KSR Today: Final Four to be finalized; Kentucky baseball and softball teams roll on Easter weekend
On this Easter Sunday, it is a time for all of us to come together and honor an entity we collectively worship, whose time abruptly ended far too soon. I’m talking, of course, about Kentucky basketball and their 2023-24 season.
Slayed by one who knew not what he did, Jack Gohlke, Kentucky’s season was hung out to dry after Round 1 of the NCAA tournament, surrounded by those far inferior to its greatness. The fallen faces of South Dakota State, Akron, and the heinous St. Peter’s lay juxtaposed to our sacred ‘Cats, departed on day one of the NCAA tournament.
Now, all Big Blue Nation can do is distract ourselves by dressing up in bunny costumes, dying eggs, and hiding them for our young ones to hunt, all while hoping they will never have to endure similar suffering in March ever again. Oh, and of course, pray for a resurrection of sorts next season.
Happy Easter, Big Blue Nation. If you decorate a Kentucky-themed egg, tag me with a picture of it on Twitter/X (@AdamStrattonKSR) and maybe it will make its way to the site today. For now, let’s get to the news.
The Final Four to be Finalized
I’m not sure what kind of chocolate and candy the Easter Bunny stuffed in your basket, but it is very possible he also brings a Final Four comprised of Big Blue Nation’s four most hated teams in the NCAA Tournament this year.
UConn, whose recent national success is quickly cementing them as a legitimate blue blood, handily took down Illinois on Saturday to book their trip to Phoenix. Meanwhile, the SEC team that plays like Kentucky did this year, Alabama, defeated Clemson to secure its first Final Four in program history.
If Duke handles its business against NC State (which should be Kentucky) today, and Tennessee was to upset Purdue, that would leave us with a guaranteed champion between UConn, Alabama, Tennesee, and Duke.
Excuse me while I go try to keep down those Peeps I had for breakfast.
I guess all I have to say is…go Boilermakers and Wolfpack? The games are this afternoon on CBS if you can stomach it.
- 2:20 (CBS): (2) Tennessee vs. (1) Purdue
- 4:05 (CBS): (11) NC State vs. (4) Duke
Adou Thiero pens a message to BBN and leaves the door open to Kentucky return
Just one day after reports surfaced indicating Adou Thiero entered his name into the transfer portal, the 6-foot-8 rising junior posted a message to Big Blue Nation on his social media to address the matter.
“After talking to Coach Calipari, I feel it is best at this time to test the waters professionally, entering my name in the 2024 NBA Draft, while keeping all of my options open, including a return to Kentucky,” Thiero said. “I’d like to thank the fans, my coaches and teammates for their support over the last two years. I look forward to going through this process to determine the next step for me.”
Adou Thiero | X, Instagram
Keeping my options open? Don’t mind if Adou.
Jonathan Givony included Thiero at No. 27 overall in ESPN’s first 2025 NBA mock draft, betting on his physical tools as a potential first-rounder. However, Thiero is going to see what his professional outlook is in this draft class.
After Calipari announced his team needed to get older and more physical, losing Thiero would make the ‘Cats younger and less physical. Not ideal. It is good to hear he is open to returning for his junior year.
Kentucky Baseball clinches series over Ole Miss on the road
Behind 17 runs on 18 hits, Kentucky downed Ole Miss 17-9 on Saturday to take the weekend series in Oxford.
Center fielder Nolan McCarthy exploded for the Cats at the plate, going 3-6 with two home runs and six RBI. His two home runs and six RBI in a single game are both career-highs.
Right fielder James McCoy (four hits, one home run, two RBI) and designated hitter Nick Lopez (three hits, one double, two RBI) shined as well.
Grad transfer left-hander Dominic Niman made his seventh start of the season for Kentucky, allowing seven earned runs while striking out five batters in six innings pitched. On this occasion, however, the Wildcat offense backed him up.
Kentucky’s 7-1 start in conference play is tied for the second-best start in the Nick Mingione era (2017). The Cats started SEC play 9-1 in 2023. The Bat Cats improve to 23-4 (7-1) on the season with the win.
Rylea Smith walks off the series for Kentucky softball
Kentucky softball wrapped up a series win over Alabama in dramatic fashion on Saturday. Fifth-year Rylea Smith came up huge in the bottom of the eighth after hitting an RBI double to bring in the winning run. This secured the 4-3 victory over the Crimson Tide and a 2-1 weekend series victory.
The win brings their conference record to 2-7.
Coming up next for the ‘Cats is Northern Kentucky on Wednesday, April 3, at John Cropp Stadium. The Wildcats and Norse will play at 5:00 p.m. EST in the midweek match-up.
Mark Stoops talks about Spring Practice
We are now two weeks into Kentucky football spring practice and head coach, Mark Stoops, is pleased thus far.
“I like where we’re at. I like the way this team has practiced,” Stoops said before transitioning to a focus on the fundamentals this time of year. “It’s such a fundamental game…if you look at last year’s areas…where we fell short, 90 percent of the time it comes down to fundamentals, and fundamentally doing the things necessary, and executing.”
New Kentucky quarterback, Brock Vandagriff and veteran corner, Maxwell Hairston provide more insight
After Stoops, new quarterback Brock Vandagriff took the spot behind the microphone to give Big Blue Nation a promising soundbite. The biggest thing that has stuck out to him is the offense’s ability to pick up on signals quickly, a stark change from huddling up after each play. Vandagrill claims this will help the team play much quicker than last season.
Say less, king.
Maxwell Hairston agrees, especially when it comes to Kentucky’s star wide receivers. “[Dane Key and Barion Brown] are getting better every day. I love going against them because it is helping me with my game. I feel like they really are taking that next step.”
It is early, but good news has been radiating from the football program this spring.
New WBB coach, Kenny Brooks, is off to a great start
New Kentucky women’s basketball coach, Kenny Brooks, is putting on a Masterclass in the first few days of a new job. After a promising introductory press conference, he is ready to hit the ground running and all eyes will be on how he forms his roster. Will he bring some players from Virginia Tech with him? Will he start fresh?
Either way, he plans on picking Coach Cal’s brain.
“I’m going to lean on him,” Brooks said of Calipari. “And we do have newspapers everywhere, I know there’s been a lot going on with Coach Cal and his situation but he’s one of the best, one of the best in the country and I’m looking forward to picking his brain. Anything and everything about Kentucky Basketball. press conference on Friday, whispers of positivity keep growing louder and louder around a program hungry for success.”
Perhaps a little birdy should advise Coach Brooks to not ask Cal about zone defense, who to start, or how to foster relationships with donors and athletic directors. Most everything else, though, have at it.
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