KSR Today: Open football practice recap and championship basketball

Good morning, folks! It might be a weekend in the offseason for UK, but plenty is happening across the college sports landscape.

For starters, the men’s Final Four took place on Saturday where San Diego State and UConn both advanced to Monday’s title game. In the first semifinal, the Aztecs downed Florida Atlantic on a wild game-winning mid-range jumper from Lamont Butler that went in right before the final buzzer sounded. The Huskies didn’t see nearly as much drama though in semifinal No. 2, handling Miami (FL) with ease from start to finish.

San Diego State (in search of the program’s first-ever national title) and UConn (going for its fifth title in 24 years) will duke it out for the ultimate trophy Monday night at 9:20 p.m. EST on CBS.

SAN DIEGO STATE WILL PLAY FOR THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP pic.twitter.com/5NWXWvl138

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) April 2, 2023

Meanwhile, the women’s side will crown its national champion later on Sunday when national superstar Caitlin Clark and Iowa go up against controversial head coach Kim Mulkey and LSU. Neither side has ever won a national title (or even been to the championship game until now), but that’ll change by the end of the day. Iowa and LSU will tip off at 3:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.

Back in Lexington, the Kentucky football program hosted its open spring practice to the public on Saturday, which is replacing the annual Spring Game while the turf is being updated at Kroger Field. By all accounts, it was a successful (and incredibly windy) afternoon for both the players and the fans alike. Let’s talk more about it, shall we?

Spring practice notes and highlights

Did you make it out to the football facilities on Saturday? If so, you were treated to a rather entertaining show. In a practice that included a long 11-on-11 scrimmage, Kentucky’s defense won the day allowing just one touchdown while showing off an improved pass rush and being very stout against the run.

As always, KSR had boots on the ground to soak in all the action. So if you weren’t able to make it out to open practice, Adam Luckett has you covered with an in-depth recap that you can check out here. Some of the highlights? Brad White’s defense looking impressive, QB Devin Leary showing plenty of flashes, the offensive line still being a work in progress, and much more.

Once you get done with that, make sure to dive into the interviews from head coach Mark Stoops and several Kentucky players below, plus a Rapid Reaction video that took place live from the KSR headquarters (the office above KSBar and Grille). Enjoy!

Mark Stoops

Watch the latest Mark Stoops press conference on the KSR YouTube Channel.

Kentucky players

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

KSR’s Rapid Reaction

Photo Gallery by Aaron Perkins

Cason Wallace going pro

Kentucky guard Cason Wallace is taking his talents to the NBA, declaring for the draft on Saturday while signing with an agent, forgoing the remainder of his college eligibility. The jump comes after a successful freshman campaign in Lexington where he averaged 11.7 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 44.6% from the field, 34.6% from three and 75.7% at the line.

Projected as a likely lottery pick known for his versatility and two-way abilities, Wallace’s time as a Wildcat is officially (and unsurprisingly) over.

“First and foremost, I want to give a big thank you to my family, teammates, coaches and the fans that packed Rupp Arena every week for your endless support throughout my journey,” Wallace said. “I’m grateful beyond words for the memories we have created together and I’m honored to be a part of a great community like UK.

With that, I am officially announcing that I’m declaring for the NBA Draft to continue to pursue my life-long dream of playing in the NBA. I will cherish my time with Big Blue Nation and I want to thank you all again for your support and encouragement throughout the year.”

Wallace joins Jacob Toppin as two Wildcats that have put their names in the NBA Draft so far. They join Sahvir Wheeler (transferring) and Brennan Canada (returning) as the group of ‘Cats that have made offseason decisions regarding their futures with Kentucky.

Baseball, softball, and tennis all in action

The secondary sports are taking over Sunday, with all three of baseball, softball, and men’s tennis all set to face off in ranked matchups. The Bat ‘Cats are the only ones coming off a win, already securing the series victory over No. 25 Missouri with wins on Friday and Saturday at Kentucky Proud Park. UK will look to stay red-hot with a sweep on Sunday.

Elsewhere, softball hopes to bounce back from a 9-5 series-opening loss to No. 10 Georgia on Saturday and avoid a series loss in the process. Lastly, top-five ranked men’s tennis — arguably the best of the three programs this season — dropped only its third match this year (19-3) on Friday to No. 8 Georgia. UK will look to get back on track on the road against another ranked opponent, No. 14 Tennessee. Elsewhere, women’s soccer and women’s tennis are also in action today. It’s gonna be a busy one!

Baseball: No. 16 Kentucky vs No. 25 Missouri | 12:00 p.m. EST – SEC Network (Lexington, KY)

Softball: No. 16 Kentucky vs. No. 10 Georgia | 6:00 p.m. EST – SEC Network (Athens, GA)

Men’s Tennis: No. 4 Kentucky vs. No. 14 Tennessee | 1:00 p.m. EST (Knoxville, TN)

Transy WBB wins DIII national title

Transylvania women’s basketball completed its perfect season on Saturday in the Division III National Championship, taking down Christopher Newport 57-52 to achieve an undefeated 33-0 season.

A trio of seniors led the way for the Pioneers. Madison Kellione earned MVP honors after scoring 17 points and grabbing seven rebounds. Kennedi Stacy messed around and almost got a triple-double — eight points, 11 rebounds, and eight steals — while Dasia Thornton tallied a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds. Kellione and Stacy are both natives of Kentucky.

The Pioneers fell behind early by as many as nine points in the first quarter. Then led by as many as 13 in the third quarter. Down the stretch, the game was all even. Something had to give. Thornton broke the ice with a layup in the final minute to give Transylvania the lead for good.

#WINGSUP WE HAVE NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, @TUWBX!!!!!!!!!! 💍🏆 57-52! 🦇 pic.twitter.com/Kcaq44hVJR

— Transy Sports (@TransySports) April 1, 2023