KSR Today: EYBL, Kentucky Baseball Season Finale, Preakness Stakes

The third Saturday in May will be an eventful one for Big Blue Nation. Even though we are in the thick of the offseason, there is still more than enough content to grease the wheels at Kentucky Sports Radio. There’s no time to waste on a long intro. We’ve got to get to everything that’s happening today.

Mark Pope is Recruiting at the EYBL

Most Kentucky basketball fans are fretting over the state of the 2026-27 roster. Meanwhile, Mark Pope is in Memphis scouting out players to add to his 2027 recruiting class.

Jack Pilgrim and Jacob Polacheck are spending the weekend walking in Memphis at the first round of the Nike EYBL summer circuit. They tracked the Kentucky coaching staff throughout the day to see who the Wildcats are interested in. The most intriguing prospect on the court was Ryan Hampton, the younger brother of RJ Hampton. A Top 10 point guard in the 2027 class, there are talks that he could reclassify and play college basketball this fall. Polacheck caught up with his father at the event, who’s intrigued by the recent offer from the Cats.

“I think Kentucky – and it may sound crazy – is underrated. If you look at their team last year, everybody was hurt. Pope knows what he’s doing. I like the resurgence of Kentucky. I like it,” Hampton told KSR+. “We’ll just have to see. They got to pick from the portal a lot this year. Once the dust settles, he can insert a few freshmen. You’re not going to have a team with five freshmen, but give me two juniors, a senior, one sophomore, and a freshman. They’re going to compete, especially with a freshman who can contribute.”

Don’t miss any intel during Kentucky Basketball roster-building season. Join KSR+ to get bonus coverage of the Cats for just $1.

Kentucky Baseball Goes for Series Win vs. Arkansas

On Thursday night, Kentucky found a way to win, despite missing opportunities to put runs on the scoreboard. The Bat Cats weren’t so lucky on Friday.

Kentucky had the go-ahead runner on second base in the bottom of the 8th, but couldn’t do anything with it. The Wildcats stranded 13 runners and went 2-12 with runners in scoring position in a 5-4 loss to No. 10 Arkansas on Senior Day.

Ethan Hindle went 3-5 for two doubles on the day. Hopefully, he can stay hot and help the Cats end the season on a high note. You can catch the final game of this crucial series at 2 p.m. ET on SECN+.

It’s Preakness Stakes Saturday

You scratched that annual horse racing itch at the Kentucky Derby. Even though the winner isn’t racing in Maryland, today’s a great day to keep scratching.

A 14-horse field is preparing to race 1 3/16 miles to claim a share of the $2 million purse in the Preakness Stakes. Golden Tempo’s absence puts a damper on fan intrigue, but it makes for a great betting race. You can make the case for a handful of horses, but I tend to agree with PTF, who joined me earlier this week to preview the Preakness. History tells us Iron Honor is the horse to beat, but the funny thing about history is that it isn’t guaranteed to repeat itself.

If you don’t have plans to watch the race, might I suggest Churchill Downs? Each year, they simulcast the Preakness Stakes at the track during the early portion of the 11-race card at Downs After Dark. You can bankroll your betting night with a win at the Preakness. It’s a great time.

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Gates open at 5 p.m. ET and the first race is an hour later. The final call to the post is at approximately 11:10 p.m. ET.

A Tightly-Contested PGA Championship

After 36 holes, 15 players are within two shots of the lead at the PGA Championship. That’s never happened in this major tournament.

Typically, the PGA is defined by low-scoring from the biggest names in the sport. We’re getting the exact opposite this year. Alex Smalley and Maverick McNealy are tied at the top of the leaderboard at 4-under-par, and I’ve never heard either of those names until the moment I wrote them. There are a couple of former PGA Champions nipping at their heels. Scottie Scheffler and Kentucky native Justin Thomas are both at 2-under-par, with the latter teeing off alongside Cam Young this afternoon at 2 p.m. ET.

Coverage of moving day at the PGA Championship begins on ESPN at 10 a.m. ET, and kicks over to CBS at 1 p.m. ET.

A Day Game for the Louisville Kings

It’s still spring football time in the Bluegrass. The Louisville Kings have primarily played in primetime, but today, the UFL action begins early at Lynn Family Stadium. The Kings are hosting the DC Defenders, the UFL’s defending champs, at Noon. The Kings beat the Defenders 30-13 one week ago. For parents out there, this is a great opportunity to take the family out for an affordable afternoon of football. You can also just watch from home on ABC.

One Exciting Announcement

Over the last few recruiting cycles, most players have spent the month of June taking official visits, then announced their college decision. Now, they’re not wasting any time. Many players have seen enough during spring unofficial visits and are popping in the month of May. Offensive tackle Mark Matthews, a Top 10 player from South Florida, pulled the trigger on Friday. These announcements are always exciting, but no one has ever been this fired up during a commitment.