WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:02.759 Welcome to the Big Blue and Sider Dick Gabriel with 2 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:05.080 you on a Monday, And no it is not Mark 3 00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:08.039 Pope Night, because that show is going to be on Wednesday. 4 00:00:08.080 --> 00:00:11.080 Wildcats are on the road even as we speak down 5 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:14.359 in Oxford, So the Coaches Show and the state wide 6 00:00:14.400 --> 00:00:17.719 shows with Darren, Heddrick and Me will be on Wednesday night. 7 00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:21.000 So we've got the BBI for you tonight. Following a 8 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:24.239 weekend that it was really historic when you think about 9 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:27.480 it in so many ways, and there were a couple 10 00:00:27.480 --> 00:00:31.120 of things that happened over the weekend that ordinarily we 11 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:33.840 would be talking about right off the top in depth. 12 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:37.159 But because of that Kentucky Arkansas game, we got to 13 00:00:37.159 --> 00:00:39.479 shuffle the East. At the next segment with no disrespect, 14 00:00:39.560 --> 00:00:44.479 Georgia Amore with a game for the ages, literally forty 15 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:47.399 three points in the win on the road at Oklahoma. 16 00:00:48.280 --> 00:00:50.719 And it wasn't a one woman show either that Kentucky 17 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:54.200 needed everybody to pitch in because Oklahoma's a good team, 18 00:00:55.159 --> 00:00:59.200 a top fifteen team just like the Wildcats. But it 19 00:00:59.359 --> 00:01:02.359 just seemed like whenever Kentucky needed a bucket, Wildcats get 20 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:05.959 off to a big lead. It almost entirely evaporates, but 21 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:09.599 Aymore came through either on offense or defense. We'll talk 22 00:01:09.640 --> 00:01:12.359 about that. We'll hear from her in the next segment. Also, 23 00:01:12.519 --> 00:01:17.319 the NBA trade, just the blockbuster between the was a 24 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:21.760 three team deal Lakers, Jazz, and Mavericks, the team that 25 00:01:21.840 --> 00:01:23.920 I kind of rooted for because my buddy's the playbook 26 00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:26.719 play guy and I was a season ticket holder down there. 27 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:31.519 But Anthony Davis, the former Wildcat, now goes to the MAVs, 28 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:35.400 who get rid of Luka Doncics. And there's so much 29 00:01:35.480 --> 00:01:39.000 debate online about that. If you're an NBA fan, you're 30 00:01:39.079 --> 00:01:42.040 you've you've already, You're already in up to your ears 31 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:46.280 with this coverage, and so many commentators have checked in 32 00:01:46.359 --> 00:01:49.280 on it, and some think the MAVs got the best 33 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:51.319 of it. Some think the Lakers got the best of it. 34 00:01:51.319 --> 00:01:54.280 That's why it's fascinating, but lost in a little bit 35 00:01:54.280 --> 00:01:58.120 in the shuffles, d Aaron Fox finally gets to leave Sacramento. 36 00:01:58.840 --> 00:02:01.599 He was traded as sand That's a good landing spot 37 00:02:01.640 --> 00:02:05.519 for him. He'll play with Victor wembin Yama now who 38 00:02:05.719 --> 00:02:08.520 just instantly got better because Fox will be feeding him 39 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:11.120 the basketball. So we'll talk about that in the next 40 00:02:11.159 --> 00:02:13.960 segment as well. But of course we start with the 41 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:16.479 Wildcats and the Razorbacks, and I've just kind of soaked 42 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:19.639 in some of the social media. You go crazy, you know, 43 00:02:19.719 --> 00:02:21.319 if you try to follow all of it, And some 44 00:02:21.400 --> 00:02:24.599 of the takes are well reasoned and some of them 45 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:28.080 are just nuts, including the one clown on Twitter he said, 46 00:02:28.120 --> 00:02:30.039 now's the time to get rid of Pope. Do it now? 47 00:02:30.439 --> 00:02:36.520 Come on what happened? Well and again, and somebody else tweeted, 48 00:02:37.080 --> 00:02:39.080 you know, I don't go. I'm paraphrasing. I don't care. 49 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:41.800 If they were missing two players, they should have won. Really, 50 00:02:43.280 --> 00:02:46.639 you cannot look at the way Kentucky lost this game 51 00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:50.560 and blow off the fact that there was no Lamant 52 00:02:50.599 --> 00:02:54.520 Butler and no Andrew Carr for the most part. Look 53 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:58.759 when you look at how Pope constructed his roster, think 54 00:02:58.800 --> 00:03:03.319 about how vital those two guys were in the process. 55 00:03:04.039 --> 00:03:07.960 Andrew Carr was a huge get literally and figuratively for 56 00:03:08.120 --> 00:03:13.159 Mark Pope. Lamont Butler was the lynch pin. He was 57 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:16.680 the guy who pulled it all together. He's your floor general, 58 00:03:16.759 --> 00:03:18.719 whatever you want to call him. You're on court coach. 59 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:22.599 Why well, because he's a really good point guard and 60 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:25.919 he's one of the best defenders in America. What is 61 00:03:25.960 --> 00:03:29.800 the weak point of this Kentucky team. It's defense and 62 00:03:29.840 --> 00:03:34.879 we saw that on Saturday again, We've seen it all year. Kentucky, 63 00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:38.039 like last year, Oh my gosh, you're comparing him to 64 00:03:38.120 --> 00:03:43.360 last year, has outscored teams this year. Now, I think 65 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:46.000 this Kentucky team is a little bit better defensively than 66 00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:48.800 last year. Last year's was one of the worst in America, 67 00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:53.000 but it still has problems. This year's team and with 68 00:03:53.080 --> 00:03:57.319 Nolamont Butler and all due respect to everybody who has 69 00:03:57.319 --> 00:04:01.199 played point guard, they're just not the same defensively. And 70 00:04:01.400 --> 00:04:05.479 Arkansas got good looks and I know a lot of 71 00:04:05.479 --> 00:04:08.879 people wondered why no zone, and my man Jay Scheidler 72 00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:13.520 tweeted it, you know, absolutely called for zone. Well maybe, 73 00:04:13.560 --> 00:04:16.639 but after the game Pope talked to somebody asked him 74 00:04:16.639 --> 00:04:19.920 about that, and this caught me by surprise. Giving up 75 00:04:19.959 --> 00:04:23.439 poorly Arkansas's played this year and giving up poorly it 76 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:27.399 seemed that not last year, but in years gone by, 77 00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:31.120 Calipari's teams didn't play well against zones. The ball stuck 78 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:34.959 and dragged last year, not a problem. With Reed, Shephard 79 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:42.279 and Dillingham and Wagner penetrating stuff like that. But against zones, 80 00:04:42.519 --> 00:04:49.360 Pope said, statistically, Arkansas this year has been markedly better 81 00:04:51.079 --> 00:04:54.560 points per possession. That shocked me. Now. He also said, 82 00:04:55.240 --> 00:04:58.839 and I'm paraphrasing, I probably should have tried it. He 83 00:04:58.920 --> 00:05:01.879 was second guessing the crack out of himself after the game, 84 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:07.160 especially when it came to rotation substitutions. He was trying 85 00:05:07.199 --> 00:05:10.560 a little bit of everything, and everybody complains, not everybody, 86 00:05:10.600 --> 00:05:15.360 but a lot. No Trent Noah. Honestly, during the game, 87 00:05:15.399 --> 00:05:18.480 I thought, huh, we haven't seen Trent Noah. But as 88 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:20.959 I watched the game unfolded and I see Chandler getting 89 00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:26.560 more minutes, it made sense because they couldn't stop Arkansas. 90 00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:29.839 In fact, I turned to Mark Mathis of the Owensboro newspaper, 91 00:05:29.879 --> 00:05:33.959 sits next to me with ten minutes ago, and it 92 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:36.360 was a ten point game, and I said, they can't win. 93 00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:38.439 They kind of looked at me and said, they can't 94 00:05:38.439 --> 00:05:42.519 get enough stops. They can't put enough stops together to 95 00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:44.639 go on the run. It takes to erase this lead. 96 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:47.759 They've done it before this year. But Butler was a 97 00:05:47.839 --> 00:05:52.519 huge part of that if you cannot string stops. Kentucky 98 00:05:52.600 --> 00:05:55.399 was doing a good job on the boards, relatively speaking, 99 00:05:55.639 --> 00:06:00.879 but they could not stop Arkansas did his best to 100 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:05.240 slow Janelle Davis, who picks a great time to have 101 00:06:05.319 --> 00:06:07.800 his best game. He had been a disappointment after transferring 102 00:06:07.879 --> 00:06:10.040 in from Florida Atlantic. He was one of the best 103 00:06:10.040 --> 00:06:13.360 guys in the portal, but hadn't played that way. Well 104 00:06:13.360 --> 00:06:18.279 he did Saturday night, and the three former Wildcats played superbly. 105 00:06:18.600 --> 00:06:21.879 And I see grumbling about that, just to finish up 106 00:06:21.879 --> 00:06:24.399 on Trent Noa. No, I wouldn't have helped him on 107 00:06:24.480 --> 00:06:27.959 defense the way he needed the way they needed help. 108 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:34.279 But the former Wildcats, especially Thierro Wagner, had a great game, 109 00:06:34.680 --> 00:06:35.600 and so did Big z. 110 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:37.959 Old. 111 00:06:38.079 --> 00:06:40.160 Wagner never played that way when he was here. No, 112 00:06:40.680 --> 00:06:45.360 he's a year older, stronger, smarter, spent the year working 113 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:49.360 on his game. He still obviously believes he belongs in 114 00:06:49.399 --> 00:06:53.360 the NBA, and the NBA guys told him, here's what 115 00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:56.079 you got to do, and he did it in the postseason. 116 00:06:57.480 --> 00:07:00.839 And here's the other interesting thing. The guy who is 117 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:03.519 considered by me and a lot of other people their 118 00:07:03.560 --> 00:07:09.240 best player is done. Boogie Flan but having watched Arkansas, 119 00:07:09.360 --> 00:07:11.399 that looked to me like a team that was sitting 120 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:15.360 back and waiting for Boogie to fix things, to take 121 00:07:15.399 --> 00:07:21.199 care of things on offense. Now without him, they're sharing 122 00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:24.720 the load, and that's what they did Saturday against Kentucky. Yes, 123 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:29.240 they had the emotional advantage in my opinion, because you know, 124 00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:32.439 their coach was under fire, they were under fire. Those 125 00:07:32.439 --> 00:07:34.560 guys heard the booing and they fed off of it. 126 00:07:36.360 --> 00:07:40.240 I wasn't aghast or disappointed at the booing. It happened. 127 00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:44.279 I knew it would. I wonder what happens next time 128 00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:47.240 Cali Perry shows. Won't be for a year or two, 129 00:07:47.319 --> 00:07:52.439 I guess. But once the game began, it wasn't an 130 00:07:52.480 --> 00:07:55.519 issue anymore, and that's the way it should be. There 131 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:59.000 was some booing, you know, when early in the game 132 00:08:00.040 --> 00:08:02.600 other former Wildcats would touch the ball or whatever. What 133 00:08:02.800 --> 00:08:06.360 concerned me more than anything was the booing by Kentucky 134 00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:10.360 fans in the last couple of minutes where I sit upstairs, 135 00:08:10.639 --> 00:08:14.319 way at the top, and from up there I could 136 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:19.720 hear the booing. And I've always been adamantly opposed to 137 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:25.759 booing college athletes until now. Now I'm torn on it 138 00:08:27.519 --> 00:08:31.160 because they're pros. They make good NIL money. Some of 139 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:35.519 them make great NIO money. So now I'm not heated 140 00:08:35.600 --> 00:08:40.279 about it. I'm lukewarm about it. And you know the nonsense. Well, 141 00:08:40.279 --> 00:08:42.679 we're not booing them, we're booing the coach. You're booing 142 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:46.399 everybody especially and it didn't happen the other night. But 143 00:08:47.399 --> 00:08:49.960 when a coach puts a player in and people boo, 144 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:53.039 we're not booing the player, we're booing the coach. We're 145 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:56.440 putting in the player. It's the same thing. So anyhow, 146 00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:00.440 you know, boo if you like, that's your prerogative. But 147 00:09:00.600 --> 00:09:03.279 to finish off this segment, people are upset now with 148 00:09:03.320 --> 00:09:07.279 the former Wildcats who spoke out on behalf of Caliperi 149 00:09:07.399 --> 00:09:12.279 on social media, including Reed Shepherd who did the john 150 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:15.080 Y Brown thing. Part of him was blue, part of 151 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:18.720 him was red. Somebody was upset that the shirt was red. 152 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:23.399 It was over a trun whatever. But it made me 153 00:09:23.480 --> 00:09:27.200 understand that this is all a press, not new number one. 154 00:09:28.480 --> 00:09:33.279 The Kentucky players who played under Patino rooted like crazy 155 00:09:33.320 --> 00:09:36.480 for him, and as he was coaching Louisville, unless ul 156 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:39.639 was playing Kentucky, and you can draw a line right there, 157 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:44.720 I get it, but he's there guy. And with Caliperry, 158 00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:47.039 it's even more pronounced. With the guys who were being 159 00:09:47.080 --> 00:09:51.279 criticized because how long were they here? Not very long 160 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:54.480 at all. They didn't have the opportunity to build a 161 00:09:54.519 --> 00:09:59.159 relationship with the fan base the way older players did. 162 00:09:59.559 --> 00:10:03.600 Playing for three or four years, the most intense relationship 163 00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:07.960 they had was with their coach, the guy who brought 164 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:11.480 them here and in some instances was the biggest factor 165 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:15.159 in their lives for no more than nine months, not 166 00:10:15.279 --> 00:10:19.279 even a full calendar year. You know. Had they stayed 167 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:22.519 here throughout their careers and maybe moved here after their 168 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:26.440 pro career was over or whatever, they might approach it 169 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:30.960 a little differently. But to expect them to be upset 170 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:36.720 with Caliperi because Arkansas be Kentucky is not realistic in 171 00:10:36.759 --> 00:10:41.000 my opinion. And they took the social media like everybody 172 00:10:42.279 --> 00:10:46.600 and weighed in, and they all said I had not 173 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:49.440 heard one remark or read one remark from any of 174 00:10:49.440 --> 00:10:54.159 them saying I'm no longer a UK backer. They're going 175 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:58.320 to back their guy as well as the Wildcats. Maybe 176 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:00.559 they didn't word it the way cousins. All of those 177 00:11:00.600 --> 00:11:05.639 guys did they root for Caliperry, But I guarantee you 178 00:11:06.440 --> 00:11:09.960 they were rooting for Kentucky to beat Arkansas. I didn't 179 00:11:09.960 --> 00:11:11.960 see any of the guys who are under fire right now, 180 00:11:12.039 --> 00:11:15.440 ty Tye or Reed Shepherd, whoever, prior to the game 181 00:11:15.559 --> 00:11:20.039 saying Josh Sheeryl Parkinsaw Wins never saw that. But now 182 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:25.559 it's behind us and Kentucky is in a tough spot. 183 00:11:25.799 --> 00:11:30.039 Foreign four in the league, hitting the road minus Lamont 184 00:11:30.080 --> 00:11:33.480 Butler and for the most part Andrew carrt We'll see 185 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:36.399 if he gets better this week. Tom Leach is next 186 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:38.480 the voice of the Cats. Later on Mike the Corsi 187 00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:42.279 of the Sporting News and Christy Thomas of the SEC Network, 188 00:11:42.320 --> 00:11:44.639 who covers the UK women. Back in a minute six 189 00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:48.799 thirty WLAP welcome back. Coming up, Tom Leach's the voice 190 00:11:48.799 --> 00:11:51.440 of the Wildcats. Mike de Corsi from The Sporting News, 191 00:11:51.480 --> 00:11:55.120 pre eminent college basketball writer in this country, my opinion, 192 00:11:55.159 --> 00:11:59.480 and Christy Thomas from the UK Sports Network and SEC Plus. 193 00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:02.720 We'll talk to about the UK women And as I said, 194 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:07.120 only the Caliperi comes back and upsets the Wildcat storyline 195 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:11.559 was big enough to kind of obliterate in this part 196 00:12:11.559 --> 00:12:14.600 of the world, the rest of the news, because Sunday 197 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:17.960 was all about reacting, social media and all that. As 198 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:22.320 I said earlier, But on the professional front, you had 199 00:12:22.360 --> 00:12:26.440 the blockbuster trade involving the Lakers and the Mavericks and 200 00:12:27.039 --> 00:12:30.840 Aaron Fox has traded. But you also the UK women 201 00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:35.840 picking up a big victory out at Oklahoma. And this 202 00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:39.679 was a game that you could have understood if the 203 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:43.720 Wildcats came up short because Oklahoma's really good, and Oklahoma 204 00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:47.039 was ranked if you put stock in this twelfth or thirteenth, 205 00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:50.879 depending on the pole you favor. Kentucky was ranked thirteenth 206 00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:54.600 or twelfth, depending on the pole you favor, and the 207 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:58.639 Wildcats blew off to a big lead, Oklahoma came back. 208 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:02.200 I listen to most of the game with Derek or Darren, 209 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:07.759 Sorry Darren, Darren Hedrick. I watched the last quarter and 210 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:10.279 Darren was pretty upset about the officiating. So I can't 211 00:13:10.320 --> 00:13:12.679 comment because I didn't see it. I just know that 212 00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:14.399 Darren was pretty upset. Of course, he gets mad at 213 00:13:14.440 --> 00:13:17.320 the rest of a lot. But the biggest story, of course, 214 00:13:17.320 --> 00:13:21.440 with George aymore forty three points, tying a UK program 215 00:13:21.559 --> 00:13:27.879 high and was just phenomenal absolutely incredible. She'll be an 216 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:30.360 All American. I don't know, first, second, third team, whatever. 217 00:13:30.919 --> 00:13:33.759 But if she's the best point guard in the best conference, 218 00:13:33.960 --> 00:13:38.960 what does that tell you. She was phenomenal to the 219 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:43.759 point where you wondered, is Oklahoma going to change anything? 220 00:13:44.919 --> 00:13:47.799 Because she had forty three points on only twenty two shots, 221 00:13:48.519 --> 00:13:52.759 seven to twelve from beyond the arc. And here's the 222 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:57.039 other thing that I really impresses me. She drew seven fouls, 223 00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:02.080 committed one, drew seven. I always look at that, and 224 00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:04.440 that's a great stat that's in these box scores now 225 00:14:06.759 --> 00:14:10.279 eight assists, only two turnovers, and played thirty nine minutes. 226 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:13.639 And again, if you put any stock in plus minus, 227 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:18.240 you know this is one area where it doesn't make 228 00:14:18.320 --> 00:14:22.639 much sense. Her plus minus was nine. She had forty 229 00:14:22.679 --> 00:14:28.480 three points. The highest plus minus total was Amelia Hassett 230 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:31.960 was thirteen, and she had only five points. But all 231 00:14:32.039 --> 00:14:35.080 that means is Kentucky jumped out to its biggest leads 232 00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:37.279 when she was on the floor. Doesn't say who was 233 00:14:37.320 --> 00:14:38.960 the best player on the floor at a certain time, 234 00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:43.759 but it was Georgia Aymore all day long. And somebody 235 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:49.519 asked her after the game about working her way to 236 00:14:49.679 --> 00:14:56.039 the best situations possible offensively, and she spoke of keeping 237 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:59.960 an eye basically on the scouting report on substitution pattern 238 00:15:00.519 --> 00:15:05.600 and knowing her opponents, opposing defenders as they come and go, 239 00:15:05.919 --> 00:15:09.080 because they switch off a lot in every game she plays. 240 00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:12.240 And then head coach Kenny Brooks chimed in after. 241 00:15:12.039 --> 00:15:14.840 She spoke, people rotate their gods, and I think I'm 242 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:16.679 aware of that when they send people to the to 243 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:19.720 the benches coming in, who's leaving, and I know exactly 244 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:21.600 where I can what I can do with those type 245 00:15:21.600 --> 00:15:24.240 of people. You know, I'll give you an example. Three 246 00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:26.720 today was playing so aggressive that I knew I could 247 00:15:26.720 --> 00:15:30.639 take it downhill. Todd was a little bit more relaxed 248 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:32.720 and sunk it in, so I knew I was going 249 00:15:32.759 --> 00:15:34.240 to get a shot. So that's the mind games I'm 250 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:35.159 playing when I'm out there. 251 00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:36.480 She does a really good job. 252 00:15:36.519 --> 00:15:39.000 She wants to be a coach, and so we're coaching 253 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:42.279 her differently, and we watch film differently. She watched it 254 00:15:42.360 --> 00:15:45.720 just like a coach does, and we talk about, hey, 255 00:15:46.039 --> 00:15:47.519 you know, they're probably going to do this, is probably 256 00:15:47.519 --> 00:15:49.639 going to do that, And the benefit is is that 257 00:15:49.679 --> 00:15:52.440 she comes over to me, you know, during a time 258 00:15:52.519 --> 00:15:55.000 a stoppage and play and she says, hey, you know 259 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:57.120 such and such is on me. They're going to play 260 00:15:57.159 --> 00:15:59.879 me to ice of screen. Why don't we run the 261 00:16:00.600 --> 00:16:03.279 and you know previous you know, when she was younger, 262 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:05.559 I'd probably would say, Okay, that's great, but I'm going 263 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:07.960 to do something different now. And I just go with it, 264 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:10.159 you know, she says it, and I'm like, okay, go 265 00:16:10.279 --> 00:16:10.600 with it. 266 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:14.559 I do think it's fascinating that he coaches her differently 267 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:18.240 because she wants to be a coach number one and 268 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:20.399 number two. Maybe this is number one. They've been together 269 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:23.799 for so long, they know each other so well, and 270 00:16:23.840 --> 00:16:27.679 he knows obviously just how good she is. But to me, 271 00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:31.120 the most telling sign And Kenny Brooks talked about this 272 00:16:31.559 --> 00:16:34.200 when somebody asked him earlier this year about scheduling because 273 00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:37.519 the non conference scheduling was kind of weird. Early Kentucky 274 00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:39.639 had a hard time putting it scheduled together, and one 275 00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:45.759 of the reasons was Georgia Aymore because when Kentucky was 276 00:16:45.799 --> 00:16:47.919 struggling a bit, yeah, i'll play it, sure, we'll come 277 00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:52.120 to town. Yeah. But when they heard the Georgia Aymore 278 00:16:52.799 --> 00:16:55.080 had signed on with Kentucky. Well, I don't know if 279 00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:57.679 we can make a election in this year. I thought 280 00:16:57.720 --> 00:17:03.320 that was fascinating and that flex as well on a 281 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:07.680 player as anything I have ever heard. Teams don't want 282 00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:10.599 to come here and play US coaches say because we 283 00:17:10.680 --> 00:17:15.279 got this kid, one kid point guard and she is 284 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:20.200 the biggest reason. There are many, many reasons and several 285 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:24.319 reasons Kentucky won yesterday, not just her, but she's the 286 00:17:24.319 --> 00:17:27.319 biggest reason. In nineteen and two, eight and one in 287 00:17:27.400 --> 00:17:31.920 conference play they won three in a row, undefeated at home. Yeah, 288 00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:34.960 they've got the toughest part of their schedule ahead. They 289 00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:38.000 got to play at Ole Miss next week. This is 290 00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:41.599 kind of their bye week. Next Monday, they play on 291 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:45.200 the mission. No game Thursday, no game Sunday, but they're 292 00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:49.680 kind of the prime time game on Monday to tenth 293 00:17:49.720 --> 00:17:53.759 at seven pm. Then after that, man, you got Texas 294 00:17:53.759 --> 00:17:56.599 coming to town. I've talked about this before, Georgia, which 295 00:17:56.640 --> 00:18:00.319 is struggling a bit, Miazoo, and then you close out 296 00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:04.319 with LSU, Tennessee and South Carolina and the only one 297 00:18:04.319 --> 00:18:07.599 on the road is South Carolina. That game they can 298 00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:10.720 somehow get past to LSU and Tennessee, which would be massive. 299 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:13.640 Wouldn't it be something that the South Carolina Kentucky game 300 00:18:13.720 --> 00:18:17.160 decided the SEC or at least to share the SEC 301 00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:22.359 regular season championship. So tip of the cap Kenny Brooks, 302 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:26.160 and a big tip of the cap to Georgia Amore, 303 00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:30.640 the Australian who is absolutely getting it done. I don't 304 00:18:30.640 --> 00:18:33.319 know what the Australian term is for that. Had Amelia 305 00:18:33.359 --> 00:18:36.079 Hassett on the show the other night, and she talked 306 00:18:36.119 --> 00:18:41.680 about they throw around some of the Australian jargon, the 307 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:46.599 slang and confuse their teammates, but on the floor, man, 308 00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:50.480 they're all on the same page right now. Asset at 309 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:54.799 five point six boards. Clara Strack was huge, nineteen points 310 00:18:55.559 --> 00:18:59.400 six rebounds. She did foul out. Tony Key did not 311 00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:01.440 have a great She was in foul trouble a lot. 312 00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:04.079 She only had two points and six boards for them 313 00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:08.279 to win with her. Having modest numbers like that is unusual, 314 00:19:08.359 --> 00:19:12.039 but Dojah Lawrence had a big game fourteen. Kentucky hit 315 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:15.720 seventy five percent in the first quarter and then after 316 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:18.759 that thirty five percent, thirty one percent, but in the 317 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:22.559 fourth quarter sixty four percent from the field. When the 318 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:24.960 Wildcats needed it the most, and it was a three 319 00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:30.359 point shooting contest. Basically, Oklahoma stayed close. Oklahoma erased what 320 00:19:30.440 --> 00:19:33.039 a seventeen nineteen point deficit, got it down to one 321 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:37.839 in the third quarter, hit some key triples and hit 322 00:19:37.880 --> 00:19:41.200 twenty free throws out of twenty three attempts. Kentucky fifteen 323 00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:44.279 to twenty. But the Wildcats were fourteen of thirty four 324 00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:47.720 from the stripe the arc rather and Amore seven of twelve. 325 00:19:47.960 --> 00:19:52.680 So Oklahoma didn't guard the arc very well and Kentucky 326 00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:57.799 took full advantage. Well, they're still chattering in the NBA 327 00:19:57.880 --> 00:20:01.440 world about the trade Anthony David to Dallas for Luka 328 00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:05.000 Doncis and the wild card, and all this is injuries. 329 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:07.519 Davis has been hurt a lot. If you follow the 330 00:20:07.599 --> 00:20:12.480 NBA just passively, you know that Luka Donsich has been hurt. 331 00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:17.400 And there are also criticisms about his lack of conditioning 332 00:20:17.799 --> 00:20:20.039 and the fact that he doesn't play much defense. And 333 00:20:20.119 --> 00:20:23.000 you can cynically say, oh, I don't play any defense 334 00:20:23.039 --> 00:20:28.680 in the NBA. Yes, they do, but Donsich is not 335 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:34.079 the greatest defender. Davis is excellent when he's healthy. But 336 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:36.359 part of this, too, had to do I was reading 337 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:41.839 with Doncid's contract situation coming up, and the mav didn't 338 00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:47.000 want to pay him max money. But you've also got 339 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:50.559 the fact that where Mark Cuban is no longer the 340 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:53.000 principal owner, he still owns a chunk of the team, 341 00:20:54.119 --> 00:20:57.240 but from whatever, he's not making all the decisions, and 342 00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:00.000 I don't know if he makes this decision on his own. 343 00:21:01.119 --> 00:21:04.880 And obviously the Lakers had given up on the Anthony 344 00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:09.440 Davis and Lebron situation. They did win a championship in 345 00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:16.079 the shortened season. So now Davis goes to the Mavericks 346 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:19.880 and puts them right back near the top of contenders 347 00:21:20.319 --> 00:21:23.640 in the NBA. But you also got to look at 348 00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:27.559 the Aaron Fox finally getting out of Sacramento. He did, 349 00:21:27.599 --> 00:21:31.400 I think everything he could for Sacramento. He goes to 350 00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:36.440 the Spurs, the Kings get Zach Levine from the Bulls 351 00:21:36.880 --> 00:21:40.640 in a three way trade, and as I said, Fox 352 00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:46.079 did his best in Sacramento, played at an all star level. 353 00:21:46.920 --> 00:21:53.559 So now he teams up with Wimby and Popovich the 354 00:21:53.640 --> 00:21:57.759 head coach, and maybe this drag san Antonio front center. 355 00:21:59.319 --> 00:22:03.359 I mean, Victor Wilman Yama is the future in San 356 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:06.279 Antonio and in the NBA. But right now the Spurs 357 00:22:06.279 --> 00:22:09.599 are twelfth in the Western Conference standings. See if they 358 00:22:09.640 --> 00:22:12.279 can make a playoff push this year. All right up next, 359 00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:14.119 Tom leachs the voice of the Cats. A little bit 360 00:22:14.200 --> 00:22:16.799 later on Mike the Corsi of the Sporting News on 361 00:22:16.839 --> 00:22:19.200 six thirty WLA, Welcome back to the Big Bones. Sider 362 00:22:19.359 --> 00:22:21.440 Joining us now is the voice of the Wildcasts, mister 363 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:23.200 Tom Leech. You hear him each and every day on 364 00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:26.759 this Ferry radio station, and of course calling the basketball games. 365 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:29.440 And you'll hear Tom and Mark Pope on Wednesday, as 366 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:32.079 I mentioned earlier, because the Wildcats are on their way 367 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:36.039 to Oxford. But Tom, let me jump right in following 368 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:39.519 Saturday's loss to Arkansas, and I guess we shouldn't be 369 00:22:39.559 --> 00:22:43.359 shocked by anything that happens now in the Southeastern Conference, 370 00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:47.240 but this is I think, given the injuries that Pope 371 00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:50.200 is dealing with foreign four in the league, you know 372 00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:51.920 you're not going to win the conference out right, but 373 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:55.599 you got to play for postseason seeding. I think this 374 00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:57.960 is a real turning point. This is a crossroads, I 375 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:02.680 think for Kentucky basketball, given where the roster is and 376 00:23:02.720 --> 00:23:05.000 where the schedule is do you see it that way? 377 00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:09.000 Yeah? I mean then got a spot here in their 378 00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:13.880 schedule where I don't know, as tough as this league is, 379 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:16.599 you don't want to say it's it's soft, but it's 380 00:23:16.799 --> 00:23:19.759 it's a little lighter. You know, you had Arkansas at home, 381 00:23:19.799 --> 00:23:21.440 one in six in the league. You know you figure 382 00:23:21.440 --> 00:23:24.359 you'll get that one. You got South Carolina at home. 383 00:23:24.680 --> 00:23:27.240 You know, three of starting with the Arkansas game, three 384 00:23:27.240 --> 00:23:30.279 of the next four being at home. You feel good 385 00:23:30.279 --> 00:23:33.039 about that, and one of them is Tennessee. That'll be hard, 386 00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:36.559 but still it at home. Then you go to Texas 387 00:23:36.680 --> 00:23:41.839 and you know that it's any of the acts are hard, 388 00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:45.000 but still it's easier than going to Alabama the next week. 389 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:47.519 And then then you got Vandy at home. So that's 390 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:51.200 a stretch there where you feel like you've got a 391 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:54.640 chance to make a little hay. The problem is that 392 00:23:54.720 --> 00:24:00.799 Kentucky is now in a situation and that I said 393 00:24:00.839 --> 00:24:05.079 this after was on my show this morning with John Clay. 394 00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:08.920 Arkansas lost Boogie Flann, and ironically I think he's better, 395 00:24:08.960 --> 00:24:11.000 and I think that would have been true if they 396 00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:13.799 had lost DJ Wagner and kept Boogie Flan. Either way, 397 00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:18.440 they had two dominant point guards and John L. Davis 398 00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:20.480 was getting lost, so you get rid of one of 399 00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:22.400 the point guards, and all of a sudden, Davis fits 400 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:26.160 into position better and they're a better team. And I 401 00:24:26.200 --> 00:24:30.720