KSR Today: Bracket Challenge and Selection Sunday Roundup

It’s Monday of NCAA Tournament week and the morning after Selection Sunday, so we have lots to address. We’ll start with the KSR and On3 Bracket Challenge, which is now open for registration for you, your friends, and your family to play along. Beat other KSR readers, listeners, and the KSR staff, and you can win prizes along with your bragging rights. Join the challenge to fill out your bracket today. 

A big thank you to Aura for sponsoring the challenge. Check out their special free trial offer, valid only during March Madness—additional thanks to Kentucky Branded, Mint Mobile, and Outsider.

Here’s the official 2023 NCAA Tournament bracket that dropped yesterday. Good luck out there.

Kentucky’s Road to the Final Four

In the East Regional (or the lower-left quadrant, as Greg Gumble calls it), Kentucky Basketball received an at-large bid to its 60th NCAA Tournament. That’s a record. The Wildcats are the No. 6 seed in the East, with Bryce Hopkins and Providence waiting in the first game. Kansas State is the likely second-round opponent if Kentucky handles its business versus the Friars. Those games will be played in Greensboro, North Carolina. Kentucky-Providence was assigned the 7:10 p.m. timeslot Friday on CBS.

Read KSR’s first look at Providence. We have a full East Region preview for you, too.

Kentucky laying 3.5 points to Providence

Moments after the tournament bracket was revealed, oddsmakers released the betting lines for each game, and Kentucky opened as a 3.5-point favorite in the 6-vs-11 matchup in Greensboro. The total on the game opened at 146.5 points and dropped two points to 144.5 already, but the spread remains unchanged 12 hours later.

Watch KSR’s Rapid Reaction to the matchup and the Wildcats’ tournament draw:

Watch the latest John Calipari press conference on the KSR YouTube Channel.

NCAA Tournament TV Times, Channels, Announcers

Here is the full schedule for every game this week and the broadcast team for each game. Kentucky-Providence gets Ian Eagle, Jim Spanarkel, and Evan Washburn on CBS.

John Calipari confirmed Jacob Toppin was injured last week

Last night, John Calipari continued his tradition of inviting reporters into his home for a Selection Sunday watch party and press conference. He opened his post-draw comments by clearing up the unclear injury situation regarding Jacob Toppin, who Calipari confirmed was out of some practices last week with a hamstring injury.

Calipari also said everyone would need to practice this week to keep their usual roles in Friday’s game.

“This week, I told them, You will either practice Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or you will not start and you will come off the bench if you’re a starter. And if you’re on the bench, you’re going to be deeper on the bench.”

Hear all of Calipari’s comments from his watch party:

Other sights and sounds from the Calipari’s Selection Show party:

Subscribe to the KSR YouTube Channel for press conferences, interviews, original shows, fan features, and exclusive content.

More comments from Calipari to come on his call-show

For more from Calipari on Kentucky’s NCAA Tournament draw and the status of the team heading into March Madness, tune into his weekly call-in show from 6-7 p.m. tonight on the UK Sports Network. If you can’t, we will recap all of his comments here on KSR for those who cannot listen live.

We’ll have much more from Calipari’s Sunday comments later this morning—insanely busy times around here at KSR HQ.

Spring Football on Spring Break

Switching sports. On campus in Lexington, it is quiet around the Kentucky Football facilities because the team has the week off for spring break. Last week, the Wildcats began their 15-practice spring schedule with new/old offensive coordinator Liam Coen back in town. Next week, they will regroup for the first of the four remaining weeks of spring ball. And we’ll tell you all about it.

Kentucky Baseball swept Southern Illinois

While everyone was dialed into college basketball on Sunday, Kentucky Baseball was busy completing its sweep of Southern Illinois in Carbondale. The Wildcats (14-2) smoked the Salukis, 21-3, in Sunday’s game for a 10th consecutive win on the schedule. It was the most runs Kentucky scored in a game since scoring 21 runs on Appalachian State in 2020.

Up next, UK hosts Indiana on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Kentucky Proud Park.

Kentucky Softball took brooms on the road, too

Nick Mingione’s club wasn’t the only Kentucky team sweeping up on the road over the weekend because Rachel Lawson’s Kentucky Softball team won all of its games in the three-game series at No. 23 Mizzou. Even better, the Cats held the Tigers scoreless in all three, winning Friday, 5-0, and both games in Sunday’s doubleheader by a combined score of 11-0.

Kentucky (16-5-1) will play one more in Missouri, at St. Louis on Tuesday.

Lots more NCAA Tournament talk ahead

Be sure to listen to Matt Jones, Ryan Lemond, and Shannon The Dude on Monday’s edition of KSR’s morning radio program. There’s an entire day’s worth of stories still to come here on KSR’s website as well.

As always, Go Cats.