This is the West Miller Radio Show, live from the original montgomery In, brought to you in part by Skyline Chili Feeling good. It's Skyline Time and the original montgomery In and the montgomery In at the Boathouse, home of the world's Greatest Ribs. Now, here's Dan Horde, Terry Nelson and u see's head coach Wes Miller on the Home of the Bearcats seven hundred WLW.
It is show time, Pretty good man, a very pleasant good evening, everybody, Greetings from the original montgomery In, home of the world's Greatest ribs.
Welcome to It's the Wes Miller Radio Show. I'm Dan Hort alongside former Bearcats stand out Terry Nelson and the star of the show, the head coach of the four and oh UC Bearcats. Let's here it for Wes Miller. Appreciate the Bearcat fan here with us here tonight at the original montgomery In. We've got an exciting game to look forward to tomorrow night in downtown Cincinnati Heritage Bank Arena six thirty tip as Cincinnati takes on the sixth
ranked Louisville Cardinals. Is Louisville one of the better offensive teams that you face in your tenure at UC.
It certainly appears that way studying the tape and looking at the roster in the way that they're playing. You know, it's early in the year, but it certainly appears that way going into it.
Obviously, practices have ramped up leading up into this game, and they've been doing it in the progression. It's not just the Louisville game, but you could you've been ramping it up up until this point a little bit more emphasis going into a bigger matchup. Is there a mindset that you want your team to take on going into this game and every game for that matter.
Really, Terry, I just want us to go out and play the way that we practice and really double down on the things that we practice every day, the things that we believe in, you know, getting them excited for a game like this, that's that's not the challenge. These kids are excited. They're excited to play every time the
ball goes up in the air. But when you're playing the sixth rand team in the country and a team that a lot of people are picking and win the national championship, I think there's going to be some excitement there. But really just want us to double down on the things that we care about and the things that we value every day in practice.
Loueville is coached by Cincinnati native Pat Kelsey in his second year with the Cardinals. You two have apparently known each other for a long time, correct.
Yeah, since I was in high school. He was at Wake Forest working for Skip Prosser through the recruiting process there. And yeah, we've been, you know, the same coaching circles for a really long time. Somebody I consider a friend, Noah's family here in Cincinnati, comes from a terrific family, really nice people that I've had the pleasure to get to know. But I thin I'm sure Pat would say
this too. We're friends and all that kind of stuff, And I don't think it'll matter when the ball goes up, right, I think both of us, our competitors are going to want to explain.
What the grind is like, because neither one of you were an associate or head coach at a major program and walk into a major program. You had to grind your way up from the bottom, build programs up in order to get to the place that you are right now.
What is that like for both of you? Guys.
Yeah, I mean, I don't I can't speak for him, but gosh, I mean, you know, we scrimmaged against each other back when he was at Winthrop and I was at Greensboro, and that seems like ages ago now it wasn't that long ago. And then we played against each other once during COVID I think when he was at went through and then he went on to Charleston and did a nice job there. Now Louisville and I came here, but yeah, we were Division one head coaches down and
basically the same area. He was in rock Hill, South Carolina, which a couple hours from where I was in Greensboro, North Carolinas for a long time, and like you said, we had known each other long before we were both head coaches.
What's the difference between North Carolina and South Carolina?
That'd be besides the border. I don't want to get any trouble this to night. You know, There's some things I could say, but I'm gonna keep it mild tonight. But there's there's a lot of difference. Actually, but rock Hills, South Carolina, Okay, if we're gonna get into geography tonight, that's a suburb of Charlotte, so they can in some ways claim Charlotte North Carolina. There's a lot of differences between the two states, for sure.
When Tanel said what's the difference between North Carolina and South Carolina? I thought it was the set up to a joke. I thought there was going to be a punch in.
What's the difference between Southern California and Northern California?
So you guys are stronger in Southern California. Just you know, you're about our business.
We got those knuckles, we don't we don't have to pull the stuff out. I'm just saying, ask Corey Blunt, who's in the audience.
Over here, Yes he is.
So you have a McDonald's All American freshman on your roster, and Seanna Bayev and Louisville has one in MIKEL Brown was taking a look at ESPN mocked NBA draft for next year, and he's projected to be the sixth pick in next year next year's draft. I know you saw him play in international competition this past summer. Tell us a little bit about their young freshman mike Kel Brown in coaching.
I think a lot of us have seen him play for a long time, because it feels like he was playing on the Adidas circuit in the seventeen and under bracket when he was like fourteen. I mean, seriously, he's one of the youngest players I ever saw play at
that stage in grassroots basketball. So he's been a guy that we've been familiar with, all of us in coaching for a long long time because you saw this guy out there at thirteen, fourteen, whatever, he was years old playing against the best players, and there were three or four classes ahead of him, and he always stood out. And now he's not the guy that's, you know, shorter and skinnier than everybody. He's a six to five guard. I watched him with the U nineteen US team win
a World championship this summer. I was over there recruiting in Switzerland, and I thought he was the best player in the entire event. He's a terrific player. I think anybody that watches watched Louisville play, or will watch him play, will see all that. And so he's a guy that will have to do a nice job on.
The mar Without giving away your scouting report, obviously, there's some things that stood out in your initial assessment of how are you going to attack this team? What are some things that what is one thing that stood out about this team that you said, man, we gotta we gotta, we gotta get a handle with this or else it can be a long night.
Yeah, there's quite a bit. I mean, I think you look at they might be the number one ranked offense on ken Pom right now, you don't. You don't have the best analytical offensive numbers in the country. If there aren't multiple things right, it's it's not that simple. But the way that they shoot the ball is very dangerous, and it's it's not just you know, one or two guys that their whole team shoots it. I said this
on on the radio. Again this is out of out of the compliment, but they have four peri players, all guards that if on I think they could be on almost any other team in the country and they'd all be the number one option on that team. And they have four of them all right, So not just the shooting, but the playmaking it stands out there. They're great in transition, they're great when they get an offensive rebound at getting
to that three point line quickly. But there's a number of things that make them good, which is why they're having such success to start the year.
This is the one hundred and first meeting between Cincinnati and Louisville. Over the years, it's been an awesome rivalry. You'll play this year at Heritage Bank Center, next year at Freedom Hall. Would you like this to be an annual thing?
Yeah, I think so. I think you know, Listen, I've talked about or non conference scheduling many times. We want to play quality opponents. We want to play in great atmospheres in front of our fans here in Cincinnati or on the road. We want to make sure we test our team early in the year. We want to make sure we have the opportunity to build the tournament resume.
Louisville checks all those boxes, and then you add that there's history here with the two programs, going back to the Metro days or when I was growing up, the Conference USA days. So I think it does make a lot of sense, and it's something we'll try to continue, at least on the Cincinnati end.
You get to have time regardless of the score.
How do you know your team is playing Cincinnati Bearcat basketball?
Yeah?
I think for us, it's all the things that you can do to evaluate effort first, you know, like the effort and the toughness plays. Some of that you can tell with the eye. I think you guys all know that. I always think that, like the plays on the ball are the ways that you can see it the way we stat and whether that's blocks or deflections or steals or loose balls or we call like chess to the
ball plays. You know those those you know you can't play and have a significant amount of plays on the ball, so that goes hand in hand. I think that the rebounding is an area that you can always kind of tell that that'll be a big thing to watch. They're a good rebounding team. We want to be a great
rebounding team. So those are some of the areas, But there always is an eye test, like we had to play in our last game against Mount Saint Mary's where there's like a fifty to fifty ball bouncing on the floor and Dade Thomas just kind of ate the floor up with his chest eight feet away. Yeah, and I think those are the plays that tell you whether you came to compete or not, and who's making those plays.
I know Louisville's a team that's gonna they're gonna value those things too, and they're gonna want to make those plays. We're gonna want to make those plays. Who's winning that battle, I think is very important.
It's the Paracats against the Cardinals tomorrow night at six point thirty again at Heritage Bank Center in downtown Cincinnati. Will take a time out, it's more with Coach Miller when we continue. This is the West Miller Radio Show. We're live with the original Montgomery Yeah, and the whole of the World's Greatest Rips on seven hundred WLW. We are back at the original Montgomery in home of the World's Greatest Rips and the West Miller Radio Show here
on news Radio seven hundred WLW. Getting you set for Cincinnati versus Louisville tomorrow night at six thirty. The Bearcats have another home game on Monday night. We've got bear Cat football coming up on Saturday night at eight o'clock against BYU. So it's going to be a very busy next few days for UC sports fans. I'm gonna talk a little bit about Dade Thomas and his shooting two
years ago wasn't very good from outside the arc. Last year he was good pushed his numbers up over forty percent so far this year in four games two for five, four for seven, two for three, three for three. That's sixty one percent. Number one in the Big Twelve. Now, he's not going to shoot sixty one percent for the year. But how did he go from being not very good two years ago to being outstanding now?
Well, I think number one his two years ago, the year you're referencing, he was a first year Division one player and a first year Big twelve player. Right, He's coming from junior college and that's not as big of a transition some you know, we got people in this in the room here that played junior college basketball. That's different than high school, but it's still a major transition. And so he could shoot it in junior college. He went to the junior college National Championship when he was
playing for Kilgore, and and he could shoot it. Then, he could shoot it his first year here. But I think a couple of things. One he needed to settle into the level and the difference in the game. And then two, he's he works like crazy, guys like he's absolute machine, lives in the gym. He was one of those guys early on we had we had to make rules about not letting him in the gym too much to get him off of his feet. Seriously, Oh, no question.
Sean of BIA's like that now. Like I FaceTime Sean a couple of last night, I face timed him to check in on him. I was sitting in my office and I'd been hard on him in practice, and I face timed him to check in on him, and he didn't answer the face time, and I said, well, there's only two explanations. He's either sleeping or he's in the gym. So I walk down to the gym and he's in there shooting. I mean, we've had the he's in there too much. Dade was like that, but I think Dada's
work ethic and then obviously adjusting the level. I mean, it's cool to watch a guy for a three year period.
Mastapha Chim's a guy that has been outstanding in the paint, patrolling the paint.
His offensive game has gotten better.
Two years ago or last year, he shot sixty seven percent from the free throw line.
This year he's got off to a slow start at.
Forty eight percent. Is it technique or is it just a different feel? Like, what is the issue with not getting the rhythm so far early in the season.
Well, I think, you know, first off, he's getting to the free throw line, which I'm really happy with. Correct he's getting fouled. You know, he's a guy that in his I wouldn't even call it a freshman year. He was supposed to be a high school senior year last year. But he was really young last year playing at this level, and he was floating around a little bit. And we've asked him to really try to take that seven to two frame, which he's added twenty some pounds too, and
being packful physically in the box on every possession. It's not where I want it to be yet, but he's improving there and you can see him getting fouled getting to the free throw line. He'll make. She's a good shooter, he's got terrific touch. He's actually a very good three point shooter. I've really asked him not to be out there shooting as much that I want him at the rim. I want the presence in the box, but there is going to be some opportunity for him to get out
and stretch and shoot threes. I say all that because he can shoot, So I'm not worried about what it says after a couple games. I think over a significant period of time, his shooting numbers will be just fine.
He's put on good weight since coming to Cincinnati. Kirk Crisa has reduced his weight. He had a foot injury last year at Kentucky's hard to exercise, gained a few pounds. He's in tip top shape.
Now.
How has that impacted his defense?
He was in the weight room that they're showing his abs off to everybody.
I remember those days.
I was going to say something you will never see me. Do You never have to worry about walking into the pitness room and a hotel that we're at and being exposed to that. I can promise you.
It's because when I walk into the hotel we're at, I see you at the at the bar drinking.
I pa or possible guilty as Joe.
But no, he's he had a good summer. You know, A curse said it. I want to have a great, a great senior year. I know I need to commit myself to my work and to my body. And I think it started. It didn't happen here recently. It started this summer and and Mike Rayfelt is the right guy. If you want to commit yourself, he can give you the right plan. So yeah, those two did nice job working together.
You know, you got one of the premier defenders. And Sincere Harris.
How do you keep him on the floor without filing and in ways that are not necessarily him you know, meeting at the rim or whatever, it's like in the back cord, he's going for his steel. How do you keep him on the floor because he's impactful when he's in the game.
Yeah, I think with Sincere or but you know, we call him buck or he wants to be called Buck. I think so we call him Buck. But I think with him, there's it's it's a delicate act. You can't take away his aggression, like he needs to be he needs to be himself. He's a bearcat man, like you got to let him go out there and make his mark on both ends, and he needs some freedom to do that. So we give him some freedom defensively to do things we wouldn't let other guys do. And I
think over time that's gonna pay dividends. Same thing offensively, he's so important to our attack and transition. He's so important downhill. He's worked really hard on his shots, so he'll be able to make the good ones this year. I think over time they'll have to guard him a
little more than they have in the past. But he's got to continue to be able to have that aggression and that freedom and continue to get more disciplined, right so to do it without fouling, without getting beat, sometimes taking too many chances, to be as aggressive as he can be on offense, but continue to get better with his decision making. I think that's that's the conversations that him and I are having.
I prefer the Bucks stops here to Buck team now. I love it for his defense. I'll say this about him. He is fearless. Yes, that's one word that stands out about his play on the court.
Oh yeah, there's yeah, there's there's uh, he's not he's He's definitely fear That's a great way to say it. I could say other things, but that that's probably pretty good there.
Dan Georgia Tech had Carl Brown back in the day with Lead the weapon three guy came off the bench. He was the defensive Stalworth. None of the guys in the Star lineup can play defense. He came in the game and changed the momentum. I know you like the historian part of me, Dan, but.
I love those leads.
One of those guys, I like that lead at the Weapon three team. Yes, that was also Kenny Anderson.
Yes for good, Scott, yes good.
So. In the win over Mount Saint Mary's last Sunday, Tyler McKinley played very briefly. He was having a little knee discomfort and nothing that was thought to be too serious going forward.
But how is he doing. He's done well, He's practiced the last two days. Looked like himself again. I'll tell you what. When Tyler says, hey, I don't feel right, man, I react to that, and I think our entire staff and our training staff does because he's the guy that overdoes it. You know you've been you guys have both been in practice. I mean he's hyperactive and he tries to do everything you ask. As a coach, if they were all like Tyler McKinley, coaching would be really easy, guys.
I mean he's the easiest guy to coach. Anyways, when he said that, that concerned me. But I think he's okay. I think he's had a nice couple of days of treatment and then had a good couple days of practice.
You got a guy and Boba Miller that has so many talents and abilities, it's like you have to choose, how are you going to use him? Because he rebounds the ball so well, he's fantastic in transition, he's an excellent passer. It's almost like, Okay, we can put him on with different lineups, but how do we feature him and not over use him in certain situations.
Yeah, I've said this a lot in the summer in the fall, and I think we're still in this process. But Baba is one of the most unique players that I've ever been around, because he can do everything. But that that can be tricky because if you if you let him or you set it up where he's just
out there doing everything, then he's never doing anything excellent. So, like, what are the areas that we can choose to focus on and put him in those positions and work in this skill development every day that he can do over and over and over again, because you can get caught into there's nothing he can't do. And again that we did this thing in the summer that Bob and I kept saying Okay, every two weeks, we're gonna do something completely different, because I just want to see I want
to see what it looks like. Except for two weeks of practice, he'd play this position and he would have these rules, and then we'd go two weeks of practice and we do something different. In every two weeks, I'd learned something new and I go, that wasn't as good as I thought, But last week it was better. And it's one of the reasons I went over to Spain to watch him play with the national team, which really helped because I got to see him in a completely
different environment, used a different way. Washington practice with two different teams, the senior team and then the younger team, and anyway, it's been this process. I think we're still in it, but we've come a long way, and I think we're utilizing them in a way that he feels really confident and he can continue to grow.
He was his team's leading rebounder last year, but he only averaged seven a game. He's had at least ten in all four of your games so far this year. Has that been a pleasant surprise or did you think with another year of experience and work with the Mike Rayfeld that he could be a double digit rebounder.
Well, listen, if you want to endear yourself to me as a player, go get ten rebounds a night, high bettle. So I hope that I want that to continue, and I think he can do even better. But yeah, I think when we scouted him and a lot of people have, you kind of feel like there's still a lot there. Even the success that he had last year, there's still a lot there. There's a lot more that you can and I think he thinks that, and so I think that was one of the things that attracted us to him.
And one of the reasons he was excited about us is because when I met with him the first time, of course I told him the things that I liked, but I was like, I don't even think you're scratching the surface, and you know, this is our plan and that kind of thing, And I think that resonated with Baba.
When he originally went to Florida State, he was touted at the time as maybe the best NBA prospect among the young European players that could come to the US. Did you see him at that stage? Did you get to see him when he was you know, four years ago, just starting out.
You know, it's interesting because it was all around the COVID time and I had not seen him, and generally I've seen the best European players because I traveled to some international events every summer. But I was very well aware of him and i'd seen tape, and I don't think that surprises anybody because you see a six to eleven guy that was running and jumping like like that
with the skill that he has. But if the light bulb has come on in a lot of ways here and it's got to continue, and I think he can continue to grow. But he's playing with a force and an aggression that I don't think people have been able to see him play with consistently, And that's our goals for him to play with that force and aggression consistently.
You mentioned Seana Bib's work ethic. It's like you're only getting the first drawer in the dresser. Like he's got so many tools in his toolbox. We're seeing the three point shot, We're seeing him getting filed once a game on a three point shot.
It seems like when I.
Was watching in practice, he's got so many other tools that have yet to be unleashed in a game setting.
What are you looking forward to about.
His game everything? I mean, you know, I think he could be one of our best passing and create creating players.
And you're hard on him in the practice, which I love.
I actually asked this question the other day to a bunch of different people. I said, who my hardest onctice. I got the same answer from everybody, Shawn number one and bo I'm not sorry Mustafa number two. And then I said, well, that's the greatest compliment I could give two players. You know, that means I think a lot of them, and I think that they could be great.
But I am very hard on both of them. But that's because they're young, and I think that they're they're just scratching the surface how great they could be this season. And so it's like not about where they are now, it's where can they be in January, February, March. And I think those two could be two or three times where they are now if we keep working at it the right way.
All Right, we've reached the halfway point of the West Miller Radio Show. Will take a time out questions from the audience when we continue. We're live at the Reginal Montgomery In, home of the world's greatest ribs, seven hundred w all double. We are back at the Reginal Montgomery In, home of the world's greatest ribs and the West Miller Radio Show. Thank you to the Bearcat fans who are
with us tonight. We've got Bearcat basketball coming up tomorrow night at six thirty seven six thirty Tomorrow night the Heritage Bank Center, four and Oh Bearcats taking on the sixth four and OH Louisville Cardinals. Our radio coach will start at six tomorrow night time for questions from the audience, our guy Elliott is in the house and has the mic in his hand.
Uh So this is more like a I guess holiday's question. But for the players, I don't live close to home. Do you guys do like holidays with them?
So?
Do you have like Thanksgiving with the players and the other coaching staff?
The Thanksgiving will be with the entire team. What fifty people at our house for Thanksgiving? The entire program, entire team.
Yeah, my eyes went right to Lauren to see her reaction to that. She's laughing, she's smiling, so she doesn't seem upset.
She it's like her Super Bowl okay, and it used to be catered before Lauren was in the pictures.
Now Loan actually invited me this year since I've never been invited by you.
So is out of your hands. Brother, I'm a ton of staying it on social media. I'm hungry.
She can really she can really cook terry, but she doesn't have great judgment if she invites you to deal the uh but no, and then some of some of the coaches significant others and wives also pitching and help. So it's a it's always a pretty neat deal with that'll be next week and then Christmas. We do give the guys a break at Christmas, and if somebody doesn't have family, we always offer our homes for them as well. But usually people can find family at Christmas time.
So you'll kick back with a group of fifty one now including Tell and watch the Bengals beat Lamar Jackson in the Baltimore Ravens. It's gonna be a great night. Come on, tell how he's a Ravens fan. Now, all right, Dave, you're up.
Hey, coach, So I have a really pressing question that the whole city wants to know. Well, Joe Burrow play on side side.
I can hive in on that one.
You're asking, you're asking the wrong guy. This is a Dan Horde question.
Do you know who you is?
He has a Joe Burrow jersey. I've seen him in his number nine Joe Burrow.
I'll tell you what, guys, I'm all in. When I've moved to Cincinnati. I'm not one somebody that comes in like one foot in, one foot out. I've been a Bangles and Reds fan since day one. I'm even an e FC Cincinnati fan. So heck, yeah, I know Joe Burrow is I just do I do want Joe Burrow to come to a Bearcat basketball game. I will say that on him.
Okay, it's been put out there, so ramp up the security here you go. So my real question was about the care Source series that we've obviously played in with the last three years. We've got the away version next year. Is that something that's gonna continue to happen going forward? And is that something just with us or does that happen elsewhere in the country.
I think as you look around the country, like right now, I think you'll see neutral games everywhere. I think you're seeing more neutral games now than you're seeing home and home games. There's a lot of reasons for that that. Yeah, and I appreciate the sponsors and the people that are sponsored games we've played in. Generally, people that are doing that are sponsoring other games as well.
So you're putting away your Cam Newton jersey.
I was never I was never a Panthers fan when Cam Newton was playing. I was a Panthers fan back in the Jake Dell home days. If we want to really be honest and accurate here in the augural season, this is years and years.
Ago, coach, you have what's considered a pretty fast, uh, pretty fast offense.
You're you're you're moving pretty quick. I'm hearing that Louisville's faster.
So I feel like I've heard back in the day, teams like to press, don't like to be pressed. How do you feel about trying to cover a team that is pretty quick on offense. Is that something that you're prepared for because you're trying to do it or is it a difficulty?
Had a reporter in a press conference a couple of days ago asked me, you know who's faster? You guys are Louisville. Who's going to be fast from the game, and I'll give you my answer. I don't care. I'm not trying to win any competition. It's not the game. I mean our our competitions on the scoreboard. Playing with pace is something that is a part of the identity of our team and our style of play, and so when we go out there and play, I'm evaluating our pace.
I'm not evaluating anybody else's, right, are we playing with our pace? Our way? Just to clarify that, I don't think that's what you said, but you know, Louisville's got some similar identity in that way, so that should make for a fun up and down game. But there's not more a whole lot more to it than that, Right, We're going to try to play our way with our pace, the way that we practice, and then we'll adjust to the things that happened throughout the game.
Chris, Yeah, thanks, Hey, thanks coach. Question for you, you know, looking at the stats and know your data guy and analytic guy, you know, Louisville's turn the ball over ten times and average per game, we're at about sixteen point three Dayton Dayton's. Dayton's attacked us, you know, they attacked us, forced us into twenty four turnovers.
You know, given the pace of play.
To the follow up in that question, you know, turnovers have come from open court turnovers and things like that, how do you focus on, you know, controlling the ball and and and you know the fact that the game obviously the pace of play, but how do you kind of protect against the turnovers and the problems that we've had with the with the press.
So we we've stated like every turnover this year and where they're coming from. And there's frustrating part is there's not like a consistent spot, right. Some of them have been footwork turnovers. We've had some turnovers screening and setting illegal screens. We've had some turnovers we try to catch the ball with one hand, right, which if you come to any of our workouts in the summer, practices were
pretty crazy about catching it with two hands. You know, some of them not that many, but some were forced by maybe some pressure. Some were just careless, you know, handling the ball. Like there hasn't been like one thing that you can say when this happens, we're turning the ball over. I think, you know, number one, we'll get better. We're not going to be a team that has a turnover problem for the whole year. We have good decision makers,
good skilled players. Number two, it's not pace of play, like there will be some turnovers with the faster pace of play, but that's not why we have sixteen a game. You know, maybe we have some, but it's not the result of sixteen a game. So anyway, we got to continue to clean it up. I think that the dating game, let's hope that's the complete that's as worse as it gets type of thing. But we'll continue to clean it up. And I don't think our pace is going to be
the reason we have lots of turnovers. At least it shouldn't because we don't see that in our practices every day.
Next question, So, coach, this team is scary scary good. They haven't shown it yet, but the bar As are scary scary good. When you go back and look at the last four games and you actually look at the teams that we've played. Mount Saint Mary's took Maryland overtime last night and almost won that game. Dayton won last night, so they were Marquette at Marquette. So they're good teams. Where do you see the ceiling prior to the Big twelve,
because that's where we need to get to. And then where do you see us going into the Big twelve? Because the Big twelve is scary good again this year?
Yeah?
Thanks, I think, yeah. Mount Saint Mary's. So last night I was trying to find it on TV. They're up four with twenty seconds left at Maryland and I still don't know how the game went to overtime because you couldn't find it. You just were looking at this tracker on ESPN and I went, how does that happen? They're up four with the ball I think with twenty seconds left. But anyway, No, I think my goal for our team
is to focus on growth and improvement every day. Like people think, that's coach speaker, that's dodging a question, and I said, I said it to my guys in practice today. I do not care right now, in this moment, I do not care about the game tomorrow night. I only care about us getting better. That's it. It's that simple. And we talk about getting better every day and winning
the details every day. That's it. I think if we can really adopt that mindset, I think we can be the scary good type of team that you're talking about over there when when it really matters in the second half of the year in the league play. I really do believe that. I see that, I see stretches of that. I see the right group of players for that. But we have to do our part to make it happen.
In terms of evaluating we have to be there in two weeks or three, I don't think of it that way because we're gonna we're gonna work out it every day to become a great team. We're gonna become a great team. But it's not gonna be completely in near It's not like we're gonna take a step in terms of result everything. We're gonna have some good results, we're gonna have some negative results. But can we be there in February and March. That's all. That's all that I'm
really concentrated on. And we're trying to do it one day at a time.
What does improvement at practice look like from one day to the next. Is it eliminating the mistakes you made the day before?
Well, there's it. First starts with a certain level of professionalism, like a preparation to have a professionalism to come into the gym prepared mentally and physically for practice. That's the first thing we talk about, Like we can't have the kind of practice and the kind of day we have if you don't walk in ready. So you should be there early and you are mentally and physically prepared. The second thing we talk about is approach right, and it's it's not just I did it well. It's in a
championship level, elite standard to what you're doing. So knowing how to do it doing it the right way that's just a little bit. It's doing it great and pushing the limits. Like we talk about this all the time. I don't want to watch you do a drill or work on something and show me you know how to do it. I want to see you try to perfect it. I don't need perfection, but I want to chase perfection.
So there's a.
Certain approach to that right, and within that approach, there needs to be some focus and attention to detail, you know, because these games come down to one or two or three possessions. So I think we're really really spending time talking about the focus that the details. And the final thing we talk about for how we get better every day is the team there's only there's only two things you can do with team. You can add to the
team or you can take away from the team. There's only two things, and if you are a zero, you are taking away. So we have to be giving to the team every day. So we actually rank them in these areas every week. We rank them one being terrible, five being elite, you know, two, three, four in between, and their professionalism, their approach, and their impact on team.
And I think if we're doing those things at the highest standard every day, we will be that great team you're talking about, and that's where my focus is.
All right, we'll take a time out more with Coach Miller in just a moment. This is the West Miller Radio Show Live from the original Montgomery in Home of the World's Greatest Rips on seven hundred WLW. We are back at the original Montgomery in All of the World's Greatest Rips and the Wes Miller Radio Show. We'll have a Coach Saderfield Radio Show next Tuesday night, our final football edition, although sometimes we add one before a bowl game.
We'll see if that happens. We do know that the Bearcats will be going bowling in the meantime, more questions from the audience. Our guy Glenn is at the mic.
Okay, before I get to the question, I want to Claire clarify some difference between North and South Carolina's taxes. All the players, all the professional players playing North Carolina moved to South Carolina, Texas.
Right, Okay?
Then other thing, last time I was in Freedom Hall was March sixty three. Hope everybody, the old people remembers that don't want to ever be back there again.
Right, remember that championship loss?
Right?
Right? Okay?
To my question, is the most valuable player tomorrow night? Mister Harris on defense? And how do you keep them in the game? And my question in the US, do you, guys minor to the officials to tell of the players which players to look which your officials to look out for?
It comes to files.
I don't have a crystal ball. If I did, I'd be a much better basketball coach. So I can't tell you who the most valuable player, but I will tell you that if we're going to have success in these type of games, since here Harris will be very important to that success.
How you go to keep them on the floor based on recent history.
Well, he said we've been working on it in practice. But the as far as officials, yeah, I think the officials they know the players, especially our guys that have played at this level for a long time. There's there's already relationships and that type of thing, and I think our players know the officials. So you do learn some of the let's say, how can we say some of the personalities and then how to handle them on both sides.
Okay, Boba Miller play point, guardland defense.
Bob Miller can guard every position.
Yes, yes, sir, tomorrow night.
Thank you.
Okay, all right, Glenn, thank you very much. T L is coming from You're right there, we go, all right. If we have any more questions from the audience, raise your hand. Terry will find you. Brian.
So in in conference games, obviously you're gonna have big twelve officials.
In non conference.
Games like when you're home, is there a standard for which what where the officiating group comes from? And then how does that differ for a game like tomorrow, which.
Is technically a neutral site. How do they work that out? It's it's all about the contract between the two teams, and so who assigned the official is based on the contract. So like any deal that's being made, they could go a lot of different ways. For the majority of games between two Power four opponents, the officials will be assigned they call like a blend crew, or the commission officials from the Big Twelve will work with the commission officials
the ACC to assign a crew together. It's not that difficult because a lot of the guys that are working these games work multiple leagues already, but they do make it is important in most of these games that it's not just a Big twelve crew, not just an ACC crew.
It's a mix. And that'll be the case tomorrow and these tournaments that you see, like the tournaments that'll be on Feast week on the ESPN and stuff over the next week and a half, the tournaments will assign the officials and they usually use an assigner from a league or multiple assigners from leagues to do that.
You see Athletics Hall of Famer Corey Blunt is up next.
I'm gonna make it easy for everybody.
Officials suck.
They're not good.
So you don't have to ask him about officials no more.
But they're all bad.
Take it from somebody who has the experience of knowing that.
All right, that's the.
End of the show, everybody forever.
Did the team practice at Heritage Bank Center?
Today?
Yes? Yes, we practically did a film session today and then a walk through in our practice facility and then went down to Heritage Bank to practice after that. Yes.
Yes, it's always a kind of a notoriously chilly in there. Maybe it's the ice hockey, yep.
Do you have the same game day butterflies as a player that you do as a coach or as a coach you have as a player.
It's different, But I still get good nerves before every single game. And I'll tell you this, if I ever lose that bye, I'll be on the first t because to me, that's one of the great one of the many great things about coaching is you still get those same jitters and nerves that you got as a young kid when you played the game in the park, right and you know, gosh, when you're playing the game outside and you know if you lost, you'd have to sit for an hour to get a chance to play again.
I still get that, And that's that's one of the neat things about coaching. I probably have a lot more stress and anxiety leading up to the practices than I do leading up to the game, because that's that's my game, right that the preparation that we do to get the guys ready, Like tonight's the easiest night for me. I mean, you know, we've already done all the work, so it's probably the best night of sleep I get. Is the
night before the game. When I was a player, I couldn't sleep sometimes the night before the game.
When you watch basketball, do you have a notepad nearby if you see something you like or play you like something for a future opponent, do you that you want to remember? Do you jot down notes while you're watching games?
Oh? Yeah, yeah, And then we have a game on right here.
Right now, and you see Uplick's pretty good.
Yeah, I have it on my phone. I mean, this time of year, if I'm not on the road recruiting, you know, I'm if I'm at home at night, there's basketball on television. There's a laptop on watching our team or our next opponent, and there's always I have a note section on my laptop, and I have always keep note pads by my nightstand. I'll keep them on the couch and all that kind of stuff for sure.
I got a text message that wanted me to ask you what determines what you wear on game day and then what determines when you take your coat off?
You know, I think I said this, I really do miss the days that we wore suits on the sidelines. I just thought there was something about you only played thirty some games in a college basketball season, and then it just means something, you know, and you know you throw on a suit because it means something. And so for me, you know, putting a sport code on it just felt it feels more like me. It feels more like what I believe in. So that's why I've done that.
In terms of what outfit we wear as a staff, I have no idea, but it's like one of the many things my staff does that I don't get involved with. But I get a text message. I just got it as I walked in here with what our outfit is tomorrow. And then I got to go make sure that we have clean laundry so so I can if I got to wash a shirt, I gotta do it. But and then when I take my coat off, that is that is like not conscious, that is just whenever it doesn't feel right. Anymore.
It's coming off what staff member picked the color combo.
If it's a if we're all excited about it, we give Chad dollar credit. If we're not excited, it's it's Andre Moore's decisions. That's how it works.
Make sure that gets back to him.
Are you are probably happy though that you're in an eraw where even if you do want to wear the sport coat, sneakers are acceptable.
Yeah. You guys all know I like sneakers, so that part has been pretty cool for sure.
I've got a hole half your place is filled with sneakers.
That about you hadn't been there. You're gonna find out on Thanksgiving night. That's the fifty first guest when when Terry's snooping around your house, going into the closet to see how many pairs of shoes you have.
Now you'll know what when it takes.
Me ten minutes to get out of the bathroom and I don't have the Beg's I'm in their closet trying to figure out how to fit this size eleven.
We have spiraled out of control.
Were really we're really moving on here in the conversation, Dan, you want to come to Thanksgiving you're more than welcome.
Well, thank you for the invite. I'll be in Baltimore, Okay, I will be in Baltimore watching watching the Bengals beat Terry's. As we've learned Terry's Baltimore Ravens. How did you become a Ravens fan?
Ray Lewis?
Ever since Ray Lewis, I do like and his leadership, and it just carried on model of consistency.
You want to do? His dance is a tunnel dancer. Of course he can do it looks better.
Ask for about three or four glasses of wine.
But all right, on that note, we are just about out of time. We've got some stuff to give away for the folks here at the original Montgomery in We appreciate the Bearcat fans who are with us here tonight at Cincinnati versus Louisville tomorrow at six point thirty. We'll be on the air with a pregame show at six o'clock until then for our engineer Joe Strecker, and for Joe Idell back in the studio and Terry Nelson. I'm
dan Ord. Thanks for listening to the West Smaller Radio Show and seven hundred WLWS