, build up the program, etc. For Pope to take us to the Sweet 16 in year one, I think is absolutely amazing. He had April 9th of last year. He had no returning players whatsoever. We've already got a good base of what we hope will be a fantastic returning core. We've got some really good recruits coming in. And you're giving him a full cycle through the transfer portal. Oh, my gosh. I'm excited for what is.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I totally agree with everything in the future. Yeah, and I appreciate the call. I mean, like, he's already got a kid, so clearly they had a plan if he's already got a commitment, you know, I mean, clearly they knew who they wanted to go get because they went and got one immediately. So. Yeah, I agree with everything he just said.

[Shannon The Dude]

And we. We both know that they've been talking to people for the past month.

[Matt Jones]

Oh, yeah. I mean, look, these conversations are not official. I mean, it's not Mark Pope talking, these people.

[Shannon The Dude]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

But, you know, they've got one guy. I think they are. I think there's a big guy. I think they're going to either get. This is just my prediction. They're either going to get the kid from Davidson or the kid from Robert Morris. I don't know which one it'll be, but they'll get one of those two guys. That'll be their Andrew Carr next year.

[Shannon The Dude]

Right?

[Matt Jones]

Is one of those two dudes. Then they're gonna go try to find a big man, like a. Like a, you know, an Amari type, although I don't think there's anybody like him. Like, he's a very unique talent. Then they're gonna go find a shooter, and they're gonna find a point guard, and then that's gonna be, you know, that's gonna be what they get.

[Shannon The Dude]

Add that to the guys.

[Matt Jones]

I think I. I feel pretty. I mean, I could be wrong. I never thought we were going to get the Donovan Dent kid. And then all of a sudden, yesterday, people were telling me we were, and then it switched.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah, right.

[Matt Jones]

I think basically Kentucky offered a substantial amount of money. Everybody else ran away. UCLA decided today to match it, and that's where he wanted to go to school, so that's where he's going. But I do think either the Davidson kid or the Robert Morris kid ends up here. And then we'll see. I think they'll get a shooter. Maybe it's a kid from Sam Houston State. Maybe it's like I said, I think there's a kid that's in this crown thing or whatever, and I think there's a kid they're considering that's was in the sweet 16, and we'll. We'll see what happens.

[Shannon The Dude]

It's gonna happen fast.

[Matt Jones]

We'll know it is gonna happen fast. That's exactly right. We're gonna take a break. Drew Frankel just walked up. We'll bring him on. I also will play when we come back. I'm gonna play the clips from Car and Brea. This is the local toy dealers KSR post game show. Welcome back. It is the techie select Chevy dealers KSR or no, it's not. It's the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. One person writes, Matt, the tourney only feels random. They've been to 3A light. Three Elite Eights in a row. Yeah, but I think the year before that, what they lose to like Loyola in the first round and like, and you know, they've not been to a final four yet. It is random now. It's not rant. I've said this all the time. It's not random over history, but it's random in a given year. So for instance, when Cal lost to St. Peter's there was a little bit of randomness. But then when he lost Oakland two years later, it starts being stops being random. Yeah, right. Look at Arkansas this year. If Hunter Dixon doesn't turn it over, maybe they're out in the first round and it's a completely different narrative.

[Shannon The Dude]

True.

[Matt Jones]

Or if the New Mexico guy, or to me, a Texas Tech guy misses the three, they're newly. You know, there's a lot of randomness. Drew Franklin's there. We gave our takes on the year as a whole. What do you think?

[Drew Franklin]

First I just want to say I hate this city. And if it were closer to an ocean, I hope it would fall in and just sink to the bottom. Maybe with some Tennessee fans with it. I hate Indianapolis. I don't want to come back here. I know the final four is here next year. I hope they move it somewhere else, but it's good to see you guys. This place sucks.

[Shannon The Dude]

How do you really feel?

[Drew Franklin]

Like half the game. I hate this place anyway.

[Matt Jones]

Why did you only see half the game?

[Drew Franklin]

I'm not gonna complain about media seat. I end up watching with Rick Bozich on a TV with no sound in the back.

[Shannon The Dude]

That's what I watched it with him. We were in the back. In the back of the media.

[Matt Jones]

I don't even know. Why don't you go sit with Peyton, man?

[Drew Franklin]

He can fall in the ocean too.

[Shannon The Dude]

How many times they gonna show Peyton Manning during the broadcast? They showed him more than Taylor Swift.

[Matt Jones]

At a chief Taylor Swift.

[Shannon The Dude]

Trailer trash Swift and a cheap game.

[Matt Jones]

Is that like, is that the country version?

[Shannon The Dude]

Yes, it is.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. But yeah, you don't, you don't seem very happy.

[Drew Franklin]

No, it's really. The game's not. I'm fine with the game. I think it helped that it was just a butt whooping. It wasn't like you get beat at the end or you question, should we have called a timeout or should this have happened? I mean, Tennessee just whooped them. So it kind of, it feels. Even though all season ending losses suck, it doesn't feel like Oakland or St. Peters or Wisconsin, the real devastating wins. It hurts to lose to Tennessee, but it was pretty clear with. Well, they were better minutes left.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I mean they were better than us this year. I know we beat them twice, but like we were just saying Auburn looks like they're going to beat Michigan. So there's going to be four SEC teams in the Elite Eight. The reality is those were the four best teams this year.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

Like they were now. You could argue maybe we were fifth, maybe Ole Miss, maybe Arkansas at the end of the year. Whatever. The four best were the four best.

[Shannon The Dude]

They were all ranked number one of.

[Matt Jones]

The country at some point. Good. And so it's, it's probably how it should be, to be honest.

[Shannon The Dude]

Go ahead, you're on a roll.

[Matt Jones]

I paused so you could talk.

[Shannon The Dude]

I think that this year for us to even beat Florida the one time was amazing.

[Matt Jones]

And Tennessee twice.

[Shannon The Dude]

And Tennessee twice. Amazing.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah.

[Shannon The Dude]

Because really those four teams are just better. Their dudes are just better than our dudes.

[Matt Jones]

It is worth noting that when you get to the Elite Eight, of those eight teams, we've beaten three of them.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah. What does that tell you?

[Matt Jones]

You know, we're going to. We've beaten three of the Elite Eight and we're. I think, well, I guess we lost Alabama three times. So we're. We're like three and five or whatever against the Elite Eight. But we've won three games against them.

[Shannon The Dude]

Probably nobody else can say that.

[Matt Jones]

Maybe, maybe Auburn or Alabama. That would be it. Who's next? Oh, wait a minute. Before you do this, let's play. I'll separate these. Let's play. This is Andrew Carr talking about his last time playing for Kentucky.

[Caller]

Yeah, it's certainly very difficult. Don't want to untie my shoes. Don't want to take off this jersey. You know, definitely Shout out BBN and all the fans. It's like nowhere I've ever experienced and really have just had the most fun playing basketball this season. And you know, I really appreciate them welcoming all of us in with open arms and really caring about all of us. More than just a basketball player. And being a fan, they really, you know, you're welcome into the Kentucky family, and it's a family for a reason. So definitely is an amazing experience that.

[Matt Jones]

You know, it hurts right now, but.

[Caller]

As we continue to get older, just.

[Matt Jones]

Look back and be more and more.

[Caller]

Proud as time goes on.

[Matt Jones]

See, that's what we want our players to say, right?

[Shannon The Dude]

What a great sound bite. I could have had everything I can add to that.

[Drew Franklin]

There was a cool moment. They. They. The moderator said, any other questions in the room was silent. And Lamont Butler said, can I. Can I say something? And they're like, of course you can say something. And he said, this group set a high bar for Pope moving forward. Kind of raved about. Pope said, Kentucky's just getting started. And then Andrew Carr chimed in. It's a little more direct. Was like, if you're in the portal, come to Kentucky. But I thought it was very cool. You know, the press conference is over. We were all about to wave, and Butler leaned forward. Is like, I want to get this off my chest. Knowing it's the last time he'd be there speaking on behalf of Kentucky. So that was pretty cool.

[Matt Jones]

That is very cool. Who's up next?

[Drew Franklin]

The city still sucks, though.

[Matt Jones]

Really? You really do not.

[Drew Franklin]

Just people screaming at me. Vols fans yelling at me on their scooters. I want big daddy him with a stick, if I could find one. Anybody want some Weetabix you still got in your pocket? I think I've had eight full bars of Weetabix.

[Matt Jones]

Go ahead, Billy. Skyler. Go ahead. Skyler.

[Caller]

Hey, Skyler. Skyler here. Do I. Can I. Can I take, like, 30 seconds? Matt? Is that okay?

[Matt Jones]

Yes.

[Caller]

Okay. So 27, 2007, my oldest son was born. Billy Clyde Gillespie led us on a journey. And. And it has just been such a joy in my life to be able to watch basketball games with my. With my boys. We kind of journeyed through the. The Caliper years, that crushing loss to Wisconsin. My oldest son was 10 years old, I think.

[Ryan Lemond]

No, no.

[Caller]

Seven years old. Seven years old. Ten years ago. Right. And it has been a struggle. We moved to California as a family about seven years ago, listening to you guys and even calling in. We can stay up late and call him. We're sitting around a fire right now. My entire family. And this year has just been so special, I think, over the past five years. I called in last year and was worried. My boys are just so Frustrated. They didn't want to watch, they didn't want to listen. And this year really reclaimed their love for UK basketball. And even that Andrew Carr clip that you played, I. I think, like, this team is really, really, really, really special. And. And my son's gonna go to college next fall. And we're sitting around here kind of choked up thinking, like, man, we just. We got to watch 17 years of games together and you're going to move away and it's going to be different next fall. But this team, this team was unique and super special. I want to appreciate. I just want to thank you guys. You know, I know it's a crushing loss, but Drew, Ryan, Billy, shout out to South Oldham, Colton, what turtle. What 10 threes broke the record in the state final tonight. Like, or take. So thank you guys. And I'm gonna hang up and I'm gonna listen.

[Matt Jones]

Appreciate the call. Yeah, that's a. You know, I do think you. You could see it. We talked about this, Ryan. There was a re. Igniting of big parts of the fan base, including kids. I mean, let's just use the example tonight of just people I know right now, I'm sure driving on their way home is my college roommate, Nick and his wife Tiffany and their daughters. They. This is the first NCAA tournament, that game they've ever come to.

[Shannon The Dude]

Is it?

[Matt Jones]

They wanted to get in the car and come up here. I don't know that his two daughters have ever been to a UK game ever, but they wanted to come up here. My parents, they've never been to an NCAA tournament game. They wanted to get in the car and come up here like this. There is a whole segment of the fan base that I think got their love of Kentucky basketball reignited. And that is cool that, like, we needed it. I think that happened in 2010 when John Wall got here. I think it happened in 1992 when. When the unforgettables were there. And I think in some ways that happened with this as well.

[Shannon The Dude]

We've said it a million times. The fans feel like they got their team back. And the core. What that caller was saying there. There's something about Kentucky basketball that helps families. Just the love they have for the basketball and you translate that into your dad or your mom or your grandpa for you, is your grandpa taking to the games? I mean, there's something special about Kentucky basketball that draws these families moments and memories together.

[Matt Jones]

And when you see that group of ages which we could see at Tin Roof today.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

From the 8, 9 year olds to 87 year old Larry, that, that whole range of people, I, you know, it's just. It's really special to me that that happens. And it did feel like for the last few years it was slipping a little bit. It wasn't gone, but it just wasn't quite the same. And I feel like it kind of got back to where it was.

[Drew Franklin]

Definitely felt different. You know, Tennessee wins the game and they're moving on, but they can't take the pregame fun. For me, we met so many people. Lots of people said I wouldn't have made this trip, you know, if we hadn't had this change. Wouldn't be here if things hadn't changed. The excitement in the lead up to this, the excitement in Nashville.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, Nashville was like. That was the biggest Nashville's been since pre Covid.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I mean, sure got knocked out of the tournament and we go down as losers, but I mean, you can't take those pregame moments from me and all the fun we had with fans just coming back together and being excited.

[Matt Jones]

And it's also worth noting, like the various moments during the year that we had great. Like think about what it was like the night after we beat Duke. That was, that was the moment for a lot of fans where I think people said, hey, this is going to work. Yeah, like this dude's going to work, you know, because I'm sure people were.

[Shannon The Dude]

Like still questioning whether Pope was.

[Matt Jones]

Think about in Seattle, the Gonzaga come, you know, down 18 games in the middle of the night and we end up coming back and win that game against Florida, which I think was one of the best played games of the year by both teams. That was the last time we were really fully healthy was. It was in that game the first time we beat Tennessee. I mean, shorthanded, shorthanded. Nobody thought we were going to win that game.

[Drew Franklin]

10 point underdog.

[Matt Jones]

Both went. The win against Louisville at the time wasn't as big, but ends up being big because they were good at the end. And then both wins against Oklahoma. Right. Both the win on the road and then the win in the SEC tournament with OA hitting the shots. I mean, those are moments that we will remember from this year. I think no matter what.

[Shannon The Dude]

That's what we talked about in our first segment. We fell in love with this team for what they did on the court. This, you know, the land of misfit toys. These guys came from all these different places and yet they came together. And now we will be beloved forever by our fan base and, and just.

[Matt Jones]

On a completely personal level, it also reignited some of the joy of it for me, that had kind of gone away the last couple years. It became. This became more of a job at times than, like, I. I found the games to be slogs. I mean, especially in the last two years, you know, I could sit in the arena not because I didn't care, but just because it was like, here we go again. Yeah, well, I'm back to walking these, you know, bank buildings because I'm nervous again, because I want us to win again. And, I mean, I always wanted to win, but, like, I want it like that. That excitement is back, even for me personally. And so I think I said that to Pope a few weeks ago. I thanked him for that, because he did. I sat in his office back in. Right before I went to. To Europe, and he said, well, no, it's right after I got back when I. And he was like, you gotta stay. This is gonna be awesome. I mean, he was like. He was trying to pump me up. And you know what? He was right.

[Shannon The Dude]

He was right.

[Matt Jones]

He was right. It was one more. Who's next? Mary. Mary. Go ahead, Mary.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt. The first time, and I'm so happy to be the first time.

[Matt Jones]

All right, thank you.

[Caller]

I just love this team. They are very special. They have done something to bring Kentucky basketball back in the realm. And Coach Pope. I have been going to games since Coach Rupp back with Dan Issel and Mike Pratt and Louis Dampier and all them. My dad took me and Memorial Coliseum back in the day, and then when Rupp arena first opened up, he took me there and said, this is what it is now, and Kentucky basketball is life and blood and a fan base that just cares and wants to be there.

[Matt Jones]

You're right. You're exactly right.

[Caller]

Tennessee. I don't like Tennessee. I understand, but I like them better than a few other teams in the sec.

[Matt Jones]

Well, we don't have to say anything nice about them, but you're right, ma'am. And that's. And it's nice to have. It's nice to have that thread through the years. And, Mary, thank you for staying up with us tonight.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt, I love you and I hope you keep doing this because it means so much to just listen every night after a game on the radio just to hear. You have to listen to everything just to hear you.

[Matt Jones]

Well, that's very sweet of you. Thank you, Mary.

[Caller]

Bomb. And I love all you guys. I love all you guys and everybody.

[Matt Jones]

Thank you, Mary. Appreciate the call. It is the bomb. That's very nice.

[Shannon The Dude]

You know what it was? It was those damn birds in the bird feeder.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that's the problem.

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah, they.

[Matt Jones]

They went away. We should have listened. By the way, SEC had the most teams ever in the tournament with 14. Yeah, they had the most teams ever make the sweet 16 with seven.

[Shannon The Dude]

Right.

[Matt Jones]

They'll now have four teams in the elite eight. That's only happened twice. 2009 Big East, 2016 ACC. So if one of these teams wins the championship, I think we'll have claim to be the best league of all time, don't you think?

[Drew Franklin]

I think so. I know one team I don't want it to be.

[Matt Jones]

Let's not let it be Tennessee.

[Caller]

Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

Need them to lose.

[Matt Jones]

Who do you want to win? I mean, looks like Houston's gonna. I mean, they're up 10 on Purdue, so let's say they close it out. If you have Duke, Alabama, Florida, Texas Tech, Auburn, Michigan State. Who am I missing? Houston and Tennessee. Who would you like to see win? I'd like to see Houston win. Even though it's not. I mean, I feel like Kelvin Sampson deserves one.

[Drew Franklin]

That's who I have on my bracket. They're pretty far removed from me. I don't. I don't know. I don't know one single Houston fan that would rub it in my face. Not in the conference, not on the schedule. So that'd be the most harmful.

[Matt Jones]

What if Duke plays Tennessee in the Final Four?

[Shannon The Dude]

Who are you going to root for?

[Matt Jones]

I guess I'm about to root for Duke.

[Shannon The Dude]

It just means more.

[Drew Franklin]

Yeah, I didn't want to think about that.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I think I would root for Duke, as painful as that is to say, I. I can't root for Tennessee.

[Shannon The Dude]

I think I'm on the Alabama bandwagon now. That's what I want to.

[Matt Jones]

You want Albert? Do you want to net? You want an SEC team to win?

[Shannon The Dude]

Yes, I do. Yep.

[Drew Franklin]

They've already got a little SEC dynasty brewing. I don't want to just keep adding to their trophy cabinet.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. You know, I don't know. I think I want. Houston is the most harmless of all these teams. Wouldn't you agree or ISO. Or is. I'll get another one at Michigan because the only one. One that would be. Okay.

[Drew Franklin]

Houston by a wide margin. Like get a little Matthew Mitchell bump.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah. Houston would probably be. Would be. That's right. Matthew Mitchell.

[Drew Franklin]

He could go to the.

[Matt Jones]

Can I tell you something kind of funny?

[Shannon The Dude]

Yeah.

[Matt Jones]

It's 12:15 at night. Who cares? We were. Mario and I were driving or. No, it wasn't Mario, it was hubby. Hubby and I were driving to the Reds game last night and we leave and I never listen Alan Kohler show. But, you know, we were in the car so I turned it on and he was doing one of his like 40 minute monologues, right?

[Drew Franklin]

No filter.

[Matt Jones]

And he broke in to say that Matthew Mitchell had taken the Houston job. And he goes, matthew Mitchell is taking the Houston job. Wow. He was like, you know, I used to text with Matthew Mitchell and then Matthew Mitchell just stopped replying to my texts. And I don't know why he stopped replying to my text. You know, the thing is, now he's going to Houston. I know people in Houston. I probably know some people that could help Matthew Mitchell, but I don't know if I'm gonna text him because he hadn't texted me back. And then he just switched topics. That was his analysis of Matthew Mitchell going to Houston. And I thought, that's the best Alan Cutler analysis. He stopped, he, he knows some people, Ryan, that could help him at Houston.

[Shannon The Dude]

That's why I love Alan Cutler. That's exactly the reason why I love.

[Matt Jones]

That he said it so seriously. He was like, I could help Allen Houston or not Alan Houston too. He can help out in Houston too. We'll take a break. Be right back. Final segments, the local toy dealers KSR postgame show welcome back. Final segment, local toy dealers KSR postgame show 1 person writes, Matt, I'd like to ask you guys, what's your favorite memory of the year? Drew start with that. What do you think is your favorite?

[Drew Franklin]

Oh, that's a tough one. I mean, the, the away buzzer beater in Nashville was pretty special because it just, it all happened so fast and it was a crazy party afterward. But I think my favorite, I'm going to go with was the 11am game against Florida. I mean, Rupp Arena.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that was good.

[Drew Franklin]

For such unique situation playing that early Rupp arena. That's about as good as I've seen it in a long time. You score 107 points against the team. It's probably gonna be in the final four. Of all, of all the wins being in that building, that might be the.

[Matt Jones]

Game we played the best too. That was our, I think that was our best play. It was. And it was the last game. We were all healthy. This last, that was the last time everybody was healthy. What about you, Billy? It was definitely the postgame show after the Oklahoma game in the SEC turn. That was very. Yeah, that was funny. 3:00 in the morning. With, with, with hubby bride and Mario. Yeah, the blood moon, that was, that was a lot of fun. That's a good one to put in the archives from that one. Now what about you, Ryan?

[Shannon The Dude]

I'm gonna say the SEC tournament because I took Josiah the first time he's ever been so kind of a father son thing. And we had great seats for the Oklahoma game. Thank you. Shout out to Stephen Horn. So we got to see that last second shot by oa. And then we watched the second game against Alabama at Tin Roof. And there was a 25 year old grinding on my son. And he thinks that 10 roof in Nashville is the greatest.

[Matt Jones]

I didn't hear that. When did they.

[Shannon The Dude]

Josiah thinks the ten roof Nashville.

[Matt Jones]

That's the first time you've Talked about the 25 year old grinding on your.

[Shannon The Dude]

Son or after midnight. We can talk about it now. Yeah. They.

[Drew Franklin]

His favorite memory of the season, it.

[Shannon The Dude]

Was I had to step away.

[Matt Jones]

Duke was pretty cool.

[Shannon The Dude]

I had to step away. I didn't want, you know, to pee in his Cheerios.

[Matt Jones]

That is a ride. Living line. His favorite moment of the season was a 25 year old grinding on his son at Tin Roof in Nashville. That was a beautiful moment in history.

[Shannon The Dude]

There's something about that night.

[Drew Franklin]

Not Gonzalez.

[Shannon The Dude]

There were some grandmas who were coming up to him and thought he was Dane Key getting their picture taken with him. And Josiah just played it off. You know, he just played it off. I love him. And I heard one of them say, where are you at now? He said, Nebraska.

[Matt Jones]

He and Dank. He look like they could be related.

[Shannon The Dude]

Oh, yeah.

[Matt Jones]

I mean, I can see that.

[Drew Franklin]

So what about the basketball season?

[Matt Jones]

I'm gonna say, I'm gonna put us back to basketball and say for me, I actually think it's the Gonzaga win. You know, it was just because it was unexpected.

[Shannon The Dude]

I don't know how they still. How they won that.

[Matt Jones]

I still don't really know how they won. Mario hit me like 10 times. Every time they would score, he would punch me in the shoulder and say we were coming back. And then afterwards at, you know, at 3:00 in the morning, eastern time, that was. That was a lot of fun. And then we lost Max Duffy to a woman. I'm still not convincing. We're back to Australia. I think he's in Seattle. I think he's in Seattle with that woman. That.

[Shannon The Dude]

That was a good experience, that trip out to Seattle.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, that was a lot of fun. All right, who's next?

[Drew Franklin]

Love always finds a way.

[Matt Jones]

Mike. We'll do Five and call it a night. Number one. Go Mike.

[Caller]

Hey, how are you guys doing?

[Matt Jones]

Doing great.

[Caller]

All right. Hey, A plus on not an A plus but a on a season. No doubt. Great bunch of guys. They represent the front of the jersey is what they were all about.

[Matt Jones]

Totally agree.

[Caller]

Lamont Butler. Lamont Butler playing with one arm is amazing.

[Matt Jones]

Yep, that's true. And he played great tonight, by the way. He played great tonight. I mean this was a good for Lamont. 7 for 10, 18 points. He played great tonight.

[Caller]

Yes, sir. That's all I had to say. I love this team and I'm looking forward to the future.

[Matt Jones]

Appreciate the call. Looks like we're gonna hit this should make everybody happy. Well, no, wait a minute. I said it was. Looks like we're gonna hit produce, cut it to four. Oh. Have a five team parlay that included women's basketball. Tonight on women's game picked UCLA women to beat Ole Miss and Duke women to beat North Carolina. And that all happened. Plus Michigan State, Auburn, and now I need Houston. But now it's a three point game.

[Shannon The Dude]

So you need Houston to.

[Matt Jones]

We need Houston to win. We can't have, we can't have Purdue play in Tennessee to go the final Four. Drew, we need to do it. That needs to not have happen. Yeah.

[Drew Franklin]

We need Tennessee out of here quickly and Houston can be the team to do it.

[Matt Jones]

That's right. Who's up next? Four more. Who's next?

[Shannon The Dude]

Will.

[Matt Jones]

Will. Go ahead. Will.

[Caller]

Hey, Matt, this is Will from Dallas, Texas. So quick backstory. I. I graduated from high school in 2018 and went to SMU. And since I've been here in Dallas, all of my friends have known me as kind of the, the crazy Kentucky Wildcats fan and for having no valid reason for that considering we lost the Saint Peters and then of course the, the recent open loss. So I was hoping this year that we would kind of bring that back and have validation behind my. My craziness. All that being said, when do you think I can have that. That reasoning behind the real catch, Ron? When we can win the next.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I mean, I think there's, you know, I, If I were to make a prediction and I appreciate the call. I think we'll be really good next year. I don't think next year is our championship run. I think, I think we are a contender in two years. That's just my guess. I don't know that. But if you're just looking at, at my guess, I think, I think next year, you know, I think he still needs one more class to Go get. He's got to figure out what the mix is of recruits, returners, Portal. I think we're going to be good next year. I need to see the roster first, but I feel like two years from now, you know, that's that, that's the. If I'm. If, if I were betting guy, I.

[Drew Franklin]

I do think they're going to take another step forward this next season. Even not knowing the roster, maybe it could be special if you go out and some of these pieces really pan out. But certainly in the next two years, they're going to be in the mix.

[Matt Jones]

The SEC is going to be a lot more gettable next year.

[Shannon The Dude]

Year.

[Matt Jones]

A lot of these teams are not going to be as good next year. Auburn's not going to be as good next year. Very old. Remember. I mean, you got to remember the best players in the SEC are guys that return for another year. Johnny, Broom, Ziggler, Sears. Like those guys are all going to be gone, and I don't. And the next group are not as good as those guys. So I do think the, the league will be more gettable next year.

[Shannon The Dude]

If you're telling me in two years we can make a run, I think every fan would take that in a second.

[Matt Jones]

No. Yeah. Three more. Who's next? Michael. Michael. Go ahead, Michael.

[Caller]

What's up, fellas? Drew, I don't know if you did this or not. Did you end up staying in the same place in Indy from when we.

[Drew Franklin]

Lost the St. Peter's I haven't stayed there yet, but in about four hours I'll go to my room and pass out.

[Matt Jones]

That's not good building.

[Caller]

Okay. So my friend Brock said you had mentioned something about that. Do you think maybe that gave us some bad juju for tonight?

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, maybe it's your fault, but when.

[Drew Franklin]

I checked in, my room wasn't ready. They were doing maintenance on it. So maybe they were fixing something. Maybe they're bringing the curse back. I don't know.

[Matt Jones]

Really.

[Drew Franklin]

I hate every hotel.

[Matt Jones]

He really hates everything. I've always disliked to say it was good. And now our record.

[Drew Franklin]

We've lost five in a row here. Let's never come back. Move the final four somewhere. I'll move it to Atlanta.

[Shannon The Dude]

We forget with that. You know the 97 national championship game we lost here in Indianapolis?

[Matt Jones]

Yes. Thank you, sir. Two more. Who's next? Brandon. Brandon. Go ahead, Brandon.

[Caller]

Hey, guys. First time, long time.

[Matt Jones]

Who are.

[Caller]

So first off, I just want to say, like, what a difference a year makes. I remember like after the Oakland game, like I just like, like, just felt sick like the next day. And, like, it's going to be nice, I think, just kind of waking up with some sense of optimism. I'm still obviously bummed about the outcome, but, you know, I think everybody is like, really pleasantly surprised about how successful the season was. And on a really, like, positive note, too, I finally converted my wife to, you know, to, you know, being a part of big blue nation. I think this team was just really just fun to watch. She was a huge Otega away fan. So I'm really hoping he comes back next season and we can kind of keep his tradition going. We're actually planning on starting a family this year. And so I think, you know, just to echo what you said about, like, this season reigniting, like, the joy amongst the fan base, I think what I'm looking forward to is, like, making this, like, a tradition that I'm gonna, like, pass on. So.

[Matt Jones]

Yeah, I think that's. I think. Go ahead.

[Caller]

You answered my question about kind of like the trajectory of the program, kind of where you see it in the next couple of years, kind of making that championship run. So I just had comments and that was it. So sorry.

[Matt Jones]

Well, I appreciate it. I'm glad. Good luck with. Good luck with the. With the family. 859-280-2287 the story, the amount of people who say reigniting their faith, I mean, I think that really is going to be the story of this year. Let's do one more and then Mario and I are going to drive to lexing. So are you in? Shannon, if we pass you on the road, who's next?

[Shannon The Dude]

Hunter.

[Matt Jones]

Hunter. Hey, Hunter.

[Caller]

Boys. How are we doing tonight?

[Matt Jones]

Doing good.

[Caller]

Hey, kind of echoing what everyone's saying about the reignite, it's definitely reuniting me. This, this season will go down as a lot of first for me. I was able to go to my first ever game. I was able to call in to the show for the first time. Able to go to my first remote, not both in Kentucky and Utah, which to me, like, I have always been a fan, but I didn't really follow it last couple years until this year. And this year really did kind of bring me back. And so I will always remember this year and I'm so thankful for, I guess, everything. I'm especially grateful for you guys, the show again, living in Utah, it's amazing that I can, like feel close to home and especially with how I work on constant podcast listener. You guys probably won't hear from me until we do, you know, post game Shows in October. And so until then, love you guys. See you guys. Then go Cats.

[Matt Jones]

Thank you very much. Appreciate it. And listen, thank you all for, for, for. For listening this year. I always try to do something to wrap up after the last basketball game. So let me go through it real quick. First of all, thank you, as always, to my man Billy, who stays up here with me at night and we do this late into the evenings. Thank you, Billy, for all the. What, I guess that's about 50 we've done, if you count football and basketball. Yeah. Thank you, Matt. Appreciate that. Yeah, you seem very excited about that.

[Shannon The Dude]

Billy's like, let's get out of here.

[Matt Jones]

Thank you, Matt. Big shout out to Mario. First year with us. You were hired like one year ago today, and you've been a great addition. So been awesome with you. Thank you very much, you guys, the three of you. We've done this a lot. I always love this time of year because we get to go places together. We've been in Nashville, Milwaukee, and Indianapolis, and it's been a blast. Thank you for now, what, 16 years with Drew, like 15 years with you guys. It's been awesome. And to all the listeners, you all, you know, it's. I've said it so much. It may sound trite, but you really have kind of reignited not just my love with UK basketball, but, you know, I was burned out. And after this year, it's. It's gotten me, you know, right back to where this job has always been for me, which is a lot of fun. And thank you to everybody. Days like, you know, the ending sucked with the loss, but days like today at Tin Roof, seeing the amount of people, the energy, you know, this thing started 20 years ago, like, literally 20 years ago this September. And it started, like, in a basement. And to see what it's become, I just can't thank everybody enough. So with that, we will be back Monday morning from KS Bar. It'll be probably talking portal and getting ready and I got three shows and then hopefully I will be able to sit up straight on a plane because I'm going to Amsterdam with a. With a back that's locked up. But you know what, they got good.

[Drew Franklin]

Stuff over in Amsterdam if you need.

[Shannon The Dude]

It, they can help you with that.

[Matt Jones]

The kid may. Well, we'll see. Hey, thank you all very much, everybody. Have a safe drive if you're driving home. Cats losing the Sweet 16, but Kentucky basketball is back. This has been the local Toyota dealers. KSR post game show. The Unshakables podcast is kicking off season two with an episode you won't want to miss. Join host Ben Walter, CEO of Chase for Business as he welcomes a very special guest, Chairman and CEO of JP Morgan Chase, Jamie Dimon. Hear about the challenges facing small businesses and some of the oh moments Jamie has overcome. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Chase Mobile app is available available for select mobile devices. Message and data rates may apply JP Morgan Chase Bank N A Member FDIC Copyright 2025 JP Morgan Chase & Co.

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