WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.680 --> 00:00:03.000 Oh, oh, guess what day it is. 2 00:00:03.560 --> 00:00:05.240 Guess what day it is? 3 00:00:05.759 --> 00:00:06.400 Huh? 4 00:00:06.440 --> 00:00:07.040 Anybody? 5 00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:09.800 It's hump Day? 6 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:12.199 Up day? 7 00:00:12.599 --> 00:00:14.960 Yeah, It's hump Day, and it is one day closer 8 00:00:15.000 --> 00:00:19.280 to Kentucky basketball. The Wildcats Friday take the next step 9 00:00:19.320 --> 00:00:22.800 in the NCAA tournament, you know, taking on those Tennessee Valls. 10 00:00:22.839 --> 00:00:26.280 Tip off at seven point thirty nine. It's very specific, 11 00:00:26.359 --> 00:00:29.359 and yet somehow they always manage to make it work. 12 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:31.600 Welcome to the Big Moon, Sider to Gabriel with you 13 00:00:31.719 --> 00:00:34.719 on a Wednesday edition of our program. Also, this is 14 00:00:34.759 --> 00:00:38.520 the day the boys Sweet sixteen begins and we pre record, 15 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:40.960 so I can't really tell you what's going on down 16 00:00:41.000 --> 00:00:43.399 there in terms of the first couple of games. But 17 00:00:43.479 --> 00:00:47.719 Louisville Saint Xavier sat next scheduled to play this afternoon 18 00:00:48.119 --> 00:00:52.960 against Jeffersontown. To two Louisville teams taking on each other 19 00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:57.719 Region six versus Region seven. That has happened before, and 20 00:00:58.200 --> 00:01:01.359 the cases they would never see this, But when you 21 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:04.159 kind of look at it cynically, you say, well, the 22 00:01:04.200 --> 00:01:07.879 Louisville school's taking care of each other and therefore it 23 00:01:07.879 --> 00:01:10.560 should help the crowd. So we'll find out, won't we. 24 00:01:11.319 --> 00:01:15.959 But Sandex apparently is incredible, and we're going to talk 25 00:01:15.959 --> 00:01:19.959 to the unforgettable guard Sean Woods about the Sweet sixteen 26 00:01:20.040 --> 00:01:22.359 and about the Wildcats coming up a little bit later. 27 00:01:22.400 --> 00:01:25.599 Caroline mccowskis will join us as well to talk about 28 00:01:25.640 --> 00:01:29.840 the end of the UK women's basketball season, and Aaron 29 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:33.200 Gershan is going to check in also. He wasn't able 30 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:35.640 to join us on Monday night, Aaron of course for 31 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:38.879 the Cat's Balls covering the game in Milwaukee. So we'll 32 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:42.079 talk a lot of Kentucky basketball tonight on the Big 33 00:01:42.120 --> 00:01:45.799 Blue Insider. The other day game today Bowling Green and 34 00:01:45.879 --> 00:01:49.840 a Derek County, So KHSA dot org has all the scores. 35 00:01:50.200 --> 00:01:56.079 Later tonight the Ashland Blazer Tomcats taking on Callaway County. 36 00:01:56.439 --> 00:01:59.760 That's actually the eight thirty game just underway. South Oldham 37 00:02:00.239 --> 00:02:03.480 and little bitty Danville Christian I think seventy eight students, 38 00:02:04.120 --> 00:02:07.319 but they've got some foreign imports who have made both 39 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:10.439 the girls and the boys teams formidable. They are playing 40 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:14.479 south Oldham even as we speak, so we will try 41 00:02:14.520 --> 00:02:16.599 to keep you up to speed on that as best 42 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:21.240 we can. Now. As for the basketball Wildcats, they're getting 43 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:23.639 a lot of clock of course because they've made the 44 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:27.039 Sweet sixteen, and because of Mark Pope, he has become 45 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:30.960 quite the I don't want to say figurehead, but he's 46 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:33.719 getting a lot of run right now, and why not 47 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:37.520 for the job he's done and the things he does 48 00:02:37.560 --> 00:02:40.960 and says. You know, obviously we're a little biased over here, 49 00:02:41.000 --> 00:02:45.360 but he says interesting things. And he appeared on the 50 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:49.120 Jim Rome Show I guess it was last night and 51 00:02:49.319 --> 00:02:52.120 talked about basically team chemistry. 52 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:54.639 But how did you get all these new faces to 53 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:59.919 buy in and jell as quickly and seemingly as seamously 54 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:00.479 as they have. 55 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:04.360 I think for us, we were really fortunate and really 56 00:03:04.400 --> 00:03:10.000 intentional about about about recruiting great human beings, Like Jim, 57 00:03:10.039 --> 00:03:11.599 I'm telling you, if you got to sit down with 58 00:03:11.639 --> 00:03:16.400 each of these guys, these are special kids. They're not kids, 59 00:03:16.199 --> 00:03:19.879 They're special young people. Every single one of them can 60 00:03:19.919 --> 00:03:22.680 see something more important than themselves in the world. 61 00:03:22.960 --> 00:03:23.120 Right. 62 00:03:23.879 --> 00:03:27.039 Every single one of them has been really intentional about 63 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:30.680 getting to know their teammates and loving them and fighting 64 00:03:30.680 --> 00:03:32.960 for them and plan for them. And so it hasn't 65 00:03:33.000 --> 00:03:35.360 meant as much what I've done or what our staff 66 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:37.639 has done, is what our guys have done working to 67 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:40.680 build bonds with each other. That's given us a chance 68 00:03:40.719 --> 00:03:43.319 to withstand all the adversity that you face during the 69 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:44.080 course of a season. 70 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:46.319 Right, So, Mark, I buy that. I buy that, especially 71 00:03:46.360 --> 00:03:48.199 coming from you. But how do you find It's onething 72 00:03:48.280 --> 00:03:50.879 to find great people. It's one thing to find humble people. 73 00:03:51.159 --> 00:03:54.800 How do you find great players or very good players 74 00:03:54.960 --> 00:03:57.280 who are great people and that many of them? 75 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:00.120 Well, I'll tell you what the portal is. 76 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:01.120 It gives you a. 77 00:04:01.159 --> 00:04:05.000 Huge advantage over recruiting high school because you have data 78 00:04:05.039 --> 00:04:09.919 from college. You have film running like elite level sets 79 00:04:10.039 --> 00:04:12.840 against elite level defense, doing it over and over and 80 00:04:12.840 --> 00:04:15.120 over again. You're recruiting guys that aren't just trying to 81 00:04:15.240 --> 00:04:17.879 learn the college game. They're trying to fine tune the 82 00:04:17.879 --> 00:04:21.160 college game. So, so finding the right talent, especially for us, 83 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:24.480 because we play a unique style. We're very very slanted 84 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:27.240 towards a pro style with a ton of movement away 85 00:04:27.240 --> 00:04:30.000 from the ball, and so because our style of play, 86 00:04:31.600 --> 00:04:34.800 it's almost easier to go pick out those guys that 87 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:37.279 actually have the skill set that translate to what we do. 88 00:04:37.800 --> 00:04:41.720 And so there's some advantages, some real substantial advantages to 89 00:04:41.839 --> 00:04:42.920 recruiting guys out of the pool. 90 00:04:43.079 --> 00:04:46.120 Mark Stub's made similar comments when it came to recruiting 91 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:48.600 out of the portal. He just said, you have more information, 92 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:52.399 you have better information, and therefore it puts you a 93 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:55.879 step ahead. Now, you know, he's got to recruit more guys. 94 00:04:56.279 --> 00:04:58.040 I don't know if he can take the deep dive 95 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:01.000 that Pope does. You know, Popo compared to soups a 96 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:04.279 handful of guys. So when it comes to team chemistry, 97 00:05:04.600 --> 00:05:07.879 you know Stoops may had more challenges than Pope did. 98 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:11.480 But Pope put his team together, as you know, in 99 00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:15.000 such a short amount of time. Interesting that he talked 100 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:18.120 about the offense to a Jim Rome there and again 101 00:05:18.120 --> 00:05:21.839 that was courtesy the Jim Rome Show. That may explain 102 00:05:22.360 --> 00:05:27.800 why Kentucky was slower coming around on defense because the Wildcats, 103 00:05:27.959 --> 00:05:31.360 it was clear, were working quite a bit on offense. 104 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:35.680 It was working well, wasn't it. They outscored the Florida Gators, 105 00:05:36.160 --> 00:05:38.600 but they really didn't guard very well, did they. Well, 106 00:05:39.319 --> 00:05:41.720 there's a stat out there stating that in the first 107 00:05:41.959 --> 00:05:45.959 in the thirteen games before that Ole Miss game, that 108 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:49.199 huge turnaround against ole Miss, when it just looked like 109 00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:53.079 they weren't even interested in guarding the thirteen games prior 110 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:55.199 to that, they were ranked one hundred and fifty ninth 111 00:05:55.720 --> 00:06:01.040 on defense. In the thirteen games after that rank number ten. 112 00:06:01.480 --> 00:06:04.879 And that's why they have such a big shot against Tennessee. 113 00:06:05.279 --> 00:06:06.879 Not only the fact that they know how to beat 114 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:10.920 Tennessee clearly, but the fact that they're a better defensive 115 00:06:11.000 --> 00:06:15.160 team now than they were when they were beating up 116 00:06:15.680 --> 00:06:21.319 on the volunteers, which I find fascinating. So it's gonna 117 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:25.519 be fun kent Kentucky beat Tennessee for a third time. 118 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:30.399 Some people say I'd rather be the team that has 119 00:06:30.519 --> 00:06:33.639 won the two games than lost the two games. I 120 00:06:33.800 --> 00:06:36.120 just keep thinking, I cannot get it out of my head, 121 00:06:36.800 --> 00:06:40.240 Kentucky losing to LSU. And this goes back now in 122 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:43.680 nineteen eighty six. It was the fourth time the Wildcats 123 00:06:43.680 --> 00:06:46.759 had played the bay U Bengals and missed the chance 124 00:06:46.759 --> 00:06:50.319 at the Final four because of that loss. But on 125 00:06:50.360 --> 00:06:53.800 the other hand, you know, Kentucky knows how to get 126 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:57.480 it done. And I do believe Kentucky's offense versus Tennessee's 127 00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:02.839 defense is better than Tennessee's offense versus Kentucky's defense, if 128 00:07:02.839 --> 00:07:05.480 that makes sense. We'll have it for you right here. 129 00:07:05.480 --> 00:07:08.759 It's a seven thirty nine tip off, and they will 130 00:07:08.759 --> 00:07:13.199 make it work somehow. On CBS speaking up, Actually TBS, 131 00:07:13.639 --> 00:07:17.879 speaking of TV. UK Illinois was the highest rated game 132 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:22.120 Sunday and this has become one of, if not the 133 00:07:22.160 --> 00:07:26.920 most watched nca tournament thirty two years. UK Troy highest 134 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:32.279 rated game on Friday. So again, if you're a conspiracy theorist, 135 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:36.000 and that's fine in some cases, so am I. But 136 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:39.959 the NCAA does not want to see Kentucky lose. Officials 137 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:45.120 do not get together decide Kentucky should lose. Kentucky brings 138 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:50.759 the viewers, brings the eyeballs, therefore brings the money up. 139 00:07:50.759 --> 00:07:52.959 Next Aaron Gershat of the cash Balls here on six 140 00:07:53.120 --> 00:07:58.000 thirty WLAP Welcome back to the Big Blue and sider 141 00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:01.079 joining us now is the All American and one of 142 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:04.879 the radio voices of the UK Sports Network, Jack Gibbons, 143 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:08.240 Tom Leach's broadcast partner on what has turned into Jack, 144 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:12.279 just a really terrific basketball season, and I have heap 145 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:14.360 praise on you. I think you're doing a wonderful job 146 00:08:14.399 --> 00:08:18.839 of Tom. And what gets me, Jack is the unmitigated 147 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:22.920 joy in your voice when these things are going well 148 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:25.560 for the wildcast. You love this for the players, don't you. 149 00:08:26.759 --> 00:08:29.959 Yeah, it is so nice. I mean, I've gotten to 150 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:33.279 know these guys, and you know, I'm blessed to be 151 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:36.559 able to do what I do, and part of what 152 00:08:36.600 --> 00:08:39.759 I do is to get to talk to these guys 153 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:42.080 and get to know them a little bit off the floor. 154 00:08:42.320 --> 00:08:47.080 And you know, we've we've been blessed with some really 155 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:49.960 good guys. I mean, we've been fortunate to get them, 156 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:54.120 not just this year, but over the last a number 157 00:08:54.120 --> 00:08:58.480 of years. I mean, good guys. But these guys are special. 158 00:08:59.159 --> 00:09:02.200 And what makes them special to me is that they 159 00:09:02.399 --> 00:09:05.399 every one of them, not the young guys, but every 160 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:08.399 one of the veterans know this is their last time 161 00:09:08.759 --> 00:09:11.919 let's go around that tests, man, and they want to 162 00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:14.039 make the most of it. And they are I mean, 163 00:09:14.120 --> 00:09:16.120 that's been fun to get to know him, fun to 164 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:19.440 spend time with them, and it's easy when you have 165 00:09:19.480 --> 00:09:21.240 a bunch of really good dudes. 166 00:09:21.320 --> 00:09:26.600 Man, this team has made so much progress through the season, 167 00:09:27.480 --> 00:09:29.840 which I think was just inevitable giving the fact that 168 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:32.919 these are good basketball players, but the fact that they've 169 00:09:32.919 --> 00:09:37.320 made such a jump, especially on defense. How much is 170 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:40.519 the fact that they are by all accounts, good guys, 171 00:09:40.600 --> 00:09:43.360 good people. I mean, that was important to Mark Pope. 172 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:46.679 He really vetted these guys coming through the portal and 173 00:09:47.039 --> 00:09:50.000 Ben Roberts wrote a tremendous piece about it. Mary Williams 174 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:52.919 his recruitment. But how vital is that's kind of an 175 00:09:52.919 --> 00:09:58.559 obvious question to the process, the improvement process, the you know, 176 00:09:58.600 --> 00:10:01.039 the binding as a team, the fact that they're just 177 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:02.080 good dudes. 178 00:10:03.399 --> 00:10:06.039 Well, if you think back over the course of this season, 179 00:10:06.759 --> 00:10:10.480 and we can go all the way back early, the 180 00:10:10.559 --> 00:10:14.159 first thing was said was these guys are not tough 181 00:10:14.279 --> 00:10:17.919 enough and people are going to be physical with them. Well, 182 00:10:18.080 --> 00:10:23.320 they addressed it, and they became tougher. They couldn't rebound 183 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:28.000 the basketball, Well they addressed it, and now they're good 184 00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:32.159 rebounding team. Not the best, but they're good rebounding team. 185 00:10:32.200 --> 00:10:35.519 And especially when it comes to defensive rebounding against some 186 00:10:35.559 --> 00:10:39.879 of these teams that go and chew up offensive rebounds 187 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:42.720 for points. So they got better at that. Then it 188 00:10:42.840 --> 00:10:45.399 was like, yeah, but they can't defend, man, you know, 189 00:10:45.440 --> 00:10:47.759 you've got to stop somebody. And then all of a 190 00:10:47.799 --> 00:10:51.320 sudden Mark addresses with the players and now They are 191 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:58.519 a really sound, fundamentally sound help and recover defensive teams. 192 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:02.480 So every time they faced certain things during the course 193 00:11:02.519 --> 00:11:06.240 of the year, because they are men, because they are vets, 194 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:11.639 because they listen, they've been able to address those issues 195 00:11:11.720 --> 00:11:13.159 and deal with them. 196 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:13.240 So. 197 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:17.039 Uh So, this is a this is a trade that 198 00:11:17.080 --> 00:11:19.200 a lot of teams didn't have that we've had a 199 00:11:19.240 --> 00:11:22.240 lot of teams don't have. But it's certainly been good 200 00:11:22.320 --> 00:11:23.120 for these guys. 201 00:11:23.399 --> 00:11:27.879 How big a step given how they beat Illinois? They 202 00:11:27.879 --> 00:11:31.840 did battle him on the boards, they did guard really 203 00:11:31.879 --> 00:11:35.600 really well. That went over Illinois when Kentucky was really 204 00:11:35.639 --> 00:11:38.600 an underdog. How big a step was that, Jack. 205 00:11:39.200 --> 00:11:41.159 No, it was. It was huge. I mean it was 206 00:11:41.320 --> 00:11:46.120 huge for It was huge for the whole entire uh BBN, 207 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:51.440 not just the team, but the fans have gotten so 208 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:54.440 vested in this ball club. I mean they have and 209 00:11:54.480 --> 00:11:57.559 then Mark Pope can't can't leave him off the table 210 00:11:57.600 --> 00:12:00.279 when I talk about this now. I mean they've been 211 00:12:00.279 --> 00:12:03.519 in it since day one when at the press conference 212 00:12:04.399 --> 00:12:07.919 and I just thought, Man, I wonder what it's going 213 00:12:08.039 --> 00:12:13.919 to taste for the fans to really be happy with 214 00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:17.519 what this team accomplishes. And I thought you know, they 215 00:12:17.559 --> 00:12:20.600 should have been happy a long time ago because of 216 00:12:20.679 --> 00:12:25.080 what Mark had, the face coming in the late start, 217 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:27.759 all of the stuff, and then to have a team 218 00:12:27.840 --> 00:12:32.039 that has accomplished what this team has accomplished, some of 219 00:12:32.039 --> 00:12:36.120 the wins they've had. You know, I thought the fans 220 00:12:36.120 --> 00:12:40.000 should have been just a static long before now. But 221 00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:42.759 when you get in the tournament, when you get in 222 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:47.559 the tournament, play you ask yourself, Man, I wonder we'll 223 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:51.879 win in the first game. Be enough? And it was. 224 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:54.320 I mean I think people were really really pleased and 225 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:58.840 happy and maybe would have been satisfied. But man, getting 226 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:02.799 to where we are now, I mean, you you better 227 00:13:02.919 --> 00:13:07.440 be happy with everything, man, because not many people gave 228 00:13:07.519 --> 00:13:09.279 us a chance. I mean, you know, it was pretty 229 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:11.879 trendy pick to pick Kentucky to get upset in the 230 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:15.279 first game. Yeah, a lot of people picked that around 231 00:13:15.320 --> 00:13:17.519 the country, A lot of people who don't know Kentucky 232 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:22.120 basketball and the players, but a lot of people picked 233 00:13:22.159 --> 00:13:27.120 that as a as a bracketbuster, you know. But they responded, 234 00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:29.720 then they go in the game with Illinois, they were 235 00:13:29.879 --> 00:13:33.720 not favored. They responded, they won't be favored against Tennessee either, 236 00:13:34.159 --> 00:13:36.639 even though they've beaten them twice. I mean, they won't 237 00:13:36.639 --> 00:13:40.039 be favored there, So I say, let's toss it up, man, 238 00:13:40.120 --> 00:13:41.360 and let's see what happened. 239 00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:45.519 By the way, I keep mentioning this every time I 240 00:13:45.559 --> 00:13:49.879 get a chance, nobody wants to see Kentucky beat Tennessee more. 241 00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:53.559 And my guys Jeff Piicoro and Jack Gibbons. You guy, 242 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:55.919 I don't know if you ever talked to Jeff about that, Jack, 243 00:13:56.320 --> 00:13:58.440 but you guys are in lockstep on that. You were 244 00:13:58.480 --> 00:14:01.840 all so old school when it comes to Kentucky Tennessee, 245 00:14:01.840 --> 00:14:02.679 and I kind of like it. 246 00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:06.360 Yeah, some things don't change. I mean, we didn't play 247 00:14:06.440 --> 00:14:09.480 Louisville back in the day. Tennessee was our rival, and 248 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:13.519 what they would beat us, and and and uh they 249 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:18.360 had great athletes back in my day, with Ernie and 250 00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:22.960 Bernie and a number of other really really good players. 251 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:26.879 So yeah, yeah, Tennessee is still the team I like 252 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:28.600 to beat as much as anybody. 253 00:14:29.000 --> 00:14:29.120 Uh. 254 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:35.360 I don't know that the players who have played at 255 00:14:35.399 --> 00:14:39.559 Tennessee like I do the guys from Louisville, So I'm 256 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:44.799 not necessarily until Louisville's playing US, I really don't uh 257 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:48.000 cheer against them because I've got a lot of guys 258 00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:52.559 who I'm really good friends with their uh so Tennessee. 259 00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:55.639 Uh you know, I'm I'm I love playing them and 260 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:57.440 I really really enjoyed beating them. 261 00:14:58.240 --> 00:15:01.080 I know you do. I'm gonna double back to Tennessee. 262 00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:04.600 But just uh uh just a completed thought on this 263 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:08.240 Kentucky team by the way. Uh yeah, fans should have 264 00:15:08.240 --> 00:15:10.360 been happy. Well they were. They were happy and relieved 265 00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:13.000 from Mark Pope after that first win. They were so 266 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:15.759 happy for him. But you know it is, man, now 267 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:18.639 they're in the sweet sixteen. They can see the finish 268 00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:22.039 line from here to see it on selection Sunday, isn't it. 269 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:26.799 Yeah, yeah, you're right, You're right. So there's a whole 270 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:31.480 new level of expectation now, uh with the fans and 271 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:34.080 uh and I love it. I love it because that's 272 00:15:34.080 --> 00:15:38.679 what makes Kentucky basketball Kentucky basketball. I mean, we understand, 273 00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:41.320 we see it, but man, can we get can you 274 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:42.639 just give me a little bit more? 275 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:45.200 Please? A little more? Uh? 276 00:15:45.399 --> 00:15:47.279 You know, I mean that's the way we are, that's 277 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:49.600 the way our fans are. And I get it, so 278 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:52.759 uh and I'm and I'm wanting more now, man, this 279 00:15:53.279 --> 00:15:56.919 is this is a fun ride, and goodness, gracious, I 280 00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:59.039 get a great seat every night, and I get to 281 00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:03.120 get to talk about something I love, So I'm wanting 282 00:16:03.159 --> 00:16:04.960 to keep this thing going. 283 00:16:05.200 --> 00:16:08.639 Also absolutely talking to Jack Gibbons of the UK radio network, 284 00:16:08.679 --> 00:16:11.320 the UK All American, we'll call the action along with 285 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:14.360 Tom Leach when the Wildcats teed up on Friday night, 286 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:17.519 toss it up. I should say, let's talk about how 287 00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:21.639 they got here, Jack, And obviously it's improved defense. And 288 00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:24.840 this is a team that a lot of people dismissed 289 00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:27.919 and really probably going into the tournament as much as 290 00:16:27.960 --> 00:16:31.679 the Lamont Butler injury as well as the rep they 291 00:16:31.759 --> 00:16:34.080 had for not being able to guard. But this is 292 00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:38.120 one of the most dramatic turnarounds I can remember, maybe 293 00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:41.840 ever in Kentucky basketball when it comes to defense, and 294 00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:44.679 you played for a guy who hammered home defense on 295 00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:47.840 day one, Mark Pope went about things a little bit differently. 296 00:16:48.039 --> 00:16:51.320 How surprised are you, Jack, not that they've made the improvement, 297 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:53.200 that they've made this much improvement. 298 00:16:54.919 --> 00:16:59.279 Well, listen, so much of what we do on defense 299 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:05.680 is started by Lamont Butler, and the healthier he is, 300 00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:10.640 the better we are. But back in the season, we 301 00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:15.440 had Lamont early in the season. We had Lamont, but 302 00:17:15.480 --> 00:17:19.079 we still weren't stopping teams from scoring. I mean, I 303 00:17:19.119 --> 00:17:21.359 think back to that where the Florida game was fun. 304 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:23.759 We won that, But I think back to that Alabama 305 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:27.799 game in Lexington. I mean, man, if we just play 306 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:30.680 a little bit of defense in that game, we win 307 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:36.839 that one. And you know, but I think, and I 308 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:39.680 can go to one guy, Okay, when I talk about 309 00:17:39.680 --> 00:17:43.160 the improvement on defense, I can go to one guy. 310 00:17:43.480 --> 00:17:47.640 I'm going to go to Kobe Braya. Okay, because back 311 00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:54.400 earlier on, even though you wanted his production offensive production 312 00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:58.359 on the floor, there were times you couldn't have him 313 00:17:58.400 --> 00:18:01.119 out there because he just was He just couldn't keep 314 00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:04.799 people in front of him. And look at now, Kobe 315 00:18:04.880 --> 00:18:08.079 is the one guy you can count on for thirty 316 00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:12.039 five minutes in any game. I mean he could and 317 00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:17.920 right now, he's had some games game where he couldn't 318 00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:21.680 make shots. I mean where shots just weren't falling, but 319 00:18:21.839 --> 00:18:24.200 you couldn't take him off the floor because of his 320 00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:30.000 defense and what his defense brought to the team. He's 321 00:18:30.079 --> 00:18:33.599 helping and recovering. Man, He's cutting people off the baseline. 322 00:18:33.640 --> 00:18:37.839 He's keeping guys who are very mobile guys, those six 323 00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:41.680 six to six eight guys that are mobile that we 324 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:45.119 face every night in the SEC. He's keeping those kind 325 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:48.160 of guys in front of him. So early in the 326 00:18:48.200 --> 00:18:50.599 season you couldn't have him out there because he was 327 00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:54.799 a liability on defense, and then now here right now, 328 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:58.119 you can't take him off the floor sometimes because the 329 00:18:58.200 --> 00:19:00.880 team drops off so much defense in a piece not 330 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:06.079 out there, So that's that's kind of a I look 331 00:19:06.119 --> 00:19:10.240 at what the whole team has done defensively, but I 332 00:19:10.279 --> 00:19:13.839 can point to him individually and talk to you about 333 00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:16.519 the change that this team has made on that defensive 334 00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:17.200 end of the floor. 335 00:19:17.559 --> 00:19:20.599 Jack Gibbons is my guest. He is Tom leach broadcast partner, 336 00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:23.359 of course on the UK radio network Marvel the Goose 337 00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:27.240 on the way You're on six thirty Wlap'm talking to 338 00:19:27.319 --> 00:19:30.839 Jack Gibbons. He is, of course Tom Leach's broadcast partner 339 00:19:31.279 --> 00:19:35.559 on UK basketball, and we urge you to tune them in. 340 00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:38.599 When the Wildcats tossed it up on Friday night in 341 00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:41.680 the NCAA tournament, Jack, you know what it's like to 342 00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:44.279 play in the NCAA. Is you played in three the 343 00:19:44.279 --> 00:19:46.559 only year you didn't play in the NCAA tournament. You 344 00:19:46.599 --> 00:19:50.359 won the NIT which was your second year of Kentucky. 345 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:56.680 So that said, the senior year pressure is different than 346 00:19:56.759 --> 00:19:59.400 any other. And as you pointed out earlier, these guys 347 00:19:59.480 --> 00:20:02.680 know this is it. They have been brought together and 348 00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:06.680 they've worked to come together to do something special that, 349 00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:09.759 you know, with all due respect, other than LaMarsh Butler, 350 00:20:10.359 --> 00:20:14.319 they really hadn't done their respective careers. What kind of 351 00:20:14.359 --> 00:20:17.079 pressure is there on this kid, on these kids, because 352 00:20:17.160 --> 00:20:18.640 there are different kinds of pressure. 353 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:24.279 Well, I kind of like the fact, Gabe, that they 354 00:20:24.359 --> 00:20:28.640 are going into games as underdogs. Okay, even with the 355 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:34.680 three seed, they were an underdog against Illinois, okay, And 356 00:20:34.880 --> 00:20:40.440 I think that actually relieves a lot of the pressure 357 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:44.559 that they might have been facing if they came in 358 00:20:44.599 --> 00:20:48.200 to these games as a favorite. Now because they you know, 359 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:50.119 they've been in a lot of games. The games that 360 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:53.160 they've played in, I don't know that even that San 361 00:20:53.200 --> 00:20:58.039 Diego State game, San Diego State team that Lamont Butler 362 00:20:58.119 --> 00:21:01.039 played on, I don't know that of the first round 363 00:21:01.359 --> 00:21:04.559 they were even a favorite. You know, So they've been 364 00:21:04.799 --> 00:21:08.680 they've been used to coming in this thing as the underdog, 365 00:21:08.880 --> 00:21:11.720 you know, and I think that release. I mean, just 366 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:14.799 think about it. If these guys were a two seed 367 00:21:14.880 --> 00:21:18.559 and they were six, seven, eight, nine point favored going 368 00:21:18.599 --> 00:21:22.880 against everybody they play against, I think that would bring 369 00:21:22.960 --> 00:21:26.920 a whole different pressure than what this team is facing 370 00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:31.240 that this time. So, I mean it's nice. I mean, 371 00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:35.000 it's it's pressure, but the pressure that they have on 372 00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:37.920 them is a little bit different than the pressures that 373 00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:41.519 we had as the number one team in the country 374 00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:44.119 and that you were expected to win. I mean, that's 375 00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:46.759 just a little bit different kind of pressure, there's. 376 00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:49.599 No question, and they can lean on each other. I mean, 377 00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:51.440 you guys could as well, but yeah, it was it 378 00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:54.279 was almost crushing. Uh, you know the way you guys 379 00:21:54.680 --> 00:21:58.759 handled that. You know, we talked about Lamont Butler, we 380 00:21:58.799 --> 00:22:02.880 talked about Kobe brand defense, and I've been saying that 381 00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:07.079 that Lamont, and it's pretty evident, makes everybody better on offense, 382 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:09.680 but also makes everybody better on defense. But you were 383 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:12.720 pointing out the other night, uh, And I think I 384 00:22:12.759 --> 00:22:15.039 heard you talk to Otaga about this on the postgame 385 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:19.799 show that with Lamont back, everybody reverts to their natural 386 00:22:19.920 --> 00:22:24.640 position and Otega doesn't have to be the point guard 387 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:27.920 and I think sometimes people forget what kind of pressure 388 00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:29.920 that brings and what kind of I don't want to 389 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:33.319 use the word burden, but it's much harder on him 390 00:22:33.319 --> 00:22:34.640 to be Otega, isn't it. 391 00:22:35.599 --> 00:22:40.000 Yeah, it's a whole different mindset that point guard spot. 392 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:43.720 I mean, you you can't just put anybody in there 393 00:22:43.720 --> 00:22:48.599 at the point guard spot and say okay, go out there, 394 00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:53.799 man and do what Lamont Butler does for exactly. I mean, 395 00:22:53.799 --> 00:22:57.240 it's very difficult. And you know, Otega is much better 396 00:22:57.319 --> 00:23:01.039 coming off the wings, uh as opposed to straight up 397 00:23:01.160 --> 00:23:04.880 top on that get the offense start kind of situation. 398 00:23:06.680 --> 00:23:10.240 And that is the biggest thing. Everybody goes back to 399 00:23:10.359 --> 00:23:13.880 doing their own thing when Lamont Butler is around. Now, 400 00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:18.160 that doesn't mean that you won't put Otega, you won't 401 00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:25.319