WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:02.799 Welcome to the Big Blue Insider. Diay Gabriel with you 2 00:00:02.839 --> 00:00:06.599 on a Thursday edition our show abbreviated Tonight for UK 3 00:00:06.759 --> 00:00:11.080 women's basketball, the Wildcats taking on the Texas Longhorns at 4 00:00:11.160 --> 00:00:14.119 Historic Memorial Coliseum. Darren Hedrick will have the call for you. 5 00:00:14.519 --> 00:00:17.480 Was pregame coming up at six forty five at Kenny 6 00:00:17.480 --> 00:00:20.480 Brooks and then the tip off minute or two after 7 00:00:20.519 --> 00:00:26.280 seven o'clock Cats and Longhorns Historic Memorial Coliseum, an historic game, 8 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:29.679 Texas playing as a member of the SEC for the 9 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:33.000 first time here in Lexington, and it's a huge game 10 00:00:33.479 --> 00:00:37.119 as the Wildcats are trying to bounce back from that 11 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:40.799 puzzling loss down at Ole Miss when they just got 12 00:00:40.920 --> 00:00:45.960 hammered on the board, didn't play nearly enough physical basketball 13 00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:49.960 to hold off the Rebels. Kentucky Blue big lead early 14 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:52.920 and just could not make plays when it had to. 15 00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:56.359 So we'll see what kind of adjustments and changes that 16 00:00:56.479 --> 00:01:00.200 Kenny Brooks's team will have made, and we'll have it 17 00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:02.159 for you right here as Darren has the call coming 18 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:06.120 up very shortly. But the UK men of course play 19 00:01:06.239 --> 00:01:09.319 at Texas on Saturday. Another one you'll hear right here 20 00:01:09.359 --> 00:01:11.799 on six thirty wlap, Tom and jack will have it 21 00:01:11.879 --> 00:01:18.599 for you. Kentucky beats Tennessee despite not having Jackson Robinson, 22 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:22.599 who had a huge game against the Balls down in Knoxville. 23 00:01:22.640 --> 00:01:25.920 And you know how good Tennessee is defensively, one of, 24 00:01:25.959 --> 00:01:29.359 if not the best, in the country. And yet the 25 00:01:29.400 --> 00:01:32.640 Wildcats and Jackson wasn't the only one. But the Cats 26 00:01:32.640 --> 00:01:35.560 had a great game offensively down there and made enough 27 00:01:35.599 --> 00:01:39.079 stops to win the game. So coming back this week, 28 00:01:39.159 --> 00:01:44.879 I wondered, minus Jackson Robinson but with Lamont Butler, could 29 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:48.439 the Wildcats beat Tennessee. I would not have been surprised 30 00:01:49.200 --> 00:01:52.319 if Kentucky had lost that game. Tennessee is just really good. 31 00:01:53.920 --> 00:01:58.560 And when Tennessee caught up and had a chance to 32 00:01:58.599 --> 00:02:01.120 catch up, you might recall, but you know, Kentucky took 33 00:02:01.159 --> 00:02:03.760 the early lead and it was, you know, a four 34 00:02:03.799 --> 00:02:06.159 to six eight point game, back and forth, and then 35 00:02:06.200 --> 00:02:09.960 Tennessee got close, and I think three times missed an 36 00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:12.639 opportunity to tie the game or take the lead. But 37 00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:17.520 finally it did. And when it did, I thought, okay, 38 00:02:17.639 --> 00:02:19.759 and I think who was it? Chris Fisher, I think 39 00:02:20.199 --> 00:02:23.120 of two four to seven Sports tweeted that he was 40 00:02:23.159 --> 00:02:29.439 impressed because oftentimes when a team surrenders a lead, it 41 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:32.159 just kind of and I'm paraphrasing, now's my term. Let's 42 00:02:32.199 --> 00:02:35.039 go with the rope a little bit, and the other 43 00:02:35.080 --> 00:02:37.800 team that caught up just kind of moves off, you know, 44 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:40.639 eases a way to victory. I wondered if that would 45 00:02:40.680 --> 00:02:44.039 happen with this Kentucky team, but it did not, as 46 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:47.680 you know. And in fact, Kentucky was down sixty to 47 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:50.800 fifty eight with a ball and I said to myself, 48 00:02:50.840 --> 00:02:52.479 they have got to score. I think they were like 49 00:02:52.639 --> 00:02:54.879 two and a half minutes left, and I thought, they 50 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:58.159 have got to score here. Because as they give up 51 00:02:58.159 --> 00:03:01.159 a bucket at the other end, tennessee me get away 52 00:03:01.159 --> 00:03:05.719 from him and Kobe Bray comes down and drains a three, 53 00:03:05.919 --> 00:03:09.439 I mean, with somebody in his grill. And then later 54 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:12.039 on he hits Oway with that lob dunk that really 55 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:15.439 sealed the game. That which is so impressive the way 56 00:03:15.479 --> 00:03:20.319 and by now they had lost Lamont Butler, so Oway 57 00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:24.000 was playing some point. I mean, it was so impressive 58 00:03:24.520 --> 00:03:27.879 the way that team pulled together. And I'll go back 59 00:03:27.919 --> 00:03:30.000 and we'll talk. Jack Givans is gonna join us tomorrow. 60 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:33.719 I love that comment. That Jack made early in the year, 61 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:37.280 and I've come back to it because it's relevant so 62 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:42.919 often that when things aren't going perfectly for this team, 63 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:48.439 the players aren't all craning in their necks to see 64 00:03:48.439 --> 00:03:51.039 what the coach wants them to do, as they did 65 00:03:51.159 --> 00:03:55.439 in their previous management because the teams were often so young, 66 00:03:56.240 --> 00:03:59.120 and while they had young guys on the court, specifically 67 00:03:59.199 --> 00:04:04.319 Travis Perry, Trent Noah, the veterans on the court know 68 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:08.479 what to do and they and what's expected and they 69 00:04:08.520 --> 00:04:11.400 solve the problems themselves. I'm not saying they're not getting 70 00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:16.800 direction from Mark Pope, but they just didn't panic and 71 00:04:16.839 --> 00:04:20.879 they made plays. And that's what's just really interesting about 72 00:04:20.879 --> 00:04:26.199 watching this team, watching it grow, and it should be 73 00:04:26.279 --> 00:04:30.680 really interesting in the postseason to watch them adjust on 74 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:33.759 the fly to learn game plans for teams they know 75 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:36.920 nothing about yesterday and today we got a game plan 76 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:39.000 for a team or playing tomorrow. That kind of thing. 77 00:04:39.160 --> 00:04:44.800 That's what happens in the nca tournament. So this team 78 00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:48.639 is growing and maturing before our very eyes. But there 79 00:04:48.680 --> 00:04:52.680 are so many different storylines, including Butler being damaged again 80 00:04:53.560 --> 00:04:56.920 Jackson Robinson. You know when Mark Pope used the word 81 00:04:56.920 --> 00:05:01.360 a heartbroken after the game man. That sent a chill 82 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:02.920 through me. I thought, are we going to see Jackson 83 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:05.800 Robinson again? Are we going to see him before the tournament? 84 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:11.839 If at all? But Kentucky's making adjustments, finding ways to win. 85 00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:17.000 And I think as long as they have Butler, no 86 00:05:17.120 --> 00:05:21.160 disrespect to Robinson, they need him too. Wellout Butler, though, 87 00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:24.560 it's going to be really tough and that Rick Barnes 88 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:26.839 talked about Kentucky's point guard, Well. 89 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:29.399 He's really good defensively, but also he gives him that. 90 00:05:29.720 --> 00:05:32.199 I mean, he's their best downhill driver and a guy 91 00:05:32.240 --> 00:05:36.079 that experience been around. I think I love the way 92 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:39.439 he plays, you know, I really do. And he I 93 00:05:39.480 --> 00:05:42.399 hate that he got hurt again because those shoulders, they're 94 00:05:42.439 --> 00:05:44.439 hard to deal with this time of year, especially when 95 00:05:44.439 --> 00:05:46.120 you're at the point where you're getting hit a lot. 96 00:05:46.879 --> 00:05:49.319 I just hate that for him and for them. But 97 00:05:49.680 --> 00:05:53.920 he's a difference maker because he want his tough, hard 98 00:05:53.959 --> 00:05:56.439 nose can't affect the game on both ends. 99 00:05:57.279 --> 00:06:00.879 Is Rick Barnes, Tennessee's coach, talking about the veteran Lamont Butler, 100 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:04.959 and as I mentioned earlier, Kentucky getting great play from 101 00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:09.920 the freshman Perry and Trent Noah, and I think we'll 102 00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:12.639 see even more of that down the stretch now as 103 00:06:12.680 --> 00:06:14.759 Mark Pope tries to figure out where, when, and how 104 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:18.319 to play these guys. And my buddy Jeff Drummond from 105 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:22.680 Cat's Illustrated ask Kobe Brea about, you know, the notion 106 00:06:22.839 --> 00:06:25.439 that as of now they're not freshmen anymore, And to 107 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:29.560 one degree, he's right, and that they've played more basketball 108 00:06:29.600 --> 00:06:33.199 when you factor in pick up games and practices now 109 00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:36.680 than they ever have in their entire lives. Because then 110 00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:38.879 I've heard so many coaches and players talk about this 111 00:06:39.120 --> 00:06:42.800 high school to college. There's just so much more. Games 112 00:06:42.839 --> 00:06:47.360 are longer, practices are longer. So they're reaching a point 113 00:06:47.399 --> 00:06:49.720 and Caliperi used to talk about guys hitting the wall. 114 00:06:50.680 --> 00:06:53.879 Doesn't look like the freshmen for Kentucky are right now, 115 00:06:54.439 --> 00:06:58.319 but they are still freshmen, and that they're experiencing everything. 116 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:01.959 And I keep saying this for the first time. You know, 117 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:04.120 I don't buy well their sophomores, but no, they have 118 00:07:04.279 --> 00:07:08.879 never experienced a stretch run to a conference tournament or 119 00:07:08.920 --> 00:07:11.920 the NCAAA. Yeah, they've played in high school tournaments, not 120 00:07:12.120 --> 00:07:16.680 the same. But I do like the way these guys 121 00:07:16.680 --> 00:07:21.000 are maturing, the young guys for the Wildcats, and Brea 122 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:24.319 talked about the fact that they the veterans see the 123 00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:27.879 freshman every day in practice. They see how hard they work, 124 00:07:27.879 --> 00:07:28.959 and it's paying off. 125 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:31.839 For me personally, Like it's such a good feeling, just 126 00:07:31.879 --> 00:07:34.839 like it kind of feels like watching myself a little bit, 127 00:07:35.000 --> 00:07:37.120 just because I remember, you know, being in their shoes 128 00:07:37.160 --> 00:07:39.959 and going through those moments and having a big moment, 129 00:07:40.120 --> 00:07:43.360 big game like that, and it's just like, like I said, man, 130 00:07:43.399 --> 00:07:44.959 those guys they put in the work, So just to 131 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:47.439 see them, you know, see the word payoff, like I 132 00:07:47.480 --> 00:07:49.480 think thing is going to give them a lot more 133 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:51.680 confidence and just you know, make sure that they keep going. 134 00:07:52.199 --> 00:07:55.000 They are playing with confidence. And I thought about this 135 00:07:55.040 --> 00:07:58.079 as much with Trent no as I did Travis Perry, 136 00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:01.560 but watching Noah do his thing. The other day, I 137 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:05.079 flashed back to the State championships the week of the 138 00:08:05.079 --> 00:08:08.920 State championships last year, the state tournament because I got 139 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:11.319 a chance. The baseball schedule worked out to where I 140 00:08:11.319 --> 00:08:14.000 could go to just about every session, and I watched 141 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:17.720 Tren Noah make Rupperena his personal play thing, and so 142 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:21.959 did Travis Perry, but Noah, especially because Noah is a 143 00:08:21.959 --> 00:08:25.519 big guy. He's somewhere between sixty six and sixty seven, legit, 144 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:28.839 and he carries some muscle. He's got muscle on that frame, 145 00:08:29.879 --> 00:08:34.000 and he basically muscled his way through the Sweet sixteen. 146 00:08:34.080 --> 00:08:37.360 Perry a little bit more of a finesse player, good passer, 147 00:08:37.480 --> 00:08:43.120 good shooter, obviously great scorer, but Noah just basically imposed 148 00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:48.679 his will on opponents. And watching him play the other night, 149 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:54.720 he looked so confident, relaxing at ease in Rupperena, and 150 00:08:54.759 --> 00:08:59.000 I thought, well, why not, because yeah, he's played a 151 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:04.080 few games, but coming into this season, he knew that 152 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:08.440 playing surface, he knew that building that was home for 153 00:09:08.559 --> 00:09:11.159 him for almost a week, and he played that way, 154 00:09:11.639 --> 00:09:15.120 played that way against Tennessee and again, Bray and the 155 00:09:15.200 --> 00:09:17.840 veterans love to see it. And they also loved when 156 00:09:17.879 --> 00:09:22.600 Perry and Noah hit three pointers. The crowd reaction is 157 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:25.679 a little bit different from when the veterans they had 158 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:27.840 of towners might hit a three. Why not. 159 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:31.000 It's a different energy that you know gets into the 160 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:33.639 arena and it's just like, rightfully, so you know he's 161 00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:38.639 from Kentucky. I'm sure he's like rewatched his moment like 162 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:41.960 in his head over and over again, and just for 163 00:09:42.039 --> 00:09:45.240 him to have that, man, it's crazy. And like you said, man, 164 00:09:45.279 --> 00:09:47.159 like the arena gets super loud in there, and it's 165 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:48.480 just a momentum shifting for us. 166 00:09:48.519 --> 00:09:48.679 You know. 167 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:50.960 It's like he hits a shy, everybody goes wid and 168 00:09:51.000 --> 00:09:53.840 now you gotta keep on going. So it definitely gives 169 00:09:53.919 --> 00:09:54.759 us a lot of energy. 170 00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:57.639 And you know, if you've been in reparenda this year, 171 00:09:58.200 --> 00:10:02.399 when the ball swings around, I love the crowd reaction 172 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:07.879 to when it finds either Noah or Perry if they're 173 00:10:07.879 --> 00:10:12.639 on the perimeter or Brea in what looks like could 174 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:17.279 be a position to shoot the basketball. The crowd because 175 00:10:17.320 --> 00:10:19.679 the hopes rise, don't they hear the oh, you know, 176 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:22.240 like he's gonna shoot it, you know, and then they 177 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:25.320 pass and it's almost like, you know, especially if there's 178 00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:29.799 an opportunity there, if the crowd fans think that they've 179 00:10:30.039 --> 00:10:33.399 missed an open shot. But generally, if they swing the 180 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:37.000 ball one more time, somebody's got a better shot. But again, 181 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:41.240 that's part of the fun for this team. So it's 182 00:10:41.320 --> 00:10:44.200 really interesting to hear the comments from the veterans watching 183 00:10:44.200 --> 00:10:48.799 the freshmen and they're hard work paying off. Coming up next, 184 00:10:48.840 --> 00:10:51.120 we're gonna hear from a couple of the ESPN guys 185 00:10:51.159 --> 00:10:54.960 talk about just how strong the Southeastern Conference is. That 186 00:10:55.000 --> 00:10:58.639 has been the mantra since before the season even began, 187 00:10:58.759 --> 00:11:01.279 not just conference play, but the entire season. It looked 188 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:05.320 that way and it certainly has been an incredible year 189 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:07.879 already for the SEC. A little bit later on, well, 190 00:11:07.919 --> 00:11:09.679 help from another one of the members of the seventy 191 00:11:09.720 --> 00:11:12.480 four to seventy five team who came through town this 192 00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:15.759 past week, Mike Flynn will join us and we'll get 193 00:11:15.799 --> 00:11:18.720 his thoughts on how that team pulled together and made 194 00:11:18.759 --> 00:11:21.919 a Final Four run and got the cast that within 195 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:26.200 one win him another national championship. So that's coming up, 196 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:28.519 and then we'll make way for UK basketball here on 197 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:32.600 six thirty WLAP. Welcome back to the Big Blue Insider. 198 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:36.399 Coming up Saturday, the Wildcats taking on Texas down in 199 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:38.240 Austin the game you will hear right here on six 200 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:42.840 thirty WLAP. Kentucky will not win the SEC championship. We 201 00:11:42.919 --> 00:11:46.360 know that the regular season could win the SEC tournament. 202 00:11:47.559 --> 00:11:50.600 And one of the things I will not miss about 203 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:53.440 John Caliperi and Arkansas people will have to deal with 204 00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:58.159 this as well. His whining about the SEC tournament. And 205 00:11:58.200 --> 00:12:02.039 you recall every time Can Chucky would go into a tournament, 206 00:12:02.679 --> 00:12:04.919 especially when the Cats were favored to win it, it 207 00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:07.720 doesn't matter if we win it or not. Look, you 208 00:12:07.799 --> 00:12:11.320 knew that going in, and I've said it so many times. 209 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:14.600 The SEC, if it really cares about its teams, would 210 00:12:14.679 --> 00:12:19.320 move the championship game to Saturday. So maybe maybe winning 211 00:12:19.559 --> 00:12:23.320 the championship on a Saturday wouldn't matter. It definitely doesn't 212 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:26.840 matter much unless an underdog pulls off a huge upset 213 00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:30.679 on Sunday because they've got the tournament seeded and for 214 00:12:30.679 --> 00:12:33.360 the most part, bracketed by Friday. We've been told this 215 00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:38.960 for years, but yeah, the conference tournaments make money, they 216 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:42.080 bring in eyeballs, all that stuff. I'd be fine if 217 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:44.080 they did away with all of them. But I understand 218 00:12:44.440 --> 00:12:47.399 why the smaller conferences like them. They're one shot at 219 00:12:47.399 --> 00:12:52.320 being on ESPN. But right now, teams are playing for 220 00:12:52.919 --> 00:12:55.679 the bracketing, especially when they are buys involved or double 221 00:12:55.720 --> 00:12:59.600 buyes involved, so vital of course for everybody to win 222 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:02.039 every game they can. And you know, the Wildcats are 223 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:06.200 no exception. It's gonna be tough. It's a good Texas team, 224 00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:08.919 not a great Texas team, and Kentucky likely won't have 225 00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:12.360 Jackson Robinson. We won't know for a while if they'll 226 00:13:12.360 --> 00:13:15.840 have Lamont Butler, but you heard Rick Barnes talk about 227 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:19.519 Butler in the first segment, and I don't think Kentucky 228 00:13:19.559 --> 00:13:22.440 can go far without him quite frankly, So got to 229 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:25.240 keep him healthy, even if it means holding him for 230 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:28.679 a game or two. You need him down the stretch obviously, 231 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:31.240 So we'll have it for you right here on six 232 00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:34.480 thirty WLAP Tomorrow. Jack Gibbons is going to join us 233 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:37.320 on the show and preview that game you heard him 234 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:39.559 on with Tom Leech earlier today. But I have other 235 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:45.720 questions for Jack about the Wildcats went over Tennessee, particularly 236 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:50.720 how much fun Jack had, because trust me, he loves 237 00:13:50.840 --> 00:13:53.960 to be Tennessee. So that'll be on tomorrow night's show. 238 00:13:54.000 --> 00:13:58.919 But tonight we've got comments that we borrowed from ESPN 239 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:01.000 from the Get Up Show. You might have seen this, 240 00:14:01.480 --> 00:14:04.679 but kyral Ravitsch and Jay Billis appeared on the show, 241 00:14:05.000 --> 00:14:09.120 and of course you see them on coverage of SEC basketball. 242 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:14.559 They talked about Lenardi's bracketology that actually was updated last 243 00:14:14.600 --> 00:14:17.720 on February eleventh. All right, that was two days ago, 244 00:14:17.720 --> 00:14:21.720 and that was prior to Kentucky's win over Tennessee, and 245 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:25.320 prior to the Balls losing that game, they were a 246 00:14:25.399 --> 00:14:29.679 one seed. Might still be for all I know according 247 00:14:29.720 --> 00:14:34.639 to Joe Lonardi. But in the latest brackets that Leonardi 248 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:39.759 had put out three SEC teams or one seeds Alabama, Auburn, 249 00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:43.600 and Tennessee. Maybe that changes after this weekend when Alabama 250 00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:46.799 and Auburn square off, but he is predicting what will 251 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:49.960 happen on Selection Sunday, and even if those one of 252 00:14:49.960 --> 00:14:54.120 those two teams obviously will lose, but they may end 253 00:14:54.200 --> 00:14:56.960 up still in a few weeks being a one sea. 254 00:14:57.000 --> 00:14:59.759 And so my Tennessee as one of, if not the 255 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:04.960 best defensive team in the country. You know, Tennessee's going 256 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:07.799 to be a tough out, But just watching that team 257 00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:13.279 struggle to score against Kentucky and making bad decisions against 258 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:16.879 the Kentucky team, it's okay defensively, but not one of 259 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:19.720 the best in the country by any means, And according 260 00:15:19.720 --> 00:15:22.559 to the latest Ken Pom, in the low eighties. Now 261 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:26.480 when it comes to defense, I just would not take 262 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:30.679 Tennessee as a one seed right now, but you never know. 263 00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:33.639 The walls may jump up in surprise es. But Ravits 264 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:38.639 and Billis both talked about how relatively strong the Southeastern 265 00:15:38.679 --> 00:15:43.120 Conference is this season, and it's something that everybody who's 266 00:15:43.159 --> 00:15:47.519 followed college basketball has known since before the season even began. 267 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:50.240 Ravits goes first, and then Billis. 268 00:15:50.519 --> 00:15:52.360 Now, I don't think we've seen anything like it in 269 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:55.440 terms of depth, in terms of quality, depth and national 270 00:15:55.559 --> 00:15:58.720 championship contenders. Now, those three teams that are on the 271 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:01.559 one line right now are three that I think could win. 272 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:02.639 The national championship. 273 00:16:02.679 --> 00:16:06.080 The others are all good teams, are capable of upsetting 274 00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:08.559 highly ranked teams, are capable. 275 00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:09.120 Of making deep runs. 276 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:12.399 But all of them to me, other than Auburn, Alabama, 277 00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:15.639 and Florida have some offensive liabilities and can go in 278 00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:18.159 offington wells. I think it hurt them, you know, over 279 00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:20.639 the course of a long tournament. But I think the 280 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:24.919 depth in the competitive character of the entire conference is 281 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:27.960 really as good, if not better than anything we've ever seen. 282 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:29.720 Jay you. 283 00:16:32.440 --> 00:16:37.120 It's it's the best basketball conference top to bottom relative 284 00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:39.840 to the field that we have ever seen. They put 285 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:43.399 up numbers that compare favorably to the mid eighties and 286 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:46.799 the ACC. But people forget the ACC had eight teams 287 00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:48.600 back then. It's a lot easier to have eight good 288 00:16:48.600 --> 00:16:51.799 teams than it is to have sixteen, and it has 289 00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:54.960 been remarkable now. But that doesn't mean that Houston or 290 00:16:55.039 --> 00:16:56.840 Duke can't win the national championship. 291 00:16:56.879 --> 00:16:58.759 Nobody's saying that, you. 292 00:16:58.679 --> 00:17:01.639 Know, because the SEC is the best conference that automatically 293 00:17:01.639 --> 00:17:03.679 they're going to have the entire Elite eight or the 294 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:07.200 entire Final four. That's not what anybody's saying. But no 295 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:10.839 other league can match what the SEC has done this year, 296 00:17:10.880 --> 00:17:15.839 and historically it matches what any other league has done. Ever, 297 00:17:15.960 --> 00:17:18.400 I think it's the most powerful league top to bottom 298 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:20.599 that we've ever seen relative. 299 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:20.640 To the field. 300 00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:24.279 And again that's courtesy of ESPN's Get Up program from 301 00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:28.119 the other day. I give Ravas credit. He took the 302 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:32.039 hit on Twitter tweeted it out sometime within the last 303 00:17:32.119 --> 00:17:34.839 twenty four hours. He was another guy who went on 304 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:39.079 the air and was kind of knocking the notion that 305 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:43.119 the SEC was so strong because he quoted a number 306 00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:48.039 of games that SEC teams had played in total, and 307 00:17:48.079 --> 00:17:51.640 then remarked about how the overall record for SEC teams 308 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:57.000 was exactly five hundred. Well, duh, one team's gonna win 309 00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:59.880 and one's gonna lose every night. And somebody else is 310 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:02.160 said that a couple of weeks ago. And that's what 311 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:05.440 amazed me about Ravage is that somebody else had made 312 00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:10.119 that same mistake and caught some flag for it on 313 00:18:10.200 --> 00:18:14.799 social media, and Ravag, I guess didn't see it, didn't 314 00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:18.039 notice because he said the same thing. But he went 315 00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:20.799 on to Twitter and said he was on a plane 316 00:18:20.839 --> 00:18:22.640 for four hours and when he got off, he saw 317 00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:26.960 the response to his remarks and he said, yeah, I 318 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:31.079 I was wrong. He said, I'm always glad to be 319 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:34.039 basically I'm paraphrasing, but you know, happy to learn from 320 00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:36.119 my mistakes, and I appreciate it. And da da da 321 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:39.440 da dah. But that's what amazed me the most. Somebody 322 00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:43.240 else had already taken that hit, and Ravage took it 323 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:48.599 as well. And he never said anything, apparently to anybody else, like, hey, 324 00:18:48.599 --> 00:18:51.119 can you believe x y Z? And Billis is a 325 00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:53.880 smart guy. If he had said it to Billis, I'm 326 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:56.319 sure Jay would have said, uh, yeah, that's the way 327 00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:59.759 it works. So yeah, But I give I give Ravage 328 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:03.000 credit for accepting the heat. All right, when we come back. 329 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:05.119 We're here from another one of the members of the 330 00:19:05.160 --> 00:19:08.880 seventy four to seventy five Kentucky team honored this past weekend, 331 00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:12.039 the team that made it to the championship game fifty 332 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:16.279 years ago, got the Wildcats to the final four, came 333 00:19:16.319 --> 00:19:19.559 back from a really difficult season the year before, and 334 00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:22.640 made some memories. That's up next, just ahead of Kentucky 335 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:26.920 women's basketball, the Wildcats taking on those Texas longhornge. You 336 00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:31.599 hear it right here on six point thirty WLAP. That's 337 00:19:31.640 --> 00:19:36.039 Jimmy dan Connor, All Conference Player, academic, All American. And 338 00:19:36.119 --> 00:19:38.400 I'm glad he told that story because I was going 339 00:19:38.440 --> 00:19:42.480 to After that North Carolina game, Joe Hall went to 340 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:44.880 Bill Kyteley, went to the equipment guys, said, gimme Jimmy 341 00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:49.079 Dan's trunks and he had had them so a star 342 00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:53.440 on it that signified him as the team captain four 343 00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:58.079 games into the season. He did that in thirty seven minutes. 344 00:19:58.799 --> 00:20:02.960 In that game, Jimmy Dan scored thirty five points on 345 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:06.319 only twenty one shots. He was fifteen of twenty one 346 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:09.440 and most from the outside As I recall, that game 347 00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:11.960 was in Freedom Hall in Louisville. I wasn't there, but 348 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:16.000 I watched the delayed telecast. Thirty five points and four 349 00:20:16.119 --> 00:20:20.119 assists for Jimmy Dan in that game, and again Kentucky 350 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:22.160 had to come from behind to win it, so that 351 00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:24.720 was fun. He ended up with one hundred and six assists. 352 00:20:24.839 --> 00:20:28.359 That's the exact same number as Mike Flynn, his running 353 00:20:28.359 --> 00:20:32.279 mate in the back court, who had a huge game 354 00:20:32.359 --> 00:20:35.519 against Indiana and was on the cover of Sports Illustrated, 355 00:20:35.559 --> 00:20:39.960 the headline being the Wildcats crashed the Final four. Welcome 356 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:42.039 back to the Big Blue and Cider final segment of 357 00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:44.759 our shows. We're gonna make way for Darren Heddrick pre 358 00:20:44.839 --> 00:20:48.599 game coverage of Kentucky women's basketball to stretch run for 359 00:20:48.839 --> 00:20:51.319 Kenny Brooks team in the regular season they take on 360 00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:53.519 those Texas Longhorns. Darren, I'll have a call for you 361 00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:57.000 chip off a little after seven, so pregame coming up 362 00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:00.119 in just a few minutes. Yesterday we heard from a 363 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:02.880 couple of members of the seventy four to seventy five 364 00:21:02.960 --> 00:21:06.720 team that was honored at the South Carolina Again, that 365 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:08.720 seems like such a long time ago. After that win 366 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:12.480 over Tennessee. But last Saturday, the seventy four to seventy 367 00:21:12.519 --> 00:21:14.720 five team that made it to the championship game the 368 00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:18.319 Final Four in San Diego, losing the UCLA honored at 369 00:21:18.319 --> 00:21:23.640 the UK Game celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of that special season. 370 00:21:23.720 --> 00:21:26.359 Yesterday we heard from Jimmy dan connor, the team captain, 371 00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:29.480 Marion Haskins, one of the key reserves. Today, I want 372 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:32.400 to share with you my conversation with Mike Flynn and 373 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:35.519 a guy who you might recall if you remember that 374 00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:39.119 upset win over Indiana in the regional championship, had a 375 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:41.960 huge game in the win over the team from his 376 00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:46.079 home state. He's from Jeffersonville. Chose to go to Kentucky 377 00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:50.480 not IU, and it turned out okay for him because 378 00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:52.240 he ends up with his picture on the cover of 379 00:21:52.279 --> 00:21:56.279 Sports Illustrated after that upset win, the headline being the 380 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:59.519 Wildcats crashed the Final four. Mike was one of my 381 00:21:59.559 --> 00:22:04.039 favorite all time players, a tough, gritty guard from Indiana 382 00:22:04.799 --> 00:22:06.960 who played for Kentucky. He was a job just like 383 00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:10.759 Jimmy Dan a joby Hall kind of player. Went on 384 00:22:10.839 --> 00:22:15.039 to play in the ABA for the Pacers. His hometown 385 00:22:15.079 --> 00:22:17.480 team or his home state team. Had a chance to 386 00:22:17.480 --> 00:22:19.400 talk to Mike Flynn the other day. Well, Mike, what 387 00:22:19.440 --> 00:22:21.319 does it meant to you to get back and see 388 00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:22.880 your teammates on a day like this. 389 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:26.200 Well, it's wonderful to come back and see all the guys. 390 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:29.799 It's a shame that some of them couldn't make it. 391 00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:32.240 It's a shame that some of them have passed away. 392 00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:34.880 But it's all been a great time and I really 393 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:35.440 enjoyed it. 394 00:22:35.640 --> 00:22:38.279 You guys knew the ups and downs. You were conference 395 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:40.759 champs and then you struggled through a five hundred year, 396 00:22:40.839 --> 00:22:43.480 but you hit the Final four. I mean, you experienced 397 00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:44.480 it all we did. 398 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:45.559 We went up and down. 399 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:48.279 I mean, first, you know, we had the undefeated freshman team, 400 00:22:48.920 --> 00:22:51.720 the super Kittens, because we weren't allowed to play varsity 401 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:52.160