KSR Postgame: Kentucky MBB vs Tennessee Tech (11/26/25)
Date: November 27, 2025
Host: Matt Jones (with Billy, Drew, and callers)

Episode Overview

This KSR Postgame episode breaks down Kentucky’s dominant 104-54 win over Tennessee Tech on Thanksgiving Eve. Matt Jones and the KSR crew reflect on a game that swung from an uninspiring start to one of the Wildcats’ best offensive outbursts this season. Key player performances, team chemistry, upcoming schedule concerns, and in-game moments are discussed in depth, all in the show’s signature, lively KSR tone.

Main Themes

• Kentucky’s huge 50-point win after a shaky start
• Emergence of offensive firepower and better shooting
• Enjoyment of special moments (notably Walker Horn’s memorable three)
• Chemistry and energy on the UK bench
• Ongoing issues with certain players’ effort and rotations
• The weight of upcoming December/SEC schedule (especially without injured players)
• KSR’s blend of deep fan analysis, humor, and relatability

Key Discussion Points & Insights

First Half: Rocky Start, Then Explosion

• [01:58] Kentucky started slow, even trailing 25-21, and found the first half “uninspiring, kind of ugly.”
• [02:30] Turned around with a dominating run, fueled by better shooting.
• [02:45] Wildcats went 15/30 from three-point range, with five players scoring 13+ points.
• [03:55] “It was a feel good game after a poor start,” said Matt Jones.

The Walker Horn 3 – A Turning Point?

• [03:15] Walker Horn’s made three ignited the team and the crowd. Matt argues—tongue in cheek—that it might be the season’s turning point.

  • [03:28] “In that moment when you saw the team celebrating on the bench…all the excitement…that’s something we‘ve kind of been waiting for. I mean with all the rumors about chemistry, that was a really great—be honest with you, it’s the best moment of the season so far." – Matt Jones
  • [08:34] Billy: “I stood up. I shot the Jamal Murray bow and arrow…That’s the most I’ve ever cheered as a member of the working press.”

• [09:10] Balanced acknowledgment of other highlights, like Colin Chandler’s dunk (“the roof blew off on both of those moments”).

Player-by-Player Reactions

• [04:10] Praise for:
  • Trent Noah (4-5 from 3)
  • Denzel Aberdeen (4-6 from 3)
  • Colin Chandler (carried early when team struggled)
  • Moreno (16 points)
• [04:40] Concerns:
  • Brandon Garrison: “still very frustrating to me…not good, effort’s not there.”
  • Owa (Ola) also noted for inconsistent effort, especially early.
• [21:16] “Their talent is in part their effort…If he doesn’t give that effort, then he’s not going to be anywhere close to that.” – Matt Jones, on Owa
• [17:51] Garrison’s reduced minutes show growing implications for rotation.

Chemistry, Bench, and Team Vibes

• [03:15] Celebration on the bench after Walker Horn’s basket is lauded as a sign of positive team culture amidst chemistry rumors.
• [55:53] “So much better when we’re loose…That’s when we’re not stagnant.”

Injury & Depth Concerns

• Missing key players: “three of their four or five best players are out” and yet UK still won by 50.
• [24:23] With Jalen Lowe and Quainance injured, Matt pessimistically estimates a 2-2 record in December top-25 matchups if Lowe doesn’t return—and pegs Lowe as “by far the most important player on the team.”
  • [24:44] “If you just looked at the Louisville, Michigan State game, you would say, let Kentucky shoot.”
• [35:43] “You cannot show me a time that a college team has been good without a point guard. College is a guards game.”

Upcoming Schedule & Stakes

• [11:04] With North Carolina, Gonzaga, Indiana, and St. John’s next, Matt stresses UK’s must-win mentality at home.
  • [28:16] “When we play North Carolina and Indiana…you got to win those games.”
• [43:48] “December is going to be a very meaningful month…really going to help us, where we’re going to make the most jumps up or down.”

Coaching and Team Identity

• [29:51] Questions about Mark Pope’s communication style and ability to motivate elite, diverse rosters, coming from primarily coaching at Utah Valley and BYU.
  • [59:22] Caller Lane: “I’m just curious if you have any observations on his ability to motivate a locker room. He seems…really unrelatable to me.”
  • [60:53] Matt: “I have found Pope to be…difficult to read in these last few weeks.”
• [14:31] Discussion about AD succession: is UK ready for more “fresh blood” after Mitch Barnhart, or will his protege Mark Hill take over?

Big Picture & Notable Asides

• [11:04] Reunion of UK’s “Unforgettables” at Rupp for the first time since 1992 is highlighted as a feel-good moment.
• [34:07] Matt lauds TNT’s college basketball coverage, contrasts with ESPN’s “NFL-dominated” programming.
• [37:25 / 38:19] Caller wonders why Pat Riley’s Kentucky career is rarely celebrated; Matt agrees it’s "odd" given Riley’s legendary status.
• [54:52] KSR callers riff on the chaotic traffic and security around VP J.D. Vance’s Lexington visit, with comical on-the-ground reporting.
• [48:02] Fun aside: “It’s crazy seeing the little kid from North Laurel guard Steph Curry”—marveling at Reed Sheppard’s NBA moment.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [03:28] Matt Jones: “[Walker Horn’s shot]…that’s something we’ve kind of been waiting for. I mean with all the rumors about chemistry…It’s the best moment of the season so far.”
• [08:34] Billy: “I stood up. I shot the Jamal Murray bow and arrow…I was high fiving people. That’s the most I’ve ever cheered as a member of the working press.”
• [21:16] Matt Jones: “Their talent is in part their effort…but if he doesn't give that effort, then he's not going to be anywhere close to that.”
• [24:44] Matt Jones: “If you just looked at the Louisville, Michigan State game, you would say, let Kentucky shoot.”
• [35:43] Matt Jones: “You cannot show me a time that a college team has been good without a point guard. College is a guards game.”
• [49:00] Matt Jones: “From Red Bird to Steph and Draymond…you know what? Only in America.”
• [29:51] Matt Jones: “I’ve really had a hard time reading Pope these last few weeks…I haven’t really understood a lot of his—not just after the Louisville game and Michigan, but just in general.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment Summary | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 01:58 | Show begins, Kentucky’s rough start, then huge offensive run called a “feel good game”| | 03:15 | Walker Horn’s 3-pointer celebration and its symbolic importance | | 04:10 | Player-by-player analysis, Garrison and Owa called out for effort | | 08:34 | Billy’s “press row cheer” for Horn; crowd’s reaction to big game moments | | 11:04 | Schedule outlook (Unforgettables reunion, tough December ahead) | | 14:51 | AD succession talk: is Mark Hill the next Barnhart? | | 17:51 | Yellowvich’s emerging role; caller feedback on rotation patterns | | 21:16 | Effort discussion—returning players not meeting expectations | | 24:23 | Importance of Jalen Lowe, December forecast if he remains out | | 29:51 | Mark Pope’s coaching style and post-loss demeanor dissected | | 34:07 | Comparison of TNT vs. ESPN in college hoops coverage | | 37:25 / 38:19| Why is Pat Riley’s UK legacy not more celebrated? | | 43:48 | SEC schedule math; importance of December statement | | 49:00 | “Only in America”—Reed Sheppard/NBA aside | | 54:52 | KSR’s VP J.D. Vance traffic and Lexington scene reporting | | 55:53 | Fun/energy as key to UK’s ceiling; Walker Horn as a “turning point” | | 59:22 | POD on Pope’s ability to motivate and connect with locker room |

Final Thoughts

• Despite a decimated roster, Kentucky cruised by 50, fueling optimism—but looming questions persist about consistent effort, perimeter shooting, and point guard depth.
• The episode is rich in classic KSR banter, balancing honest, sometimes tough basketball analysis (“If you just looked at [recent games], you would say let Kentucky shoot…”) with relatable, often irreverent, Kentucky-centric storytelling.
• The panel agreed that December will define the season—calling out the need to “find a way” against North Carolina and Indiana, especially at home.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

You missed a real “KSR night” episode—equal parts celebration, analysis, and insider fan perspective, punctuated by the type of energetic, occasionally self-deprecating, deeply Kentucky basketball conversation only KSR provides. If you want a sense of where the UK fan base stands—cautiously optimistic, entertained, but demanding more fight and better chemistry—this postgame breakdown delivers it all.

To sum up in true KSR spirit: Kentucky won big, found some joy, but the team’s true identity will be tested in the coming stretch. And yes, Walker Horn’s smiling celebration might just be the rallying cry they needed.