KSR Today: Pope's Roster Watch, Kentucky Baseball vs. The Vols, UK Tennis Repeats, NBA Playoffs, Tom Green, the NFL Draft, Woo Big Zooie...

Good morning, Big Blue Nation. How are you? I am great. Thank you for asking. However, I could have been better on Saturday when Kentucky Baseball allowed five runs to the Tennessee Vols before the first out in the game. The Cats lost the one game I attended in the three-game series, 9-4. Fun was had beyond the baseball, though. We even set a new record.

On Sunday, I stayed back to avoid furthering my jinx on the weekend. It didn’t help. Tennessee took Game 3 in Lexington, thus winning the rivalry series at Kentucky Proud Park. Sunday’s rubber match was a whacky game featuring 10 home runs, 24 runs in total, and five lead changes. The Wildcats out-hit the Vols, 17 to 11. Still, Tennessee won in the end, fighting off two Kentucky home runs in the bottom of the ninth to hold onto the final 13-11 lead.

The series loss was Kentucky’s first in SEC competition after the best start in school history. The Wildcats still hold a strong grip on first place in the SEC East and a one-game lead over Arkansas overall.

SEC Standings

Kentucky Men’s Tennis went back-to-back in the SEC

Kentucky Men’s Tennis defended its SEC Tournament title on Sunday, beating South Carolina 4-2 to clinch back-to-back championships. The Wildcats also won the 2024 regular season championship, marking only the second time in school history the Wildcats won both SEC trophies in the same season. The 1992 team is the other.

Charlelie Cosnet, a sophomore from Le Mans, France, was named the 2024 SEC Tournament MVP on Sunday. Cosnet was the only Wildcat to go 3-0 in singles play. Last year’s MVP, Josh Lapadat, a senior from London, Ontario, continued his stellar tournament play in 2024, going 5-0 in singles and doubles competition.

Mark Pope and Kentucky land Amari Williams from the transfer portal

After much speculation, Amari Williams made his transfer to Kentucky official on Sunday, becoming Mark Pope‘s first veteran transfer in Lexington. Williams, who is from England, was a three-time Defensive Player of the Year in the Colonial Athletic Conference in four years at Drexel. At 6 feet, 10 inches tall with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, Williams brings rebounding and rim protection to Pope’s first team. All he needed was a weekend trip to the Bluegrass to confirm that UK (the University of Kentucky, not the United Kingdom) is for him.

Learn more about Amari Williams’ commitment.

Other Monday morning Kentucky Basketball updates

— BYU guard Richie Saunders is currently visiting the University of Kentucky, confirmed by a late airport sighting with the Popes on Sunday night. Last season, Saunders, a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, averaged 9.6 points and 4.1 rebounds for the Cougars, shooting over 50 percent from the field. Before you ask, I do not know if or when Richie will start.

— Great Osoboar, the 2024 Mountain West Player of the Year, is still a name to watch around the Bluegrass. Yesterday, Osoboar reposted Amari Williams’ commitment on Instagram, which furthers the speculation around Osoboar’s heavy interest in Big Blue. A fellow Brit, Osoboar may follow Williams to Lexington from the transfer portal. It helps that they were teammates at Myerscough College in England. We’re keeping a close eye on this one.

— The internet believes Johnell Davis is considering Kentucky and Arkansas after his plans to attend Michigan fell through. The former Florida Atlantic Owl averaged 18.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 2023-24, shooting 48.3 percent in FAU’s backcourt. He is On3’s second-ranked option in the portal.

— Orlando Antigua will not stick around Lexington after all. He isn’t following John Calipari to Arkansas, either. On Sunday, Illinois announced the re-hiring of Antigua on Brad Underwood’s coaching staff, this time as an Associate Head Coach for the Illini. Antigua was an assistant under Underwood in Champagne from 2017-21 before his re-hiring at Kentucky. On a personal note, I wish Orlando the best in the Big Ten. KSR has always been a fan of Coach O.

— Keep up with the latest surrounding Kentucky Basketball with us over at KSBoard.

Former Wildcats in the NBA Playoffs

Sunday in the Association, the Boston Celtics took Game 1 against the Miami Heat without a worry, winning 114-94 in TD Garden. Bam Adebayo led all scorers in the losing effort, adding 24 points on 10 of 18 from the field. Tyler Herro wasn’t as helpful for Miami. Herro went 4 for 13, including 3 of 9 from 3 for 11 total points in a starting role.

PJ Washington‘s Dallas Mavericks also struggled in the first game of the Mavs’ series against the Los Angeles Clippers. Washington had 11 points and seven rebounds in 37 minutes, but the Clippers won Game 1 in L.A. 109-97. BJ Boston did not play.

In the third game of Sunday’s quadruple-header, Isaiah Jackson (remember him?) continued the curse of the former Wildcats as his Indiana Pacers lost Game 1 in Milwaukee to the Bucks. Playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks beat the Pacers 109-94 powered by 35 from Damian Lillard and 23 out of Kris Middleton. Jackson played only two minutes off the bench and Chris Livington, another former Cat, was a DNP for Milwaukee.

And in the late game, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the high scorer with 28 in Oklahoma City’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans. SGA’s three-point play broke a tie with 32 seconds remaining in Game 1.

Tonight’s NBA Playoffs action begins in Cleveland, where the Cavaliers host the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference series. Monday night also brings Tyrese Maxey and the Philadelphia 76ers versus the Julius Randle-less New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden. The nightcap features Jamal Murray versus Anthony Davis in Game 2 of the Nuggets-Lakers series in Denver. Former Wildcat Jared Vanderbilt hasn’t suited up for L.A. since February 1.

Orlando Magic @ Cleveland Cavaliers (1-0) – Game 2 | 7:00 p.m. ET | NBA TV

Philadelphia 76ers @ New York Knicks (1-0) – Game 2 | 7:30 p.m. ET | TNT / TruTV

Los Angeles Lakers @ Denver Nuggets (1-0) – Game 2 | 10:00 p.m. ET | TNT / TruTV

Jordan Brand Classic

After hosting the thrilling Haney-Garcia fight on Saturday, Brooklyn’s Barclays Arena hosted the 2024 Jordan Brand Classic on Sunday, which traditionally features at least a former Wildcat or two. This year’s game did not have any current Kentucky signees. Still, it did include Jayden Quantance, Boogie Fland and Billy Richmond, three former UK commits until John Calipari’s exit, and Liam McNeeley, a current five-star target for Mark Pope.

However, Rutgers commit Dylan Harper was the star, scoring 30 points in his MVP performance, including the game-winner. McNeeley took MVP honors for Team Air. He visits UConn today.

Checking in on Great Value Kentucky

Last night at the Chicken Plant, Zvonimir Ivisic called the Hogs for his new Great Value fan base as he and John Calipari attended a Sunday night chicken baseball game. Though weird, this is the new SEC Basketball rivalry. Still, we wish Big Z well and hope he remembers who loved him first. Did Tyson buy him a billboard yet?

Big Z (and @CoachCalArk) take Bogle Park.

Thanks for the hospitality for our guy @zvonimir_ivisic, and congrats on the series win @RazorbackSB! pic.twitter.com/FOIFapByiv

— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) April 22, 2024

Kentucky Softball took the series at Auburn

In Auburn, Alabama, No. 23 Kentucky Softball beat the Auburn Tigers on Sunday to clinch another SEC series win. Freshman pitcher Sydney Langdon pitched a complete game for the win. She was perfect through six innings before allowing two hits in the final seventh inning.

The Kentucky-Auburn series continues tonight with Game 3 on the Plains. You can follow along on SEC Network at 7 p.m. ET.

It’s NFL Draft Week

Coming up later this week, the 2024 NFL Draft kicks begins in Detroit, Michigan, with primetime Round 1 Thursday night.

• Round 1: 5 p.m. PT on Thursday, April 25
• Rounds 2-3: 4 p.m. PT on Friday, April 26
• Rounds 4-7: 9 a.m. PT on Saturday, April 27

Kentucky Football shouldn’t see anyone drafted in the first, but phones may start ringing in the second. Andru Phillips and Trevin Wallace are two former Wildcats to watch on draft boards. KSR profiled each of them here: Phillips | Wallace

Devin Leary, Ray Davis, Tayvion Robinson, and Jeremy Flax are other Kentucky guys to watch.

Tom Green was in Lexington over the weekend

Last Friday afternoon, my wife asked if I wanted to go see Tom Green at Comedy Off Broadway. When she asked, I did not know that Tom Green (a) did stand-up comedy in 2024 or (b) was in Lexington, Kentucky. I loved Tom Green in his prime. “Road Trip” is one of my favorite comedies. So, we got last-second tickets (all four shows sold out) and made a date night of it.

We attended the 7:00 show and had a blast. Tom still has it, from storytelling to playing some of his classic melodies on his guitar (Tiny salmon chasing that impossible dream…). Outside of the really drunk guy in the front row who kept interrupting the show, I’m happy to report Tom Green puts on a great show. Go see him if you’re into Tom Green and he’s in your area.

KSR is coming up at 10 a.m.

From 10 a.m. to noon, Kentucky Sports Radio can be found on your morning radio airwaves, or you can stream the show online. In today’s edition, Matt Jones is with producer Shannon The Dude in Louisville, leading Ryan Lemond and me through conversations about the weekend news and what is next in UK Athletics. Ryan and I will be at KSBar and Grille in Lexington.