KSR Today: Kentucky bounced early from SEC Tournament

ZGeogheganKSR

ksr-today-kentucky-bounced-early-sec-tournament — Photo by Dr. Michael Huang | Kentucky Sports Radio

Good morning, folks. This is certainly an awkward feeling. Many expected Kentucky to be playing another basketball game today. Instead, the season of randomness and unpredictability made its mark once again as the Wildcats were upset by Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals on Friday night

The Big Blue Nation made it feel like a home game in Nashville as the buzz around the city was palpable. Fans were eager to cheer on a deep run to Sunday’s championship game, hopefully squashing any notions that this group can’t make something happen in next week’s NCAA Tournament. While that still might be true, it feels a hell of a lot less likely after Friday night. John Calipari can point to injuries all he wants, but the simple truth is this team can get beaten by any caliber opponent on any single night. That’s not a recipe for making a Final Four run, even with the field being so wide open.

So what comes next? Where does Kentucky go from here? There could be just one more game left in the season if something doesn’t change between now and late next week. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the Wildcats down to a seven-seed again, which would still pit them as favorites in the Round of 64. But that would set up a potential showdown with a No. 2 seed in the second round. Is there enough in the tank mentally and physically for this group to actually make some noise in the NCAA Tournament? If you know the answer, you’re already one important step ahead of everyone else.

Check out KSR’s coverage from Friday night in Nashville below. If you’re up for it, we’ll have plenty more content coming to the site throughout the day.

KSR’s Rapid Reaction

Like Kentucky’s, KSR’s time at the SEC Tournament was very short-lived and we have only one Rapid Reaction to show for the Wildcats’ tournament run. The crew stayed late at Bridgestone Arena to react to the disappointing result for Big Blue Nation in Nashville.

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Postgame press conferences

Shortly after the final buzzer sounded, head coach John Calipari was joined on the postgame press conference podium by seniors Antonio Reeves and Oscar Tshiebwe to discuss what went down against Vanderbilt.

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

Back in the Kentucky locker room, players Chris Livingston, Cason Wallace, Jacob Toppin, and CJ Fredrick also spoke with reporters to break down the loss. You can hear from them below.

Girls’ Sweet 16 Final Four

Throughout Saturday, Rupp Arena will play host to the state’s four best teams, but only one will leave crowned the 2023 Mingua Beef Jerky Girls’ Sweet 16 Tournament champion. Sacred Heart and George Rogers Clark will kick off the action this morning in what might be the most anticipated matchup of the entire season.

SHA is considered a top 15 team in the entire country, according to ESPNw, and GRC is the lone Kentucky-based team that came within striking distance of beating the Valkyries during the regular season. Shortly after that, McCracken County and Henderson County will fight for the right to take on the winner in a battle between two teams that have lost just six combined times all season long.

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It all happens today at Rupp Arena. If you’re interested in attending, you can still purchase tickets here. Freelance writer Alyx White will assist KSR in today’s coverage of the semifinals and championship. You can follow her on Twitter: @alyxwhite_.

Saturday, March 11

Semifinals:
11:00 AM | Sacred Heart (34-3) vs. George Rogers Clark (28-7)
1:30 PM | McCracken County (34-2) vs. Henderson County (28-4)

Finals:
7:00 PM | semifinal winner 1 vs. semifinal winner 2

Opening Round Recaps: Day One

Opening Round Recaps: Day Two

Quarterfinals Recaps

Kentucky baseball/softball continue road series

After Kentucky baseball and softball both came away with victories on Friday to begin their respective weekend series, they’ll take the diamond once again on Saturday for game two action. The Baseball ‘Cats came away with a 5-4, 10th-inning victory over Southern Illinois up in Carbondale, IL while No. 16 ranked softball picked up a successful SEC opening day win over No. 23 Missouri down in Columbia, MO.

Baseball
1:00 PM @ Southern Illinois (ESPN+)
UK: LHP Tyler Bosma (2-1, 4.61 ERA, 13.2 IP) vs SIU: RHP Easton Dermody (1-0, 4.80 ERA, 15.0 IP)

Softball
2:00 PM @ No. 23 Missouri (SEC Network)

CBB on TV today

Conference tournament action rolls along on Saturday with several championship and semifinal games on the docket. The SEC Tournament continues at 1:00 PM on ESPN with the first semifinal between Missouri and Alabama. Game two action between Vanderbilt and Texas A&M is scheduled for 3:30 PM.

TIME	HOME	AWAY	TV
1:00 PM	No. 25 Missouri	No. 4 Alabama	ESPN
1:00 PM	Ohio State	No. 5 Purdue	CBS
3:00 PM	Cincinnati	No. 1 Houston	ESPN2
3:00 PM	Vanderbilt	No. 18 Texas A&M	ESPN
3:30 PM	Penn State	No. 19 Indiana	CBS
6:00 PM	No. 7 Texas	No. 3 Kansas	ESPN
6:00 PM	Utah State	No. 20 San Diego State	CBS
6:30 PM	No. 15 Xavier	No. 6 Marquette	FOX
8:30 PM	No. 21 Duke	No. 13 Virginia	ESPN
10:30 PM	No. 8 Arizona	No. 2 UCLA	ESPN

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