Is Kentucky going to the Final Four? | KSR’s 2024 NCAA Tournament Picks and Predictions Show

A six-person KSR panel picks their biggest upsets, Final Four, and how far Kentucky will go in the NCAA Tournament.

No this isn’t The Brady Bunch this is your friends at Kentucky Sports Radio where we are sharing our NCAA tournament predictions in our bracket special presented by monel Bank I’m Nick Rous joined by Jacob poic Stephen Peak Jack Pilgrim Tyler Thompson and Zach gagan just want to remind you that when you’re

On the road this march with Zach and Stephen and everybody who’s going to Pittsburgh monel Bank they go on the road with you wherever the cats go just download the monello bank app go NBC mobile app or visit them at NBC bank.com they’re a local bank which means they

Put the numbers on your side to get you the best rate possible whatever your banking Needs Trust monel Bank in business for over 125 years Bank local member FDIC Equal Housing lender monel Bank they’re Simply the Best and this is the best time of the year I’m your

Resident football Frank and I’m here to host with all of my resident basketball Benny’s as we share our upset picks our final four predictions and what you know how Kentucky season will end there’s a lot of anxiety this time of year and that’s why Jack is going to give you

Only good news he’s got the sources that are saying good things he’s going to keep us optimistic um but Jack I’m not going to start by asking you Kentucky questions I want to start by asking you who is going to pull off the big upset who is everyone going to be talking

About when this first weekend of the NCAA tournament’s over with this is the time of year where mid Majors earn high major jobs those guys are looking for their run to catapult themselves into superstardom in the coaching ranks unfortunately will Wade has already found himself in the high ranks and had

To kind of like work his way down due to his own circumstances but will Wade is the hottest name in college basketball he has a dream draw for him mcne state is rolling I think pretty confidently that will Wade is going to be the guy are all talking about as he not only

Upsets in the first round I think he he gets Gonzaga in the first round and then I think he knocks off Kansas in the round of 32 for a sweet 16 scenario I think that’s going to be the guy in team that we all talk about as our next uh

Cinderella I like Oregon over South Carolina as well there was a lot to love about what we saw from Oregon in that pack 12 championship and then James Madison over Wisconsin’s kind of become a trendy upset pick but there’s just too much juice there that I I think it’s

Going to be worth it maybe it’s not the actual upset itself it’s going to be closer than everybody suspect but I I think Wisconsin’s a bunch of frauds and as much as I’d love the storyline of potentially pairing that with Kentucky I just don’t think I don’t think we’ll end

Up seeing that death to Wisconsin there’s there’s nothing that can ever overcome what happened in 2015 we want all bad things to happen to them but I do need to bring on our resident Kansas jhawk if you aren’t on ksr plus do it now that’s reading find all of Jacob

Polo checks out staining content try a dollar for a month in March Madness Jacob I know you you like to Rock Chalk what the hell’s going on because part of me thinks that bill self was trying to do some weird little he was playing games to to try to avoid getting tanked

Down the seed line but they looked awful against Cincinnati so is is Kansas as bad as we think they are going into this NCAA tournament I think so um they’re not healthy that’s a big part of it but then even at full strength I don’t think

They’re that great of a team um and it hurts to say it but I have them losing in the second round to Gonzaga who I have making a final four run um I was low on them they the year they won the national title so we’ll see but

I’m not high on them this year bucky ball is a lot of fun patino style pressing up and down in your face uh Gonzaga eight straight sweet 16s just keep that in mind when you’re filling out your brackets Jacob do you have any other upset picks that you’d like to share with our

Audience I have James Madison making it to the Sweet 16 and then I have a three 14 seed beaten a three seed with Morehead State gotta represent state of Kentucky I think that they’re going to uh beat Illinois and then du Kane beating them in the second round to go

To the Sweet 16 oh interesting interesting spicy that is very spicy Mr Pol Morehead State I believe this is four straight 2 win seasons for Preston Spradlin and to your point Jack um he’s one of those that’s moving up after this year they’ve got a

Lot of fifth year seniors and um so if you’ve enjoyed watching The Coach Cal disciple at Morehead State I I fear that time is coming to an end um the time of men coming talking is coming to an end right now Tyler we need your wisdom there’s there’s too many guys talking so

Please impart us with some of your wisdom who’s going to pull off the Shockers in March well I love that segue um I also have James Madison beating Wisconsin because I just hate Wisconsin and I can’t pick them to advance um I have another very popular upset though I

Have number 11 seed New Mexico taking down number six seed Clemson and I’m purely doing it just for the Jamal Mashburn Jr Richard patino angle um I remember when Jamal Mashburn Jr you know was getting onto the scene as a recruit and I really wanted UK to like take him

Just because of the Legacy angle you know I know he’s not as highly ranked as a typical Kentucky recruit but I will be cheering for them against Clemson so that’s mine I also considered UAB over San Diego State but that’s another popular one and I felt like I was

Picking too many upsets so I guess that’s a good question for the group how many upsets are too many to pick in the first round none none all of them give them all of the above because the one you don’t pick will be the one that happens that’s true just pick them just

Pick them all the only reason why I’m a little hesitant on some of the upsets is that there’s a lot of high seeds in these conference tournaments that got upset so like UAB they ain’t playing nobody Paul like so I I think you’re probably smart to to away from that one

Other fun fact about New Mexico Jamal mashern is their second leading scorer their leading score is the son of Eddie house so there’s a fun there’s a lot of fun connections there I also think New Mexico they were talking about how great the Mountain West was I don’t

Know why they were the lowest ranked of them all I didn’t really get that so I like the Lobos Zach are you you on the lobbo bandwagon I am so far on the Lobo bandwagon that it was when whenever we did our uh our rapid reaction I guess

Was that when was that was like two weeks ago when we did our tournament rapid reaction at field like I was all in on New Mexico then and there D or Nick you left out the best angle true Washington Tai Tai Washington’s uncle is a freshman at New Mexico and he’s

Actually not that bad so I’m all in on that team I know there was some yeah Jamal Baker is still there we’ve got just all these weird connections uh to Kentucky and I’m picking them I’ve got them going to the U Elite eight there and losing to North Carolina I’ve got

Them going past Clemson Baylor and Arizona before Hubert Davis’s team finally takes them out that’s really only my main big upset though I also have James Madison going to the Sweet 16 I’m cheating and looking my bracket here but I don’t think there’s any way they can beat Houston I don’t that that’ll

Just be too much for them um in terms of other big upsets you know I I had I was thinking hard about picking gonzago over Kansas but I ultimately went with Kansas there I did have Grand Canyon beating St Mary’s in that opening round before losing to Alabama um that’s really you

Know I really I feel like I’m a lot of chalk in my bracket too though like I’ve got I don’t anything lower than a four seed in my final four or anything but all in on New Mexico though they’re they’re my Elite eight pick and I’m if

They if they don’t make the Elite 8 my or even the sweet 16 my brackets pretty much shot right then and there but that’s the joy of all this so I’m I’m all in on the loes I just love that you’re like I don’t have that many upset picks just an

11 seed going to the elite eight yeah you know just that’s the only one though you know it’s yeah just casual 11 SE hey but you’re you’re all in on one team and that that is effective that’s an effective strategy especially in that region um the region that was the one I

Covered for ksr that one was not that great yeah it stinks there’s zero there’s zero final four teams in the west region there should be but somehow one of them’s got to be in there unfortunately so um who who knows maybe the Lobos are Cinderella the

Loes the ear loes uh Peak who who’s your big upset are you everybody’s riding the Dukes James Madison the most wins in the tourn tournament uh going into they’ve already got 31 they’ve got some big wins uh with Michigan State victory in the non-conference are you also on the Dukes

From James Madison or you got upset picks elsewhere oh and you’re you’re of course the guy produc keeps himself the one guy who does this for for a living unreal unbelievable um I I I think I do have James Madison but that’s uh that’s not my biggest I have Mississippi State to

The Elite 8 um I’m going with with Hub uh and his and his three-point shooting and I really liked what I saw uh down there in Starkville um and then mitt East State again jack Pilgrim uh pretty much that we I think we already talked

About this one so I think I I might have subconsciously heard Jack you know and then now that’s my pick stole his pick can I pick one more I didn’t I didn’t pick it here but we got I gotta I have I have to pick it just it would it would

Fix so much in my life if St Peters can just beat Tennessee let me I I went to Murray State I went uh I went to the game the Murray State game because I thought I mean St Peters isn’t beating both of my school like my teams like that’s not

Happening um and it did so um thank God for Purdue thank God for Purdue uh and Matt never heard that before yeah I know no they they yeah they saved me a just a little bit of embarrassment um so I I’m I’m gonna take St Peters also to to beat

Tennessee it would be beautiful sweet Poetic Justice and fortunately uh they actually play after Kentucky so we could celebrate the upset without all these people in the N there being like you’re celebrating too much that’s giving us bad juju it’s like no dude I you can you can celebrate your Rivals demise no

Matter when it happens but it would it would take that burden off of us and you know what I want to appreciate all of you all for taking that burden off me because I have an upset pick that I like so much that I like I hate how much I

Like it and I’m already penciling it in I’ve already been over to FanDuel and I’ve made that wager plus 570 to reach the sweet 16 the Drake Bulldogs they won the Missouri Valley last year and everybody’s cheering against them this year they wanted to see Kem Abdul Jabar Robbie AA Indiana State the

Sycamores well no because they’re they’re not as good they’re not as good as the deis at Drake the coaches son Tucker de is one of the top 10 scorers in the NC in college basketball he leads them he’s a 6′ s swing man that can

Score in a variety of ways he’s a good three-point shooter he can pull up for mid-range do a little fade away he’s excellent and last year and it I need I should have looked that up but they were they were in the tournament last year had the game one against it was San

Diego State actually who ends up at the final four but he was one of 13 he laid a dud he laid an egg he’s not laying an egg this go round and more importantly not only are they favorites in the first round match up against against Nevada in the second round they

Play Iowa State and folks this is a rivalry that was played annually for 110 years and Iowa state was like we’re not doing this anymore haven’t played it since 2018 that second round match up awaits I think you’re going to get some really anxious Iowa State Cyclone fans

And um they’re one of those Conference tournament Champs that goes down early there’s always one or two that go down early do we have I know Peak has Tennessee going down any ones or that don’t escape the first weekend of the NCAA tournament well I have Iowa State

Winning at all so that would be a real bad uh Drake victory for for uh what are they who were what are they Nick Bulldogs yeah oh the Bulldogs okay yeah the Bulldogs so yeah I can’t have that happen I I I also might be drinking the

Josh hubard Kool-Aid with Peak as well if he because I mean like he went one of in that last game if he stays hot he’s got that that maybe Kima factor in that west region so bad is North Carolina like are they really a one seed it just

Lost NC State you know it’s like loes so how do we feel about talking about number two seeds Florida potentially Florida versus Marquette I mean I know Florida had the big injury in the SEC tournament that’s that’s been a popular upset pick I’ve seen I have Mar in the championship game

Oh so can’t have that happen either forh talk we all are talking about the worst upsets for my bracket I’m trying to win some a three Onre subscription I don’t know about you jack but I just don’t I don’t want Kentucky to play Florida again I think Florida’s

Really good and they can fight fire with fire with Kentucky and it’s one of those weird deals how do they respond after tragedy like that the weird Kevin wear thing in 2013 like it gives me bad juju for that Florida team that is already kind of a

Sneaky one of the hottest teams in the SEC going into all this but I will say Marquette has to get past the fighting Hill Toppers first that would be I I was looking at all of them it it it they had some magic going on uh to win their

Conference tournament so I I don’t want to predict that but I think that’s gonna make him a little bit scary I just I don’t believe in marquad and and I unfortunately I do think Florida does Florida does end up uh surpassing Marquette and we do see that in the sweet 16

Gulp I love Jack and Nick can ruin my bracket yeah you you two could ruin my bracket by the end of the weekend with your with your upset picks can I can I admit something with brackets are you gonna say you hate them no no no no no I’m not like uh Darren

Rell who’s too good to do one or anything but it’s now like the last thing I do like I was on my phone Sunday night making bets I was getting uh seeing what my squares were like it’s now like the fifth biggest thing that I

Do in March and I don’t know if Tyler if it’s a BRI product of doing this job where you’re like it it gets kicked down the road but I just I don’t know I’m not I’m not jumping into every bracket challenge that I get invited to anymore

I hear that I think it’s the rise of sports gambling shout out FanDuel I mean I’m much more interested in that than I am the bracket like I I only did my bracket an hour ago and part of that’s been because we’re busy but it’s just

Like oh man like I can finally dig my teeth into it but like are brackets still the entry point for the Casual basketball fan because I feel like everybody’s got a friend who doesn’t watch any basketball but they’ll still fill out of bracket in March like is

That still the case oh yeah yeah for the Casual true I I do miss the uh like my mom used to always fill out her bracket with the one that came in the newspaper and it’s just I feel like it needs it’s it’s nice having something tangible instead of

Just like an app or something like that um but like my I get my kid gets into it I’ll have him pick teams look at the logos and pick which one he wants so uh yeah I think I think peock peacocks make sure make sure we get that

One make that get that one it still feels weird to like cheer for them but hey if they beat Tennessee let’s go I mean he always there anymore yeah yeah different coach different team we can cheer for him absolutely this is my third game now pulling for St Peters so

We go the enemy of my enemy is my friend and you are our friend this week we need to figure out who’s going to be in the final four to help you fill out your bracket Jacob I’m curious who you have going to Phoenix Phoenix here’s lovely

This time of year not too hot um it should be could be could be nice great great time to golf who’s going to be there golfing for the final four well I already gave up uh one of my picks with Gonzaga uh um I’m going Yukon versus Baylor and I’m going Kentucky

Versus Gonzaga with Kentucky getting revenge oh revenge on a big stage I like it that would be um although like I don’t know if my heart can handle Yukon versus Kentucky in a championship game again like that it’s especially because they they it feels like Yukon is becoming the new

Duke I know Duke still sucks but Peak it’s there’s something about Danny Hurley like they’re really asserting themselves as a very hatable villain in this sport yeah and I I do not want them winning more national championships I think this would get that would get them

To six so they’re closing in I don’t like that so any really I mean if Kentucky can’t win it then uh really anybody but like Yukon and Duke Kansas no more Blue Bloods because yukon’s a blue blood now right has that been voted on yeah I mean I

Think if they do well in this tournament they are Unfortunately they have the flest Championships the fluki as Championship they’ve won as an as a what a nine seed or an eight seed they’ve won as a three and a four in the in the most random tournaments like the one when it

Gets just blown up and it’s super random that’s when Yukon swoops in and steals a title so yeah it’s it’s they shouldn’t have five championships this is ridiculous that would make it a good reason to against them because they always win as like a three or four seed

Um but to your point Yukon needs to be a blue blood they’ve won five championships since Indiana won their last which just a reminder One Shining Moment is just this icon and it did not exist until Indiana’s last National Championship that’s how long it’s been since Indiana

Has been relevant in the sport of college basketball if they are considered a blue blood they’re the worst of the worst and Yukon is definitely in that territory we o can’t have any back-to-back winners either because that’s happened twice since wood and we can’t give them any more Prestige

I refuse to let it happen Pak why don’t you go ahead and tell us who’s in your final four um all right so uh well I got Yukon of course in my final damn it um Arizona Kansas um and then in the championship game uh the wild cats are

Taking on the Wildcats we’re doing we’re running 97 back uh that was the the first game that I remember watching as a kid I also P when I had to pick the finnal score 8479 let’s do that we we’re flipping it and uh that kind of answers

My well we’ll get to that later but uh no I I think uh I I I I like this this this final four would be like one of the most watched final fours of all time uh so like I just want that I just like I’m trying to speak it into existence this

This could be one of the most fun tournaments we’ve ever experienced why not I just nothing’s more appropriate than Stephen peak’s first basketball memory is an overtime loss in the national championship game yep yep so perfect yeah Jack who you got oh so I I

Didn’t know what I was going what path I was gonna go until I heard Rob Dillingham speak because Rob Dillingham uh talked at the podium after the selection Sunday right after the Heartbreak in Nashville you know they went bowling in case you didn’t talk to coach Kyle award bowling bowling um so

Rob Dillingham was asked his his favorite moment first it was Antonio re Antonio said you know 2012 National Championship I love the way they locked in blah blah blah blah blah very very uh traditional answer and then Rob Dillingham said yeah my favorite March moment is uh Kemba in 2011 we’re

Like do you do you not understand what’s what this is like do you know how he got to that point but I love it because if there was one guy that has the Kemba in him it’s Rob Dillingham so I’m I as soon as he said that I kind of just had the

Vision in my head of Kentucky Yukon and the championship game so that’s where I’m going with it with uh Baylor and Purdue is my other other finalist out in Phoenix man I you know we are Kentucky sports radio and I think a lot of people expect good vibes from Kentucky but

Tyler I did not expect this many final four champ I ship game predictions so I got to ask you who is is Kentucky in your final four are you going to keep this train rolling no and I will go ahead and boo myself I just I just can’t man like my

Head the head the heart yeah I mean by Thursday I’m sure I’ll change my mind um I’ve got the chalki most boring final forever but I’m going Yukon Arizona Houston and Purdue um I went back and forth on Arizona or Baylor um I ultimately went with Arizona because

It’ll be Phoenix and you know there’s a storyline there um like the rest of you all I I really don’t like Yukon but I really don’t see anybody else besides potentially Kentucky if they can get it together kind of challenging them um you know Dan Hurley’s super annoying and it

Seems like he just like eats drinks and sleeps basketball and like he’s on Twitter all the time talking about it so he kind of seems like a manp possessed um if anything he’ll become the most unlikable person in my eyes in college basketball if they win so you know I’ll

Take the villain route um and then Houston I I know they just came off that loss but I think their defense is really good and if they can get the momentum going in the first couple you know games I’m worried how Kentucky will match up with them we’ll talk about that in a

Minute but yeah and then Zach Edy is just kind of a freak of nature and I don’t really love the Midwest region but I can’t forced myself to pick Tennessee to make a final four it’s just in my mind it’s not going to happen so if it’s

Not Purdue out of the Midwest I’d say probably kraton three teams in the midwest the top three seeds they have produ the only one that’s made a final four and that was a hundred years ago um you also have Tennessee and kraton who was basically a buzzer beater away from

Reaching the final four last year when they lost in and that’s why I just love kraton I love kraton so much I think they have a great great combination they’re just such a high four team um Trey Alexander bayor shman and um now I’m forgetting the the

Third guy in that punch I don’t know why it’s escaping me right now I I I get my time in the spot like runner in in in the paint Big Shot blocker um and then even the point guard when he gets hot man he he shoots it from like 35

Feet and you’re like there’s no way that’s going in and then sure enough it goes in so I think it’s probably kind of like and I I don’t want to bring up B more bad memories but it’s probably like Wisconsin was when losing to Kentucky in 2014 and then that’s the beginning of

The championship DVD until Duke pays off the refs and Coach Kay rigs it to win the national championship Duke can’t rig it this year that’s why kraton they’re my final four team they’re my national champion they’re going to beat Houston in the final four and then on the other

Side you all you can do not pick Yukon to go to the final four if you want to win your bracket challenge you will not put Yukon in the final four they are the chalki pick plus 110 on FanDuel to go to the final four you can’t have them there

There aren’t repeats in the national championship I know they’ve been dominant they’ve been great but you know who also pretty great is Terence shanon I there’s we don’t need to talk about his character much better basketball player than he is as a person great basketball player he’s he’s the one

Who’s got that dominant Kima Factor if you will but also they’ve got some good surrounding pieces around him and I think Illinois is the team that pulls off the upset in that region and I just hate the west and I feel like you got to pick somebody so I just landed on

Arizona but I like draw a name out of a hat so that that’s my final four the bluebirds Blue Jays blue blue jays Blue Jays blue J JS Blue Jays Jays douge we need to get Greg McDermot shots from the crowd cheering on his dad that’d be fun

That’d be fun Zack who uh who do you have losing to you got we know Marquette is one of them who else is in your final four well you can yeah you know who Marquette has to be to get there but Nick I’m glad you just went on that

Kraton rant because guess who I have in my final four the Blue Jays for all the reasons you just said so I’m not gonna I’m not gonna relay them again I also have no perfectly fine that was yeah I didn’t have nearly as much information ready to

Go as you did so you did a much better there breaking them down and then yeah I went with the Iowa State pick um I actually think that region is just tough but I’m I’m on I’m with you as well don’t pick Yukon leave Yukon out of the

Final four and your and your bracket will look better um you know they they’re going to have a tough p uh tough path especially if they have to play boo buoy in the second round then you got potentially Auburn or Iowa State or even Illinois um but I’m I’m ultimately going

With Illinois State out of that region I have them playing North Carolina because like we’ve kind of said someone has to win someone has to win the west region and I’m going with North Carolina so I have them or North Carolina losing to Iowa State in that final four and then I

Have Marquette beating kraton on the other side and I’ve got Iowa State pulling it off I can’t imagine Iowa state has even been to a national championship before I don’t know that off the top of my head but I can’t imagine there’s been many uh so I’m all

Let’s go Cyclones Cyclones is my pick here and I’ve got a a one two twos and a three seed in my final four look at you going with your you’re getting a little crazy on us with the otel burgers uh I quick Google tells me

Iowa state was last in the final four in 1944 so I was not born then I don’t none of us were thankfully people with access to the YouTubes were in the four we’ve got a lot of pleasant Kentucky basketball projections here a lot of final four picks does anybody want to just share

Their Road Tyler you you’re kind of wincing is there do you want to share with us your your big fears and why you’re not putting the cats in the final four well I I mean they’ve got a great draw I will give them that I was really

Really worried if you would asked me to fill out or predict where Kentucky was going to go after the loss in the SEC tournament I would have been really scared about the first weekend um but I felt a lot better when I saw the draw and I think Kentucky can definitely make

It to the Elite 8 it’s just the matchup with Houston I worry about and also can this team put together four straight wins you know against competition that gets better and better and better we thought you know they won five straight going into the SEC tournament and we’re

Rolling on all cylinders and they just laid a neck and I worry about the first weekend in particular just because of the pressure that’s going to be on the squad but I think if they get outside of the first weekend get you know sweet 16

Get a win maybe they can go on a run I just worry about Houston’s defense and I don’t know I really really want to be wrong but I have Kentucky losing in the elite eight to Houston I I do as well um I think my greatest hope is that Texas A&M way

Taylor and Tyrese Radford somehow get hot against Houston which is perfectly plausible um my biggest worry might even be the draw how many times has Kentucky gotten a bad draw and they just win in spite of it but then they get the good draw and everything opens up and just

Like the opposite happens you lose to Kansas State and Bruce frecking Weber in the sweet um yeah and Jack I betting based on Trends alone is very stupid right it’s it’s the dumbest way possible but every final four team going to the SEC Championship game and zero incaa

Tournament winners losing the first R of the conference tournament I can’t ignore those Trends but can you tell me I’m stupid for following those Trends this this season has been a lot of first with first of the you know first time we lost three in a row at at inside rup Arena

The UNCC Wilmington this has been just kind of like history like and on the flip side we’ve never seen an offense like this we’ve never had the scoring totals like it just a lot of unique things that have created just a your guess is as good as mine that’s why I

Would have felt so much better I we have seen after the fact that winning the SEC tournament meant nothing because we saw what happened to Auburn you go through the gauntlet win it on Sunday you see the confetti you see Bruce Pearl crying like you get that emotional moment and

Then two hours later you get sent out to Spokane as a four seed in yukon’s region you’re just like how did that happen so the point was made but I I still do kind of agree with some of the his historical data that says making it to Saturday at

Minimum would have been important and and you know for the fans and all that that would have been awesome as well but that is the one set I keep going back to but in a in a season of those types of things I’d like to see a uh you know

Them kind of buck those Trends and and you know kind of take carve their own path if you will they’re a low floor team high ceiling team um and so you just kind of hope that they got the low floor out of the way question for Jacob

I want Jacob and to answer because it probably would be Kentucky Houston with the final four on the line how many points does Kentucky have to score to win that game 70 yeah I’d say around probably 75 um yeah 75 maybe 80 uh I think they

Got to put up some points uh but it could be low scoring if it’s low if it’s too low scoring then they’ve got no chance against Houston it it’s a conundrum because Houston is so good defensively and you just worry that like I’m just kind of scrolling through uh they’ve given up uh

37 66 55 like Texas scored 72 on that was an overtime there Point overtime like Zack you might be right like it might be race to 70 but I don’t Kentucky could hold Houston to 70 points or fewer probably not is that who who Who’s the team that uh we’re worried most

About for Kentucky and who’s the player we’re worried most about P Peak you’re feel like you have worst case scenarios in your mind quite a bit so the team the team that worries you the most and the player you worry about you know they underperform one game and then all a

Sudden everything falls apart oh mute it again yeah did sorry I’m doing all the clicking and everything over here so I was uh no I uh obviously Houston is uh is the team that I’m that I’m like most uh concerned about uh like for everything

You guys said and I just I’ve said to if you get to the elite eight like that’s like that’s a pretty good season uh so it’s hard to to be like too upset about that um I would say that the guy that I’m most concerned about is uh Walter

Clayton Jr and um if you get that match up again and uh kind of know what he did to us last time is there anybody on Oakland I should be concerned about I know there’s a team that makes like nine threes a game should I how nervous should I be on

Thursday they play zone and have a couple guys that just shoot the hell out of the ball great and a big 66 Wing which will probably be the biggest issue Trey Townson he’s good Trey Townson yeah Player of the Year conference here’s why you shouldn’t be concerned Peak they’re

Better like playing his Zone against Kentucky feels like a Fool’s errand right that’s Atlas pushing the or no Copus pushing the ball up the hill like what what are you doing you can’t play zone against Kentucky it’s stupid yeah won’t we just we’ll shoot

Them out of that right I I I would hope so Toler who’s going to have because the one thing that’s fun about this team too not just the Stars you know I I feel like we’ve had the least amount of re sheeper content possible on this selection special presented by mon

Crating but there’s Kentucky plays eight or nine guys so who is going to be the one guy we’re not expecting that has an awesome game that they kind of pull it out of nowhere that I mean we saw Dom Hawkins do that uh for a game or two

Play defense in the 2014 NCAA tournament run Derrick Willis was going to be the hero of the North Carolina game until Drake May uh had something to say so who is going to be the surprised player that propels Kentucky to to a win here in March has their March moment well I

Really hope it’s Trey Mitchell because Kentucky needs him he’s a Pittsburgh native I think that’s really cool if that storyline holds out he’s been struggling lately he’s finally working back to like 100% % Health um I I keep thinking about what happens if NC State wins and Kentucky wins and then we’re

Facing DJ Burns and NC State in the second round who in the world are you gonna put on that guy um I don’t even know Trey’s probably the best option I can just imagine that giant man snapping big Z over his leg and all of our other

Seven-footers um but yeah I think Trey if he has a great game he needs two great games in Pittsburgh to get rolling I think he changes this team um also Justin Edwards is a good candidate I mean we’ve seen how he can take over a

Game and and make an impact and I feel like Kentucky when they’re playing its best it’s because Justin Edwards has a good game so those are my candidates I love that I love that selection Tyler with Trey Mitchell because it does feel like I mean he he

Only made three shots but it felt like he got the ball rolling in the right direction um and he’s poised to at some point be a very important part of a win um and finally if we’re if Jack if we’re going to have I know you already had your Rob Dillingham

Epiphany that you shared with us but is there like does Reed Shepard can he if he Kentucky does what we want is he just like God in the state of Kentucky does does Andy Basher give him his job like how does that work that that is an answer like Reed

Reed Shepard has a chance to solidify statue status like right now you we kind of had these dreams of when he signed here okay maybe he has that moment and year three or like down the road if he is able to take this team to Phoenix considering the historical context you

Know lack lack of final four since 2015 all of the pressure and weight on this program right now if he is the reason why KY is propelled into number nine status like I don’t know what else you could ever dream of for a player he has

The game winner he has the you know the quotes and the personality he has the Donato’s commercial like you go down the list this kid has checked every single box since the minute he arrived go back to Toronto that dude was blocking perimeter shots and getting Breakaway

Dunks and we were going oh my God he’s the next coming of Jesus like he has done everything up to this point the one missing box that has left that that is there’s left to be checked is is Reed Shepard so I’m I’m hoping for that another guy that I am selfishly rooting

For is DJ Wagner because he was the guy that you signed to have a March moment like that’s the alpha that’s the dog that’s the guy that we kind of expected to have the ball the ball in his hands to win the game at some point we haven’t

Gotten that moment from from him yet he’s kind of been slumping a little bit a lot of the chatter about who needs to be starting why is it why is it not read and Rob it would be just so DJ Wagner for him to go win us the game against

Oakland like that’s kind of the vision I have is he takes care of business against Oakland and then we have a a matchup against uh Rob dillingham’s what was going to be his future home in NC State and he goes for 40 in that one against Joel Justice I think that would be

Hilarious I’d get a good laugh out of it I think this has been pretty fun this has been good we’ve had a nice well-rounded conversation uh we’re split on Kentucky in the final four and I I’m going to ask for parting thoughts but Zach already has more parting thoughts

So Zach what are your parting thoughts and then I’ll ask everybody else what their parting thoughts are well you all conveniently left out my predictions for Kentucky um I I think I know why unfortunately I’m the one that has them not making the elite a to have them

Losing as I’ve talked about with Marquette there in the sweet 16 um and as Tyler pointed out to me briest before we started I was the Lone person who picked Kentucky to lose in the second round last year so I’m not trying to say that I’m the all knowing uh noer damus

Here but I’m not saying I’m not saying so I do think Kentucky is going to have no issue with Oakland in the first round I think that’s a pretty good match up for Kentucky like wiu said they’ll just shoot the ball you know they they’ll

Make 15 threes and the game will be over by the second or beginning of the second half NC State I think is g to be fun to watch because I’m a big DJ Burns guy right now but he can have 30 points and I don’t think it that’ll be a close game

Because Kentucky will run up and down the floor and he won’t be halfway to half court by the time kuy’s already got the ball in the in the basket Marquette is where I really start to worry because if Tyler kch their borderline All-American guard is healthy they have

Enough pieces around where I don’t think especially with Co I don’t think KY is gonna be able to defend him well enough to slow him down um and then I’ll end here with my final my final thought it’s more of a hot take actually I think re

Shepard is going to start in the Oakland game oh oh boy somebody’s listening to the Callin show not even not even that I think it was they were more alluding to Trey Mitchell along those lines it felt like maybe adding like a guy in to help

Break the break the Zone but I think it’s just to the point now where there’s just no denying that Reed Shepard needs to play probably 35 Plus minutes alongside Antonio in that back court for this tournament and the best way to do that is to put them in immediately you

Bring Rob and DJ off the bench after five minutes roll it out from there I think you start Reed from day one and you just let him and Antonio reedge kind of bring you along to Glory as far as you want um and that’s we’re all end

Here um Jacob before I I’ve got a for you um and it has to do with Marquette team can you name the last time Shaka smart coach the basketball team after the first weekend of the NCAA tournament God it had to be with BCU right 2011 VCU

Yeah the only time he’s ever been out of the first weekend he went to the final four with VCU and yet he has a reputation is his reputation one time out of the first weekend March about to be two incredible it’s incredible yeah I feel like I picked him

To go to the Sweet 16 I thought picking a two seed to go to the Sweet 16 would be normal but that seems like a hot take here I’m I’m just giving you all the information you need to second guess all of your picks um Tyler are you going to

Be able to keep these guys well behaved in Pittsburgh I hope so I hope so no it’s I think it’ll be a really fun trip I’m hoping that I just feel like the stress is going to start to mount over the coming days I mean losing early in

The SEC tournament did not do any favors to the psyche of Big Blue Nation heading into this and I just I think if they can get the through the first game have a big win hopefully that’ll take some of the pressure off and we can cruise to

The Sweet 16 because I’ll be honest I don’t really want to think about what’s going to happen if they lose one of those first two games because it’ll be interesting I mean I feel like if we’re breaking down the scenarios first weekend loss is action will probably be

Taken and I don’t know if I’m ready to face that reality yet so instead I’m just going to focus on Kentucky getting at least to the Sweet 16 to the elite eight you know hopefully by then they can get some momentum rolling go to the final four possibly win it all that’s

The best possible scenario my head’s not letting me go there but my heart is already in Phoenix so the last time Kentucky played a team from the Horizon league in the n Only One by nine beat Northern Kentucky 2017 dearen Fox and Co end up getting to the elite

Eight but that’s at play Thursday night 710 I also don’t like that it’s a same time saw it and TV saw it as the St peters’s game anybody else get that too like the Dum BR that up I know it’s so stupid but I just I I I operate I I

Think so much of like history and stats and blah blah blah it just clouds my judgment Reed Shepard Rob and re and now I’m on that feed re and Rob now I’m on my job we got the wild cat water Boys The Good Vibes are flowing we’re bringing them to Pittsburgh ksr is

Going to be there with coverage make sure you’re subscribed to the ks her YouTube channel check out ksr plus only a dollar to try it out for a month during March Madness we’re going full court press it’s going to be like bucky ball with ksr covering the cats on what

Should be an eventful March Madness for everybody here at ksr we appreciate you joining us on the Monella Bank NCAA tournament bracket special