Checking in from Nashville where Kentucky fans have taken over downtown

Arkansas and Ole Miss led off Thursday’s SEC Tournament slate with a thriller, adding to the already energetic atmosphere in Bridgestone Arena and the surrounding downtown Nashville area. If you missed it, and I can’t imagine you did, Sean Pedulla sent John Calipari and the Razorbacks home with a last-second 3-pointer after Arkansas missed two free throws in a tie game. Hotty Toddy?

SEAN PEDULLA BEATS THE BUZZER 🙌

Ole Miss takes down Arkansas in an SEC thriller! pic.twitter.com/JuMEh0K4a9

— ESPN (@espn) March 13, 2025

With the win, the Rebels advanced to Friday’s quarterfinal against No. 1 seed Auburn. The Hogs head home to their dogs.

A Marshall Henderson sighting

The many Kentucky fans in attendance for Arkansas-Ole Miss were supporting the Rebels. Also supporting the Rebels in Bridgestone was former Ole Miss guard Marshall Henderson, who looks just like he did when he played in the SEC over 10 years ago.

Marshall Henderson has not changed a bit 😂 pic.twitter.com/OdFrTKrCWp

— JARL 🅅 🄾 🄻GRUUF THE GREATER (@423VOL) March 13, 2025

Pedulla channeled the former SEC Tournament MVP with his long 3-pointer to keep Ole Miss alive in Nashville.

Hook ‘Em Horns

For NCAA seeding purposes, Kentucky fans should be Texas fans in the second afternoon game. Texas plays Texas A&M, and an A&M loss would give Kentucky a chance to jump the Aggies in the NCAA Tournament seeding on Sunday. Root for Baylor to beat Texas Tech tonight in the Big 12 Tournament, too.

More and more Kentucky fans keep showing up

Nashville has been blue for more than a day already, and it keeps getting bluer as Thursday night’s Kentucky game gets closer. The sidewalks and honky tonks on Broadway are filled with Kentucky fans, yet more and more keep arriving, many without tickets or intentions of going into the game.

It’s going to be a crazy environment when the Cats tip off in the late game. I expect it will be better than an actual home game in Lexington because this is a different crowd, and frankly, many of them will be drunk.

Thursday’s show at Tin Roof was another wild one

KSR’s annual Tin Roof show is always one of my favorite days of the year. Today’s was no different than any in the past. Big Blue Nation packed the place when everywhere else on Broadway was still closed, beginning with the first KSR listeners lined up outside at 4 a.m. for Tin Roof’s early opening at 7 a.m.

Listen to the KSR Pregame Show before Kentucky vs. Oklahoma

The KSR crew will be back at it for the hour-long pregame show at 7 p.m. (ET); however, the show will not be back at Tin Roof with a crowd. Still, tune in to hear a preview of the Cats’ debut game in the tournament before tip-off at 9:30 p.m.

Why not Tin Roof? Because Shannon The Dude’s band, Alice Blue Gown, is on Tin Roof’s stage for four hours leading up to the game. You can find KSR there until the pregame show starts elsewhere.

It’s almost time, BBN

As I mentioned, excitement is rampant around Nashville for Mark Pope’s first SEC Tournament game as Kentucky’s head coach. The Kentucky fan base is eager to get back to winning postseason games, and soon we’ll find out if times have changed for the Cats in the conference tournament. Hopefully, tonight’s game against Oklahoma sparks a March Madness run. Lord knows BBN is desperate for it. For now, the anticipation continues to build on Broadway. Only five more hours until it begins. Go Cats.