KSR Today: Baseball, Softball, NBA Playoffs, and an incredible Bourbon Drawing
Good morning, Big Blue Nation. I hate to be the one to remind you, but it’s Tax Day, so if you haven’t taken care of that unfortunate part of being an adult, you better get with it, or at least file an extension.
Don’t let Uncle Sam completely ruin your Tuesday. There’s plenty of fun to be had in the world of UK sports, including baseball and softball games, former Cats in the NBA Playoffs, and continued basketball roster and football transfer portal rumblings. Plus, the radio show is on the road ahead of tomorrow’s all-important GOP Governor’s Debate.
First, here’s a message from the team at Charities for Kentucky that will be of special note for you bourbon aficionados.
Here is your chance to win some AMAZING bourbon from Give270 and partner 501c3 Charitable NIL, Charities For Kentucky. The two non-profits are teaming up to raise funds to benefit other local charities and University of Kentucky athletes.
Charities for Kentucky works in cooperation with University of Kentucky student-athletes who help promote fundraising with their name, image, and likeness for the benefit of worthy causes across Kentucky. Some participating charities include Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass, God’s Pantry Food Bank, Junior Achievement & others.
Winners will be drawn live on our YouTube channel at 8 p.m. ET, April 26th following that week’s Whiskey Wednesdays drawing. But only 3,000 tickets are available so get yours before they’re gone!
Here’s how it works.
- First, we’ll draw for single bottle prizes 4-50 before returning each of those winning tickets to the tumbler for the drawing or our grand prizes
- Then the first name drawn wins our grand prize, a 5-bottle set of Van Winkle Bourbon including an Old Rip Van Winkle, 10 year, Van Winkle Special Reserve, 12 year Lot “B”, Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve, 15 year, 20 year and 23 year.
- The next name drawn wins grand prize #2, a 6-bottle Weller vertical including a Weller Special Reserve, an Antiques 107, a 12 year, a Full Proof, a C.Y.P.B. and a Single Barrel.
- Finally, the third name drawn wins grand prize #3, an 8-bottle set of Blanton’s Single Barrels with a complete set of toppers that spell B-L-A-N-T-O-N-‘S.
Reminder: The drawing will be Wednesday 4/26 at 8 p.m. on our YouTube Channel. Enter to win.
No. 13 Kentucky Baseball hosts Xavier
The Bat Cats’ series loss to No. 1 LSU did not hurt them much in the polls. Kentucky stayed put at No. 12 in Baseball America’s rankings and slipped one spot to No. 13 in D1 Baseball’s latest Top 25 on Monday. Tonight, the Cats will be back in action vs. the Xavier Musketeers, their first home game in two weeks. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET at Kentucky Proud Park.
Kentucky (28-7) and Xavier (22-14) played last fall in an exhibition game, which the Cats won 11-6. The weather is supposed to be beautiful and free swag will be available for students at “The Hook” (which is apparently what UK is calling the student section at KPP), so get on out there to support your nationally-ranked Wildcats. Or, watch on SEC Network+.
On Monday, Nick Mingone met with reporters to recap the series loss to No. 1 LSU and look ahead to what’s next.
No. 17 Kentucky Softball at Northern Kentucky
After a rough weekend, the softball team heads north to Highland Heights to face Northern Kentucky. On Sunday, No. 6 Tennessee completed its three-game sweep of the No. 17 Cats with a 15-1 five-inning win. The Cats are now 25-13-1 this season, 7-8 in conference play. First pitch of today’s game is set for 5 p.m. ET and you can watch live on ESPN+.
Will Levis meets with the Carolina Panthers
It’s another busy day for Will Levis ahead of next week’s NFL Draft. Yesterday, Levis met with the Indianapolis Colts, who have the fourth pick in the draft but are willing to trade to get the quarterback of their choosing. Today, Levis heads to Charlotte to meet with the Carolina Panthers, who are also hosting C.J. Stroud. The Panthers have the first overall pick thanks to a trade with the Chicago Bears.
Last night, Levis was featured on “On the Clock” with Peyton, Eli, and Archie Manning. I need to catch the replay on ESPN+, but Nick Roush got a sneak peek at the episode and said Peyton is a big fan of Levis, who he believes “might have been genetically engineered to be an NFL quarterback.”
John Calipari back on the recruiting trail
John Calipari is back on the road to check in on some big names in the 2024 class. Sources tell Jack Pilgrim that Calipari was in Camden, New Jersey over the weekend to see four-star wing Billy Richmond, who is teammates with DJ Wagner and Aaron Bradshaw and whose father played for Calipari at Memphis. Calipari also visited five-star prospects Tre Johnson and Flory Bidunga.
Yesterday, Calipari, Orlando Antigua, and Chin Coleman were in Philadelphia to see four-star guard Ahmad Nowell, the teammate of Kentucky signee Justin Edwards. While in Philly, Calipari stopped by the Wells Fargo Center to watch Tyrese Maxey lead the Sixers to a Game Two win over the Brooklyn Nets…
Top 10
- 1Breaking
Tom Herman
FAU set to fire head coach
- 2New
CBB AP Poll
Big movers in latest rankings
- 3
Don Brown fired
UMass parts ways with HC
- 4
Iowa QB out
Ankle injury sidelines Brendan Sullivan
- 5
Phil Longo fired
Wisconsin announces firing of OC
BBNBA Playoffs: Maxey, Fox & Monk lead teams to Game Two wins
Cal picked the right game to come to. Maxey scored a game-high 33 points, including six threes, to lead Philadelphia to a 96-84 win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Sixers now lead the series 2-0. Game Three takes place in Brooklyn on Thursday.
On the West Coast, the Sacramento Kings also took a 2-0 series lead with a 114-106 win over the Golden State Warriors. De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk didn’t quite combine for 70 points like they did in Game One, but Fox did have 24 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals and Monk 18 points off the bench to light up the beam once again. Fox’s three to put the Kings up 107-101 with 2:17 to go was massive.
That said, Draymond Green being ejected for stomping on Domantas Sabonis and then riling up the crowd are the clips going viral this morning.
Tonight, there are three Game Twos featuring four former Cats:
- 7:00 PM (NBATV): Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics
- BOS leads series 1-0
- 7:30 PM (TNT): New York Knicks (Randle, Quickley) at Cleveland Cavaliers
- NY leads series 1-0
- 10:00 PM (TNT): LA Clippers (Boston Jr.) vs. Phoenix Suns (Booker)
- LAC leads series 1-0
Wagner, Edwards receive Naismith All-American jerseys
On Monday, DJ Wagner and Justin Edwards received their Naismith Boys’ High School All-American jerseys, a very cool moment for the future Cats.
Roster Waiting Game Continues
On yesterday’s show, Matt Jones shared some scoop that he heard on Friday regarding Kentucky’s frontcourt situation. A source outside of the program told Matt that Michigan transfer Hunter Dickinson would “love” to play at Kentucky, but only if Oscar Tshiebwe does not return for a final season. Oscar is currently testing the NBA Draft waters and has until May 31 to withdraw his name if he wants to return to school; however, the source told Matt that Dickinson would like to make his decision much sooner than that.
“[Kentucky] would love to have Oscar back but Oscar is wanting to wait until the end to decide and Hunter wants to make a decision,” Matt said. “So Kentucky is hoping Oscar will make his decision this week so that whatever happens they don’t lose Dickinson in the process.”
There’s been some chatter that Oscar already told the staff he is returning to Kentucky, but Kyle Tucker shot that down on Twitter this morning. The waiting game continues.
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The radio show is at Valhalla
While you’re stuck in the office, the radio guys are at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville for PGA Championship Media Day…even though the PGA Championship is at Oak Hill Country Club in New York this year. Next year, it’s at Valhalla. Yeah, I really don’t get it but I’m jealous of them and I’m sure it’ll be an entertaining show as the gang breaks down the latest news and previews tomorrow’s GOP Governor’s Debate.
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