WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:03.520 Hell, everybuddy to the facilities of the iHeartMedia megaplex. This 2 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:06.679 is Dick Gabriel. This is the statewide edition of The 3 00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:09.679 Big Blue Insider, a frosty edition at that. You've heard 4 00:00:09.720 --> 00:00:12.800 the comments from Mark Stoops, Kenny Brooks, Georgia, A Moore, 5 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:14.839 you name it, you've heard it, and now it's time 6 00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:17.000 to settle in and listen to yours truly. Along with 7 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:20.000 Billy Rutledge, Aaron gershan who was in Georgia, we'll talk 8 00:00:20.039 --> 00:00:23.679 about those basketball cats tonight on a state wide BBI 9 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:26.800 Border to border. It is the Big Blue Insider, Dick Gabriel, 10 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:29.600 Billy Rutledge playing hurt folks. He was a little under 11 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:30.960 the weather. Are you still feeling it? 12 00:00:31.359 --> 00:00:34.439 Yeah, a little bit, but I'm not digging ditches, you know. 13 00:00:34.600 --> 00:00:36.359 Yeah, it's true, so we did make it. That was 14 00:00:36.600 --> 00:00:39.079 very concern with the rear wheel drive vehicle. 15 00:00:39.320 --> 00:00:42.200 I wondered about that. You have a very nice car. 16 00:00:42.280 --> 00:00:44.119 Very sporty Dodge Charger. 17 00:00:44.280 --> 00:00:49.840 It doesn't yeah, exactly right. Well, I'm in the Trailblazer tonight, 18 00:00:49.880 --> 00:00:55.119 you know, the Camaros safely, that's right. Aaron Gershaan also 19 00:00:55.359 --> 00:00:58.520 has been driving. He drove to Georgia and back and 20 00:00:58.840 --> 00:01:01.359 is just back basically, so we didn't ask him to 21 00:01:01.439 --> 00:01:05.959 come in. He is resting and recuperating. Aaron, First of all, 22 00:01:06.239 --> 00:01:08.959 was that your first trip to Athens for basketball? 23 00:01:09.200 --> 00:01:12.480 No? No? Second? Okay, there they're away two. I was 24 00:01:12.519 --> 00:01:14.760 there two years ago when they lost that as well. 25 00:01:15.480 --> 00:01:20.439 I was telling somebody Jeff Begore or somebody that Stegma 26 00:01:20.519 --> 00:01:23.640 Coliseum used to be. It is kind of dark. I 27 00:01:23.640 --> 00:01:25.760 don't want to say dingy, but it was just older 28 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:29.319 and lots of red paint, which means all the light 29 00:01:29.480 --> 00:01:32.920 was soaked up by the red paint. And they poured 30 00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:36.480 a bunch of money. They essentially did to that coliseum, 31 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:39.200 that arena what they did in Memorial Coliseum here at 32 00:01:39.319 --> 00:01:43.159 UK and when Kentucky comes to town, man, that's the circus, 33 00:01:43.239 --> 00:01:43.519 isn't it. 34 00:01:43.599 --> 00:01:46.920 Aaron. Yeah, it was a great crowd. It was definitely 35 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:49.439 stronger than the one two years ago. There were a 36 00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:52.319 lot of Kentucky fans there as well. But you know, 37 00:01:53.159 --> 00:01:55.280 I'd say it was very similar atmosphere to the one 38 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:57.920 they played at in Clemson, where you know, early on 39 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:01.000 when it was back and forth, you know, the fans 40 00:02:01.040 --> 00:02:04.400 didn't quite sense blood in the water. Yet it was loud, 41 00:02:04.439 --> 00:02:06.920 but it was tame. It was nothing like you would 42 00:02:06.920 --> 00:02:10.439 see in Knoxville, Auburn, Fayetteville. Those are the three I 43 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:13.240 think are the toughest to play when those programs are 44 00:02:13.280 --> 00:02:17.120 at their best. But in the second half or late 45 00:02:17.159 --> 00:02:19.719 in the first half, and then the entire second half, 46 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:23.560 that fan base was all in and credit to security. 47 00:02:23.639 --> 00:02:25.439 I thought all game long they were going to storm 48 00:02:25.479 --> 00:02:28.120 that court, and they had a really good plan. Some 49 00:02:29.159 --> 00:02:31.560 of the students looked like they were looking for angles 50 00:02:32.039 --> 00:02:34.879 to get down there. Just couldn't do it. So I 51 00:02:34.919 --> 00:02:37.080 was glad at least that didn't happen, because it feels 52 00:02:37.159 --> 00:02:39.840 like every Kentucky road game I've been to the last 53 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:42.639 two years there's been a court storming. That's the way 54 00:02:42.719 --> 00:02:43.879 the postgame process. 55 00:02:44.039 --> 00:02:47.639 Well, let me ask you the broadest questionable and we'll 56 00:02:47.639 --> 00:02:50.680 go from there. How did this happen? From where you sat? 57 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:54.479 Physicality, They just got bullied again. I think all three 58 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:57.879 of these losses feel just very very similar, and like 59 00:02:57.960 --> 00:03:01.840 the blueprint to beat this Kentucky team is pretty pretty 60 00:03:01.879 --> 00:03:05.280 simple right now. Until Kentucky can make adjustments, and that's 61 00:03:05.960 --> 00:03:08.240 rebound the heck out of the ball. They don't really 62 00:03:09.240 --> 00:03:12.080 defensive rebound at a high enough clip that that's two 63 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:15.240 games in a row in double digit offensive rebounds allowed. 64 00:03:16.680 --> 00:03:19.759 They don't seem to love contact in the paint. They're 65 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:23.960 passing up layups and dunks to try these threes or 66 00:03:24.080 --> 00:03:26.039 kick the ball out for three. And you know, I'm 67 00:03:26.039 --> 00:03:28.840 all for being unselfish, but sometimes it's the ball is 68 00:03:28.840 --> 00:03:30.120 there to be putting the hoop. Put it in the 69 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:33.599 hoop and keep playing. So there are a couple instances 70 00:03:33.599 --> 00:03:37.240 of that where it looked like maybe they anticipated contact 71 00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:39.639 and they passed it up. And then on the on 72 00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:43.120 the offensive end, you know these teams that either pressed 73 00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:45.840 Kentucky for the full length of the court like Georgia 74 00:03:45.879 --> 00:03:48.199 did for part of the game or for half court, 75 00:03:48.599 --> 00:03:50.639 and then the ones that really do a good job 76 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:52.479 and just getting in their grill and pushing them off 77 00:03:52.520 --> 00:03:56.159 the three point line. They've all held Kentucky under twenty 78 00:03:56.199 --> 00:03:58.719 five percent from three. And that's Clemson, Ohio State, and 79 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:02.360 now Georgia. So it was very, very similar to those 80 00:04:02.360 --> 00:04:06.000 other two losses that we've seen earlier this year, and 81 00:04:06.560 --> 00:04:10.639 that's you know, the next two teams specifically on their schedules. 82 00:04:10.919 --> 00:04:11.759 That's really Worris. 83 00:04:12.319 --> 00:04:14.759 Oh yeah, absolutely, We'll talk about that in a minute. 84 00:04:14.759 --> 00:04:18.560 But Darren Hedrick replayed for the folks who may not 85 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:22.000 have stuck around on radio side. After the game, Jack 86 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:26.560 Gibbons postgame interview with Andrew Carr and coincidentally enough, I 87 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:28.680 used the same word. I watched the first half with 88 00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:30.519 the Jeff Bicorrel and I went out, got to bite 89 00:04:30.519 --> 00:04:33.839 and watch the game together. And I use this word 90 00:04:34.040 --> 00:04:37.879 Aaron in the first half, and Jack used a postgame 91 00:04:37.920 --> 00:04:40.279 and he talked about it with Andrew Carr, and that's 92 00:04:40.279 --> 00:04:44.079 the word nasty. This team needs to be needs to 93 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:46.160 get nasty, you know. And I think that goes to 94 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:50.519 exactly what you're saying. These these other teams are are 95 00:04:50.600 --> 00:04:52.439 going to be as nasty as they can be, especially 96 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:52.959 in the paint. 97 00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:56.920 Yeah, especially, I mean Georgia was the nastiest they've played 98 00:04:56.959 --> 00:04:59.959 this year. I mean Clintons was very physical. Ohio State 99 00:05:00.079 --> 00:05:03.319 it was as well. But and even Florida to an extent, 100 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:06.600 and Brown and some of these other teams that they've 101 00:05:06.639 --> 00:05:10.319 been able to beat. But Georgia with Santo Serral the 102 00:05:10.360 --> 00:05:14.040 former UK SNI is a Newell who is a projected 103 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:17.879 lottery pick. The freshman there. They just they pushed the limits. 104 00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:20.199 I mean, we all know how the fan based all 105 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:23.199 about the officiating last night, and it wasn't great. It's 106 00:05:23.199 --> 00:05:25.839 not an excuse for the outcome by any means. It 107 00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:28.079 wasn't great. And it felt like Georgia did get away 108 00:05:28.120 --> 00:05:31.120 with at least pushing it to the very limit of 109 00:05:31.120 --> 00:05:34.560 how physical you can be. But you know, they they 110 00:05:34.600 --> 00:05:38.279 played by the rules and they really really their physicality 111 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:43.079 disrupted things mightily, and it's something Kentucky's got to adjust 112 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:45.360 to and adjust too quick. And like you said there, 113 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:47.000 they got to find some nasty tools. 114 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:50.279 To that point, Jack talked a lot about the one 115 00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:53.360 who initiates contact and brings that physicality a lot of 116 00:05:53.399 --> 00:05:55.720 times gets the benefit of the doubt when it comes 117 00:05:55.800 --> 00:05:58.839 to the whistles and the referees. But Aaron, this team 118 00:05:58.879 --> 00:06:00.519 has a lot of experience, but not a lot of 119 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:04.079 experience being Kentucky on a road game. That was also 120 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:07.240 mentioned in the Andrew Carr interview. One guy that does 121 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:09.560 have a lot of experiences Jackson Robinson. He's been in 122 00:06:09.600 --> 00:06:12.639 Mark Pope's system, so but why does he look so 123 00:06:12.759 --> 00:06:15.279 lost on the court right now? Like, what what's what's 124 00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:16.360 his concerns right now? 125 00:06:16.839 --> 00:06:21.120 The body language is bad. It's been kind of honestly, 126 00:06:21.160 --> 00:06:23.120 it's been a thing all year, and I've just figured 127 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:27.480 maybe maybe that was just his mannerisms, like maybe I 128 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:30.720 was reading into the body language thing too much. But now, 129 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:33.000 you know, kind of focusing in on it more. It's 130 00:06:33.120 --> 00:06:35.879 very clear when he gets off to a slow start 131 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:39.639 early offensively, it completely knocks him out of rhythm and 132 00:06:39.800 --> 00:06:41.759 kind of puts them in a bad mental state. And 133 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:45.160 you start seeing that bad body language and he's you know, 134 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:47.839 kind of hiding in that corner a little more. Oh, 135 00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:51.319 he's kind of a little lacks of days ago on defense, 136 00:06:51.399 --> 00:06:54.560 and it just looks like a confidence issue to me. 137 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:57.680 And you know, one thing that I've seen flowed out 138 00:06:57.720 --> 00:06:59.879 there today and I think someone brought it up in 139 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:03.240 the radio show. He didn't, Pope, didn't really give a 140 00:07:03.240 --> 00:07:05.720 great answer on it. I'm hoping to press him on 141 00:07:05.800 --> 00:07:08.160 it tomorrow if I can get to the press conference 142 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:14.360 in time. But it's he was the player of the 143 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:17.519 year in the Big twelve that was very comparable to 144 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:21.199 what the SEC is this year last year, and he 145 00:07:21.279 --> 00:07:25.079 did it coming off the bench on a lesser talented team. 146 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:27.480 Maybe that is something that they need to adjust because 147 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:29.879 Kobe Bray is a guy. I know he hasn't shot 148 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:31.519 great in any of the three losses. I know he 149 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:33.279 didn't shoot great last night. I don't know if there 150 00:07:33.360 --> 00:07:36.360 was an injury situation why he was on that availability 151 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:38.920 report and illness whenever it may have been. But he's 152 00:07:38.959 --> 00:07:41.399 a guy that just even when he's not making shots, 153 00:07:41.399 --> 00:07:43.800 he looks comfortable and his body language is good, and 154 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:47.319 the efforts there. Maybe he's not a great defender, but 155 00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:51.519 the efforts there. Maybe you tweak that and you flip 156 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:53.439 them in the starting lineup and see if that gets 157 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:56.800 Jackson into a more comfortable spot. Maybe it's, you know, 158 00:07:56.959 --> 00:07:59.360 being the guy. Maybe there was a lot of pressure 159 00:07:59.519 --> 00:08:02.319 knowing he knows the system better than anyone else, and 160 00:08:02.759 --> 00:08:05.360 he may have been relied on to help guys along 161 00:08:05.399 --> 00:08:07.879 the way, and maybe that slowed him being able to 162 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:09.920 work on things he needed to work on himself. I 163 00:08:09.920 --> 00:08:13.279 don't know what it is, but clearly it's mental right now, 164 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:16.040 and that's a guy they need to get going because 165 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:20.199 if they don't, you know, defenses can start king in 166 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:22.920 on other guys and that could make life harder. And 167 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:26.439 Kobe Bray had life harder on Lamont Butler, and that 168 00:08:26.480 --> 00:08:29.199 would make things really tough to overcome for this team. 169 00:08:29.319 --> 00:08:32.759 Yeah, it was interesting because preseason, when people were trying 170 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:37.519 to figure out how this team would operate, specifically on offense, 171 00:08:38.240 --> 00:08:41.519 I think everybody thought, Okay, it starts with Jackson Robinson. 172 00:08:41.559 --> 00:08:44.399 We know that much about this guy. He knows Mark 173 00:08:44.440 --> 00:08:47.519 Pope's system. He had the numbers, everything you just talked about. 174 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:51.840 And then what, well, now we're seeing it's o way 175 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:55.240 at least on the perimeter, you know, and and thank 176 00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:59.320 goodness for Kentucky because you know he is taking command 177 00:08:59.399 --> 00:09:01.879 on more than one so and it was interesting. I'm 178 00:09:01.879 --> 00:09:05.360 sure you heard Pope's show tonight, Aaron. He addressed that 179 00:09:05.480 --> 00:09:09.200 somebody asked Mark about that and it and his answer, 180 00:09:09.879 --> 00:09:13.480 as always, was rather broad, but it sounded as though 181 00:09:13.480 --> 00:09:16.399 he's got an open mind when it comes to tinkering 182 00:09:16.440 --> 00:09:19.360 with the lineup, because you can't play a Pat hann 183 00:09:19.399 --> 00:09:20.039 right now, you know. 184 00:09:21.279 --> 00:09:25.200 Yeah, you got to try something, and you know, Kentucky, honestly, 185 00:09:25.240 --> 00:09:27.559 the rotations have been even with you know, since the 186 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:31.000 injury to Crisa and then before he went down, Pope 187 00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:32.720 has done a really good job I think of keeping 188 00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:36.080 the lineups consistent, I think there can be an argument 189 00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:38.960 of whether they need to be. You know, the rotations 190 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:41.279 had to be shortened. You know, we've seen Colin Chandler 191 00:09:41.639 --> 00:09:43.600 phase out a bit. I think that's the right call. 192 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:46.240 Before Chrisa got hurt, you saw Perry phased out, I 193 00:09:46.279 --> 00:09:49.600 thought that the time was the right call. But now 194 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:51.840 you know, the starting lineup outside of the games Lamont 195 00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:54.480 Butler's been hurt, you know, have been the exact same 196 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:57.960 every night, and I think there's probably been a comfortability there. 197 00:09:58.000 --> 00:10:01.440 But when things aren't work, you've got to make adjustments. 198 00:10:01.480 --> 00:10:03.720 And I think just when you're a guy who was 199 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:06.440 the sixth Man of the Year in his conference, was 200 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:10.320 so good in that role just a year ago, you 201 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:12.639 gotta do it. And I'm very curious to see if 202 00:10:12.679 --> 00:10:15.120 he makes that switsh you know, as soon as Saturday here. 203 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:17.840 But but that'll also depend on Brea. I'm not sure 204 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:20.159 he didn't want to give it. Sounded like on the 205 00:10:20.159 --> 00:10:22.519 pregame show with Tom he didn't really want to give 206 00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:24.919 an answer on what was wrong with Brea. So you know, 207 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:26.759 we kind of left it alone after the game. But 208 00:10:26.799 --> 00:10:29.399 if Braya is fully healthy. I would swap the two 209 00:10:29.440 --> 00:10:31.559 out at least for the next couple of games and 210 00:10:31.600 --> 00:10:32.720 see if that gives you something. 211 00:10:32.840 --> 00:10:36.320 Yeah, but the problem with Brea is if Pope has 212 00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:41.200 addressed that exactly his defense, Uh you know, I mean, 213 00:10:41.240 --> 00:10:43.879 and this was a guy that in his previous stops. 214 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:46.360 You can't get this guy in foul trouble. It's like 215 00:10:46.399 --> 00:10:48.799 a high school star. You know, you don't want that 216 00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:52.360 guy on the bench obviously, So you know it's, yeah, 217 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:54.000 you're gonna give and you're gonna get if you make 218 00:10:54.039 --> 00:10:54.720 that change. 219 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:57.279 Yeah you're gonna give and you're gonna get. But you know, 220 00:10:57.480 --> 00:11:00.519 out of the other options, if you're gonna get Jackson 221 00:11:00.559 --> 00:11:02.919 becks into his six man role or at least try 222 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:04.639 to get them comfortable with that for a little bit, 223 00:11:04.679 --> 00:11:07.080 there's no B is really the only other option you 224 00:11:07.159 --> 00:11:10.159 have there because Angeley Amanor is not giving you anything defensively. 225 00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:13.159 He hasn't done much offensively lately. I think Travis Perry 226 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:14.960 is starting to get comfortable, but you know, he's a 227 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:17.480 point guard for this team. He's not playing that two 228 00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:20.440 or three positions with Jackson plays. So that's kind of 229 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:22.320 the only other option. Just with how this roster is 230 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:24.960 constructed and with chrisa hurt. 231 00:11:24.879 --> 00:11:26.720 I feel like a Mari Williams gets a lot of 232 00:11:26.759 --> 00:11:29.960 attention from Big Blue Nation Aaron, but it also feels 233 00:11:29.960 --> 00:11:32.080 like he can't stay out of foul trouble. And to 234 00:11:32.159 --> 00:11:34.720 that point, I felt like we got the full Brandon 235 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:37.960 Garrison effect in this last game, whether it be coast 236 00:11:37.960 --> 00:11:42.000 to coast dribbling and being energetic, but also him turning 237 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:45.399 the ball over three four times. 238 00:11:46.200 --> 00:11:49.320 We talk about we talk about confidence with Jackson Robinson 239 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:51.519 and that lacking. I do have no worries about the 240 00:11:51.559 --> 00:11:55.639 com of either Amari Williams or Brandon Kris. I mean 241 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:58.559 Brandon Garrison's like there were times in that game where 242 00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:01.440 Lamont Butler is like putting his arms out like on 243 00:12:01.559 --> 00:12:04.039 the point guard ball ball ball, and Brandon Derrison's just 244 00:12:04.120 --> 00:12:06.960 taking it up up the floor. Which look, I know 245 00:12:07.080 --> 00:12:09.279 Mark Pope likes having his centers kind of play that 246 00:12:09.320 --> 00:12:13.720 point point center role, center point whatever the phrase is there, 247 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:17.519 but that's got to get cleaned up. That's just not 248 00:12:17.720 --> 00:12:20.039 great basketball. I know the euro step was cool, but 249 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:22.360 that should be a one and done thing right there. 250 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:26.240 But look, I think of Mary Williams, he does get 251 00:12:26.240 --> 00:12:28.240 a lot of attention. I actually don't think he's been 252 00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:31.639 as bad as people have said. I think it's somewhere 253 00:12:31.679 --> 00:12:34.320 in the middle where the criticism. He's definitely been nowhere near, 254 00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:36.879 you know, defensive player of the year like he was 255 00:12:36.879 --> 00:12:39.799 in his other conference. But this is a way harder league, 256 00:12:39.799 --> 00:12:41.840 and I think there's been a justment period for him. 257 00:12:42.600 --> 00:12:45.639 And I think my biggest thing with Amary Williams, you know, 258 00:12:45.679 --> 00:12:47.679 the foul troubles is one thing, and they got to 259 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:50.679 get that cleaned up. But he's got a boxed out man. Yeah, 260 00:12:50.799 --> 00:12:54.399 a lot of these offensive rebounds were We're seeing the 261 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:57.360 two guys I've been circling on those or Andrew Carr 262 00:12:57.399 --> 00:13:00.000 and Amari Williams, and that's got to get cleaned up 263 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:03.279 up from him. But I actually thought Omari probably played 264 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:06.759 his best game of the year, at least offensively against Florida. 265 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:09.559 I thought last night his energy was there. I thought 266 00:13:09.559 --> 00:13:12.080 the effort was there. I just couldn't stay at a 267 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:13.320 foul trouble and that hurt them. 268 00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:17.519 I can't remember all his fouls last night, but there 269 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:20.440 was a foul ticky Tech, yeah, but there was one 270 00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:24.600 against Florida. Rehacked the guy eighty feet from the basket. Absolutely, 271 00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:26.720 And I'm like, you know what, you're the three time 272 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:29.639 d Player of the Year. You you you clearly know 273 00:13:29.840 --> 00:13:30.519 better than that. 274 00:13:31.480 --> 00:13:34.840 No questions. Yeah, And that's that stuff that's got to 275 00:13:34.840 --> 00:13:37.080 get ironed out in practice. And one thing, you know, 276 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:39.720 Mark Pope talked about it after the cleansing game, and 277 00:13:39.840 --> 00:13:42.919 it's a real issue with this team when they get behind, 278 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:46.000 which happens way too often. But that's a separate issue. 279 00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:48.559 They like to play this hero ball where they go 280 00:13:48.759 --> 00:13:51.840 against their offensive scheme, they would go against their read 281 00:13:51.879 --> 00:13:54.159 and react whatever you want to call it, and they 282 00:13:54.240 --> 00:13:56.720 kind of just every every man for himself. And that's 283 00:13:56.759 --> 00:13:59.679 when you lead on and that and that's that happens 284 00:13:59.679 --> 00:14:01.159 on both sizes of the ball. And you're gonna have 285 00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:04.039 those stupid fouls on the defensive side when you're playing 286 00:14:04.039 --> 00:14:06.559 hero ball and you're gonna have bad shots and euro 287 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:10.879 steps from your center. It's just, uh, there's a lot 288 00:14:10.919 --> 00:14:12.759 to clean up. There's a lot to clean up, for sure. 289 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:15.879 Don't forget Brandon Garrison hitting threes too. I mean I 290 00:14:15.879 --> 00:14:17.080 think that was his third thirty. 291 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:20.759 Yeah, he's taking her third hit. 292 00:14:20.840 --> 00:14:23.200 Thirty's hit I think as he's had a. 293 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:27.360 But let's put the Georgia game to a side for 294 00:14:27.399 --> 00:14:30.000 a second, because they had a great game versus Florida 295 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:31.240 and one six. 296 00:14:32.759 --> 00:14:35.320 They did. I guess, yes, tongue in cheek. 297 00:14:35.399 --> 00:14:38.080 Great doesn't apply to defense in that regard, but Florida's 298 00:14:38.120 --> 00:14:40.120 got some really good guards and they showed that in 299 00:14:40.120 --> 00:14:45.240 that Oh yes, do you think that is what Kentucky's 300 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:46.519 potential looks like? 301 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:51.799 Aaron? Yes, yeah, I don't think. I really think Florida 302 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:56.559 and Florida backed it up last night beating thirty forty 303 00:14:56.600 --> 00:15:00.200 three points. I think Florida honestly is the second best 304 00:15:00.200 --> 00:15:02.879 team in the SEC, behind Auburn. So the fact Kentucky 305 00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:05.720 was able to beat them, put up one hundred and 306 00:15:05.799 --> 00:15:10.000 six points, get some stops when they needed to. Yeah, 307 00:15:10.080 --> 00:15:12.559 that is their apps, that is their ceiling. That's Kentucky 308 00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:15.200 at their best. They're making shots, they're playing confident, they're 309 00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:19.080 playing their reading react offense. They're going on runs where 310 00:15:19.559 --> 00:15:21.399 you know, one second it looks like they can't buy 311 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:23.320 a bucket and then bang eleven to zero run and 312 00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:27.039 the game flips. That's that's what this Kentucky team is 313 00:15:27.080 --> 00:15:29.919 supposed to be like. And then on the defensive side, 314 00:15:30.039 --> 00:15:32.639 you don't want to give up one hundred, but go 315 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:36.159 look at some of those shots Walter playing, and they 316 00:15:36.159 --> 00:15:38.919 were circus shots. They were shots to live with. And 317 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:41.759 Florida is a really, really good team that's going to 318 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:43.720 do a lot of damage. So the fact you're able 319 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:46.480 to get that win is massive. And you know, I'm 320 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:49.320 not look, I actually think in the second half yesterday, 321 00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:51.159 after they gave up forty seven in the first half, 322 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:54.600 they played and really all games Georgia shot like set 323 00:15:54.679 --> 00:15:57.000 seven for twenty four from three and some of the 324 00:15:57.000 --> 00:15:59.200 threes that they did hit. One was that buzzer beater 325 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:01.559 at the end of the half that had two guys 326 00:16:01.559 --> 00:16:06.399 in the space they banked one in. Like I think, 327 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:10.159 defensively it's all a matter of boxing out and closing possessions. 328 00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:13.720 But that Florida game, yeah, I think that's Kentucky at 329 00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:14.519 their best right there. 330 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:17.320 Aaron Gershewan is with us on the Celebrity Highline just 331 00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:20.799 back from after Georgia. Dick Gabriel, Billy Rutledge. It is 332 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:24.480 the state wide BBI from Pikeville to Paduca. It is 333 00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:27.440 the big Blu Insider. Dick Gabriel, Billy Rutledge, Aaron Gersheawan, 334 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:30.960 we're talking, of course about the Wildcats. They're lost at 335 00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:35.399 Georgia last night, and we talked about the fact that 336 00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:39.559 Andrew Carr spoke with Jack Gibbons about kind of a 337 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:42.799 I don't know if it was a surprise to them 338 00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:46.120 because every one of those guys, it's played road games 339 00:16:46.600 --> 00:16:49.600 in college, but none of them with the exception of 340 00:16:49.639 --> 00:16:51.200 the walk on, So I guess I don't doubt if 341 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:53.559 they've ever gotten into a game on the road. I 342 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:56.600 may be wrong, but none of them who had Kentucky 343 00:16:56.600 --> 00:16:59.679 across the chest. And Aaron, as we brought you on tonight, 344 00:16:59.679 --> 00:17:02.360 we talked talked about the crowd down there. I mean, 345 00:17:03.399 --> 00:17:05.480 you know, with all due respect, when wake Forest goes 346 00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:09.119 on the road, UH, if they're a good team, that's fine. 347 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:12.240 In the acc Uh some years they've been cannon fodder. 348 00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:15.160 But we all know when Kentucky goes on the road, 349 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:17.960 it's different. As I mentioned earlier, the circus comes to 350 00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:22.279 town and did you see, because I thought Kentucky got 351 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:25.039 off to a good start, so I didn't think that 352 00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:27.200 was much of a factor last night. But what about 353 00:17:27.519 --> 00:17:31.839 as the game got away from them? 354 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:37.559 Yea again, I just think what I was. I think 355 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:41.440 they went against all their corn valley and they they 356 00:17:41.480 --> 00:17:44.359 didn't say the offense. They didn't. 357 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:48.000 Hey Aaron, we can't really hear you. Did you change 358 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:49.839 the speaker phone or do you have AirPods in? 359 00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:51.799 No? 360 00:17:51.799 --> 00:17:53.720 No? There that sounds better? 361 00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:56.759 Yeah? Sorry? 362 00:17:57.279 --> 00:17:57.640 Are you good? 363 00:17:58.200 --> 00:18:01.279 But yeah, I just think there's a lot of hero ball, 364 00:18:01.319 --> 00:18:03.319 a lot of a lot of playing for me, and 365 00:18:03.359 --> 00:18:05.920 a lot of just not playing as a team. And 366 00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:08.960 you know, I didn't, I really didn't. It's hard to 367 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:11.599 gauge just the crowd was the thing that affected them 368 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:13.880 or not. I mean it probably is. You can't but 369 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:17.039 the body again, the body language all year long when 370 00:18:17.079 --> 00:18:19.480 things have been going wrong. In this game specifically, I 371 00:18:19.559 --> 00:18:23.880 thought what really set off the bad body language was 372 00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:27.680 the officiating. And again I don't think it was a 373 00:18:27.720 --> 00:18:31.880 greatly called game. I thought there were some calls that 374 00:18:32.279 --> 00:18:34.960 could have gone either way, maybe shouldn't have been called whatever. 375 00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:37.480 That's not why they lost. But every time a call 376 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:41.000 went against Kentucky that they really didn't like. You know, 377 00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:45.079 you saw the dropping of the arms and the yelling 378 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:48.079 at the refs and hanging their heads, and that really 379 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:51.359 affected them. And that's something that Mark Pope's gotta work 380 00:18:51.400 --> 00:18:54.319 on getting these guys to just let it go and 381 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:56.799 keep playing. And I don't know if that means he 382 00:18:56.880 --> 00:18:59.759 needs to be more aggressive with the officials and you know, 383 00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:01.960 take on that anger for him and rally his guys 384 00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:05.119 or continue doing what he's doing, but just do a 385 00:19:05.160 --> 00:19:07.960 better job in practice of telling them, like, hey, it 386 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:11.200 doesn't matter what they call next play. But that was 387 00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:13.920 the one that that, more than the environment, is what 388 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:17.000 I picked up on. Every time a call went against them, 389 00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:19.920 it felt like they were almost throwing a hissy fit. 390 00:19:21.079 --> 00:19:23.559 Do you think the presence of Kerr Criesa would help 391 00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:25.240 with that? I mean it feels like you got a 392 00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:30.400 lot of quiet guys with Lamont Butler and yeah, I mean, yeah, 393 00:19:30.519 --> 00:19:33.400 you want to get a little nasty. Does Kerr's play 394 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:35.440 may not be always there, but do you feel like 395 00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:37.640 his energy would change a little bit of this? 396 00:19:38.359 --> 00:19:42.880 Yeah? I think indisputably, their energy has been lacking since 397 00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:45.480 he's been down. I mean, look, I thought it was 398 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:49.200 really concerning and I let it go because they beat Florida, 399 00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:52.640 and you know, they looked better at least against Brown. 400 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:57.559 But Mark Pope admitted after they lost at Madison Square 401 00:19:57.599 --> 00:20:00.440