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- [00:00]
Matt Jones
T Mobile stats are as impressive as your favorite athlete's highlight reel because T Mobile helps keep you connected from the heart of Portland to right where you are on America's largest 5G network. Switch now. Keep your phone and T Mobile will pay it off up to $800 per line via prepaid card. Visit your local T Mobile location or learn more@t mobile.com keepandswitch up to 4 lines of your virtual prepaid card. Allow 15 days qualifying unlock device, credit service support in 90 plus days device knowledgeable carrier and timely redemption required. Card has no cash access and expires in six months.
- [00:27]
Billy Rutledge
Foreign.
- [00:30]
Ashley Kineti
This is Ashley Kineti from the Ben and Ashley I Almost Famous podcast. It feels like everyone is talking about GLP1s these days. Those are Ozempic and Semaglutide. And with Future Health you can find out if they're right for you too. Maybe you feel like you've been struggling with your weight for years and no matter how much you diet and exercise, you just don't feel healthy. Just go to try FH.com to find out if weight loss meds are right for you. Future Health is not a healthcare services provider. Meds are prescribed at providers discretion. Results may vary. Sponsored by Future Health welcome everyone.
- [01:01]
Billy Rutledge
It is the local toilet dealers KSR post game show the Cats get a big win at home against Vanderbilt after one of the better second halves I think they've played this entire year winning by 20 on a snowy day here in Lexington, Kentucky. You can give us a shout 859-280-2287. I hope you will because if you don't, who am I going to talk to tonight? Kentucky came out first half I thought offensively played well all night. Colin Chandler missed a three at the end or we would have hit the KSR parlay. But offensively I thought they were good the whole night. Defensively not good in the first half. But then second half when you consider the roster and when you consider kind of what what this team is in terms of with injuries, I thought the second half they played absolutely excellent. A lot of guys were a lot of guys had a big role. I think one of the Amari Williams had a period of the game where he was absolutely dominant but they got good contributions from obviously away Almanor. Andrew Carr looked the most like himself he has this year. Colin Chandler I thought played excellent, had good good minutes from Travis Perry. Lot lot of really positive things. But I think the game turned at halftime when Mark Pope, or as I like to call him now thanks to the girl in the video, Tom decided to basically take the game inside. We had a huge height advantage over Vandy. Vandy's one of the worst rebounding and worst size teams in the country. And we took advantage of it and we went download Amari Williams, download to Andrew Carr. And I thought it was really, really impressive what those guys were able to do. They went as a team. This is an amazing statistic to me. They went 19 for 24 from 2 on 2 point shots tonight. That is 79%. 79% from 2. I mean that is unbelievable. That's one. I don't. I would like to know how many games has Kentucky shot that 2 point percentage in a game ever? I mean, that's a, that's an amazingly high percentage. And a lot of it was at the second half. I think between Carr and Williams. They probably had five or six post ups that led to easy buckets that got them the gap that they ended up winning by. It was interesting to hear Mark Pope say that Amari Williams is top five in the history of the SEC at par, which as I guess points, assists and rebounds per 40 minutes. My answer to that was would be let's play more. Because it's a different game when he's in there. He just, he is defensively, he feels like he's finally getting his hands up all the time. But he's also offensively really coming into his own. I mean, I, you know, a lot of the things we talked about earlier in the year about him dribbling and, and all that, he does less of that. But when he makes moves to the basket, I, I think they're on purpose and distinct and I think they actually do. Really, really. I think he plays really, really well. Like I said, same with Carr. We get this was closer to the Andrew Carr that we saw at the beginning of the year. I really thought he played excellent tonight. And in the second half when they needed offense from him, he gave it to him and he can just score. We've talked a lot about this in ways that are. Nobody else on the team can score that easily. And I thought that was, that was really huge. He, he played 21 minutes. You know, he'd only been playing like 14 or 15. Played 21 minutes. Getting closer and closer to the amount of minutes you'd like to see. We said on the pregame show we thought Kentucky need to hit 10 threes. They hit 11. You could take that. How about 13 of 13 from the free throw line? Williams going five of five from the free throw line away. Five of five. Those are guys has. Haven't necessarily shot like that from the line this year. Did it tonight. And then I think, you know, maybe the, the biggest story coming out of it is, is how well Colin Chandler played. I mean, you would have been forgiven if as a Kentucky fan, you had watched the minutes Colin Chandler got and just were like, well, I mean, we just, we just can't play that guy. I mean, he had in the last few weeks started to play big, better defense, but offensively just seemed lost. And tonight, offensively, it was a different, that was a different dude. I mean, not only do you have a seven points, but dribbled with confidence, made good passes. You know, he's number five. And since we have three point guards out and Travis Perry was fourth, I saw somebody online calling PG5. Well, he is the fistering point guard. But tonight he played really well. I thought at point guard gives them an option. You know, I, I, when Colin Chandler, when we, when we got him, I, I had seen, I saw him play before his mission in high school once on television, and I remember thinking, man, that kid's athletic. And we just hadn't seen any of that. And tonight, for the first time this year, I'm like, okay, that is the Colin Chandler that Mark Pope, you know, the was recruiting and that Mark Pope, like wanted at byu. And it was, was really excellent to see it. And I thought he made a huge impact tonight. You know, Travis Perry didn't shoot great, although I think he hit 1 3. But, but the two of them, I thought played point relatively well, which helped, which kind of helped the team flow. And on a night where Trit Noah was kind of off and you know, Kobe Braya hit a couple early threes, but it was good to those guys to give, to give good minutes so all around a big win. Had to win this game. Had to, had to, had to win this game. And they did. They're now two games up on 10th place, so they're, they're ninth place. But there's still, there's a lot of ways for them to move up in conference and now fewer ways to move down after winning that tonight. So big win. You go to Alabama Saturday. You want to talk about a game where you're playing with house money? I mean, nobody expects you to win. Nobody, including me. And you know, a lot of times this year that's when the teams played the best. So maybe it'll happen again. They are down right now, Billy. At halftime at Missouri, 59 to 46, they gave up 59 at halftime. Wow. At halftime, 59 to 46. You know, I watched the game, that game. They were down 12, nothing in two and a half minutes. So who knows? I mean, they lost a lost Auburn. They. Maybe they come back in this one, but they're down 13 right now at half. We'll see. Also, your Cal Perry tied at Auburn 37. 37 with 15 minutes to go. You know, he gets one of these every year. Thought it was gonna be against us, but now, who knows? Maybe the number one team in the country. This could be the game that gets Cal in the tournament. Right now, I think they have a 31% chance of making the tournament. You win tonight, it'll be. It'll be a different one. So we'll keep track of all that as the night goes on. 859-280-2287. All of you that are driving home from the game, please be careful on the roads. I think it's still spitting snow a little bit. School is out here in Lexington tomorrow, so, you know, why not stay up tonight and we'll. We'll do all this together. Billy, by the way.
- [08:49]
Matt Jones
Yes.
- [08:50]
Billy Rutledge
I need you to know that was not a picture of me. That. That I posted today of her, that the kid, whoever the account was that posted. Had you ever seen that picture?
- [09:02]
Matt Jones
I had seen it before. I did not think Peter Burns was going to be taking shots at you today.
- [09:06]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, I mean, the SEC network takes a shot at me at halftime and said Nebraska looked as bad as Matt Jones hair 10 years ago. First of all, that was 15 years ago. You know, see, I take that as pride. Billy, who at the age of 46, looks better than they did at 31.
- [09:24]
Matt Jones
That's one way to look at it.
- [09:25]
Billy Rutledge
But that's the positive way to look at it, right?
- [09:28]
Matt Jones
What were you thinking with those bangs? I mean, it. Was it just in.
- [09:31]
Billy Rutledge
I don't know. I don't think it was in. I mean, the whole picture shows you a lot about me then. I mean, I was. I was pretty overweight. I don't know what the excuse for that hair was. Yeah, there isn't one. I do remember my mom, you know, I've told that story. My mom said, if you're gonna be on television, you gotta get a haircut. And I got frustrated at her. I didn't like her saying that. But looking at that picture, you know, she was right.
- [09:57]
Matt Jones
Wise words from Karen.
- [09:59]
Billy Rutledge
I mean, look at it like the jeans, the shirt, the weight, the hair.
- [10:06]
Matt Jones
What year is that?
- [10:07]
Billy Rutledge
And I was all right. So That's Rob Goodell there with me. Rob left here before Cal got here. So this is, this is football. Probably like oh, 809.
- [10:25]
Matt Jones
So pre radio show.
- [10:28]
Billy Rutledge
This is probably pre radio. This is when he and I were doing a podcast and we would do a little bit of radio in Lexington. So and we were doing radio in Louisville but like on a station nobody heard pre ksr. That was with. That was the old sports mob with Matt and Rob. Which is great.
- [10:46]
Matt Jones
The deep cut.
- [10:46]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, that is a deep cut. So that's probably like. Oh wait. So I was probably like literally 30 in that picture and I dated a woman soon after that. Billy. That said we're gonna change the way you dress and wow, that's straightforward. Yeah. So to Carolyn, thank you. You actually you did help me. It was exactly right. And my mom told me to get a haircut. 859-280-2287. We're gonna take a break and be right back. It's the local Toyota dealers KSR postgame show. Welcome back. It is the KE Select Chevy dealers KSR pregame show. Shout out to Amari Williams for two things. Number one, he, he had. This stat is pretty amazing. Tonight he had 15. He's the first player since Paul Gasol in 2010 to have 15 or more points. Four more blocks, 100% from the field goal, 100% free throws, zero fouls in the college or the NBA. Billy.
- [11:52]
Matt Jones
That's impressive. Really.
- [11:54]
Billy Rutledge
How about that? I mean 15 plus points, four plus blocks, 100% from the field, hundred percent from the line, zero fouls. First since Paul Gasol did that for the late in 2010. What a random interesting stat. And then he also, and I thought this was awesome, made the comment on the SEC network that they were playing this game tonight for the people in eastern Kentucky. You know that's a kid from, from Britain who, who says that. That's, that's awesome. You know it's tough situation there and I think we'll learn even more in the next day or two about it. Including we've now tonight today found out a couple of the listeners and callers that you guys would know their, their names have had some serious damage with their houses, etc. So nice to see our players. This is one of the good things about having having older, older players that kind of, you know, have some perspective and that's nice to see. 859-280-2287. Who's up next?
- [13:02]
Matt Jones
Joe. Excuse me, Joe and Bama.
- [13:04]
Billy Rutledge
Joe in Bama, how are you? Joe.
- [13:08]
Caller 1
Hey Matt, good tonight. Great win. Just a couple of things I've been watching. Otega shot. He's been struggling on a shot. Do you notice that his shot is coming across his head? He's like cocking his elbow out to the side and he's shooting across his head. That's.
- [13:21]
Billy Rutledge
He is. His form has never been great, but it is clear he's almost willing the ball in now. He made one tonight, I think. But. But yeah, I mean, it's. It reminds me of the old Michael Kid Gilchrist shot. Speaking of somebody, we talked about how he would kind of. But he wasn't shooting like that at the beginning of the year. So it is strange.
- [13:45]
Caller 1
Yeah. Also tonight on this win in the second half especially, we did not look to pass the ball out of trouble. When we got the ball, we were open. We shot the ball even though Noah was over 4. Keep shooting at big guy. It's what Jack kept saying on the radios. Keep shooting it last thing and then I'll get off of here. Thank you so much for what you do. Kobe Braya has got to become a catch and shoot shooter. He cannot look for an open shot. Catch the ball, shoot the ball, period.
- [14:12]
Billy Rutledge
I agree. I actually, I think all these guys. I appreciate the call. I mean, we took. What did we take? We took 25 threes tonight. We should be taking 30 now. To be fair, tonight it dicked. I think it was dictated a little bit by the fact that Vandy was really struggling with us down low. So I think there were probably some possessions where we would have taken threes normally where tonight it made sense to get the ball down low. But I'm with you. I mean, Kobe Bray open. Kobe Braya with an inch of space, should shoot. Same thing for Noah. Same thing for Rummy. Robinson's hurt, but when he was. When he's playing, I'd say same for Carr, same for Perry. I mean, to me, those guys got. The one dude who you don't have to tell to shoot is Garrison. And he might be the one that I would say at least like, give yourself a millisecond, but he'll put it up. But I want to see the others do it too. You know, owe doesn't. Doesn't, I think, want to do it. But he helps you in so many different ways. I mean, you talk about a guy who's been better than we could have ever imagined. Otega away has been that you talk. What. What a amazing surprise that he's been. The player he's been over this year, who's next.
- [15:27]
Matt Jones
Yeah. Kentucky. 11 of 27 from 3 tonight.
- [15:29]
Billy Rutledge
11 of 27.
- [15:30]
Matt Jones
We'll go to Tim.
- [15:32]
Billy Rutledge
Tim, how are you? Tim? Hi.
- [15:35]
Caller 2
What's going on? Matt Jones, first off, thank you to you and to the great Hilltopper Billy, who always is. Is magnificent. First and foremost, prayers for eastern Kentucky. I mean, that's. I, I love that you put out that post earlier today on Twitter, Matt, that showed like, with your voice and the video. I mean, that's just. It's unbelievable. And everybody should see that because it's, it's so important. And God bless those people.
- [15:58]
Billy Rutledge
Dan, thank you. I want to say exactly right.
- [16:03]
Caller 2
I want to say three stats and then I'm. I'm not good. And then I'm going to try to keep it short. I'll do three sets, but I'm going to let you guys talk. The three stats I just want to give everybody is that I nerded out tonight and actually kept. In the first half, our starters played 3 minutes and 19 seconds together. We had 12 different unique lineups. In the second half, our starters played 7 minutes and 12 seconds together, we had seven different unique lineups. Also our starters minus one, meaning four starters played five minutes in the first half. Our starters minus one played 9 minutes, 55 seconds in the second half. I'll leave that for you guys to talk about. I just think it's important. Shout out to my niece Kennedy, who's on the number one cheerleading team in the nation, and go, cat.
- [16:48]
Billy Rutledge
So I think I didn't know those numbers, but that is not shocking to me. And I think it says a lot, which is we need to leave starters is a little bit difficult. Like, I think there's a big gap between Lamont, Butler, Jackson, Robinson and the guys behind, behind them, but they're not in right now. So when I say starters that could maybe not be in a given game, like Travis Perry started, but there might be nights where Trent, Noah, Colin Chandler is better. But I do think when a group's rolling, he's got to let them roll. And I felt like he did that in the second half. I really felt like he more than a lot of these games in sec play, let him go. The starters came out, we were up one. We were up nine within two minutes. And then they kept going. And then there was a switch. They put all menorah in. They. They actually went big, which they don't do a lot. Chandler played point and then that group was rolling and he left them in. And I, you know, the only player that I think had A negative plus minus. Did Brandon Garrison have a negative plus minus?
- [17:55]
Matt Jones
Let's see. I got to look that up here.
- [17:56]
Billy Rutledge
Hold on.
- [17:57]
Matt Jones
Plus mine.
- [17:59]
Billy Rutledge
Point being, he. He left. He let those guys go.
- [18:02]
Matt Jones
No.
- [18:03]
Billy Rutledge
And I.
- [18:04]
Matt Jones
He did not.
- [18:04]
Billy Rutledge
So did so. No.
- [18:05]
Matt Jones
Trent, Noah.
- [18:06]
Billy Rutledge
So nobody did. Noah is the only one. Okay. And so you let him go. I. I want to see. As we get in the tournament, one thing's to remember. I think I heard maybe it was Chefsky said this. When you get to the tournament, the commercials are longer, which makes the timeouts longer. They add an extra timeout at the end, TV timeout. So, like, you get a lot more rest. So let them go. Like being deep doesn't help you as much in March. That's. I think it'll help us a little bit maybe because, you know, we've had so many injuries. But if everybody's healthy, let the good guys play. Because in March, the commercials, I think instead of like two and a half minutes or three or three minutes, like everything's more spread out because the games take up more time. You want to play those guys more and more. Missouri's up 12 on Alabama. Alabama's been down 12 this whole game. And then Auburn's up four against Arkansas. Do you want cow to win here at Auburn? Beat the number one?
- [19:08]
Matt Jones
I want him to cover 15 and a half. But winning might be a tall.
- [19:12]
Billy Rutledge
Is that what it was?
- [19:13]
Matt Jones
Yeah, 15 and a half.
- [19:15]
Billy Rutledge
Man. I said I would have bet that it was 15 and a half.
- [19:19]
Matt Jones
Yeah. No. One big game.
- [19:20]
Billy Rutledge
Cal to be Cal Road in the SEC. They either lose by 30 or it's like a one point game and they win. I mean. Yeah, well, 15 half. All right, who's next?
- [19:31]
Matt Jones
Michael.
- [19:32]
Billy Rutledge
Michael. Go ahead, Michael.
- [19:35]
Caller 1
Hey, what's up, fellas? So I just got a couple of things. First, the. The guys played excellent tonight. Loved watching them. I wish they would have played like that the whole full time. Against Texas, Chandler showed excellent potential. Can't wait to see how he develops as he progresses with the team. The first lineup that came out tonight, that started the game, I wish and you had already hit on some of those points that Pope would have just kept them running because we went up and then he made his. His, you know, people came in and then it just flatlined the score and ended up where we were tied and went into halftime the way we were. But outside of that, loved watching him play. But two things I don't understand how Arkansas has a chance to make the tournament. I mean, I don't know if you can maybe elaborate on that. And then second, I made a comment.
- [20:27]
Billy Rutledge
Well, I mean, the answer. The answer to that question is they beat. They beat Michigan. Who's good? They beat us on the road and that's what. But, but they're still in the bubble because they're 13 and 10 or 15 and 10. I'm sorry. But. But they, you know, that game. I mean, if they get in, let's assume they lose tonight. If they get in, it'll be because they beat us. I mean, he'll owe us a favor because they're like a road win at Kentucky with our strength of schedule is pretty good.
- [20:58]
Caller 1
I mean, they're. They're down 4. I'm watching the game right now, but then other than. I'll let you go real quick because I know you time limits and stuff. But if Kentucky ends up playing on Wednesday in the SEC tournament, I made a comment to one of my good buddies that I felt that I feel like if we play the first game, we warm up. And I feel like most teams do better if they're warmed up and they understand the court, the arena, and then they go in and they're playing Thursday, Friday, they play better because other teams are coming in cold and you're going to know how the court's playing, how to shoot the ball. You're more warmed up playing these games to make a deeper run in the SEC tournament.
- [21:35]
Billy Rutledge
There's some people that believe you're right. I mean, there's. It's. Because it's not just. And I appreciate the call. There's a couple things that happen when you put. Now, look, I don't want to play on Wednesday, but when you play on Wednesday, a couple things happen. First of all, you get to practice on the court the day before. They have open practices on Tuesday, which are for the teams that play on Wednesday. If you play on Thursday and Friday, you do not practice on the court. So that is something that. That happens, is that people. Oh, whoa. Did you see this? A woman got knocked down. Wow. An offer player crashed into a woman on the front row. Looks like she's okay. So, yeah, that's possible. You know, it's looking very strong, like we're either going to be the eight or the nine seed. It's looking like we're going to play Mississippi State, and we're either going to play them with one game under our belt or not. I would say to you, though, while that theory, I think is good, I don't subscribe to it this year because we've. We're so because of our injury situation, we need to play as few games as possible, especially if we want to make any kind of run in the tournament. I mean, five games in five days. I think there's only been two teams ever to do that in any conference tournament. Kimball Walker did it with UConn. And there may have been one more, maybe that may. Actually, Kimball may be the only one. Auburn made it to the finals like Bruce Pearl's first year, but they lost. I think they lost to us actually during that. So. 859-280-2287. Billy. Tonight's two point field goal percentage according to John Scott is the second best two point field goal percentage in the history of UK basketball.
- [23:17]
Matt Jones
Some incredible records coming out of this game.
- [23:20]
Billy Rutledge
How about this? First was last year. We shot 80% in a game last year, which is. That's really crazy to me because I don't think of that team as shooting a lot of twos. Right. Like, I mean, our interior players were not good. Well, I mean, they were all right, but they weren't great last year. I mean, I think of that team as kind of three point shooters and maybe, maybe Dillingham, Shepherd, Reeves, those guys. Wagner got a lot of layups in that game. But yeah, I mean, I said 19 of 24. I guess it was 18 of 23, which is pretty amazing. Who's next?
- [23:52]
Matt Jones
Thomas.
- [23:53]
Billy Rutledge
Thomas. Go ahead, Thomas.
- [23:56]
Caller 2
It's like we won by a thousand paper cuts. We did a lot of little things right with a lot of people.
- [24:01]
Billy Rutledge
That's the part I think that's right. I think that's a good way to put it.
- [24:06]
Caller 2
Didn't you think, though, he was more judicious in his substituting? I mean, it wasn't wholesale. It was like little.
- [24:11]
Billy Rutledge
In the second half. In the second half. In the second half, for sure. In the first half. No, in the second half he was. And he didn't wholesale, I think at any point in the second half. I think you're right. First half he did wholesale a couple times.
- [24:26]
Caller 2
I love the tweet Cal put out about East Kentucky, but man, if he wins his game scoring 27 points the first half, I'm gonna pull my hair out.
- [24:36]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, I mean, they're down 8 right now. We'll see. But. But that's.
- [24:39]
Caller 2
But he only looked 27 in the first half.
- [24:42]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, well, Auburn, you know, I mean, the thing about this Arkansas team, they're very athletic. So like, if they want to play defense, they can be good at it because they're very athletic offensively. They still Struggle to score, but they're very athletic. So.
- [24:58]
Caller 2
Well, from five free throw line, that's a big deal.
- [25:02]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. 13 to 13. I appreciate the call. 100% from the free throw line and Amari being five for five, you know, if he could get to the point that he shoots, I think he shoots like 65% from the free throw line. If that could become 75 or 80, then he is a difficult person to defend with the way he bought can ball handle and you know, he draw. He. He draws not as many fouls as you would think because he still kind of fades away on the layups, but he's getting better and better at finishing them. So, man, I think Mari's been so good. Mari and away, you know, four blocks tonight, too. Yeah, I mean, he gets his hand. Got his hand up, but Amari and away, both for me at least have been so much better than I thought they were going to be. And when the year is over and we're kind of looking at this season, they might be the difference between again, if we get healthy. The fact that this was a team that had a shot at a final four and didn't was those guys, because I just think they're better than I thought they would be. Who's next?
- [26:06]
Matt Jones
Joe?
- [26:07]
Billy Rutledge
Joe. Go ahead, Joe.
- [26:09]
Caller 2
Thank you, Matt. I think the key next or this coming Saturday is keep our turnovers around 10, if that's possible. And I think we can do that if Amari brings the ball up against their big center. Instead of having our point guards go against or pressure, do you think we'll go to that strategy or you think we'll go back half and half or.
- [26:31]
Billy Rutledge
I don't know what he's going to do. Are you. You mean against Alabama? Yes, sir.
- [26:36]
Caller 2
Yes, sir.
- [26:37]
Billy Rutledge
I have no idea. I mean, I don't know what you do. I mean.
- [26:39]
Matt Jones
Good.
- [26:40]
Billy Rutledge
Okay. So here's the good thing about playing Alabama. Alabama, they're not very good defensively, so a lot of the pressure that has given these guys trouble like that Ole Miss gave them, Alabama's not going to do that. So now we're not going to be able to guard them. Okay. I mean, we couldn't guard first time with Butler. Agreed. So we're not going to be able to guard them, which means we're going to have to score like 90 and hope they're cold. So now how do we actually execute our offense? I don't know. Now the good, like I said, though, they don't play good defense. They don't put pressure on you. So I think we're going to get shots. I think we just got to be really hot. It's one of these guy games. We got to hope Kobe hits six threes. We got to hope that Andrew Carr goes off. I mean Nelson just abused Carr last game and he's going to have to be better than that. But I don't know, I mean I, like I said, I think we're have to score 90 at least and I don't know if we can score 90 with this group but I'm still going to watch it and hope it happens.
- [27:50]
Caller 2
I think you're spot on. Thanks a lot Matt.
- [27:52]
Billy Rutledge
Appreciate the call. I still think though, if you're going to play one of the five best teams in the country with the roster that we have right now, Alabama is probably the best one to play because what has become clear without Robinson and Butler is that we really, really struggle with pressure and Alabama doesn't have pressure. So maybe, you know, but I mean we're going to be how big an underdog you think we're going to be, Billy?
- [28:26]
Matt Jones
I don't think it's quite double digits but it's close. Yeah, I mean they'll play with tempo and that helps Kentucky.
- [28:32]
Billy Rutledge
You know, Alabama could be coming off two big losses. You know they could, right? I mean there's, they could be coming off two double digit losses going to that. I mean they're down double digits right now so you know, we'll see. I, I'm not like, I'm not confident about that game but I do think, I think we might get Butler back before the Auburn game. That's just my guess. I don't know that I'm hoping to have Robinson before the SEC tournament. I mean that's, that's my hope. 859-280-2287 we're going to take a break and be right back. This is the Tucky select Chevy dealers KSR pregame. Welcome back. It is the local toy dealers KSR postgame show. 859-280-2287 Auburn up eight on Arkansas. You've got. We're gonna talk more about this tomorrow but have you seen that the SEC is considering doing something where you know if they get the four automatic bursts in the playoff that they take teams three, four, five and six. So rather than having an SEC championship game which they may not do anymore, they would have team three play team six and team four play team five to go to the playoff.
- [29:54]
Matt Jones
I love that from an entertainment purpose but I mean we're asking These kids to play a lot of games, aren't we?
- [29:59]
Billy Rutledge
Well, that. But you'd still be playing the same amount that. That the team that goes to the SEC championship plays.
- [30:05]
Matt Jones
Okay. Yeah. I mean, I guess one extra game.
- [30:10]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. It's interesting though, because I, again, if I'm trying to think about it as how would Kentucky ever make it a couple of these nine and three stoops years, we would have been in the top six in the sec. So we could have gotten into that game.
- [30:23]
Matt Jones
Give us a chance. Right.
- [30:25]
Billy Rutledge
So gives Kentucky, you know, anything that gives us a fighting chance to one day make one of the. I'd like to. I just want them to make before I die, one playoff game. Right. Just one.
- [30:36]
Matt Jones
Do you think that happens?
- [30:39]
Billy Rutledge
I think it's more likely now if they do the thing where four teams are guaranteed. And I think in that scenario they're talking about right there, it's even more likely, you know, if they were to do that where the five and the 16 play against the three and the four. Yeah. Then I think Kentucky could make. I think Kentucky could be in the top six in the SEC one day. Yeah. Yeah.
- [31:00]
Matt Jones
Who knows?
- [31:00]
Billy Rutledge
They've done that a couple times. They've done it a couple times. It just. Oh, my goodness. I do. Nice dunk. I do. 859-280-2287. Now the first caller on here, Heather in Pikeville. And Heather, I mean, I know when it comes to flooding right now, Pikeville is as bad, if not worse than anywhere else. What's the situation there? Right.
- [31:22]
Caller 3
It is devastating. And I just, I wanted to thank you guys and Mark Pope and the players that it really touched me when Amari came on after the game talking to the SEC network and, and brought it up because it's been really rough.
- [31:50]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, it is. It is really rough. And I, you know, there are in situations like this, sometimes it's hard for people to know what to do. I think the two things that are probably the best to do, one is Governor Beshears, the Kentucky Relief Fund thing that he set up. And then I think the other is the Appalachian Regional Hospital Fund. I think those two are probably the best right now. But I, you know, Heather, I, the, the needs are going to keep getting worse or more as the days go on. So I, you know, prayers to everybody in your county.
- [32:27]
Caller 3
Well, I thank you. I sent actually a video. I posted a tag you. I sent it to you in a DM too, of me standing on my front porch.
- [32:39]
Billy Rutledge
I did see that. Yes, I did see that. Has it gone down since then?
- [32:45]
Caller 3
It has. But you know, we've went days without having power and Internet and water. And these companies don't understand here in the mountains we don't have signal. I mean there is cell towers within five miles on each side of me. But because the mountains are so big, we don't have cell phone service period unless we have our WI fi. So they tell us to go online to check all these statuses but we can't unless we have WI fi. So I am blessed. I need a vehicle, but it didn't, it lacked a few inches getting to in my house. So I am very blessed with that. And we still don't have water, but we do have power. We, we got snow last night. So it's like brown snow out there. It's just brown because of all the flood mud. The roads are broke off. It's just a mess.
- [33:53]
Billy Rutledge
Well, well, God bless you. Appreciate the prayers of course and keep us up to date and I'm sure at some point over the next few weeks we'll, we'll be heading that way. So God bless you, Heather. Appreciate it.
- [34:05]
Caller 3
Thank you.
- [34:06]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. 8592802287 Like I said, those, those two. I think if you go to the UK Athletics page, they link both of those, the, the UK, the state of Kentucky fund. And the other one, I think that the arh. I think that's the probably the best way to do immediate needs. And then as we've talked about in these others, the longer term needs are in some ways kind of a more difficult situation. What's next?
- [34:35]
Matt Jones
Shannon?
- [34:35]
Billy Rutledge
Shannon. Go ahead, Shannon. Hey, Matt. I was up in Havard yesterday with a truckload of stuff and unless you go, you, you cannot imagine what it looks like. Well, yeah, I mean I was there, I was there a couple years ago in, in saw the stuff in Breathett county and Letcher county and I've had people say to me that this is not necessarily worse but significantly more widespread. And I, you know, that really. That breaks my heart. Yeah. Guys, get in your pockets, help those folks out. The game tonight, it was fun to watch. A lot of times this year, even when they've won, it wasn't fun to watch. But they were fun to watch tonight. See, I think they were really fun. Until the injuries. I agree with you. Since the injuries it's been a harder watch. But I mean I think that's just because of the injuries. But I do tonight was a lot of fun. It felt like the offense, I think Colin Chandler honestly makes a big difference in having someone who can penetrate, you know, Travis Perry can shoot, he's not as great at penetrating. And Chandler gave you the threat of penetration and I think that actually opened up the offense some. Yeah. But the main reason I called, I was flipping channels last night and got on the Vice network, which I had never been on before, but they have this two part documentary about Cal at Arkansas. Yeah. And Patina. Yeah, that's. They've. They've been doing both of them. They did. Did they do the UK game last night? I guess, or two nights ago? Yeah. And. And Cal in the locker room at halftime of the UKK game. And, and we've got to beat these SOBs and all like that. And it was amazing how he had flipped. Yes. From being crow Kentucky to, to everything about. Well, he's supposed to do that. He's supposed to do that. Yeah. I mean, I appreciate the call. He's the coach of the other team, so I. He can't, you know, he's trying to get his team to win and obviously work. And right now they got two free throws to tie the game.
- [37:03]
Matt Jones
They're right there. They're battling.
- [37:05]
Billy Rutledge
They can't win this game at Auburn, can they? That would be. I mean, this will get them in the tournament. If they win this, this will be as good win as anybody's gotten all year.
- [37:13]
Matt Jones
Or they're going to win four SEC games and two of them be Kentucky and Auburn.
- [37:18]
Billy Rutledge
Well, they'll have five if they win tonight. Yeah, I mean, I guess, like, it's just this is such a, like how Cal does stuff like he plays. Yes. They go, they play this game, then they're at home to Missouri, at home to Texas, they could win both those games at South Carolina, they can win that game at Vandy, they could win that game and then home to Mississippi State. So, I mean, they have a lot of winnable games left. Right. If they were to somehow find a way to win this one. So we'll see who's next.
- [37:48]
Matt Jones
Nate.
- [37:49]
Billy Rutledge
Nate. What's up, Nate?
- [37:52]
Caller 2
Yeah, Prayers, the Eastern Kentucky man. I got a point. And then a question. I, I think a severely underrated point of the game is just how well Andrew Carr looks because, yeah, I know we were focused on the injuries, but I mean, even those last three games with Andrew Carr, he just looked off. So I'm glad to see him get him going. And then on the question man, my fiance is completely distraught of Canada's decision to scratch her favorite Cane Jarvey. So my question is, did they scratch him? Yes. Yep.
- [38:26]
Billy Rutledge
How are you gonna. How they gonna scratch Jarvis? Well, I was for America anyway, but now for sure.
- [38:32]
Caller 4
Yeah.
- [38:33]
Caller 2
Well, go race in slaving and let's bring home that dub tomorrow.
- [38:38]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, well, yeah. Can you. US and Canada more. I bet. I bet you, Billy, that'll be one of the higher rated hockey games in a long time in the United States, don't you think, in television ratings?
- [38:52]
Matt Jones
Well, after what just happened in the last one, I mean, I think we all.
- [38:55]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, I mean, that's what I'm saying with what happened in the last one. It's the finals. I bet that is one of the highest rated hockey games in forever. I mean, I think I saw that the, the last one was like the second highest rated game in a decade for hockey ratings. So this one, you know, and, and the whole. I think the, the, the Trump comments about Canada have, have made it hotter on both sides. And then them booing the national anthem. You think the American fans will boo the Canadian one tomorrow?
- [39:34]
Matt Jones
Yeah, you got to. I mean, in return, right?
- [39:37]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, I know. I, that doesn't bother me. Like, when the Canadians did it, it didn't bother me and it won't bother me. I mean, like, it's a rivalry, right? It's like, you know, if the Canadian military were to walk out and we were to boom, that's a little different. But, you know, it's a song. What. What are you going to do? Yes.
- [39:53]
Matt Jones
I was going to say one thing from the game. I don't know how we got this, but not one, but two infants right behind the Kentucky.
- [40:00]
Billy Rutledge
That's so great for Ryan. Like after riots is no babies. There are two infants right behind the.
- [40:07]
Matt Jones
They were listening.
- [40:08]
Billy Rutledge
Like they literally. It was like they did that for, you know, four ride limit. 859-280-22-87. Auburn leads Arkansas by two, but Arkansas has two free throws. Alabama's cut it to six. They're coming back. Will they be able to win at Missouri? Couple big SEC games coming down the stretch. We'll take a break. Be right back. It's local toy dealers, KSR postgame show. Well, some things never change. Cal is losing it at Big Z right now for giving up an offensive rebound. He was going crazy before the break. 859-280-2287. We got four people on. Let's do get. Take one more call. 859-280-2267. We'll do five and call it a night. Who's up first?
- [40:52]
Matt Jones
All right, let's go to Lee.
- [40:54]
Billy Rutledge
Lee. Go ahead, Lee.
- [40:56]
Caller 4
Go Cats. Hey, Matt.
- [40:58]
Billy Rutledge
Hey, what's up?
- [40:59]
Caller 4
You've already said it. Very important. And nice wind tonight. And I also want to add, before I get into this other little thing, prayers for the whole state of Kentucky with the weather issues that are going on and continue to go on for the next few days. There's a lot of. You had a lot of stats go out and everything, but there's. I've called you several times. There's something I've been wanting to say for a long time and I'm gonna be real short about this. Okay?
- [41:23]
Billy Rutledge
Okay.
- [41:24]
Caller 4
And then I'm gonna hang up. And this. And what I want to say is, I will say huge thank you, Matt, for your sports and political knowledge and honesty, your family stories that you've shared with us throughout the years, your patience with most all the ages of that have been your callers and always giving back to your callers like you do, whether it's tickets or prizes or whatever it is, you care about the state of Kentucky and the people in there. And I appreciate that. And I just want to say this and I'm gonna get off. We are blessed to have the best radio show and radio team in the country, especially here on WHOP in Hoptown. And I just want to say God bless. Go Cats. Go Tootie Lee.
- [42:10]
Billy Rutledge
That's very kind of you. Thank you very much. I appreciate the. The call. I do love the state of Kentucky and I appreciate that even people who disagree with me on things. I hope that comes through. Best people in the country are in this state and I will always say that. Who's up next?
- [42:31]
Matt Jones
Nate Dog is Nate Dog.
- [42:33]
Billy Rutledge
How are you?
- [42:35]
Caller 2
What's going on, Matt?
- [42:36]
Billy Rutledge
If I can stop coughing, everything's good. Go ahead.
- [42:40]
Caller 2
It's always a pleasure to be on the Billy, our sports post game show.
- [42:43]
Matt Jones
My man.
- [42:44]
Billy Rutledge
He had to follow that last call with this. See, that's the thing about that. You never, these people never let you get too ahead of yourself because they'll do that. Go ahead, Nate.
- [42:52]
Caller 2
Hey, now, listen, a couple quick things. Number one, our basement got flooded and been dealing with that past few days and just listening to you guys during cleanup in the mornings and everything has been a blessing. So appreciate that. And number two, Janai Broom was absolutely built for Mark Pope's offense. Just watching throughout the year. Yeah, he would be with a flow in this offense. And lastly, Matt, God love Karen. She must have psychic abilities. Even though we all embraced and loved Maddie Bangs, she knew that would eventually be judged and you know, it would come to an end.
- [43:33]
Billy Rutledge
So thank God, she reminded me. I appreciate the call. You were asking what year that was, Billy. Yeah, I now can remember because it was. I was on TV for the Billy Gillespie hiring press conference, looking like that. And my mom yelled at me. What? She didn't yell at me, but she said. I remember she said, if you're going to be on television for a career, you need to cut your hair. And I was not happy with her because I thought because ESPN put me on I looked like that. And so I didn't cut my hair for a couple months because I didn't want my mom to think she was right. But I did a couple months later, so that. That picture was probably 2007 or 8.
- [44:18]
Matt Jones
I think you should thank Karen for your career.
- [44:20]
Billy Rutledge
Well, she was right. I don't think. I don't think anybody would. I don't think. Hey, Kentucky comes if I look.
- [44:26]
Matt Jones
No, no, no, I don't think so.
- [44:28]
Billy Rutledge
Probably not. Who's next?
- [44:29]
Matt Jones
Tiffany.
- [44:30]
Billy Rutledge
Tiffany. How are you, Tiffany?
- [44:33]
Caller 5
I am very, very good. I just want to first tell you thank you so much for the show, everything you do for us. And I love Billy no matter what he thinks and.
- [44:46]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, because he thinks some pretty bad things, Tiffany, you know, so I'm glad you feel that way.
- [44:51]
Caller 5
Well, sometimes, you know, you gotta go the other direction. And I love drill and, and, and everybody on the show and you know, at the end of the day. But the reason why I'm calling, I live in Fort Lauderdale and I'm trying to give to the relief fund and every time I go into the site they gave me at the other call in show it. It says there's no dashes between the credit card and I'm like, what's up? Is there a call in number or something that I could call in? I want to give a size information. I was then very blessed.
- [45:33]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah, I bet there is, but I don't know what it is. I'm looking at it right now. Well, do you see here that there's a thing do you see here there's a thing where you can actually mail it? Do you see that on there? The team Kentucky.
- [45:53]
Caller 5
7.
- [45:54]
Billy Rutledge
So you don't want to do math. I'll tell you what, let me do. You listen to the morning show. I'll. I'll get you an answer tomorrow every.
- [46:02]
Caller 5
Single, every single day to Drew you Ryan. Billy. I live, I listen to his it and you know, don't give Billy a hard time, please.
- [46:12]
Billy Rutledge
All right, I, I will, I will call them. I'll call the governor's office tomorrow. And I'll. I'll see what we can do. Okay. I'll see if I can get.
- [46:19]
Caller 5
I really appreciate it because it's. It. I'm not, you know, for me, I want to do it from my heart. I graduated in 97. I was born in Kentucky, family from Kentucky. And it breaks my heart for Heather, the lady that called in earlier, and I just want to give back.
- [46:36]
Billy Rutledge
Well, that's very nice. And we'll. We'll get you an answer. I appreciate the. Appreciate the call. I'm sure there is some. Some phone number that can. That can make that happen. You know, like I said this morning, by the way, not just people. I do want to give a shout out because we. It's very easy in 2025 to be cynical and complain about leaders. I want to give a shout out to the leaders of Kentucky. Yes, the governor, but also the Senate leader, Robert Stivers, and the House leader, David Osborne. Like, this state is mobilizing now. You know, I mean, this is all easier said than done, but this state is mobilizing like it did the last two to do. I think other states, if you watch what's happened in some other states with disasters, we're very lucky with how we manage the stuff here. And hopefully, you know, that'll give some people relief. Who's next?
- [47:35]
Matt Jones
Hunter.
- [47:36]
Billy Rutledge
Hunter. Go ahead, Hunter. Hey, Matt. Billy.
- [47:39]
Caller 6
How we doing tonight?
- [47:40]
Billy Rutledge
Doing good.
- [47:42]
Caller 6
Hey, I live in Utah, so nothing's better than my cats winning and Utah kid being crucial in that win.
- [47:49]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. How about that?
- [47:52]
Caller 6
Yeah, that was crazy. And I honestly thought. I was a little concerned for Colin. I was like, next year, you know, I'm, like, hoping he'll still be on the team next year. What's gonna happen? And I think that this game really proved that. Hey, he belongs on the stage. He belongs. And he can honestly provide for us, especially with Lamont being gone.
- [48:10]
Billy Rutledge
I agree with you on that. I think this was a big game for, like, seeing a future for Colin Chandler. Because I admit, even I was like, is this going to work out here? You saw tonight, what is the kind of player he can be as things keep going.
- [48:25]
Caller 6
Exactly. And it was just, honestly, a crucial game for the state of Kentucky. It's like my family's all east, eastern Kentucky, My aunt's basement's flooded. Ton of these people, you know, are stopping in the middle of trying to rebuild their homes to watch this game. And to be able to come out with a win, definitely, definitely hit home. And then the last thing I'll say, we need Billy's opinion on the baby situation.
- [48:49]
Caller 4
And I want to.
- [48:49]
Caller 6
I want to hear. And I'll hang up and listen.
- [48:52]
Billy Rutledge
Yeah. Billy, do you agree that. Do you think babies should go to games? Are you on mine and Drew side where we think babies should be allowed at games or you? Ryan's. Get them out.
- [49:02]
Matt Jones
I could not agree more with Ryan Lemon. And I think you could guess I was on this side. I mean, they shouldn't be calling into post game shows if they're under 10 and they shouldn't be going to games if they're under three. I'm sorry. If you're on vacation and you have an infant child, I'm sorry, you don't get to go to a sporting event.
- [49:18]
Billy Rutledge
Wow. All right. Big Z, by the way. Over 10 from the field, over nine from three.
- [49:26]
Matt Jones
Ouch.
- [49:28]
Billy Rutledge
Ouch. Now, I don't know if I've seen an oh for nine from three. He's. They also at the end of the game have run two plays for him to threes. And the last one, he didn't even hit the rim. All right, one more. We'll call tonight. Who's next? Auburn's going to win, by the way. So Auburn's going to hold on. Who's next?
- [49:45]
Matt Jones
All right, he got in just before the finish line. It's Chase.
- [49:48]
Billy Rutledge
Chase. Finish strong. Hey, Matt, sorry it's been a while that I've called in. I've recently started a new job and I miss talking to you all. Well, we miss you. I hope it's going well. It's going good. My question is, after tonight's game, what's going to be more important for our run in the tournament? Our bigs and how physical they are or getting our point guards back to where they are more healthy and getting the best combination of the both of them, it's all health. I mean, for me, it's all health. I appreciate the call. I mean, we gotta have. If we're gonna win in the tournament, like at any real level, we're gonna have to have Lamont Butler and then I think Jackson Robinson, you know, they're. They're both huge. I mean, but Lamont, I think, is really huge. I think we'll. We'll face a team that plays with pressure, and if we don't have Lamar Bell, we're not going to win. So. But if we have him, I'm going to be positive. All right. We saw Andrew Carr tonight. Look a lot more like Andrew Carr. If we could get a healthy Lamont Butler and even like a 60 to 70% Jackson Robinson, then this team can beat anybody. They can beat anybody. So hopefully that's what we'll get. Looks like Missouri is going to beat Alabama, so the Tide will take a loss and Missouri looks like, man. I mean, Missouri's record NC is unbelievable. Who would have thought they were owing 18 last year in the conference?
- [51:30]
Matt Jones
That's incredible.
- [51:31]
Billy Rutledge
And now I think they're in what, fourth place in the sec. All right, thank you all very much. We will be back tomorrow. For those of you off school or whatever, we'll be at the bar if you want to come by. And thank you. And remember, my trivia is tomorrow night. If you're feeling sporty and otherwise, we will see you later. This has been the local Toyota dealers KSR post game show.
- [51:52]
Ashley Kineti
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