WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.280 --> 00:00:04.040 Hell. Everybody to the facilities of the iHeartMedia Megaplexus is 2 00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:06.759 Dick Gabriel. It's a state wide edition of the Big 3 00:00:06.759 --> 00:00:09.720 Blue in Society. Heard Mark Pope's comments, some telling comments 4 00:00:09.759 --> 00:00:13.320 as well, or Darren Hedrick and a host of folks 5 00:00:13.320 --> 00:00:15.679 talking about UK women's basketball, what the year they got 6 00:00:15.720 --> 00:00:19.079 going as well. It's softball and baseball time as well. 7 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:21.000 We'll talk about all of that with Billy Rutligion, Aaron 8 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:25.039 gershon here on the state wide BBI from Pikeville to Paduica. 9 00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:27.879 It is the Big Blue Insider, Dick Gabriel, Billy Rutledge, 10 00:00:28.199 --> 00:00:32.320 Aaron Gershawan again on a Wednesday. As mister Leech pointed out, 11 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:35.759 with the road game on Tuesday, everything slides over. That's 12 00:00:35.799 --> 00:00:38.119 why we have two games to talk about, neither one 13 00:00:38.119 --> 00:00:42.359 of them happy experiences. Aaron was at both. Billy produced 14 00:00:42.359 --> 00:00:44.799 both games on the radio. I was, of course at 15 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:47.960 the home game, but not in Oxford, been there before. 16 00:00:48.200 --> 00:00:50.920 Aaron and I were talking before the game about the 17 00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:55.679 fact that that's just another arena where trying to become 18 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:59.320 more relevant in basketball. They spent money on coaches, on 19 00:00:59.439 --> 00:01:05.680 facility on the arena, and I was amazed, Aaron, when 20 00:01:05.719 --> 00:01:08.959 you told me it wasn't No, it was not. 21 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:14.159 I mean it was, yes, And there were a lot 22 00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:16.560 of Kentucky fans. We're talking about Pregame, a lot of 23 00:01:16.560 --> 00:01:18.840 the folks in western Kentucky. That's an easy road trip. 24 00:01:19.239 --> 00:01:23.319 But yeah, it wasn't like, it wasn't anything crazy. I 25 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:26.079 was going back through some pictures to see like tip 26 00:01:26.120 --> 00:01:28.840 off crowds and through the my the last three years 27 00:01:28.879 --> 00:01:33.239 have been to almost every SEC road game outside of LSU. 28 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:36.599 Last year that was probably the smallest and not I'm 29 00:01:36.640 --> 00:01:39.280 taking Vandy out of it, because Kentucky fans packed that place. 30 00:01:39.760 --> 00:01:41.920 So yeah, it was a little bit of a weaker 31 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:44.200 crowd than I was expecting, and it was also a 32 00:01:44.280 --> 00:01:46.040 much weaker effort than I was expecting. 33 00:01:46.040 --> 00:01:49.159 Well, and that's where I was going. First, we heard 34 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:51.680 Pope's comments, and you've written about it, and I've talked 35 00:01:51.680 --> 00:01:54.239 about it on the radio, and Billy has uh but 36 00:01:54.840 --> 00:01:57.879 tell me a little bit because you you got firsthand 37 00:01:58.280 --> 00:02:00.519 knowledge yep about body language. 38 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:04.480 Oh not yours, not minors. Theirs wasn't good. Yeah, it 39 00:02:04.560 --> 00:02:05.120 was not good. 40 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:09.680 It was look I mean from the beginning, they just 41 00:02:09.719 --> 00:02:10.599 looked disinterested. 42 00:02:10.680 --> 00:02:13.800 Last night it was just remember Mark Pope his big 43 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:16.560 thing in like the locker room. And then after the 44 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:20.439 game against Tennessee last Tuesday was we would there's nowhere 45 00:02:20.439 --> 00:02:23.479 we'd rather be than right here in Tennessee playing this game. 46 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:25.719 Yeah. Yeah, it was like and they played that way 47 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:27.120 right last night. 48 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:30.960 It was I'd rather be anywhere but Oxford, Mississippi playing 49 00:02:31.000 --> 00:02:31.479 this game. 50 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:33.400 That's how it looked from the opening tip. They fell 51 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:35.319 behind before you can even. 52 00:02:35.400 --> 00:02:37.560 Watch, like before the it felt like before the ball 53 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:39.319 was even tipped, they were down five to nothing. It 54 00:02:39.479 --> 00:02:44.719 just snowballed so quickly and they're down eleven quickly. And 55 00:02:45.400 --> 00:02:47.439 end of the first half was when it all boiled over. 56 00:02:47.479 --> 00:02:50.199 Obviously sixteen three run and the sequence that there are 57 00:02:50.199 --> 00:02:51.919 a couple of things that stand out, but the sequence 58 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:54.080 that kind of summed it up for me is Kobe 59 00:02:54.479 --> 00:02:57.319 Kentucky couldn't get anything going offensively in the first Obviously 60 00:02:57.400 --> 00:02:58.919 the defense the main issue, we'll talk about it, but 61 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:02.560 the offense Ole missed had switches one through five, they 62 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:06.280 give really good looks. Kentucky was confused they had nothing going. 63 00:03:06.639 --> 00:03:10.240 So Kobe Brea pulls up from past the logo like 64 00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:14.439 deeper than Trentonoah's three down in Knoxville last week. Expectedly, 65 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:17.400 he misses, almost gets an easy rebound. Their little five 66 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:19.439 to ten point guard from Saint Peter's, by the way, 67 00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:23.400 gets that point guard he was on that team. They 68 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:25.520 it turns into a transition three where no one on 69 00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:28.280 Kentucky hustles back. On the other end, Kentucky comes back 70 00:03:28.319 --> 00:03:30.680 down the floor, they turn it over almost immediately and 71 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:32.960 it turns into a transition layup where there was very 72 00:03:32.960 --> 00:03:35.280 little hustle coming down the floor. That just summed it 73 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:36.840 up for me. It was just poor effort. 74 00:03:37.039 --> 00:03:40.719 Yeah. And when they started Billy baumbing away from three 75 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:45.039 and again, as was the case for some guys in 76 00:03:45.080 --> 00:03:48.520 the Arkansas game, guys who ordinarily don't hit threes were 77 00:03:48.560 --> 00:03:49.120 thrown them in. 78 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:53.960 But they're wide open, standing still wide open. 79 00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:54.520 Yeah. 80 00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:57.039 And then even into the second half, when Kentucky's offense 81 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:01.240 played better, they were hitting contested threes deep. And you know, 82 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:03.280 that was a team that averaged seven threes again and 83 00:04:03.360 --> 00:04:05.120 they had over that in the first half. And it's 84 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:09.240 like this Kentucky defense is not great, you know, back 85 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:11.400 to back really bad halves. If you look at the 86 00:04:11.479 --> 00:04:13.759 second half of the Arkansas game in the first half, 87 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:17.079 Ole miss and and it's discouraging because if Tennessee doesn't 88 00:04:17.079 --> 00:04:18.160 miss thirty four to three. 89 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:19.360 Pointers, they lost five in a row. 90 00:04:19.399 --> 00:04:21.600 You've lost five in a row. It's four or five 91 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:25.720 right now. It's just head scratching because this team beats 92 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:28.720 Duke and you know they they beat Gonzaga with no 93 00:04:28.839 --> 00:04:32.040 point guards, and they even going into Knoxville and beat 94 00:04:32.040 --> 00:04:35.360 Tennessee Florida. But yet, like you know, a lack of 95 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:39.639 urgency and effort being questioned. Now it's like these injuries 96 00:04:39.680 --> 00:04:43.360 have really taken a toll on not only the players Psyche, 97 00:04:43.399 --> 00:04:46.360 but maybe even the coaches. After we heard Mark Pope 98 00:04:46.399 --> 00:04:50.680 is bleeding from a hand and breaking furniture. So it's 99 00:04:50.920 --> 00:04:53.000 this play. This team is in a really weird spot. 100 00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:57.399 Though he's not taking a lion down. Yeah, you know, 101 00:04:57.839 --> 00:05:00.920 he's not all sweetness and light. But when you think 102 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:04.639 about it, to your point about Tennessee foolishly jacking up 103 00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:08.800 forty five threes. If Florida hits free throws, yeah they 104 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:12.319 lose that game, but they made enough place to win. 105 00:05:12.439 --> 00:05:14.959 You've got to give them credit for winning. They beat 106 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:18.279 a really good Florida team and a pretty good Tennessee 107 00:05:18.360 --> 00:05:21.519 team and a good A and M team. That's right. 108 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:24.639 So in Mississippi State, like they have really good wins, 109 00:05:24.720 --> 00:05:25.680 you've got to wonder. 110 00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:29.839 And some of these are older guys, somemmer kids. Are 111 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:33.920 they kind of leaning into well, Lama's not here. We 112 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:38.480 don't have our best defender and great defense. Team. Defense 113 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:43.120 begins with on ball pressure. Everybody knows that, but you 114 00:05:43.319 --> 00:05:45.680 watch well. For instance, last night, in the first half, 115 00:05:46.120 --> 00:05:50.680 Ole miss slid seamlessly into its offense with very little 116 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:55.959 Kentucky resistance. And now when they start attacking a bucket, 117 00:05:56.800 --> 00:05:58.879 they'd start, oh my goodness, we got to guard the 118 00:05:58.959 --> 00:06:02.279 room too late, and they either get to the rim 119 00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:03.920 or kick it at for a wide three. 120 00:06:04.439 --> 00:06:06.800 Yeah, And I asked after the game with the three, 121 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:09.000 I mean, the most glaring thing right now is the 122 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:12.480 three point defense the last five games. It's not even 123 00:06:12.560 --> 00:06:15.040 just the percentage. I did coucut the percentage just thirty 124 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:18.920 seven percent and take away all those threes Tennessee hit 125 00:06:19.959 --> 00:06:22.480 or missed. I should say, yeah, I'd love to see 126 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:26.879 it the four games without Tennessee included, but Kentucky's taking 127 00:06:26.920 --> 00:06:28.399 I think it's one hundred and twenty three three is 128 00:06:28.439 --> 00:06:31.399 their last five games, opponents have taken one sixty eight. Yeah, 129 00:06:31.680 --> 00:06:33.319 so they're getting beat at what they want to do 130 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:36.120 because they're giving these looks. But point is, I asked 131 00:06:36.120 --> 00:06:38.680 Mark Pope, is it is it not closing out on 132 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:41.600 guys or is it your scouting reports are guys are 133 00:06:41.639 --> 00:06:43.759 hitting above average? And he said it's a mix of both. 134 00:06:43.800 --> 00:06:46.199 But that's where you would think with this coaching staff 135 00:06:46.240 --> 00:06:49.319 that has at times done wonderful jobs just game planning, 136 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:52.120 scheming things, would go into halftime and say, look, this 137 00:06:52.199 --> 00:06:54.600 guy's hot tonight. We have to close out on him, 138 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:58.399 and we just haven't seen it. Like Big Z, for example, 139 00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:01.120 is a forty percent was a forty percent three shooter 140 00:07:01.240 --> 00:07:03.680 going into that game on Saturday against Arkansas. I think 141 00:07:03.720 --> 00:07:05.959 he hit a three very early. He hit another three, 142 00:07:05.959 --> 00:07:09.439 but before the half, there was no adjustment to bring 143 00:07:09.480 --> 00:07:11.240 guys out on him. They just kind of let him 144 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:14.319 have it. It was I don't know if it's a 145 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:17.160 lack of effort of bad scouting what it is, but 146 00:07:17.360 --> 00:07:18.519 it's ugly right now. 147 00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:20.839 Well, more on what Mark Pope said tonight. I mean 148 00:07:20.879 --> 00:07:22.680 he was asked if there's a vocal leader on the team, 149 00:07:22.680 --> 00:07:25.120 and he basically said no, and then the first person 150 00:07:25.160 --> 00:07:27.240 he talked about was Lamont Butler being the heart and 151 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:29.079 soul of the team. And when you don't have your 152 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:31.319 heart and soul break, I mean, you can look a 153 00:07:31.319 --> 00:07:33.600 little lost out there. And I feel like Kentucky's defense 154 00:07:33.639 --> 00:07:37.560 definitely does look lost at times. I mean, I'm optimistic 155 00:07:37.600 --> 00:07:40.120 they can improve, but how much can you improve midway 156 00:07:40.120 --> 00:07:40.920 through the year with. 157 00:07:40.920 --> 00:07:43.319 A bunch of old guys, A bunch old guys. 158 00:07:43.879 --> 00:07:46.439 Maybe the game being Saturday at noon will be good 159 00:07:46.439 --> 00:07:47.199 for these old guys. 160 00:07:47.279 --> 00:07:49.120 I kind of look at it a little differently. I 161 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:52.079 know what you're saying, but I think the old guys 162 00:07:52.279 --> 00:07:57.279 are better equipped to process stuff because of that experience. 163 00:07:57.759 --> 00:07:59.519 You know, if this were a bunch of new kids, 164 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:02.399 I would wonder, you know, yeah, I mean, they're more 165 00:08:02.439 --> 00:08:05.519 of a of a blank template. But on the other hand, 166 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:09.560 it takes experience to figure things out. And you know, 167 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:13.240 these guys have played a lot of basketball, but it's 168 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:16.120 it's beyond x's and o's quite frankly, I do think 169 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:20.199 it's you know, you wonder, why, why, why in the 170 00:08:20.240 --> 00:08:24.040 world were they sleepwalking? Oh? In the first part of 171 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:24.720 that game. 172 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:27.959 They looked again they just looked disinterested. They just did 173 00:08:28.040 --> 00:08:31.439 not want to be there. It was the first time 174 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:34.120 all year were you know, they've had some games where 175 00:08:34.120 --> 00:08:37.279 they've stunk Georgia, they stunk Ohio State, they stunk. That 176 00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:40.080 was the first game. I was like, Wow, they just there. 177 00:08:40.200 --> 00:08:42.399 They're not in it today. They're not mentally there. 178 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:46.399 You know. The weirdest stat from the entire game assist 179 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:51.519 the turnovers, oh almost turned it on twenty four assists 180 00:08:51.720 --> 00:08:54.080 one to one turnover and the one who was a 181 00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:56.480 guy bounced it off his knees. That's right. 182 00:08:57.519 --> 00:08:59.000 You know, I don't like I've ever seen a stat 183 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:01.559 line like that either. And then you add on top 184 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:04.799 of that, Ansley Almanor and Trent Noah joined the trillion 185 00:09:04.919 --> 00:09:08.440 club and played what fifteen minutes and didn't record a single. 186 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:10.799 Stat fifteen for aman Or in thirteen for. 187 00:09:10.879 --> 00:09:12.440 Noah, and Trent no is a guy that had two 188 00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:15.440 good games back to back. Then he doesn't play in 189 00:09:15.480 --> 00:09:18.039 the Arkansas. That didn't bother me, and then he plays 190 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:20.679 fifteen minutes or thirteen minutes and doesn't do anything there. 191 00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:23.200 To a degree, it feels like Mark Pope, with the injuries, 192 00:09:23.279 --> 00:09:26.480 is just throwing lineups out there, he's just trying to admitted. 193 00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:29.360 Then he's admitted as much. Then you also get the 194 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:31.679 fourth triple double in program history. By the way, about that, 195 00:09:32.080 --> 00:09:35.279 it's like, what happened about that? That's what a weird see. 196 00:09:35.840 --> 00:09:40.039 I'm watching the Arkansas game and I said to myself, huh, well, 197 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:42.759 I haven't seen Noah yet. I wonderful see him. But 198 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:46.399 first game, sure, but when you look at what he 199 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:52.720 brings his skill set, that wasn't what they needed against Arkansas. 200 00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:55.879 They needed perimeter defense and I was kind of glad 201 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:59.840 to see Chandler out there because he's quicker, you know. Uh, 202 00:10:00.039 --> 00:10:03.159 And I thought he did okay for you know, for 203 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:06.360 a true freshman, and yeah he comes with uh. I 204 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:09.200 think he came a trent against a miss because they 205 00:10:09.240 --> 00:10:11.879 needed a little of everything, you know. Yeah. 206 00:10:11.879 --> 00:10:13.679 Well, I mean anything could have been better than what 207 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:15.879 we saw in the same after that Arkansas game, So 208 00:10:16.039 --> 00:10:19.159 maybe you know, I don't know, it's it's you know, 209 00:10:19.240 --> 00:10:22.559 that was really disappointing. I mean after the environment that 210 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:25.399 we saw in rep Arena. And you know, col was 211 00:10:25.480 --> 00:10:29.159 very gracious, really was. He knew his postgame comments were, 212 00:10:30.919 --> 00:10:32.360 but I remember. 213 00:10:32.039 --> 00:10:34.559 The cal well, no he was gracious. I'm saying, I 214 00:10:34.559 --> 00:10:34.960 don't know if. 215 00:10:36.720 --> 00:10:39.600 Auburn we're here for something different. 216 00:10:39.720 --> 00:10:43.200 These people came to see me standing I'm going to 217 00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:46.320 indeed where we have one, two, three, four, five, six, 218 00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:50.240 seven All Stars and two left out? Oh my god. No, 219 00:10:50.360 --> 00:10:52.480 but I was expecting a little bit of that for 220 00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:53.679 being honest. But you're right. 221 00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:57.080 He was absolutely gracious. He was classy, he was complimentary, 222 00:10:57.080 --> 00:10:58.960 and look at the end of the day to his 223 00:10:58.960 --> 00:11:01.360 team's two and six, So there's not much gloating he 224 00:11:01.399 --> 00:11:04.039 can really do. But no, he handled it great, and 225 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:05.440 so do the players. 226 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:09.559 I think. I think Arkansas is a great example of 227 00:11:09.600 --> 00:11:12.639 addition by subtraction. And that's not a knock on Boogie Flann. 228 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:14.720 He's a great player, yeah, and he's going to have 229 00:11:14.799 --> 00:11:18.600 a nice career. But yeah, what happens after they lose him? 230 00:11:18.960 --> 00:11:23.000 They're forced to play more of a balanced game, right, Yes, 231 00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:26.240 But unfortunately for Kentucky you can't say the same about 232 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:28.679 when you lose Lamont Butler because he gets you in 233 00:11:28.720 --> 00:11:32.440 your offense and he starts your defense different, different thing entirely. 234 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:35.039 The one thing I do wonder with this team is, 235 00:11:35.159 --> 00:11:37.600 and I think a talking point on the radio tonight 236 00:11:37.720 --> 00:11:42.519 was fatigue. Right, Yes, Arkansas, they are very shorthanded. They 237 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:44.919 already cow made the mistake of only signing nine guys. 238 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:47.320 Then you lose Boogie jonas Ad who's barely been able 239 00:11:47.360 --> 00:11:49.720 to play. So they're really down to seven and their 240 00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:50.480 guys are you like. 241 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:52.080 And they don't get much from Knox or Richmond. 242 00:11:52.200 --> 00:11:54.159 Right, DJ played thirty eight in that game, didn't look 243 00:11:54.200 --> 00:11:56.720 tired at all. Do look thirty played thirty six, didn't 244 00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:58.639 look tired at all. And then I believe someone else 245 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:03.200 played thirty two, thirty five, Janelle Davis, Kentucky's guys, they 246 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:05.879 they can't get those minutes from anyone on this team. 247 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:09.279 And I just wonder if that's I know, Pope, last 248 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:11.639 year by you played eleven guys. Going into this year, 249 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:13.919 the plane was to play ten or eleven guys. Maybe 250 00:12:13.919 --> 00:12:15.759 that's a philosophy thing, but I just feel like this 251 00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:18.559 team and we saw it even in the Alabama game 252 00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:21.120 when the Mott was still playing, and Andrew Carr he played, 253 00:12:21.159 --> 00:12:25.120 he was limited, but he played. Remember the big talking point. 254 00:12:25.159 --> 00:12:27.480 He got to eighty one, eighty one, and then Pope said, 255 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:28.720 the team random of gas. 256 00:12:29.080 --> 00:12:29.840 Why is that? 257 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:32.039 I'd love to that's a question I want to ask tomorrow. 258 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:35.080 It was why the other teams? It doesn't seem last 259 00:12:35.159 --> 00:12:37.440 night Old Miss had three guys played thirty five plus. 260 00:12:37.679 --> 00:12:40.159 They didn't seem tired at all. Your guys look exhausted 261 00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:42.080 if they're playing all. 262 00:12:41.480 --> 00:12:43.799 I can't speak for that goes on or what does? 263 00:12:44.279 --> 00:12:46.879 Maybe teams got a bad batch. Je Davis is a 264 00:12:46.879 --> 00:12:49.960 fifth year though. Teams that are winning, teams that are 265 00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:54.639 playing well, Uh, they they tire out the other team. 266 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:56.000 The other team's always chasing them. 267 00:12:56.080 --> 00:12:58.000 Yeah, but Arkansas's played like crap all year and you 268 00:12:58.039 --> 00:12:59.039 go look at the minute logs. 269 00:12:59.039 --> 00:12:59.919 It's like that every game. 270 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:03.759 True, So it's just to me, Uh, I don't know, 271 00:13:04.120 --> 00:13:06.399 it's it's a mess right now. It's kind of an 272 00:13:06.440 --> 00:13:07.320 all systems failure. 273 00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:10.559 Yeah, And you know Jackson Robinson isn't completely comfortable with 274 00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:13.159 the ball in his hands, I don't think. And you 275 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:16.840 know you've got forty plus turnovers in three games now 276 00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:17.960 without LaMonte Butler. 277 00:13:17.960 --> 00:13:19.720 How many times you've ever heard of a guard who's 278 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:21.840 not comfortable with a ball in his hands? 279 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:24.200 How often do you hear that? You know that you 280 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:26.759 don't hear that often. It's more like you want the ball, 281 00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:29.159 like or you've spent your whole high school career being 282 00:13:29.159 --> 00:13:29.679 the guy. 283 00:13:29.480 --> 00:13:30.679 With the ball. Yeah, exactly. 284 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:33.759 Remember Pope told the story about Jackson after the Gonzagga game, 285 00:13:33.879 --> 00:13:36.080 how they ran him at point last year. I'll never 286 00:13:36.120 --> 00:13:39.200 play point guard again. So it's not exactly a guy 287 00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:40.320 who loves that position. 288 00:13:40.440 --> 00:13:42.519 I don't know him at all. I've you know, spoken 289 00:13:42.559 --> 00:13:45.240 to him like you have, But I just wonder, is 290 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:47.080 he kind of a guy that just can't get out 291 00:13:47.080 --> 00:13:51.159 of his own head? You know it? Sure? Yeah, because 292 00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:53.799 he struggled here until Pope said Anna talked to him 293 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:56.320 and said, look, you're carrying too much of a mental 294 00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:59.480 emotional low. Just relax and playing. That was his very 295 00:13:59.480 --> 00:14:00.200 next game. 296 00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:02.879 And look he shot the ball well last night. Had 297 00:14:02.919 --> 00:14:05.919 some turnovers. There's one play where it's like, be physical 298 00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:07.360 and reach out for a loose ball. 299 00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:07.879 He didn't. 300 00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:10.480 But the body language again, when we're talking about the 301 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:14.200 body language. Going into halftime, Jackson had his hands in 302 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:17.320 his head with the towel, just looking down, holding a 303 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:20.120 towel into his head with his head down like he cares. 304 00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:25.440 He absolutely cares, and a way to strike that balance. 305 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:28.559 There's a video out there when he walked out of 306 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:33.320 the locker room after the Arkansas game just consolate, you know, Oh, 307 00:14:33.679 --> 00:14:35.440 put his arms around him and all that stuff. 308 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:38.519 No, you want to see that. But on the matter hand, 309 00:14:38.519 --> 00:14:41.720 you need to see a little more fire on the floor. Yeah. Absolutely, 310 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:43.519 And yet they played with earlier this year. 311 00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:46.039 Yeah, they did, they did, And yet there's still this 312 00:14:46.320 --> 00:14:49.399 the number two best offense in the country when it 313 00:14:49.399 --> 00:14:50.720 comes to efficiency. 314 00:14:50.840 --> 00:14:51.879 Best in school history. 315 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:56.919 So there's so they're number one, number two, I'm sorry 316 00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:59.799 an offense efficiency, which I think they're only behind Bamar. 317 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:02.399 What are they won ten and they're one fourteen in defense, 318 00:15:02.399 --> 00:15:04.559 which is the worst in school history. So they've the 319 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:07.600 this is worse than last year. Yes, so since nineteen 320 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:10.919 this is ninety six ninety seven season perk. So they're 321 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:13.879 the best offensive efficiency in school history, but the worst 322 00:15:13.879 --> 00:15:17.200 defense of efficiency in school history. Didn't see that coming. 323 00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:21.440 Just get a little better on defense and this could 324 00:15:21.440 --> 00:15:24.639 be such a magical run. But you know, now I'm 325 00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:27.200 thinking about Wednesday of the SEC tournament and then yeah 326 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:30.279 with the New brack first round of the NCAA tournament. 327 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:33.279 Because Mark Pope doesn't have a single NCAA tournament win. Oh, 328 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:35.960 it doesn't oounced by Ducane. 329 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:39.600 Well, let me ask you this though, prior to the season, 330 00:15:40.519 --> 00:15:44.720 what were your expectations just one nanc right, Yeah, let's 331 00:15:44.720 --> 00:15:47.200 get to the five hundred everyone, you know, maybe go 332 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:49.159 five hundred in the league, get to the tournament and 333 00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:52.480 win a game, and then yeah, when the quad one 334 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:54.919 wins start to come, Hey we're gonna get to the 335 00:15:54.919 --> 00:15:57.559 sweet sixteen. Hey, how we're gonna get to the final 336 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:00.279 four of the SEC tournament. Hey you know, oh, okay, 337 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:02.240 that's all will and good. And then you lose your 338 00:16:02.240 --> 00:16:05.120 best guy. That's true. No, it's and if I had 339 00:16:05.159 --> 00:16:08.039 told you right after they had beaten some of those 340 00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:11.240 quad one teams, oh, as you head into the teeth 341 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:14.320 of the SEC schedule, you're going to be with al 342 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:16.519 La mont Butler and for some of those games. No, 343 00:16:16.679 --> 00:16:20.440 Andrew Carr, who for quite a while was before Williams 344 00:16:20.519 --> 00:16:24.399 caught fire, was doing anything. So if I told you, 345 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:26.360 by the way, you're not going to have them have 346 00:16:26.519 --> 00:16:29.480 fun that I agree with all that from a wins 347 00:16:29.480 --> 00:16:33.360 and losses standpoint. What I think is very concerning. It's 348 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:34.159 how they're losing. 349 00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:37.600 They just the last two games, specifically the energies, especially 350 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:40.480 the Arkansas game has well, the Old Miss game were. 351 00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:43.200 I thought they came out firing worse. 352 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:45.639 No, No, I meant like, especially the Arkansas game where 353 00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:48.240 you know what's at stake and to not come out 354 00:16:48.360 --> 00:16:51.679 yeah pistols firing really the whole forty minutes of my pot. 355 00:16:52.039 --> 00:16:53.080 Yeah, Ole Miss was worse, no. 356 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:55.679 Question, against the second worst team in the SEC. 357 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:56.559 That's correct, that too. 358 00:16:57.639 --> 00:16:59.480 I know they were motivated, but you were at home 359 00:16:59.559 --> 00:17:02.919 against a one in sixteens with seven dudes. Now you 360 00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:07.279 play South Carolina on Saturday that don't have a single 361 00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:09.839 win in the SEC, and you know that is a 362 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:14.119 must win. And I mean I'm looking at like three 363 00:17:14.519 --> 00:17:16.720 maybe four more wins the rest of the way, because 364 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:19.960 you've still got Auburn at home, You've still got Missouri 365 00:17:20.119 --> 00:17:25.079 on the road, You've got home Alabama. I think Vandy 366 00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:28.880 LSU to South Carolina or your three mus get wins. 367 00:17:29.079 --> 00:17:30.000 Oh yeah, no question. 368 00:17:30.039 --> 00:17:32.160 And if you don't, then I think you're on bubble watch. 369 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:36.279 I'm watching I'm watching Arkansas this year and it was 370 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:39.039 just I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, but I'm like, 371 00:17:39.799 --> 00:17:43.559 it's it's Kentucky all over again. And the ball was sticking, 372 00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:47.519 you know, But so much of that was hey, Boogie, 373 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:52.240 save us right. They look nothing of very little like 374 00:17:52.279 --> 00:17:57.240 they have all year because no Boogie playing. Everybody's touching 375 00:17:57.279 --> 00:17:58.000 that part of it. 376 00:17:58.039 --> 00:17:59.920 But the first two games without Boogie, because I went 377 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:03.000 back and watch to prepare for this game, it was 378 00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:04.720 a lot of the same sticking was it? 379 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:05.640 This game? 380 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:09.240 Cal Cal pretty much said, let's play like those guys. 381 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:11.519 That's how it felt. And you know what, they were 382 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:13.160 running plays like DJ was. 383 00:18:13.160 --> 00:18:13.759 Pointing to us. 384 00:18:13.799 --> 00:18:17.640 That's something pointing with hand signals. That's something watching Arkansas 385 00:18:17.640 --> 00:18:18.319 here and there all year. 386 00:18:18.359 --> 00:18:20.839 I'ven't seen halla Perry, Remember he said in a post 387 00:18:20.839 --> 00:18:23.440 game he told Wagner And when he said it, I thought, 388 00:18:23.759 --> 00:18:25.720 you idiot, why aren't you doing that all year? He 389 00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:29.799 told us the media, he said, I told Wagner to 390 00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:32.839 run stuff so they weren't looking at me. I'm like, 391 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:36.160 where was that last year? No Carol was at this season? 392 00:18:36.680 --> 00:18:41.920 I put it, this is the problem with him. I mean, 393 00:18:41.960 --> 00:18:45.759 early in his ten years, excellent, all that whatever. Lately 394 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:48.079 it's kind of been when he's really motivated, he's going 395 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:50.279 to coach his head off, like he's going to be 396 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:53.799 unbelievably successful, like the Auburn game last year. He coached 397 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:56.680 circles around burst Paul Pearl. Same thing just happened here 398 00:18:56.680 --> 00:18:59.079 when he came in, motivated his heck to win this game. 399 00:18:59.400 --> 00:18:59.799 He didn't. 400 00:19:00.079 --> 00:19:02.200 He was gracious, he didn't brag about it, you know 401 00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:03.880