We are now three weeks removed from the end of the Kentucky basketball season, when Coach Tubby Smith promised "major changes could be in the work" and various rumors on the internet sprouted up, claiming that all three assistant coaches could be replaced and that Buzz Peterson would be making his way to the University of Kentucky as part of the beginning of "all hell breaking loose at UK."  Three weeks later, what is the tally?  No assistant coaches have been replaced....all three are still active in the program and Scott Rigot is taking a lead role on some '07 recruits.  As for transfers, the only official one is Adam Williams and besides that, the program seems stable.

Now none of this is to say that there still could not be changes to come.  I think there is a decent chance that one coach will still move on (pushed but helped to find another position) and there likely may be one or two more player departures.  But what was thought to be a complete upheaval is, at this point, a mild disturbance.  What do we learn?  Well first of all, internet rumors are just that, rumors, and tend to more often than not be incorrect.  Second, Tubby Smith may be one of the most loyal human beings on Earth, hesitant to fire assistant coaches or make huge changes without first seeing that they have another way to land on their feet.  And third, in college basketball, things are often just as they seem, not as people wish.  Tubby Smith will make any changes in the program when he is good and ready, and no one will force him otherwise.....especially folks on message boards.

Finally, a word on the "Tubby leaving" rumors.  There are some that are guaranteeing a move to another locale and out of Lexington and others that are guaranteeing that it wont happen.  I dont have solid info either way, but I will say this.  The talk of Tubby moving on is not just random, idle talk.  There is some backing to that, and while I still expect him at this point to be in Lexington in the fall of '06, for the first time in the Tubby tenure, I think there is at least some possibility that it wont happen.



KSR Blue Blooded Opinions

UK Assistant Basketball Coach Merry Go Round

Well, that was fun. Kentucky steamrolled the No. 1 team in college basketball, defeating Purdue 78-65 to open the exhibition schedule for the

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KSR Basketball

KSR's top takeaways from Kentucky's win over No. 1 Purdue inside Rupp Arena

My last trip to Rupp Arena was on February 1, 2025. Kentucky lost to Arkansas that night by ten, 89-79, but to everyone inside, it felt like more.

yes-you-should-be-excited-about-kentucky-win-over-purdue-even-though-it-was-an-exhibition

Yes, you should be excited about Kentucky's win over Purdue even though it was an exhibition

Malachi Moreno was a player that Mark Pope raved about during the offseason. At least through one preseason game, the freshman big man looked the

Oct 24, 2025; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats center Malachi Moreno (24) reacts after scoring a basket during the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Rupp Arena at Central Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Malachi Moreno's only wish for his 19th birthday was a win over Purdue

North Laurel head coach Steve Nelson came into Friday's KSR Game of the Week with a hefty challenge: contain KY’s passing leader, Mason Griffin.

North Laurel's Cooper Robinson - Sterling Hohman, Kentucky Sports Radio

KSR Game of the Week

North Laurel reclaims First Priority Bowl trophy, defeats South Laurel 21-3

Life couldn't be better for Big Blue Nation right now, on cloud nine after watching Kentucky destroy No. 1 Purdue from start to finish on the

ESPN analyst Dick Vitale in 2022.

Dick Vitale says Kentucky is Awesome, baby, with a capital A!

Kentucky volleyball extended its winning streak to a dozen on Friday night in Starkville.   The No. 3 Wildcats picked up another big SEC road win

Kentucky volleyball players - Ethan Rand, UK Athletics

KSR Volleyball

Kentucky VB goes into Starkville and leaves with 3-1 win over Mississippi State

After a surprising loss to Apollo last week, No. 21 Madisonville - North Hopkins could have really used a win over cross-district rival No. 17

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KSR Preps

No. 17 Owensboro scores 61 unanswered behind DaMarcus Ganaway's school-record six passing touchdowns

I didn't think I could be happier with Kentucky's exhibition win over No. 1 Purdue, and then I saw what Louisville did at the Yum! Center tonight.

Syndication: The Courier-Journal

A great night just got better: Louisville laid an egg at home vs. Kansas

Kentucky was without its starting point guard -- and its likely starting big man -- on Friday night against the top-ranked preseason team in the

Purdue head coach Matt Painter - Dr. Michael Huang, Kentucky Sports Radio

Matt Painter on loss to Kentucky: 'This could have been worse'

It's hard not to get carried away after Kentucky's 78-65 win over Purdue. Sure, it was just an exhibition, but the Cats ran the No. 1 Boilermakers

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Uh oh, Mark Pope just compared this Kentucky team to the 1996 team

In the wise words of Brandon Garrison (via his Instagram Story), Kentucky freshman Jasper Johnson is a "bad, bad man."  After watching him hit

Jasper Johnson - Dr. Michael Huang, Kentucky Sports Radio

Jasper Johnson's commitment to learning Kentucky's system led to big game vs. Purdue

He only scored two points on 1-3 shooting in a 13-point win, so why was Collin Chandler the game MVP against No. 1 Purdue, according to Mark Pope?

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Collin Chandler -- despite scoring just two points -- was Mark Pope's MVP

When Mark Pope came out for his postgame press conference, it was to a round of applause. Shoutout to Pope for clarifying for the cameras that it

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WATCH: Mark Pope's press conference after Kentucky's win over Purdue

Purdue entered Friday night's exhibition vs. Kentucky as the No. 1 team in the country. However, it was all Kentucky once the game tipped off, with

Braden Smith, left, and Trey Kaufman-Renn, right (Photo: Jacob Polacheck/KSR+)

Purdue's Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn Share What Makes Kentucky Such a Tough Matchup

Kentucky's win over Purdue was fun. Like, really, really, really fun. You don't need me to tell you that. Sure, the 78-65 victory was just an

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Let's go ahead and watch highlights of Kentucky's win over Purdue

SEC football fans now have more clarity on the status of their respective rosters ahead of Saturdays in the fall. The league instituted a new policy

Dominic Bailey, Tennessee Football | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

(Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images) Tennessee defensive lineman Dominic Bailey (90) tackles Kentucky during a game between Tennessee and Kentucky at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024.

KSR Football

Availability Report: Arion Carter, Seth McGowan still questionable

The game didn't matter, allegedly, but don't tell that to Big Blue Nation after Kentucky Basketball beat the No. 1 team in America by 13 points in a

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LIVE: KSR's Rapid Reaction celebrates and overreacts to Kentucky's big win

It might have been an exhibition game, but the result will have the Big Blue Nation dreaming of April.   The No. 9 Kentucky Wildcats, missing two

University of Kentucky MBB vs. Purdue on 10/24/2025 - Dr. Michael Huang, Kentucky Sports Radio/On3

FINAL: No. 9 Kentucky impresses with 78-65 exhibition win over No. 1 Purdue

Folks, Kentucky might have something special here. We're all thinking it, so let's just say it out loud while we have a couple of minutes at halftime

Kentucky's Otega Oweh vs. Purdue inside Rupp Arena (Photo via UK Athletics)

HALFTIME: Kentucky is really, really good

After brief scrimmages at Big Blue Madness and the Blue-White Game, it's time to see what this Kentucky team can do against someone else; how about

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LIVE BLOG: No. 9 Kentucky vs. No. 1 Purdue

It's the moooooooost wonderful tiiiiiiiiime of the yeeeeeeeear! Kentucky basketball is BACK and the KSR crew is ready to (walk and) talk about it.

THUMBNAILS - Pregame Scenes

LIVE: Pregame scenes ahead of Kentucky vs. No. 1 Purdue

It's basketball time in the Bluegrass, Big Blue Nation. Tonight, Kentucky begins a new year in Rupp Arena with a preseason game against the preseason

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Listen to the KSR Pregame Show before Kentucky hosts No. 1 Purdue

They low-down. They dirty. They some snitches. On Saturday night, they're coming to Kroger Field. No. 17 Tennessee is bringing its trademark

Tennessee Volunteer mascot Smokey - Dr. Michael Huang, Kentucky Sports Radio

KSR Staff Predictions: Kentucky vs. Tennessee

Earlier this month, as part of his preparation for the upcoming 2025-26 season, Kentucky men's basketball head coach Mark Pope took most of his staff

Oct 14, 2025; Birmingham, AL, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach Mark Pope talks with the media during SEC Media Days at Grand Bohemian Hotel. Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Mark Pope picked up a thing or two from staff trip to visit OKC Thunder

Big Blue Nation is always great, but this point in the season is not usually the Kentucky fanbase at its best. No-name exhibition matchups are made

UK Assistant Basketball Coach Merry Go Round

Discuss This Article

Malachi Moreno's only wish for his 19th birthday was a win over Purdue

North Laurel reclaims First Priority Bowl trophy, defeats South Laurel 21-3

Dick Vitale says Kentucky is Awesome, baby, with a capital A!

Kentucky VB goes into Starkville and leaves with 3-1 win over Mississippi State

No. 17 Owensboro scores 61 unanswered behind DaMarcus Ganaway's school-record six passing touchdowns

A great night just got better: Louisville laid an egg at home vs. Kansas

Matt Painter on loss to Kentucky: 'This could have been worse'

Uh oh, Mark Pope just compared this Kentucky team to the 1996 team

Cats demolish Purdue

'96 comparison

Highlights

UK vs. Purdue

RAPID REACTION