Latest / Bluegrass State of Mind / THE KENTUCKY BASKETBALL BREAKDOWN | UCF RECAP
Transcript
- Dillon: What's up guys? Welcome back to another episode of Bluegrass State of Mind. Tonight we are going to get into the basketball breakdown. I guess I should say this morning, this evening, whenever you're listening to the podcast. Mason, welcome back. Thanks for deciding to join us on Bluegrass State of Mind. We appreciate that. Do like the hat you're repping. That's the first time Mason: Yep. Dillon: that the audience is getting to see your new Bluegrass Elite hat. You got the white one, looks good. Mason: Sweet. Dillon: I myself have mine on. Colton, you have yours as well. if you haven't got a chance to go over a Bluegrass Elite, find you some gear, 15% off. Use our promo code BSM302. So, as I stated before, we're going to pretty much break down the game that we just watched. we are recording this on Wednesday night, where the University of Kentucky did play UCF Central Florida, did defeat them in an overtime game of. Going into the half, they were up 39 to 35. UCF makes a little bit of a comeback. actually does take the lead, but Alex Wilkins saves the day, does a little floater in the paint to send it into overtime, and then Kentucky takes care of business in overtime and ends up winning the game of a score of 90 to 76. After that, our plan is we put on our socials today a couple of questions. We're going to answer and then just break down the season as a whole because that did conclude the exhibition series. The next time that they suit up, they will be playing the regular season. So this is kind of our breakdown. I hope you all enjoy this little episode. The reason why we're doing this is because football is on a bye week. Don't really want to talk about it. I colon I think we did decide on as well that this is going to be the last episode we put out We will not be putting out an episode on Monday just because there will be nothing to cover as far as football goes. and then it'll give us a chance to break down Tennessee and watch the regular season game for basketball or will it ha will will it had to be played by then? It it would have happened yeah. Kolton Myatt: Yeah. Yeah. It plays next Tuesday night. Mason: Tuesday night, right? Yeah. Dillon: Yeah. So just wanted to go ahead and throw that out there. But let's get into it, guys. So we already stated the game. let's kind of just break this down half by half, okay? Let's let's do that. And maybe if we want, we can do it in sections. Let's go the first 10 minutes of the game. Now, Mason, I know you said you didn't get to watch a ton of the first half, but you kind of kept up with it. I myself Didn't get to watch the second half, had to go to church. but I did go back and watch some of it, but I fast forwarded a lot of it. So I'm gonna rely heavy on you two. I did get back in time to watch the last two minutes and overtime. but the first five to ten minutes, Colton. let let's start there. Okay. What what what's what's your takeaways? The first five to ten minutes of the first half. Kolton Myatt: Well, both teams started out terrible shooting. I think both teams at one point were one for nine to start the game. We got through five or six minutes of the game. It like four to two. but I was impressed by our defense in the first five or six minutes. I think the length that we had really showed in the first five or six minutes. It was causing issues for Central Florida. They weren't getting great shots off. I felt like we were getting decent shots. We just really weren't hitting anything, but I felt like their shots were more contested. but really that's the first five or six minutes. Then we've kinda caught fire there. Went through a stretch where we actually hit three or four threes out of like five or six shot attempts in a row. we kinda separated ourselves with a nine or ten point lead and started to kind of catch fire. But, you know, first really the only great takeaway in the first five or six minutes was that air I do think the length of our team, how long we are, can can be disruptive on defense and it was given Dillon: Mm-hmm. Kolton Myatt: U C F problems early. Dillon: for me, Cody, I I just I feel like I I'm seeing and I don't think I I don't want this to come aro across the wrong way because I love passing and I I love how quick we move it. But I feel like I was watching a little bit of the Arkansas Little Rock game again in the in the first five to ten minutes. There there we have great spacing on offense, but I feel like we just there's too much passing going on. I think a and it's not the right kind of passing where it it's inside out. It it's just all across And outside the three-point line. There, there's just a lot of passing. And also, I want to bring this and ask you all your thoughts on this. we Mark Pope in his press conference, it may have been SEC Media Day, he said it in one of the days. He talked about how we're going to get back to kind of how it was that first year, where we have Malachi Marina or Biggs being up at the top, having the ball, and then there's a lot of cut and movement, back doors, and you're seeing a lot of that action. But I don't know if I love it as much right now with Malachi Marino. And there's a couple of reasons why. The first being that Malachi Marino is not a shooter. Okay? So when he does have the ball, his man is, if you watch the game, the f especially that first five, ten minutes and throughout the game, you see that his defenders already backing up and just flooding the paint, right? There's there's not a defensive three seconds i in in college like there is in the NBA. So the so he can just sit there and it not be anything that he's having to come out and cover Malachi Marino. But second off, Malaycomarino is a little bit different than Amari Williams. Amari Williams was the type that he was going to beat you off the dribble and go make something of his own if there was nothing there. I'm not seeing that from Malay Kamarino. So I think that there needs to be less of that, in my opinion. I I I love the idea and I love the backdoor actions, but I just feel like we're getting very stagnant. Mason, I feel like we're not the ball is moving, but It's not moving toward the go. it's going around the three point line. Yeah. Mason: what I was about to say. It's moving it's moving east to west instead of north to south is what it's doing. and and I agree with your stagnant comment because I I messaged y'all during some point during the second half and it's kind of the same thing that we've been seeing, you know, last year and so far this year, like we're going through scoring droughts, right? And I feel like we talked about this every single game last year. And there was one point in the second half where it was right under six minutes that we had went without a field goal. And to me, you know, with the way this team is designed and the three guard You have right between Zoom, Wilkins, and Mason Williams, and then you have the shooters, Wilkins, Milan, McBride, Ousmane, like you had these guys who could knock it down. Like, that should never happen, right? Like, we should not go six minutes without a field goal. so that that's a little worrisome to me. And I agree, Dillon: Mm-hmm. Mason: Dylan. It's it's more east to west right now. And and there were times where I don't know if they just haven't got that mojo yet, but there were times where that back door was open, right? And it was like they're not waiting on it. It's like they're just trying too quickly to just all right. Let's throw back out here and let's get into the next action. so I'm hoping it'll come around. I I see glimpses. but yeah, right now it's a lot of east to west, not not enough north to south. Dillon: But for for defensive purposes, the the team you're playing against, it can be a hard thing to cover, but it's it's actually not though. You just switch and as long as if we come across a team that has really good communication on the defensive end, it's gonna be a pretty easy thing, especially when you have Malachi Marino who's just standing there. It's it's much different whenever you have somebody attacking the floor because then somebody else has to help, and then you are you are able to throw it out. Go north to south, then pass it east to west to a shooter. That that that worries me. It really does. and I think that that's what you're seeing right now. Is it's because of our big man. You have Malachi Marino or you have an oosmain, it's mainly Malachi Marino just standing with the ball waiting for our guards to get open, which is good, but also I'm just not seeing the flu the fluidity. I'm not saying it be fluid, I guess. I keep saying fluid. I don't even know if that's a word, but it's just not fluid. Coatin, another thing. I want to hear your thoughts on is another thing, it goes back to the Arkansas Little Rock game is that these are the type of games, Colton, that you should be able to look your guy across and be like, hey man, I'm here at Kentucky for a reason. You're at UCF Central Florida for a reason. I can get a bucket on you about eight times out of ten. I c I should be able to go create, whether that is starting at the guard and it's Zoom Diallo, whether it's Alex Wilkins. But mainly I'm also sitting here looking at Malachi Marino. Hey dude, if you're gonna be a lottery pick, you gotta start being aggressive and it and making your your presence known in the paint. And I'm not seeing a lot of paint touches. I I that's another reason why I'm not loving this right now. I'm fine with it every now and then. But for that to be your entire offense, I just don't love it because it seems like we're drawing Malachi Marino out from being what he possibly could be. Is that do you do you agree with that or? Kolton Myatt: Yeah, I mean I think though they're probably trying to play a little more five out. and not that Malachi probably needs to play that, but I think they're worried about him being so stagnant in the paint that it's just gonna cause defenders to to kind of hold in the paint with him and maybe crowd it. So I think that that's kinda why he's they're bringing him out right now. But yeah, it kinda hurts that Malachi doesn't have a true offensive game. I think Alv I think Malachi played a great game. He almost had a triple double. He almost played a triple Dillon: No he did, he did. Yeah, we'll get to that. Kolton Myatt: double. He he was very physical rebounding. I was I have I was there's a lot of good things I Mason: They look really good rebound on the ball. Kolton Myatt: saw from Malachi. But yes, it is it does hurt that Malachi doesn't have a true I bet he I I can't remember how many he scored, fifteen or so, but I would sixteen, but I would almost bet that Mason: Sixteen. Kolton Myatt: ten of that, maybe twelve of that came off of some type of rebound or catch at the go, like the rim. Dillon: Yeah, or a doc. Kolton Myatt: there was no I don't know that he even had two baskets that would just came from a post catch and then score. Like that's just not how he can score, which c which hurts because it kind of limits you on what you can do down low. Because really we don't have a big man that does we're long. But and Dillon: And maybe that's why maybe that's why Mark Pope is doing that, to help him play to his strengths. Kolton Myatt: and it could be. I mean I mean you have to like you said, you have to get creative and we saw Malachi attempt a couple threes tonight. He obviously didn't hit him. I didn't love one of them for sure there late in the game. Wasn't Dillon: Mm-hmm. Kolton Myatt: a great wasn't a great three to take in that time. But yeah, if that to me is has to be his next evolution of his game, right? we're Dillon: Yeah. Kolton Myatt: talking we see it in the NBA now. We see all these bigs that are able to step out and and hit that shot. And if he could hit that shot for us, as big as he is, yeah, it's gonna create a lot of things if he could hit it consistently. but Yeah, I d I I feel like that's probably why they're doing that right now is because where he's stagnant on offense and he's not a true post player with a lot of great post moves. I think that their best thing is to get him out because what happens is when you're try try to try to box out a seven footer with his type of strength from the three point line. Right. When that ball goes up and trying to get him coming down the lane, how you gonna box him out? Right? He can do Mason: Yeah. Kolton Myatt: all kinds of things and and you saw him get a lot of rebounds tonight because of it. So Maybe that's their plan is to keep him, moving to Mason: And Kolton Myatt: where they can't really guard him. Mason: And you also talked about Dylan switching against that offense, right? Malachi doesn't have the best post moves, but if you can get a guard mismatched on him, then he's just gonna bully him down there and dunk on him, right? Dillon: Yeah. Mason: And I know you said we'll get into Malachi a minute, but he looked like a man tonight. Like there was several times where he went up and got a rebound, dumped the ball, he looked like a grown man tonight, and that's what they want to see. Dillon: Yeah. Yeah. And and we're we're just, s talking here to talk a little bit about what we had seen. And I I think, yeah, Malachimer, he did have a really good night. I just wish I'd that that's something I I'm gonna be on watch for because I do think we get stagnant. another bright l let's turn into a bright spot here. I thought Braden Hawthorne came in the first half and and done and looked really good. Knocked down two threes, had a couple of really good defensive blocks. I thought he let the game come to him. I I thought that he ended up with seven points. he had three blocks you know, or no, excuse me, four blocks. his plus minus was minus six, but I think in the first half he came in and provided some really good minutes. Let's get into the guard play though. This is really what we're gonna talk a lot about is the three guards, Zum Diallo, Alex Wilkins, and Mason Williams. So Zoom Diallo. Zoom Diallo went two for nine. Had four points, six assists, two turnovers, two steals. Alex Wilkins went three for six, twelve points, one assist, two turnovers. And then Mason Williams, the true freshman. Again, another really good game. Stats went he was seven for 10, 18 points, two assists, two turnovers, zero steals. Guys, or let me go this to Mason. Mason, we talked about this last time. We talked about how it there's gonna if there may be a time where Mark Pope is going to have to insert Mason Williams into the starting lineup. Me and Colton. Mason: He is our starting point guard. Dillon: I we'll we'll get so from the after the second exhibition game, me and Colton came on here and we was like, listen, don't know if it's time to pull that trigger yet, you know, just because it's just been two exhibition games. Colton, I I I'm actually going to go the opposite direction and I'm I I I'm gonna be in agreement with Mason on this one. I I I do think it's time to pull the trigger now. I I do because I just You have your starting point guard. And the thing about it, Zoom Diallo, guys, I I thought he took some good shots. I you know, the I went back and I was watching, like he had a little pull-up jumper there in the middle of the paint about three or four times, knocked down one of them. But then if you go back and you watch it. He really could have got another one or two steps in it and hit just like a little floater. It would have been a little bit of a contested floater, but it also his jump shot, the guy who was recovering on him on defense, those were contested in a sense as well. But I do I'm going to go there. I think Mason Williams does need to be inserted in the starting lineup. Now, how will Zoom Diallo take that? I do think that it does need to be for Zoom Diallo. I don't know. I'm not worried about minutes though, because there's three guards, they're going to get plenty of minutes. Coton, on what's your perspective though? Are you still going to hang on? Are you thinking is it time to pull the trigger on that? Well, what what are you thinking? Kolton Myatt: I so I probably am a little different on this because I know you all were big on like the Harrison twins starting over Euless and and Booker and y'all were big on Wagner starting over was it Shepard at the time rated in the chat? Should Dillon: Yes, reading around. So does Mason know that though? Mason, do you understand what he's like that was cool me and me and Colton had discussed last time. And Colton you can explain it to him, what I said. Kolton Myatt: Right. So so yeah, I to me, I think it's obvious that Mason Williams is probably your better point guard. I think that's a hundred and ten percent, no doubt about it. However, I do think that there's a certain spark that he provides coming off the the bench, that kind of rallies. Now it's so so if you can control that right, do I think that you need to get seven minutes into the game before you bring him in? No, but I do think I I liked Zoom getting into the paint. I think his physicality is his weapon. I think he's a bigger f guard. If he can get into that ten foot jumper range, I think if he could live there all day long, then he can be really beneficial. He had a couple bad turnovers again. I will say Mason Williams obviously still had a really good game. He did make a few, I would say, Dillon: He did. Kolton Myatt: freshman turnovers, freshman fouls, like mistake that unnecessary fouls. A couple freshman mistakes and we're going to have to live with that. I think that's going to happen. Lack of experience. So you're going to need both of them. I don't know that I'm ready to pull the tw trigger yet on Zoom just because of the spark Williams brings off the bench and he is a freshman learning. Now, yes, you get into the seasons. Zoom is just struggling, like not showing any signs of improvement. Then yes, maybe you have to go ahead and start Mason Williams. I do think that the spark that he provides off the bench at the moment, and if the Allo can gain some of that confidence, because he's a big physical guard. He can he can be a big physical guard first, and he's gonna have to get minutes regardless. We don't have enough depth at the point guard position. He's gonna have to play twenty plus minutes, whether he comes off the bench or not. So I would I would probably rather see him start the game and see if he's gonna have a good game and get three or four minutes in at the first TV timeout and put Mason Williams in and then go from there. Mason: Here here's my thing, and I don't necessarily starting point guard doesn't necessarily mean he has to start the game. Right? The thing that would drive me nuts with like the Harrison Twins and Ewlison Booker is like you leave them in when they're providing nothing. Right? Like same thing with Wagner. Like you have Dillingham and Shepard, you wouldn't play them with your best lineup all season because you had them coming off the bench. So like my thing is he doesn't necessarily have to start, but he needs to be playing ninety percent of your minutes at point guard with that starting group. he he is obviously the best name one thing right now that you have seen that Zoom does better than Mason Williams. I I don't know that I can. Honestly, besides his physicality. other than that, Mason Williams I I I agree. I agree. Dillon: I I don't I don't even know if it's that Mason Mason Williams is pr pretty physical 'cause that that's what I was alluding to. Like Zoom Diallo pulled up for the jumper, whereas Mason Williams was going in and shooting that little floater, getting another one or two steps in instead of shooting the fadeaway jumper. So I don't I I mean, I don't know if I'd even go to that. Mason: I agree. But I mean at at this point he has to be playing the majority of your minutes with your best five. Whoever at the end of the game, he's on the floor as your point guard. 'Cause he's he's miles ahead of where he should be right now as a freshman. Like just looking at Dillon: Well go ahead. Well and I Mason: him, go ahead. Dillon: was gonna say the minutes though. He he is though. Right now he is. He played Mason: Yeah. Dillon: twenty nine minutes to Alex Wilkins twenty two minutes and Zoom Dallas twenty five minutes. So he is playing majority of those minutes right now. Mason: Yeah. Yeah. Dillon: So let me ask you this though, with with you two saying that, I think at the end of the day, it a lot, a lot of people, and even Cal, I could say I could I don't know if he ever said this, but a lot of coaches, it's not about who starts the game, it's about who ends the game. I agree with that, but I also disagree with that because you've got to start off. Like you cannot put yourself in a slump. You cannot have yourself, okay, listen, we're going to look, this is hypothetically right here. We're just gonna start Zoom, but we know that we're going to end with Mason Williams. I I I I don't really like that thought process if that it just because. like you need to play who's going to be able to put you in the best chance to win a ball game. And right now that is Mason Williams in my in my opinion. and I know that everybody has their opinions, but that's just Dylan Jrills' opinion after these three exhibition games. Now, was it a quick turnaround for me to say I wouldn't do it yet? Sure, you can say that. it's it's been one more game. But I was expected Zum Diala to play better again 'cause I didn't think he played necessarily bad the last game against Texas Tech. I just thought Mason Williams played better tonight. I agree with you, Mason. I just don't know that he's bringing anything better that off that he can offer more so than Mason Williams. let's talk about Malicom Marino, though. Con you'd already mentioned it. a near triple double had 16 points, eight assists, while also having 14 rebounds. If he can provide that, that is going to go a very long ways. Coden what What would you like to see him be better at? Okay. Because listen, we're gonna we've gave him we're gonna give him his flowers, but what do you want to see in particular Malachi Marino be better at moving forward? Kolton Myatt: obviously I we talked already about his offensive game. I think that just has to improve as far as an overall offensive game. I think you have to be able to get points from other than just offensive rebounds and putbacks and dunks. I think you need to have more if you're gonna be a lottery pick, if you're gonna be a first round pick, you've got to be able to show more than just that type of scoring. But other than that, I I think here's the thing, guys. When the game started to falter there in the second half, once again I mentioned it on the last time. We we're lacking a leader. We are. And I think he's got the possibility of being that on the court because especially if he can get to where he passed the ball the way he did tonight. if he's doing a little of everything, those are the type of the guys that can be your leaders on the court. I think Mason Williams will eventually be that guy, but he's a freshman, right? And you you need you normally it comes from your guard, but our guards are young and Hopefully Milan is also that guy. But to me, if you had to name two leaders, it would be Milan and Malachi. I think they're your best chance of being like, hey guys, let's settle this down. The pr only problem is is that normally when that happens, you want to give it to your leader to be the go to guy for a basket. And Malachi's not that, which is unfortunate. Dillon: Mm-hmm. Kolton Myatt: So if he can become that, to where, man, they've gone on a six score and one run. We've got to get a basket here. that we we spread out, we say, get down low, we're giving it to you, you go to work. That would be ideal if he could ever get that aspect of his game. other than that, I think he just I think he's gotta step up and be the leader in some form. When th when things are going crazy, I think he's gotta find a way to settle things down in his own way. Dillon: Mason over three exhibition games, I think if you use the word consistency for our offense, I think that you're not going to say it's been consistent, but I do think that you can look at one person and be like, okay, this guy's going to be consistent, and that's gonna be Milan. Milon Momchilovich tonight again has nineteen points, went seven for seventeen, three for nine. he just finds ways to I I I He he's not the type of player, like Colton said, he's not going to take over the game necessarily by just shooting over and over and over. But he he just is so poised and under control that he lets the game just come to him. He takes the shots that even tough shots that he makes look tough is probably what he's used to. They the he he's used to those type of shots. And I was glad to see. last game, I think he only took five shots, five field goal attempts tonight. He bumped that up to 17. Now, he only scored four more points to those n 17 attempts to last time. He only had five attempts, but we he's got to be getting those shots up. If there is going to be any consistency, it's going to be from him. Do you think though that he can be that leader? We we've not talked a lot about that yet. we we as far as who can be that guy. Do you think Milon can and will be that guy? Or is there somebody else that you're just like you got that gut feeling like he's going to be the leader of this team? Mason: I think I just keep going back to Malachi. I think I can I can see it in Mason Williams just because he he has that IQ, right? he plays under control. He's I've already said it, but he's level levels ahead of where he should be as a freshman. I just don't know how they would take that, coming from a freshman not even playing a true college basketball game yet. Milon to me, I I I don't know. He just he seems kinda like the quiet guy, right? he just he's just kinda out there, like you said, just does his thing, doesn't really, talk to the opponent, doesn't really let anybody get in his head, just kinda goes out there and gets his twenty a night and and calls it a night. so I I think for me it has to be Malachi. just be more vocal. You know, he's been through this, he's been at Kentucky, he knows what it's like, you know, playing in front of these crowds that were up, going on the road, you're getting every team's best shot. so I I think it does have to be Malachi that has to step up and take over as that leader. and I think, you know, talking through three games, I think I have seen growth from him, right? Like his basketball, his Dillon: I yeah, I agree. Mason: basketball game. I think I've seen growth. I think I've seen that he has gotten better. Now let's see him take that growth as a leader, right? And I I hope that comes throughout the season, but keep taking that leap and become that leader that this team needs. Dillon: Cohen, we so as the as the first half was coming to an end, you you did say we finally knocked some shots down. And there was a little bit of a separation in that first half. But then you see our defense expose itself, get really, really lazy. They UCF finished the half on a 15 to 6 run. Lot, a lot of wide open threes that they were knocking down. you know, typically a lot of people like to say, my goodness, everybody comes into Ruperena and they they just it they fill it up like it's an ocean. And I'm I am part of that crowd whenever it's tough shots. Cole, these were not tough shots. These were wide open threes. Our guys looked like they were everywhere. There was no communication. I think it looked lazy too. I think that we just was giving up on on some some plays. You can't let that happen in in the SEC. You cannot let that happen whenever we get in the conference play. Even whenever we play Indiana, when we play North Carolina, when we play Kansas, for goodness sake. that cannot happen because whenever those teams get that momentum, they're not gonna look back. So that is something to watch out for. Do you think a lot of that, and this is for either one of you whoever just wants to take it, because I've shared my opinion on it, I think a lot of it comes down to effort and communication. Those are the two biggest things. That's what defense is all about. Effort and communication. Whenever you fail to have Mason: Mm. Dillon: Just one of those, somebody's going to miss their assignment. Somebody's not going to switch. Somebody the defense is effort and communication. So what did you say? Because Mason, this may not be a great question for you, but you can add on to it. Mason: Well, I was gonna ask I was gonna ask, whenever they went on this run, is it when he was toying with line ups? 'Cause I thought in the second half, our defense looked pretty good for the most part. I thought we l played pretty well. but was it was it kind of around the time when he was kinda toying with line ups and and things like that? Dillon: It was but I don't want to use that as an excuse though. Yeah. Mason: Okay. That that was just my question. I I'm not that was just my question. Dillon: Cause we still had I mean with the lineup that he had in I I think at one point it was Reese Potter, Hawthorne, Williams, Diallo or Wilkins, and then I cannot remember who the other one was. However though, it didn't look good. I can tell you that. Colton, w what what what did you think went wrong there? Kolton Myatt: Yeah, the lineups were a little wonky. It looked like he abandoned it looks like we got on a run and he just completely changed it up, which, I hope that it's more so because it was an exhibition game and yes, because Mason: Exhibition. Yeah. Kolton Myatt: if that's when we've had problems with that in the past in real games, and let's just hope that this was this but in that scenario it just seems like by throwing Reese Potter out there, my thought was like, Okay, we're in an exhibition game. There he's just literally trying to see Who always got there, which okay, that's fine. Honestly, it's an exhibition game. That's that's the purpose of it. I know we want to sit there and win by 30 over these teams, but if that's what you gotta do to try to get some experience or see what you got in some players, that's fine. I can live with it. However, I do think part of our defensive issue is somewhat discipline. you have to be very disciplined. I think these guys have probably all blocked a ton of shots in their careers. Right? They're long They're tall, they're lanky, their their wingspans are unreal. So I would say that they've probably got by with just being taller and longer than anyone around them. And so they're just jumping at the ball or they're putting their arms up and they're just reaching and they're lacking a little discipline and moving the feet and rotation and and things like that and playing discipline and not jumping on a on a, you know, pump fake and doing these type of things to get out of position. And it's easier to get exposed at this level if you don't have true, good footwork and and true communication, like Dylan said, and the rotation that you need to have and the movement and knowing your space and knowing where to beat the lanes and the angles. There's so much to defense. And if you just get in that mode of where man, I'm I've got a seven foot wingspan, I can just jump out here and block this, or I can just reach real quick if they go by and stop with my arm. If you get into that mindset. You're gonna have a lot of guys expose you because you you get slow footed and you get undisciplined. And that's where I see the defense when we get to being like that. There's just a little lack of discipline, which maybe comes with an effort aspect, but I think it's just more so thinking, hey, I I've got these attributes that I have, which are good things to have on defense, not saying they're bad things to have, but use them efficiently by being c you know, committed to what you're gonna do and not just thinking that I've got the this seven foot wingspan and can do whatever I want. Dillon: So the shooting, that's another thing we need to talk about. So we ended the game 32 for 72 on field goals at 44.4%. Three-point field goal percentage was 13 for 36 at 36%. Free throws 13 for 21 at 61%. We did get up 36 threes. Now, I will say though, some of those threes I I felt like were Rush threes, offense wasn't flowing. We just wanted to throw something up. there was a couple times I know that Milan had a couple of them. I think Uzi, he is not scared to shoot it. He is going to let it fly. But I I do want to talk about Mr. Justin McBride. Cotton, you you have mentioned that he has been a surpriser for you on the jump shot, that you truly thought he was going to come in and and be closer to that mode Diabate. That's that comparison that you've used a lot. I think though, looking at Justin McBride, he did go two for four on three points. I think he's gonna be one of those guys that comes in that is more like that Omsley Almore that is going to have critical knockdown threes. I think of just the corner threes that when you think that Almanor would come in and make three or four, and you'd be like, okay, like that's the kind of productivity you gotta have from those type of guys that come in and just make two or three threes, game swinging or game changing shots. I truly think he could be a difference maker in a bunch of those random games that you go to at Georgia. You gotta have somebody that doesn't go off like you had mentioned last time, Colt, but Mason: Gives you little spark. Dillon: but he can be, yeah, he can be one of those that guy that comes in that knocks down some shots for you. He has a really nice jumper. I feel like though he's not really shown us anything that he can do one on one, creating his own. Do you all think that that is something that he has maybe? or do you think that he's just trying to maybe that's going to be his role? he he he is fully committing to okay, this is my role. I'm going to whenever the the ball comes to me and I have open shot, I'm gonna shoot it and I'm gonna make it, you know. Like what are y'all's thoughts on him? Mason: I think he has the ability to put the ball on the floor and create some. I just don't think He's comfortable doing that yet. I think he's just finding his role right now, which is fine. Dillon: Mm-hmm. Mason: like you said, if he if he comes in and he's known as that guy who's gonna knock down some threes, they're gonna start running out at you, right? So then you put the ball on the floor and then you utilize that. I saw some clips during summer of him, you know, doing some workouts and playing some scrimmages, you know, pick up games and things, and I think he has that in his bag. I just think he's not trying to force right now and just you know, kinda taking what comes to him, which you know I don't I don't mind. Find your role, get comfortable, get some comfort. confidence and then start showing other parts of your game. Dillon: Coden in the second half as it as it went on, I'm gonna let you all take it away from here because I did go back and watch it. But one thing that really did stand out to me, and this was without Mark Pope throwing in different rotations, is that we actually, I thought, looked pretty decent in the second half for the most part, in in the first 10 to 12 minutes. There was times that we would go on a run, though, we just wouldn't close it out. we'd get it up to about nine, 10, 11 points, and then We would come down and have a drought that Mason mentioned, or we we throw up a couple of shots that really wasn't necessary. You can't do that. especially in these games, you've got to be able to close these teams out because if you can't close these teams out, i it's gonna be difficult to close out, like we mentioned, your SEC opponents, but also those opponents in North Carolina, the the Kansas that that we talked about. So why it it's so hard to to judge this team right now. I think because it is so early still. However, though, who do you think is going to be that closer? do do we have do you think we talked about identity, Colton? Is it going to be creative? Or is it going to be a night-to-night basis where we don't know who is going to be that creator that really is the bus driver to say, okay, guys, this is where we really separate ourselves? Or is it going to be that we're all looking at each other like, okay, guys, who's it going to be tonight? Who Alex Wilkins, do you want to be the guy that takes over and separates this game? Mason Williams? Are you is gonna Malachi or who who that's what I observed on it, but I wanna hear y'all's thoughts on the second half. What what was y'all's y'all's thoughts on on the first portion of it? Kolton Myatt: So the thing so if you want to take two things away, if you want to take the positives away, obviously we let come back. We didn't we couldn't put away. We let can stay in it. That's that's the negative aspect. The positive is we saw we saw maybe a go to guy in Alex Wilkins in the thought of being able to make a play. Right? We d I don't know that he's the He's the leader, but I think as far as being able to be shifty, if you gotta have a guy get to the rim and be able to make some type of tough shot and and cross over some guy, he's probably gonna be your type of guy. You also saw then go to overtime and thing is is Milan, Wilkins, they both played their best basketball of the night, the last minute of the game and overtime. So that's good to see. You hate that you went in overtime, but at least in those moments when you were in a overtime in front of a big crowd or at the end of the game you saw them perform, which is kinda nice to see. Now, I mean, I just feel like we can go back to everything we've talked about as far as being able to not put away. I think there's a lack of leadership out there. I think no one's willing to step up. I think there's a lot of craziness, kinda wondering what who's gonna do it and never no one being out there being like, give it to me, put it on me. I so I think that that's part of it. So you're not gonna close anyone out if you aren't if you don't got a a guy out there that's sitting there saying I won't I'm not gonna let this happen. let we're let we're not gonna let this happen. We're gonna take over from right here and we're gonna keep it that way. But I don't think there's a guy out there right now that's saying that. But also I just think that you it's easy when you get into this type of games to trade baskets. I also think that we want to shoot threes and I think there is probably some unnecessary shots going up. nothing I Dillon: There was. Kolton Myatt: Oonse is his name Oonzay Dillon: Uzma Uzmain Oozy. I just call him Oozy. Yeah, just call him Uzi. Shoot or shoot ball. Kolton Myatt: Uzme, Uzma, Uzme, Uzma Uzi. He does not lack confidence shooting. I I d I do I I I Mason: Let it fly. Kolton Myatt: do like that he has a wingspan and d has a a a pretty shot. Like he really does. It's not like an over like he's got a pretty shot and if him being able to make those shots can be huge as far as spreading defense out. However, I think he's not even hesitating. Like he's not in the in the Dillon: No, he's letting it fly. Kolton Myatt: in the moment, there's moments when I'm like, okay. We don't need them to get a quick s quick rebound, a long rebound back. Let's consider this right before we let the seven footer decide to just start firing away. there's look, it's exhibition. There's a lot that they're going to learn. You hope that these things get solved. You hope that they're taking these type of games and they're going back and watching film and they're saying, Hey guys, when this happens, who's gonna be the guy? Who's gonna step up? Who's gonna do these things? I I do like what I saw the last minute and overtime out of Wilkins and Milan. That gives me a little bit of confidence that maybe their their scoring mindsets take over in that aspect. And Mason Williams. I love that Mason Williams gets to the lane, the little floaters, the little things like that. I Dillon: He does. Kolton Myatt: th I think that he has to be that guy too. Those three I liked what I saw in the last minute and overtime as far as being able to maybe get us a basket in those type of situations. You're just gonna have to find a guy out there that that's gonna be the lead the voice of the team. you gotta be able to calm Dillon: Well Kolton Myatt: things down. Dillon: Mason, I I'd even go as far as stretch to say it wasn't just the last minute that Cotins I I when I turned it on, I said, I didn't get to watch but the last two minutes of the regular regulation. But whenever I started watching overtime Mason, again, keep in reference, I didn't get to watch the the whole entire second half. But when watching just overtime, I was like, What are we doing? What th If if I if I didn't watch any of this game and I just turned on overtime and didn't watch the first half either, how are we in overtime? I thought they looked Mason: How is it in overtime? Yeah. Dillon: like if that's the team that can play for four or two halves, not four quarters, I was about to four quarters, for two halves, we're gonna be really good. I thought we looked like we we were our defense, we caused a lot of turnovers. We made shots, but we was taking good shots. we wasn't forcing anything. I what did you think that? I thought we looked really good in overtime. And that's why you ended up seeing us create that separation and ultimately end up pulling away and and winning by fourteen. But if that's the team that can come and play for two full halves, we're we're gonna win a lot of ballgames. Mason, what do you do you have any other thoughts before we get moving on that? Mason: Yeah, no, I mean I agree. I mean, we put up nineteen points in five minutes in overtime, you know, and and I think it just comes back to consistency, right? Like I I say it all the time, I said it last year, basketball's a game of runs and you've gotta find a way to have the longer runs. And at some point I'm telling you right now, if I'm Mark Pope and I got a stop a run, I'm giving it to Milan over there in the short corner and I'm telling him go dirt fade away or go around that dude and get a bucket. 'Cause I'm telling Dillon: Yeah. That's tough. Mason: you right now, clear out, give him the ball, 'cause if he fades away, nobody can block him and I bet he hits it at a sixty, seventy percent clip. give him the ball and get out of the way and let him go shoot it. Dillon: But but that's the thing though too, Mason. I think that goes back to who is going to be that guy. Mason, I that on on every team, you have that guy. And the thing about it is what makes those those teams great is that is exactly what you said. It shouldn't have to come from the coach. Everybody on that floor should know, okay, we're struggling right now. Let's get it to this guy right here. Whoever, whomever it may be, hey, go go make a play. Go make a play, whether it be for yourself or for someone else. And at the end of the day, you have got to have that guy. Mason: Absolutely. And I hope that it's the point I hope Mason Williams i throughout the season he gets enough confidence where he can be like, Milon, just go over there. Everybody else get out of the way. Let's give him the ball. And Malachi crash the glass. If we don't hit it, it's a great look. You know, we're we're trusting Milan, right? Like he shoots it at forty five percent from three. Like that Dirk Fadeaway, I don't think I've seen him miss a dirt fadeaway yet. Give him the ball. Dillon: Yeah, it's tough. He done it against us last year too. All right, guys, we've we've we've done a little positivity, which I I love, but let's get real now. Okay, real talk here. Well I did not like how I was I pulled up on X and I see I don't know if it's the UK handle, somebody, but that and I was like, man, they they were saying it's it's just an exhibition game. It's just an exhibition game, it's just exhibit telling themselves that. And I'm sitting here I'm like, like, yes, it is just an exhibition game. And I I I get it to where last year we we looked like we were going to possibly win a national championships against Purdue. But then we look at this game, we're like, okay, it's just an exhibition game, even if we lose. No, it does matter. It does. Because here's what it comes down to, Colton. I have watched Louisville, I have watched Duke, I've watched us, I've watched Tennessee. Tennessee had a lot of injuries. Colton, we're not on the same, we're not on the same level as them. We're not. We're we're we're not. If you put UCF going to Cameron indoor, how bad are they getting beat? And I hate comparing ourselves, but at the end of the day, yes, this is just an exhibition game. But you can't let this happen. You can't, right? Am I overreacting right now? Kolton Myatt: No, no, mainly because U C F wasn't very good. Like that's the thing. If they'd have come in and like just lit it up or they'd have been way better than someone expected. Like the like Baylor, right? They have Bayl Right, like well, Dillon: I was gonna say we're not playing a Baylor that just beat Florida and then Kolton Myatt: and that's the thing. Baylor is projected tenth in the Big Twelve and I think they're probably underestimated, right? Like there's there's a if UCF would have come in and showed that type of skill set, but they weren't very good. They they like they they didn't hit shots, they weren't It's they hit s when they were open, but they didn't shoot the ball great. They had a lot of lazy turnovers. I mean they they weren't a great team and yet you kinda look that way. I just I don't know what if it if you all think this while watching, but I've thought this in all three games. It just seems like there's just so much that it it to me, it seems so many times that it just looks like a YMC a YMCA pickup game. there's no real organization. There's no, hey, this is the guy out there. There's just we're gonna pass it around and then we're just gonna see what happens out there. The defense is going for blocks and not really, some discipline, moves. I I don't know. It just seems to like I'm like Where's the true plays? where's the offensive minds? Where where's these things at that I'm just looking for that you're like, my gosh, what an unreal play. Look at these guys high and flying. But I'm if you had to name one great thing that we're at in the first three games, could you name something that we're really, really, really good at? Right. I mean, not you know, we've done a little bit of everything, okay, if you want to say that, but in the first three But and look, we talked about that. Maybe that just has to be how we have to find ways to win. It's gonna be something different every night. I don't like that necessarily. But if you find ways to win with it, that's fine. It's just to me you're gonna what's gonna happen is we're gonna we're gonna upset some teams that we're not supposed to beat. Some games that probably were not Dillon: But we're gonna lose them. Kolton Myatt: but we're gonna lose some games that we probably should have were supposed to win. Mason: Just like his first year. Kolton Myatt: I it's it's it's gonna be the same thing again. You can see it going on there's gonna be a random Missouri or Georgia or Mississippi State or someone come in or us go there randomly and we're better than them, but we're gonna not really know what to do. We're gonna have an off night and they're gonna beat us. And I get it that's everyone college basketball's crazy, college sports are crazy in general, but there's still a difference, right? You can have one off night, but I feel like, you know, there's a difference in having a few off nights and losing five games, going twenty seven and five. There's a difference in going twenty two and fourteen. You don't have fourteen off nights, you know what I'm saying? And to me, I I don't know about you all, but I definitely see a double digit loss season, you know. Dillon: We'll get into that's when we want the questions. But you know, you're talking about that YMCA stuff there, Colton. I think a lot of it honestly goes back to what I said at the beginning of this episode is that you see a lot of people just standing still with the basketball and other people just running around and passing it around the perimeter. There's nobody getting in the lane and creating other than Mason Williams. When Mason Williams comes in, you do see that. You do see it's not I I don't think that you're necessarily going to see Hey, we're gonna run this specific play. And it's going that that I feel like offensive scheming today in basketball is we're gonna run this type of this type of Mason: Motion. Dillon: yeah, this motion that's going to allow for multiple things. It whether it be a backdoor, whether it be a a give and go, whether it be somebody going off the baseline to the corner three once you dribble drop. However, though It comes down to what I just said there. You have to do the dribble and drive. I'm not saying wear the ball out. I'm not saying bounce it, bounce it, bounce it to where the skin comes off of the basketball. But you gotta get something going downhill. Shout out to my mom and my dad. They love that reference. They're what in the world was downhill? My mom can't stand whenever announcers say that going downhill, but you gotta get something going to the basket because nothing else is going to open up until you do that. So that that that's just my opinion. May some thoughts on that? Mason: Yeah, I I I need to just count. I know you mentioned Dylan, the new offense, but how many actual sets do we run? Dillon: Yeah, you y don't see many Mason: But but here's my thing, you see that from other other teams and other coaches, right? you look at Florida had some great sets last year to get some open looks, you have to have ten to twelve of these, right? built into your offense that if they don't work, it flows right into your motion. Right? when Dillon: Mm-hmm. Mason: I was coaching freshman basketball, I would have we we had a bunch of sets, but you still have four or five sets that you get to your last read and it's not there, it automatically flows right into your motion that you're running. And I feel like that's why we get so stagnant. we just come down and we run this. every single time. Right? have 10 to 12 plays where you can come down and Dillon: Yeah. That was frustrating. Mason: head tap. Alright, whatever that play might be, come down and run an actual play and see if you can get a look. Like it Dillon: Yeah. Mason: I don't know. I agree though. It just looks like eighty percent of the time they're just out there just running around. Dillon: Yeah. And I don't think people though wanna see a as a single play for somebody single every single time. That's more of your in game scenario. kinda like the one he drew up where it was the lob at the end Braden Hawthorne. He Mason: Yeah, tell me right now. Dillon: does that that's great. You wanna see that. But that you wanna see something else though throughout the game that has those type those type of looks. let's get into now though, the these these questions. And when I got to thinking of these questions beforehand, I like, Man, I what why are we doing this? Let's think let's think about expectations. Let's think about history here, okay? So, why is Kentucky Kentucky basketball? Why do why do we say that so much? Okay, before I get into these questions, I wanted to to read this stuff off. We know this, but just wanted to throw it out there too, to just add to it. So speaking of national championships, Kentucky has eight NCAA national championships. Okay, it's the second most in Division I men's basketball. Our last one obviously was in 2012. SEC championships. We have 49 SEC regular season championships, 31 SEC tournament championships. We have historically dominated the SEC. We have 17 Final Four appearances, numerous Elite Eight and Suite 16 appearances. We have consistently been expected to compete on the national stage and compete at a high level. That's not even to mention our legendary coaches. You have Adolph Rubb, Joby Hall, Rick Patino, Tubby Smith, John Calipari. there the reason why expectations are what they are is because of the list that I just read there. So now let's get into some of these questions that some some people propose for us. So we we can all well, let's just do maybe one question per person, unless it's a it's a broader topic, and then we can kind of go around. This one is a broader, not a broader topic, but I do want to hear everybody's thoughts. And let's just be let's be fully transparent. whether it be negative, whether it be positive, I want your real answer here. How do you all feel about Kentucky's overall team going into the regular season? Mason, I'll start with you. Let's kind of keep it because we're at the forty eight minute mark. Let's try to get to about an hour and five, hour and ten minutes. But how do you feel Mason: Yeah, I'll I'll keep it. Dillon: about Kentucky's overall team going into the regular season? Mason: I'll keep it kinda short. I feel meh, right? Like I don't think we're a top ten ten in the country, but I think we're probably a top twenty ish team in the country. You know, you talked about watching some of these other teams, their scrimmages, you know, Duke specifically. We're nowhere near Duke. Duke would beat us by twenty plus right now. so I I think we're probably up middle to top half of the pack SEC team and you know, if we're l if we get a good draw in the N C double A tournament a a s second weekend T or you know, a s get past the first weekend Dillon: Yeah, I I'll go and then I'm gonna throw it over to you, Colton. Right now, if we're if we if I had to put where my money where my mouth is right now, I think the ceiling is a sweet sixteen. I think that is the ceiling right now for this team. I think that kind of what Colton was was mentioning, I think there's gonna be some games that we come out and we're like, that's a really good win, but we're also gonna have a lot of bad losses. We're gonna have another one or two losses in Ruperina. you're gonna have a double digit loss season and it's going to be it looking exactly what it's been the past two years that you're looking at okay, was it a terrible season in terms of if you were to put a different logo with this team? Probably not. But because you put the UK logo with this team, then yeah, it it it it's not going to meet expectations. I think that it's going to be a long year. I do. That that that's my honest opinion on and I d I I don't like saying that, but after just these three exhibition games, the question was asked, how do you feel? Out of a ten, I'm about feeling about a four, four and a half of how good I'm feeling about this team. Kolton Myatt: Yep. Dillon: Captain. Kolton Myatt: I'm probably a five. I to me, if you want to be honest, I don't see anything different than what we've seen the first two years. I don't think anything special about this team that's anything better or worse than really what we've seen the first two years. And in the first two years we've had moments, right? We've we've won at Tennessee, we beat Florida, Gonzaga, Duke. You know, we we've won some decent games. but we've lost games that we should have won. And this team is probably gonna be an NCAA tournament team, but it's also probably you could see it probably getting beat in the second round. They might go to the sweet sixteen depending on the draw. You're gonna have moments throughout the season when we're gonna have a couple block shots and we're gonna get three or four threes in a row and the crowd's gonna be going crazy and they're gonna look really good. And then you're gonna have a lot of games or there's six minute stretches like there were tonight that you're like, here we go again. Like we're back at us, I mean, this is where we've been for the last two or three years. And so to me, I don't see anything different. In my eyes, I really don't. Maybe it's a different type of team, but as far as where I think we're gonna finish, it's gonna be very similar to what the first two years happened. Dillon: me. All right. next question. This is kind of your your postseason potential, alluding to that question was do you think anything that went on during the first three games is a precursor pointing to the postseason or maybe even a title run? so I guess breaking that in into lamer terms is what we've seen kind of predicting what we're probably going to see and what's to come. Yes, absolutely. I think that Colton hit the net the hammer on the head whenever he said leadership. Good looking at that. I think that that is going to come back and late in this season, we're not going to still know who the guy is. I I think that that's going to be a roller coaster of a ride. It's going to be some nights. It could be Mason Williams who has to carry this team. Some nights, it could be Milan, some nights, Malachi, some nights, it could be Wilkins. And yes, that is creative going back to the identity thing, but at the same time, that's that's really not a recipe for success. You look at any really, really good basketball team, look at last year in Michigan. Who was that leader? Who was the go-to guy? Jaxon Lindenberg. The year before that, Walter Clayton Jr. The year before like you can just go on and on and on. Everybody has that standout guy. So for me, what's what's one of those precursors that I'm looking at already is is what Cotton said, leadership. Like they're the we we we have nobody that we can look at and like, hey. Get us get us a win here, dude. Come on, take over the game. Whether it be it doesn't have to be scoring. It can be in multiple different ways. That's one precursor that I'm looking at that's already really vividly eye-opening that okay, we are struggling there. sorry if I took yours, Cotton. Mason, what do you got? Mason: Yeah, no, I I kinda detail on that, Dylan. You're talking about leadership, but I I s I still think like I look back at all of Mark Pope teams. And it's like one guy away, right? that stud away. in this year, maybe that was Tyron Stokes, maybe it was Mark Mitchell. Dillon: Mark Mitchell. Mason: Yeah, exactly. I feel like you're one guy away from being really, really good. Right? And I I you know what I've seen so far through these first three games, it's that same scenario this season. Right? Like, yes, we're we're a good team. We're not a great team, right? We're not gonna go win a national title with this team, I don't think. And I hope they prove me wrong, but it it's it's like a repeating thing. Like every year you're like, man, We we got some pieces that are really good, but you're one guy. You're missing that one guy who, you know, whenever it comes down a stretch, they go get you a bucket, they can take over a game, they can win you these close games and some of these games where you should lose, and that's what you need to make deep runs. And we just we don't have it again, I don't think. Dillon: Cotton, what's one somet something that you're already saying that could be the precursor that's going to be happening by the time that we're looking at postseason? Kolton Myatt: I just don't think we know what are w what are we gonna be really good at? what Dillon: Mm. Kolton Myatt: that's that's my thing. It's like the I f the one thing about that first team that Pope had is I feel like he had some really good sets that year. And I think what we we're looking from what we had got used to seeing with Cal where it just like dribble drive, we saw some really good sets that year and really good plays and it was kinda like, man, look at him taking these like average fifth year seniors Dillon: Mid major Kolton Myatt: and making them look, getting them open and making them look better than they are. And I just don't see that anymore. And did he just cross up and go to a bunch of athletes and tall, long guys and in the last couple of years and think, hey, I'm just gonna let them take over. The thing is, it's almost like he took Cal's philosophy, except didn't get the play didn't get Cal's players. really is what it looks like. It's like he's gotten out there and he's going around, he's gotten they doing handoffs up top and hoping that they can get to the goal. Except we don't have the players, like Mason said, to do that. So it's I I don't know. To me it just I don't know what we're good at. Like I don't know what we're really good at. He w says he wants to shoot thirty five shots a game. I think we have six or seven guys that can probably step out and hit a three. I feel like we probably had that last year is what they say. And I thought we had that the year before. That don't mean that they're always gonna do it. I that's to me I'm looking at this team and I'm like, what if what's their strength? so what's their go to and say this is g is creative air strength? I don't know. I mean I nah, I don't know, but maybe it is. Dillon: That's gonna be my my little clip there is Cotin's saying, What are we actually good at? Like what what is it? all right, here's one for us. let's all give one here. What are three things Mark Pope and the Wildcats need to do in order to get UK fans support and excited about the upcoming season? Other than winning, let's throw that out. Other than winning, what are three specific things that really Let's just make this about us. What are three things that need to get us three excited for this season? Mason: Okay, can we go? Kolton Myatt: Yeah. I might we you want three from each? Okay, just one thing. Sh show Dillon: Just give one. Yeah, we'll all give one apiece. Kolton Myatt: listen, show improv here I can live with these exhibition games looking at the way they are. But by middle of the season, show me a team that at their best will win the national championship. I d I I think we like you've got long players. You can shoot you got if you can get to halfway through the season and just show me at your best that you can win a national championship, that your covered aspects, that you've grown as a team. I I will like as a fan, that's been the biggest thing that I've wanted for three years. That I haven't seen the first two years. We won some big games, but ultimately throughout the season, you look at the team, you're like, we're gonna hit a wall. Like we're gonna run into a team we cannot beat. Show get to a halfway point of the season, get g show improvements, get better, and show me at halfway in the point of the season, I say when we play like that, we can beat Anyone we can play with anyone, and and I'll be excited about it. That's all you gotta do. Halfway through the season, get to that point, I'll be excited. Dillon: We got mace. Mason: beat Louisville. No. I I think for me what was so, so frustrating and we've harped on it already a little bit tonight. But what was so frustrating last year was those droughts, right? w whenever Pope was coming in, that was what he was known for, right? it's offensive mind and his offensive philosophy and being able to put up points. why why do his teams keep struggling and going through these droughts? it's so frustrating sitting at home and being like, Man, we haven't scored a field goal in five minutes. we were just up twelve and now we're down four because we can't s freaking score the basketball. so find a way to not go through these droughts. Find your go to guy. Draw up a set, get a good look, get to the free throw line, do something. Because I don't know if I can stand another season of sitting there going through these scoreless droughts. Dillon: Well that's harping on yours there. I'll add this to yours to help that argument is that you look at cause mine was gonna be just be consistent. Show me some consistency on offense. You look at our three exhibition games, we've scored sixty-nine points, seventy-six points, and then ninety points. That is not a team that is a b just like, my goodness, they are an offensive juggernaut. Like if we're going to be this identity of shooters and like even Milan on his little whenever he was talking the other day saying, Hey, I came to To Mark Pope's offense because it's all about offense. They start their practices shooting threes. if you're gonna do that, then do it. but but putting up those numbers, like I need to be seeing 90, 95 points. Listen, if it comes down to it and we're not going to win some games because of our defense, but we were there for offensive, okay, I can leave with that. Just show me some consistency. So I think that that kind of goes on top of yours, Mason. I think one thing for me though is like you gotta you just gotta show toughness and and really learn how to Improve but improve by closing out games. Close games out. Too many times would we stick around and we wouldn't close it out. And that goes back to who's gonna be the closer, who who who is going to be that guy? so that that would be mine. Is the toughness and closing out the ball games. another question we have in terms of the point guard battle, we've harped on this a little bit, but this I I wanted to hold off on it just a little bit because I knew this was one of our questions. Will Mark Pope change the point guard if Williams continues to improve or will he stick with Zoom and bring Mason off the bench? We'll start with you, Mason. Mason: Listen, I think that at some point if the season's not going how it's we want it to go, right? And Zoom's still on that starting lineup, he's gonna have to, right? 'Cause he's gonna get heat anyways, and you're gonna be hearing all this about Mason Williams, you know, should be in the starting lineup. Dillon: But but but Mason, he can't let even he can't let it even get to that point's my thing. Mason: I agree. And and listen, I sit here and I watch Mason Williams and I look at him and like the little things that I notice about Mason Williams, whenever we get a rebound on the defensive side of the basketball, they get it to Mason Williams. His first instinct is not to put the basketball on the floor. Right? Like he I don't know if y'all notice that, but I noticed it several times tonight. Like he gets the ball and he's immediately looking up to where he can throw the ball because he knows he can get it up the floor quicker if he can hit it ahead. And I love that. He's a freshman point guard and he's already figured that out that he, you know If he gets his head up, he knows he's got guys running, right? And if we can get out in transition, then, you know, we can get some quick, easy buckets. another thing that I feel like he does not do a lot of that we've seen in the past, and there's been times, right, like whenever we're trying to like at the end of the game he did it, but he doesn't just pound the basketball, right? Like he's dribbling the basketball to get somewhere. And so yeah, I mean I think that Mark Pope, like it if Mason Williams keeps playing this way, you have To start him. I I get the, you it's not about who you start with, it's who you finish with, but I think you have to. He's just shown he's shown that he's a better point guard right now, in my opinion. Dillon: Kauken. Kolton Myatt: Yeah, I think eventually you would have to. You can't let it get out of control if Zoom continues to to go the other way. I I think that he's going to improve. I think he'll get better. I think he's a good player. I think he has some physical attributes that can be beneficial that Mason Williams doesn't. I think that Mason Williams is still going to have some freshman moments where Zoom has a little experience that might can come into play if he gets more comfortable. So and I also think there'll be times when there's a matchup difference, right? Are we going up against a quick guard? Are we going up against a physical guard? Right? Are we going up some against someone that may get basic Williams in foul trouble? he had some bad fouls tonight. Unnecessary, pointless fouls. And if he's a guy that you need in the game and you're going up against a big physical guard that causes fouls early, maybe you start Zoom, right? Let get on him, let him on early, but also but mainly just to keep Mason Williams out of foul trouble. So I think it'll be a matchup thing. I do believe Zoom, I'm gonna give it. A while, right? I I think you've got to give it at least two or three weeks of actual play and see if he's gonna get a little better and get Yeah, I mean that's fine if you wanna give it through the can Mason: you give it to the Kansas game. That's it. Kolton Myatt: I I mean I agree. But now we'll see, right? I think you also have to see Mason Williams as Mason: As long as I'm going. Kolton Myatt: long but here's the thing though, what if you get to the Mason W what if you get to the Kansas game and Mason Williams shows the freshman side, right? Like and it's like you know, he has two good games against Manhattan and whoever else we play, but but then he gets to the Kansas game and he goes four points and he has four turnovers and two assists and No, I hope I I hope so. I'm just saying in that scenario, Mason: He's gonna eat TK's lunch. T K don't TK don't want none of it. Kolton Myatt: are you still thinking let's like I think you have to I think you have to weigh it. I think you have to weigh it with Zoom. I think you're just gonna have to. I think Mason Williams is a better point guard. I'm not denying that. I just think that Mason: Yes. You can sit there from I I I Yeah. So I think you sit there and look at the game and say, Okay, he's a better point guard. Let him play through it 'cause he's gonna be our point guard at the end of the season, so let him play through these mistakes now. Dillon: So I and again, this is a l it's it's a complete one eighty from what I'd said last time, but it's be after seeing just another exhibition game, I I just I I don't know i if he's got that in him. I'm gonna have to disagree with you, Cotton. I think that I know you said that Mason Williams you do think is the better guard, which which I I think a all of us agree with that. But I think that Mark I I think it all comes down to where Mark Pope is at right now. I don't think Mark Pope can afford To hold off until the Kansas game, because then at that point it's like, okay, it's not been working these first three, games that's your little touch-up games. now let's talk to the big the big fish. Like it's all grass, it's all gas, no brakes for for Mark Pope, in my opinion. Like you got to put on, you got to put out their best product on the floor that is going to give you success. And it's not even the sense of that you're giving up on Zoom Diallo because of how many minutes he's gonna have to play too, because we only have three guards. I just don't think that you can wait any longer after seeing these exhibition games. I think that you're going to save Zoom Diolo from from the hardship of having to go maybe a back and forth, back and forth, because that that's one thing I I don't want to see happen. I don't want to see him start. And then whenever the the big game's like, okay, we gotta make a change. And then all of a sudden Mason Williams may go through something. Okay, let's make another change. And where you're just going back and forth, back and forth. I just don't I I think it comes down to I don't think Marpoke can afford to get it wrong. I I don't. He he is such on a hot seat that he's got to go ahead and put out there the best product. And right now, that product is Mason Williams. I I I think that you've got to go ahead and make that transition. but okay, what does that do though for Zoom Diallo? Let's close on that. What do you think that would would do you think that what what does that mean for him? Do you think that that i is, you know, I said it could be detrimental to the team if you make the switch so early. But now I'm saying that, so now it's like, okay, does it hurt him? Does it hurt the team? Well, does it does it even affect him? 'Cause that the man's probably the second, third highest paid player on the team. Kolton Myatt: I think you could say but you could do that and it could do other one. You could find out that Zoom Diallo is better off the bench with this team. You could s you could light a fi you could light a fire under Dillon: Possibly, yeah. Good point. Kolton Myatt: him. You could say, look what we found. We've we found how to unlock Zoom by bringing him in off the bench and letting him see the game early on and get into the and then get the two or you may find out the the other way. You may find out that Mason Williams is better off the bench. Right? You may you may put him into the starting lineup and say Okay. He he's he's better about coming Dillon: Yeah. I didn't think about that part of it, Mason Williams. Kolton Myatt: he's better about coming off the bench and causing a spark. Like let's see him let him watch the game for three or four minutes and let him come in and go go crazy. So I I think it's worth doing. Like I I'm not against it. I promise you. I'm not a c I'm all for it. I Mason Williams is the is the probably the better point guard right now and and definitely the future. But I think there's just Different things that can happen. I think you brought in Zoom Diallo for a reason. I think there's things that we saw in Zoom that they're that they liked. And I think he has some physical attributes. And when he gets into the land and he plays physical, I think he can be very good for us in especially in certain games against certain type of guards. But I mean, I think it's worth experimenting. I don't know if it's a Kansas game or after the Kansas game, before it, whenever it is. But yeah, maybe Mason Williams need to go ahead and start so just that you can see if Mason Williams is the guy in the starting spot, if it helps Diallo at all. If it don't, then maybe you switch back and you go go the like that the rest of the way. Dillon: Mason, closing thoughts. What's closing thoughts on this team going into the regular season? Because we do start next week the opening game for this twenty twenty six, twenty twenty seven Kentucky basketball season in a very crucial year for Mark Pope and your Kentucky Wildcats. Mason: Yeah. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm excited, right? It's another season of Kentucky basketball that we get to watch. I think that, you know, we've said it. I think this team has the potential. I just think that They're showing some of the some of the struggles that we've seen with last year's team, right? And I'm hoping that they can fight their way through that and figure out a way. I do think that this team is better than last year's team. I think it fits more of Mark Pope's style. so I I'm excited, you know, I I think I need to get I think I need to see a couple of those like Kansas game, you know, I know we go what, we got Indiana and I know we go to two Virginia pretty early. so I think, you know, about a month in you'll have a better tail of what this team really looks like. But I'm excited. I think we got the pieces. I just I I I want to see this team fight. You know, I want to see them grow. I want to see them get better. I don't want to be talking about the same things that we talked about all last season, right? It's it's like throughout the season, nothing changed. We sit saw the same things over and over. so I'm excited for it, looking forward to the season tipping off on Tuesday. and I hope that you know, we we've we've said some stuff, you know, about how we feel and been a little negative here and there and how we don't feel super confident. I hope they prove us all wrong, right? Like I hope we go out here and you know, we finish top of the SEC and make a deep run. But I'm excited. I can't wait to watch the season. Dillon: Colton, at the end of the day, we've me and you talked about it too. The expectation, for at least my expectation, my expectation, let's get real. I I I don't expect us to win a national championship every single year. But at the end of the day, are we competitive? When we're playing at our best, are we up there with right now what seems to be the Duke? Okay. Are we up there with I know they've lost a preseason season game, but are we up there with the Florida? Are we up there with everybody talking about the Texas, the Michigan State, Kolton Myatt: UConn. Dillon: the Yukon? Are we there? Are we there? And and we're playing at our best. Are we getting beat by 15 or are we competing at a high level? That's what is going to answer a lot of questions. We probably won't see that until the Kansas game. but until then, again, like I I am excited. it's basketball. It's Kentucky basketball, like what Mason said. I'm excited, but could be a long year. I just don't know. We'll see. Colton closing thoughts. Kolton Myatt: Yeah, you never know. Right. We we saw the Purdue thing happen last year and it didn't come to fruition. We we've seen it kind of do the opposite this preseason. We've seen some flashes though, right? This is a this is a different type of team. We've got a lot of long, tall guys that just like to pull it. I mean, man, I I can't wait. I I I Dillon: Let it flat. Kolton Myatt: I do hope we get into one of those games where we hit eighteen threes in a game. I think we're going to have one or two of those at least during a season. That's going to be really fun game to be a part of. I do too. But I Mason: Hope it comes in March. Kolton Myatt: it's going to be really fun. But you're going to have this team struggle. They're they're going to. I feel like a lack of experience, I think a lack of leadership. I think there's going to be times when they're going to struggle. But whether it's on the road in a tough environment, whether it's a tough shooting night and they don't know how else to score if they're not hitting the threes, there's going to be games like that. My only hope is that when you have a bad game, what do you learn from it? Can you find other ways to win? Can you get better throughout the season? It's it's tough early, you got tough non conference schedule, but can when you get into SEC play, halfway through SEC play, when you've played already this tough non conference schedule and you've played some good SEC teams, can you show that you've improved to the point that you can compete with anyone on any given night when you're playing good basketball? And if you can, everyone's all in. That's what we want to see. Everyone's all in. Get us to March, right? I've put Kentucky teams that were in eight seed winning winning the NCAA tournament before because I knew it at their best. I would do the same thing. I Dillon: Get coke back. Kolton Myatt: would do the same thing if you can show me that during the season. That at your best on a neutral court, I'm taking it because Kentucky fans are showing up. You're you're essentially the home team. Show it to me and we're we're all in. Dillon: Yeah. Well, well, it's here, fellas. Kentucky basketball is back again. catch us next week. after this episode, we will be unpacking the Tennessee game and talking about the first regular season game of Kentucky men's basketball for this season. Thank you all for tuning in. If you've not, go ahead and hit that subscribe button. We're looking for 250 subscribers by the end of next week. So share it with a friend. Thanks for tuning in. This has been another episode of Bluegrass State of Mind. And as always, go cats. Mason: Cats.