KSR Today: Mark Pope, Kenny Brooks and Livvy Dunne

Is your schedule all over the place like mine is? This week’s Wednesday game has me feeling like today is Thursday, ready to talk to Mark Pope this afternoon before really digging into the nuts and bolts on the Alabama rematch tomorrow ahead of the trip to Tuscaloosa early Saturday morning. Instead, Pope talks today, Friday, right before the team heads down tonight and the KSR crew does the same at the crack of dawn tomorrow. The longer wait for Vanderbilt gave us a shorter turnaround for Alabama, and I think I’m a fan. Like Andrew Carr, I’m ready for another shot at the fourth-ranked Crimson Tide on their home floor. Maybe that’s stupid considering Kentucky’s injury situation and the Tide coming off a two-game losing streak, hungry to get back in the win column, but stupid never hurt anybody. Why not go down there and pull off an eighth top-15 win when no one thinks you can do it?

That conversation will anchor the day, plus a second straight women’s basketball win and a big-time top-10 gymnastics meet in Lexington featuring one of the biggest sports stars in the world.

Mark Pope previews the Alabama rematch

Just how crazy are we to think the Cats can pull it off against the Tide? We’ll hear Pope’s thoughts on the matchup at 12 PM ET, highlighting what went wrong in the first battle in Lexington and what has to go right in Tuscaloosa for his team to leave with an upset win.

We’re also certain to get injury updates on Lamont Butler, Jaxson Robinson and potentially even Kerr Kriisa — he did just drop the bomb that the fifth-year senior is eligible for a medical redshirt, adding intrigue to his status. Will Kentucky be any healthier on Saturday? We’ll find out shortly, followed by an official update when the SEC Availability Report drops at 8:15 ET.

A fresh Sources Say to get you ready

Have an hour to kill at work on this cold, snowy Friday? We’ve got something to pass the time, a new episode of Sources Say dropping on Thursday. We broke down how the Cats managed to earn the 21-point blowout win in the Vanderbilt rematch while also talking through SEC Tournament seeding and how this trip to Alabama could impact things one way or another.

How can Kentucky avoid a Wednesday start in Nashville? We’re here to talk you through all of the scenarios.

How about two new KSR RoadTrip videos?

Let’s keep the video content rolling this morning with not one, but two editions of our KSR RoadTrip series. The first comes from the Vanderbilt win, driving in the snow and ice to get to Rupp Arena, watching the Cats run the Commodores out of the gym. You get a behind-the-scenes look at all of the sights and sounds from the game you won’t find anywhere else.

Steven Peake at his best, everyone.

Then a rewind back to KSR’s trip to Austin — completely ignoring the game itself, specifically those last four minutes. This one is about all of the food and drinks consumed over the course of the four-day trip, checking out everything Texas has to offer (especially the brisket).

It’s worth your time, I promise.

Kentucky WBB beats Missouri for a second straight win

Coming off a win over Georgia, Kenny Brooks and the Cats took care of business once again at Missouri, defeating the Tigers 73-65 in Columbia. It was a win that moved Kentucky to 21-4 overall and 10-3 in the SEC, continuing to push for a double-bye in the SEC Tournament.

Clara Strack led the way with 22 points and 12 rebounds, followed by Georgia Amoore with 19 points and five assists, Teonni Key with 13 and Dazia Lawrence with 12 to round out double-figure scorers. As a team, the Cats shot 52.9 percent from the field and 28.6 percent from three while the Tigers shot 40.0 percent overall and 33.3 percent from deep.

It’ll be a battle against No. 7 LSU up next, taking on Kim Mulkey’s Tigers (25-2, 10-2 SEC) on Sunday at 4 PM ET on ESPN. That one is sold out, another one inside Historic Memorial Coliseum.

Kenny Brooks is a National Coach of the Year contender

As the wins pile up for the women’s basketball program, its leader is a contender to earn National Coach of the Year honors.

On Thursday, Brooks was selected to the Werner Ladder Naismith Women’s College Coach of the Year Watch List presented by AXIA Time, announced by The Atlanta Tipoff Club. He is one of 15 head coaches on the watch list and one of six SEC coaches included.

Ten semifinalists will be announced on March 13, followed by five finalists on March 18. The Atlanta Tipoff Club will then decide the winner on April 2.

A top-10 gymnastics meet inside Memorial Coliseum

Speaking of the LSU Tigers, the No. 3 overall women’s gymnastics team will take on Kentucky’s No. 9 program in a top-10 battle inside Historic Memorial Coliseum on Friday. The meet is scheduled for 7 PM ET, live on SEC Network.

The Wildcats enter the matchup coming off a win over Temple last weekend, improving their home record to 3-0. Isabella Magnelli is ranked No. 1 in the SEC and No. 2 in the NCAA on the balance beam while Hailey Davis and Makenzie Wilson also rank in the nation’s top ten in their events, the former on floor (No. 8) and the latter on vault (No. 10).

They’ll be taking on the defending national champions, and more notably, Livvy Dunne — one of the most famous athletes in the world. She’s known as the “most followed NCAA athlete on social media” with more than 9 million followers and will undoubtedly draw all of the attention on Friday.

Time to send her home with a loss, Cats.