It is show time, very pleasant, good evening anybody.
Yes, it's good.
Shaky, but we'll give it to you. He's not feeling all the way.
Well, I'm feeling fine. It seemed like if I went any louder than that, yours might bleed.
Well, that's because the headphones are really loud.
Our headphones are loud all right. In any case, Greetings, welcome. It is the Wes Miller Show, live from the original Montgomery in the home of the world's greatest ribs. Joe Strecker is turning down our headphones a little bit, so now I can scream. I'm Dan Hord with Terry Nelson Broadcasts and the star of the show, the head coach of your UC Bearcats. That's here for Wes Miller. Let's go. We appreciate the Bearcat fan tour with us here tonight.
We're gonna have some great stuff to give away after the show, including two tickets to tomorrow's game at the centime.
So you got to stay the whole time because yes, I know you guys didn't have plans, but it's coming.
And you have to be here in order to win. So if you are driving in the general vicinity, I always get the no, no, we're here already, we deserve to win. Well, I'm just going to throw it out there anyway, because we love as many BEARCAF fans as we can get. But if you are not far from the original Montgomery in at the end of the show nine o'clock, we will give away a variety of prizes, including two tickets to the Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout coming
up tomorrow night at the Centa Center. Cincinnati and Xavier getting set to go at it in one of the best rivalries in college basketball and all of sports, really certainly the best interest city rivalry in college basketball, and we are fired up for it tomorrow night. How has practice been? How is the excitement level for you and your guys?
Practice has been good. We needed to practice. We've been to a stretch. We've been playing a lot of games and we were banged up a little bit, so we weren't even guys that were playing, weren't always practicing, and we needed to get back to the practice court the last couple of days. It was nice to do that, and certainly, you know, players get excited for games like this and you can sense their energy. The last two days it's been.
This is year five of the Crosstown Shootout for you.
I don't know if the asked this question, because there's been a lot of red wine poured my way. But when it comes to the North Carolina duke rivalry and the Cincinnati Bearcats versus Xavier rivalry, obviously duke in North Carolina, I believe is number one in all of college basketball. But how does the intensity rival that rivalry?
Yeah, I think it's different. I think there's a there's just a different intensity to the Crosstown shootout that I think is completely unique. I don't think there's anything you can compare it to. As I told our players, this rivalry in this game means so much because of what it means to this community. Over is it ninety three somebody said ninety some years. You don't get that right.
And this is obviously a special community. This is a connected community and for all of our lifetimes, for the most part, you know, everybody that grew up here and stays here and all that kind of stuff, the cross Town's been a part of that. And so it does mean a lot for that reason. And I think you when you're here and you're a part of it. You start to understand that we have a lot of guys
that will experience it for the first time. I don't know if they'll totally grasp it till they experience it, but they're definitely excited.
Same for Xavier. Davee Thomas has played in this game twice. Nobody else on your roster has played in it. Xavier doesn't have anybody on its roster that's played it in the past. I think that's one of the unfortunate things about the current state of college athletics, with so much change on rosters from year to year to year. You don't have guys that are going to be in this
for four years. Maybe if you will, but by and large, there won't be a lot of guys like that going forward unless it somehow, you know, changes back toward the way it used to be.
Yeah, it's like, you guys know that we're not going to get anything out up here complaining about what used to be and all that stuff. You got to focus on what it is and how you deal with it. But that that is something I think we all like. When you have Dayda Thomases that are going into this type of thing for the third time, or the fourth time. I can tell you, as a coach, practice a lot is a lot easier to coach data than it is to coach everybody else, you know, because he just is
not just knowing about a game. He knows all the things we do and how we do them in the standards. And you know, I think early in the year, you're spending a lot of time coaching things you're not used to coaching, unless you're I've told everybody a lot of us, it feels like we're in year one with the team, you know, within a program, because you're just coaching all this stuff that you take for granted when you have continuity.
But that applies to everything we're doing. And I'd say that's about eighty percent or more college basketball.
And speaking of data, is there a way? The obvious is getting in the gym, But Dada went from twenty eight percent to forty percent to now you're shooting fifty percent from three? Is there there's no secret, sauce to how do you get your percentages up that high other than getting in the gym and doing work. But that's a big leap over the years to shoot the way he's shooting from three.
Yeah, I think there's a lot that goes into it. I think the first thing you have to do when you see day DA's improvement shooting the balls, you got to give dayDay credit. He's been committed to his game. He's committed to his work every day the whole offseason. But if you come to our practice when practice ends, it is automatic. I mean you can just bank it. Dada's going to spend twenty twenty five minutes going through
his shooting routine. If you show up in the mornings, Dada's going to have a thirty forty minute shooting routine every morning. I mean that's just like part of his day. So you give him credit first, and then you know, some of it is familiarity and confidence and experience. It wasn't like, what did you say, is shooting was his first year twenty eight He wasn't a twenty eight percent shooter his first year. He was much better than that.
But he's obviously now had experience playing college basketball, playing in the Big twelve, playing in our program, and I think that's helped a lot with it too.
You referenced injured guys being able to get back to a normal practice routine, and I would assume that Baba Miller is one of the people that you're referring to. He came back after missing two games on Monday night, turned it over a bunch in the first half, but you really went out of your way to praise him after the game for his willingness to go out there at less than one hundred percent.
Hey, guys, I think sometimes you just got to look at it from the right perspective. You want a guy that wants to feel one hundred percent to play, or do you want a guy that's just willing to go play, put the jersey on and fight for his team. Give me the guy like that, and you know when Boba does that, there's going to be rusted. And he was a little sped up on the catch because he hasn't not only hadn't played the end, practiced or done anything in eight days or seven days or whatever the heck
it was. And to me, I can live with mistakes if I have somebody that's got their heart and soul into it, and I think Boba does.
Buck Harris is a guy that in his previous stops at Illinois and West Virginia didn't necessarily have offense. Ran fro him because he's a guy that can get it and steals and transition and offensive rebounds and all that stuff. But when you put them in positions to score, whether to kick ahead on the fast break or put him in the high poles in his own sert, he has a way to wiggle his way through traffic and make shots. And he is I said this on the air several times.
He's probably if there was such a stat in Dvance has analytics, there is.
The most and ones in Big Twelve this year.
I'm sure there is a stat for that somewhere. But no, he's really important to our team in a lot of ways. And so if we just want to talk about his ability to put pressure on the paint and the rim off the drive, that's one of the ways he's important to us. He has a real knack to get downhill, he's got a knack to finish and get fouled, as
you mentioned, and his decision making is consistently improving. He's really embracing that role in our team, whether it's in the open court or or whether it's in a half court situation. So yeah, I'm proud. I think he can keep getting better there. I don't think he's capped out at all.
So what do you make of Xavier? They started the season slowly, lost a couple of games early, including a home game to Santa Clara, squeaked by some opponents that you know are not big name opponents. And now lately they've been playing great. They tweaked the lineup a little bit and they really seem to have figured things out on the offensive end. What do you make of the Musketeers?
Yeah, they they changed the lineup to get more skill. They for the most part have shooting at every position in pretty much every lineup they play. They're they're different in that way, right, I mean, it's not it's it's not often that you see you might see a team with the player in the front court that can shoot, and people utilize that in interesting ways. They have two front court players that can really shoot, and so it's been interesting in the preparation to figure out the right
ways to combat that. But it's not like there other guys can't. Some of their best shooters are also in the back court and on the wing. So no, I think they've made some nice adjustments. They're very sound team passing, sharing, it sound defensively, and you know, you can see the adjustments and the improvement over the last two weeks.
This is sort of day one, I would say day one, but it's not necessarily.
But let's just say this is the.
First game of a five game stretch that's very important for seeding and everything that goes all on it. But you have two of your players that are now back into the lineup, Celesting and Babba Miller that were out previous games while other guys got a chance to get more minutes and get up to speed and get more reps to play. Is it good that they got that time when guys were out and hurt, or you're just happy that your team is back to full strength almost.
Well, yeah, we still got you know Jalen Haynes, Yes, and some other stuff. But the no, I want to get to full strength. I think practice is better when it's full strength. I think we can play the way that we're trying to build the team that we're gonna play with all year when we're full strength. That's what's
important to me. But you know, I think we played some really young players and some different kinds of minutes, and I think over time that's good for development, but I want to be at full strength.
At Cincinnati versus Xavier tomorrow night, seven thirty and the Skyline Chili Crossdown Shootout episode number ninety three, and again we have two tickets to give away at the end of tonight's radio show, we'll take a time out. We're live at the Original Montgomery In, Home of the World's Greatest Ribs. Here on seven hundred WLW. We are back at the Original Montgomery In Home of the World's Greatest Ribs and the Wes Miller Radio Show. We've got the
Skyline Chili Crossdown shootoutming up tomorrow night. It's a seven thirty tip at the Centas Center, and among the things we have to give away at the end of the show are a pair of tickets to the game tomorrow night. We've also got bear Cat gear, So anytime you come out to the show here at the Original Montgomery and there's a decent chance you will leave with a nice spar Cat giveaway item, that'll be the case tonight. We'll also have questions from the audience coming up in about
ten minutes. You played on Monday night and defeated Tarleton State, and prior to the game I was very happy to spend a few minutes chatting with Gisel James, who's back in town attending school full us in a little bit about how he's doing.
He's doing great. He's never not been enrolled, so I don't think that was somebody said asked that question in a press conference like it was news. It was like that news. He was enrolled in September and all that kind of stuff. So, but he's back in town, he's been working out in our facilities. It's been a joy to have him back around. You guys, you know Terry and and you guys know how close him and I are and what I think of him and his family and all that. Yeah, I mean, well, as much as
you could call somebody family, that's not your blood. And so I'm just pleased to report he's personally doing great. I'm more proud of him over the last three months than I've ever been for anything he did on the basketball court. And that's the best thing I could say.
Has the conversation with this pop been good as well?
Yeah, Yeah, I think family perspective, Gisel's in a good place. He's doing well personally, and I think that's what matters.
Most is it your hope that he will eventually play for Cincinnati again.
Yeah, I think Gisel would like to do that, and certainly I would. I think people want the story to be about basketball right now, and in the time being, there's nothing to talk about career, you know, and so I want to make sure I've made comments about that people can refer to those. But in the long term, absolutely, and I think he wants that, and I think that's pretty cool.
All right, let's get back to the game on Monday night, the victory over Tarleton State. There was a lot of good stuff in that game, but there was one thing you pointed out after the game that you weren't happy with, and that was the lack of touches for Mustafa cham inside when you had a height advantage. How do you go about fixing that?
Well, you know, I think there's a couple of things. One, we can't miss him when he has good position. We got to make sure if we go those kind of stretches without him getting touches, that we do some things to call touches for him. And then, you know, as I told him, he's got to take some responsibility too.
They can't stop even getting a touch when you go get it on the offensive offensive glass, and so I think he's a guy that we need to be really effective on the board, especially on the offensive board, and that's where you can go get it as a big fellow at seven to two, with the athleticism he has without it being thrown to you. So I think we got to take some accountability for that as a team, as a staff, and then I think he does too, and hopefully we don't have any more nights like that with him.
First of all, I appreciate you addressing the gigal thing. I know you want to just address it and let him have the space to breathe and do what he needs to do. So thank you for that as a as an analyst, as a former player, and as a fan. Secondly, when I watch Baba Miller in the game, it just seems the offense is just different because we've always had a guy that you don't need to run offense for
because he becomes the offense. He creates for other players and turnovers aside, he's just Baba Miller just sees the floor differently, and as you know, he is six' eleven with a growth spurt from a guard position to now a multi position. Player it's got to be better for your offense and for your play calling to whatever you, run it seems like there's a chance of success because he's on the.
Floor, yeah coaching is easier with guys like, that, RIGHT i think.
That's that's what it hugs it about.
Me, yeah a defensive, coaching but but uh, no he's he's really important to our team and in every. Way he's important to the versatility, defensively to our rim protection right to some of the defensive things strategically we. Do he's a huge part of what we're doing offensively in every, regard and so it's really important that you know that
he's he's healthy and doing. Well and it was nice to have him back in practice because he was, rusty not just with the ball in that first, half but just with some of the things that we, do and it was good to get back after.
That the last two, Days Jalen celestine returned to the lineup as. Well he had only missed one, game but he looked springier to. Me made a couple of, threes just looked like he had a little more. BALANCE i know he's been dealing with a sore, back and hopefully that's a sign that the worst is behind.
Him we need him and we need him to be the player that we know he can, be not just with the, shooting and he's a terrific, shooter the. Playmaking he's a really good decision maker with the, ball the positional versatil we need him to play the. THREE i, mean we need him to be able to come in and defend the other team's, three make plays as a three. Man we need him to be able to slide down and we can play small and spread it out and Give moose. Space and, like he is so important to the.
Team he was so important our roster, build and we got to get him back to being one hundred percent and moving and. PLAYING i just got to get a sea legs a little. Bit AS i told him the other, DAY i thought this week has been a step in the right direction for.
Him Kirk cries is a guy that's been a tremendous. Passer he had a great shooting night the other, night really broke it open for. You because he's a great catch and shoot player and he likes to pup, fake takes that side step to the left and knock down, shots but he has been a little loose with the basketball in his decision.
Making he's a great, passer but it's.
Almost like he trusts his passing ability so much that he can get away with passes in certain times and the ball is over and it puts your offense had a disadvantage on defense because of.
That have you addressed him in that?
Manner, WELL i think we've addressed our whole. Team you, know when we've had we've had some nights where we've just been so careless with the. BALL i, Mean dayton sticks out in my head as we think, back and we PLAYED i thought well offensively Against dayton a couple of weeks, ago had some great, stretches but then we had some stretches we were just so careless with. IT i thought we had the same thing in The Charlatan state. Game we're just careless with the. Ball so we've addressed
it with our. TEAM i think two types of turnovers that you just can't accept selfish turnovers and careless. Turnovers and those are the two that were pointing. Out if somebody makes it a turnover when they're making aggressive play within who they are as a, player you don't like, it BUT i think you can swallow it a little. Bit in terms of curs assist air ratio is really. High it's better than two to.
One it sticks out because he's such a good. Passage.
Yeah SO i think with, him he's gonna be a risky passer and a free will passer and that's going to be important for our. Team but he's got to avoid the careless ones when he.
Came, gotcha there was a stretch in the first half On monday where it was hard to keep up with the ball movement as a radio announcer because you were popping. It it was aw, boom boom. Boom. Yes is that what you want your offense to look? Like?
Yes AND i THINK i think there's a process to this team finding its rhythm offensively and. FIGURING i, mean we figured it out as a, staff, right AND i think they believe in. It but playing to their offensive identity not just in the open, court but in the half, court within sets and. Execution AND i think our identity needs to be around movement of player in. BASKETBALL i, MEAN i really believe that we don't have a ton of guys you can just throw it to and say
go make it happen when nothing's. There we got enough of that to do what we have to do this. Year BUT i think our identity needs to be moving to the player moving to the, ball and they're working at. That THESE i tell you what practice has really helped with that have an opportunity to do. It we're going to be a really good player in movement player in
ball movement. Team and there was the clips you're talking the players you're talking, about of the clips we showed the team the next day after the.
Game seanabayev is a. Winner he's been a winner on every level he's been on and the fact that he hasn't shot it well could if he was just an offensive, player could shatter. Him, however he's on the, floor he seems.
Engaged how are you keeping him engaged when he's not?
Performing how you know he can perform as far as shot, Making, YEAH.
I think IT'S i think from my, PERSPECTIVE i don't want to tell what everybody else what to. Thank people are allowed to think whatever they, want but from my, perspective there has to be some grace. Given you, know you're talking about a young man with the world of expectations on his. Shoulders he has personal. Expectations we have expectations with him as a young player that's never experienced.
Basketball he's experienced some of the things we do for the first, time and in some ways he's just doing terrific And i'm really proud of. Him and he's getting better and he's. Growing and then you, know his practice, habits his, practice his practice habits are, great his attitude is. Great his work ethic is too. MUCH i mean from WHEN.
I first saw to where, now practice habits have been much.
Better, YEAH i, mean he's he's he's really doing the things that you'd want somebody in this position to. DO i MEAN i was leaving the office or leaving the locker. ROOM i was talking with some of the guys later this evening And sean came, through grabbed his stuff out of his locker to go back and, shoot And Coach diler came running through the Locked shawn just come through.
HERE i heard he's going to. Shoot to go chase him out of the gym because he's in there too, much you, KNOW i, mean we see such a. Thing, yeah there's such a. Thing you can, overtrain, right and you can you can try too HARD i just speaking from somebody that knows all about, That, like you can want it too, bad you can try too, Hard AND i think with training there's a balance AND i certainly can relate to that as a, coach as a, player the whole nine He BUT i like. THAT i like
the quality of wanting it too. BADLY i think with his, shooting it's it's, interesting he'll shoot it. GREAT i no worries about. That you talked About Dada Thomas Dayda thomas wasn't a twenty eight percent shooters a. Freshman he just needed to get. Comfortable sean's going to get comfortable with that aspect of his game in a much swifter way Than dada has since he's been. Here he'll get to the point he shoots it. Great you can bank. THAT i have no worries about. That shot selection needs to
continue to. Improve in decision making needs to continue to. Improve BUT i, say but it's tricky because some of those tougher shots that he can make we recruited him to. Make now we want him to take them when we need them to be. Taken but you got to put yourself in his. Position he's eighteen years. Old he was recruited to shoot some of those. Shots we don't want to, say don't shoot him at, all because we're going to need him to shoot those in the big moments that
we're going to be for the next three. Stuff that's, right he's just learning the process a, win when to, attack when to, facilitate when to. Shoot and from my, perspective he's doing a nice job and doing exactly what he's supposed to. Be AND i think if sometime over the next, five, six seven weeks everybody else will think that. TOO i really. Do But i'm.
Happy, YEAH i. Know you take a. Break let's got one.
Question save it after the. Commercial all, right we need to take a break for news running a little bit. Late this is The West Miller Radio, Show live from The Original Montgomery, In home of The World's Greatest ribs on seven HUNDRED. Wlw we are back at the Original Montgomery, In home of The World's Greatest ribs and The West Miller Radio show on the night before the ninety Third Skyline Chile crossdown. Shootout we'll have a couple of tickets to give away to tomorrow night's. Game at the end
of the. Show we've also got Bear cat gear to give away at the end of the. Show we appreciate the Bear cat fans are with us tonight at the Original Montgomery in and it's time to take your. Questions elliott is up, first all.
Right with all the transfer portal, stuff like how many players leave without you like saying, like, HEY i don't think this is a program for you as compared to the players that you, say, like, HEY i think you'd have better luck at a different.
Program like how many players do we like asked to? Leave, yeah, YEAH i wouldn't say, many you. Know AND i think there's, sometimes like, anything where it just makes sense for. Change AND i think there's certainly been situations like, that but very. FEW i, MEAN i think it's it's. Different it's a good, Question, Elliott AND i think everybody's what it was two years ago was different than what it was last. Year it's changing every. Year now it's completely a business, thing Right
like now it's free. Agency, Yeah AND i think guys, say, HEY i might WANT i really like to be back. Here you, KNOW i gotta talk to my, agent talk to my. Age you, know there's there's a a business aspect to it that THAT i think is ninety percent prevalent with all these kids, now and that was different than how it was two or three years.
Ago CAN i just point out THAT tnl was going to ask a question before we went for news at the bottom of the. Hour NOW i see him out there clinking his wine glass with Other bearcat fans in the.
Audience i'm greeting the. Fans i'm doing my job in. Audience to keep doing my.
Job there's nothing wrong with being. HOSPITABLE i like, that. Huh we all ever, strengths including a lease coaching from two six.
Yes so, yes or the last. GAME i did some coaching from two o seven and THEN i decided to make my way closer and had a different kind of angle almost out on the, bench BUT i know there wasn't a. Seat SO i noticed a little scuffle at the end of the, game but there wasn't much, announced and THE pa guy said he just didn't announce it because the game Was can you explain the two oh seven's assistant coach what On God's Green earth? Happened and THEN i have a follow up question after.
That one of the opposing players said something at the free throw line to one of our, players and we shouldn't respond to those. Things what was said was completely inappropriate and crossed the line in my. OPINION i won't share, it but we have to have discipline to not respond regardless of what. Said but it was something that had nothing to do with, basketball and WHEN i heard what was, said it bothered. Me but we still shouldn't respond to, that and that's what.
Happened.
Okay last question completely. Unrelated as OTHER uc teams have gone into that disgusting place In, norwood they have experienced poor, treatment with liquids thrown on them and other profanity things said to. Them whether it's the players wives or, Mothers what advice or things do you say to those significant others and the players about going Into xavier or that school In?
Norwood shots fired by a Least i'm Ready.
NORWOOD i THINK i think a lot of a lot of our, players if they haven't played in the, crosstown for, example they've played in in hostel, arenas in big time, environments and SO i think they understand what it's like
to play in the hostile environment in a rivalry. Game they might not completely understand what it's like to play in the, crosstown BUT i think they understand that their families probably understand, that just LIKE i have an expectation that our fans are the best in college basketball that are loud and you, know like wild and crazy in. There and fifth, THIRD i would have the expectation that that we carry ourselves with class and and dignity and treat people the right, Way and that would be my
expectation of any arena we walk into. Anywhere SO i hope that's not the.
Case Brian, WELL i was gonna ask something similar to, That So i'm gonna try to pivot here real. Quick, yeah if you're gonna, win Ad, XAVIER I i know it's it's a it's a team. Effort everybody's, Important but what what aspect of the game is going to be the reason you win this?
Game that's that's.
Tough you. Know what's so funny about coaching this, game you, know is it's it becomes pretty wildly unpredictable every Time i've coached in, It like what what you think is never what it, is and things happen that you can't. Explain and it certainly felt that way the last three years for. Me but you, know it's it's some of the things are obvious that They're they're fourth in the country right, now and three pointers made a. GAME i
think that's that's a factor in the. Game and it's not just so simple as do they make three or not make? Three is just their shooting impact the game in a really positive. Way does that mean does it open up easy baskets around the? Basket does it open up a chance for them to get fouled? More do they rebound misses if you do make them MISS i
mean there's a lot that goes into. That but defending all the shooting that they have out, THERE i think that everybody that plays them will will talk about, that AND i think that'd be Something i'd look into with
how the game. Swings and THEN i think with The crosstown it doesn't matter the players and the, coaches it comes down to the gritty, stuff right the, rebounding the loose, balls the, deflections the toughness plays and all that kind of, Stuff AND i THINK i think that's something That i'd always look out for in any, game but certainly in a rivalry.
Game next, question Oh.
Wes first, off how do you feel like with the lost to it Was Eastern? Michigan how do you feel the pressure has changed over the course of the. Season and then ALSO i Asked Scott ciderfield who he thought our biggest rivals. Were obviously for, basketball we Have, xavier so that's our biggest, Rival but other Than, xavier who would you say we get most amped up to?
Play, yeah you, know ups and. Downs we have a long basketball, season you. Know, well you, know our goal is to feel really successful on Selection sunday and then have success beyond. That and so that to me is when you kind of evaluate. Yourself there's gonna be lots of up and downs and trials and, tribulations and to, me the pressure doesn't really have any effect on it one way or the. Other it's do we walk in every day and handle things the right? Way when it's going?
Poorly do we handle it the right? Way right when it goes? Great do we handle it the right? Way and that's my job and that's my. Focus and IF i can get my team to do, that then we really got something pretty cool that'll be great in the. End you, know it's when you change. Leagues it's probably why you ask Coach satterfield this as. Well you, know
that's an interesting. Thing i'd like to say that Every big twelve game feels like a rivalry to, me because they're all means so, much and they don't just mean a lot to, us they mean a lot to the opponent, Too so Every big twelve game feels like a dang rivalry. GAME i think the league has paired our rivalry With West virginia from a proximity, standpoint SO i think we're always gonna play them home and home every, year AND
i think the league decided. That but they all feel like big dang games to.
Me All, right we have a couple of young men stepping to the. Mic tel wants them.
To sprint and their, campers by the, way there's, summers all, right love. IT i recognize.
Them, okay go, ahead.
What are your game day shoes Against Xavier?
Nikes it's a.
Great, yeah they'll Be, jordan's for. SURE i haven't thought that far. Ahead we've been focusing more on like play calling and defensive. Schemes but it'll be Some jordans that have bear cat colors that you can bank on. That thank, you you're.
Welcome did you breed two different loyalties over? Here he's got you see stuff on and he's flexing THE x. Sign what's going on?
Here he's wearing a seapod that was. Accidental all, Right we're gonna take a time. Out more questions from the audience when we. Continue this is The West Miller Radio, Show live from The Original Montgomery In home of The World's Greatest, ribs and seven HUNDRED wlw got a little more than ten minutes to go With Coach miller On The West Miller Radio, Show live from The Original Montgomery, In home of The World's Greatest. Ribs we want to
quickly wish a happy eighth birthday To. Jake i'm going to.
Countdown i'm going to do.
A three two one, countdown and WHEN i hit the end of the, countdown let's all in unison. Wish let's, say happy, Birthday. Jake are you? Ready three two, One happy Birthday? Jake all, right he's ready to celebrate with A barkhead victory tomorrow and he's really hoping that he wins the. Tickets at the end of the, Show, Bob you're up.
Next so this falls out of the category of way too, early but the ticket office, SAID i had an email yesterday announcing it's time to start reserving tickets for The big twelve.
Tournament it's a great time In Kansas. City if anybody's or if people have never, been it's an awesome. Environment they do a great job with the events around the basketball, tournament concert stuff like that in Downtown Kansas. City So i'd recommend it if you have an. Interests it's really well, done well, done and we'd appreciate the.
Support so we'd love to see no.
Doubt all, Right, karen you're up.
NEXT i like to know what players came. Out former players came out to talk to the players this. Week and also this game is on a network WHICH i didn't think it would be. On, OKAY, tnt but listen To dan on.
The, Radio.
Terry well, Done.
Karen But i'm looking for this game to come back to what it was ON espn Or NATIONAL tv to pick it up because those were the days in those. Days need and will.
Come back TNT's NATIONAL, TV i, BELIEVE i.
Know but it's not what this game. Was you had to be here to what this game.
WAS i THINK.
Cbs picked it up. Before it used to be on A saturday. Night it used to be a, nation it used to it used to be really really.
Big well the last time it was on A friday night At Xavier cincinnati one so good, mojo good mojo for tomorrow. Night but thank, You. Karen we appreciate you being here tonight as. Always anybody else have a question for coach t l has the mic in his. Hand he will find, You terry right right.
Here i'm curious if you have a, stylist and if you, do if she gets upset when you take your jacket off after two.
Minutes her Name's.
Lauren she doesn't appear upset Right.
She's sitting at the bar right.
Now.
NO I i it's hard just to feel restricted there after a. Bit and, uh BUT i DO i do miss the days we wore. Suits i've said that many times. PUBLICLY i just thought there was something to you, know there's only there's a special when you play a college basketball, game and that that made me feel like you were making it special as a coach because you put a suit. On AND i think we're beyond that a little, bit and some some part of me wants to do that, again BUT i don't want to do that to my
staff and their dry cleaners and that type of. Thing but the wearing a sport coat felt right for me this, year and it's just not gonna make it very long BECAUSE i feel restricted up.
There Tel do we have to go to a back to sport coat clock to record the exact moment that it is peeled off during the course of the. Game that's that's the, standard roughly ninety seconds.
In generally it has to do with like how well we're defending and rebounding and taking care of the ball to start the.
Game it's a good photo. Op, yeah, yes it's a good photo, op all.
Right so do you expect to see a lot of zone tomorrow?
Night you, know IF i think you can only go off of what you've seen when you when you study the. Tape And i'm not saying anything that those guys don't know that we're we're competing. Against but The xavier's played a couple possessions at two three over the last couple of. Weeks they've played some one to three to one in the second half in their last game at, home so in their most recent game at. Home SO i think it wouldn't surprise me to see his own but they.
Haven't they don't have enough possessions under their. Belt as you, said they've already made some adjustments to totally predict. IT i think that's the type of thing this time in the year that you hopefully you're prepared if they do something like. That you definitely not just, recently but you spent the time in the. Preseason if a team jumps into,
this what do you do a team jumps into? That SO i guess the short answer, IS i think it's highly, possible BUT i. CAN'T i don't call the defenses For, Saviors.
SO i don't know what's your philosophy un.
Pressing i'm not gonna ask if you're gonna, press or do you want to press in the future or whatever?
Tomorrow your philosophy un pressing in?
General, Well i'd like to press every single possession and get the ball back as as. Possible that's What i'd like to. Do i'd like To you, know what did The Nolan richardson do back in the.
Day that's a lot of that's a lot of.
Overtime that's a long.
Game to two games and two overtime the uh. NO i MEAN i think that that's my propensity is to want to be able to extend pressure and make people. Uncomfortable, uh but you you have to number, one have personnel to do. It then you have to build the discipline to do it, consistently the depth to do it. Consistently we have some we've pressed a little bit this. YEAR i don't know how much people pay attention to every, possession but we have done some, pressing some three quarter core,
pressing some full court. Pressing. UH i think it's something will continue to add as the year goes on and do more and more of a little more practice time would help because if.
You get you your nine seconds a shot that you want to.
Get, to pressing helps nine. Seconds we were AT.
I left thirteen seconds in the first show and it was fourteen seconds in the actual, reality and you said you wanted to get it. Faster So i'm, thinking like below double digits is a good barometer to go. By it say we're gonna play. Fast in order to play, fast you got to make them play.
Fast. Yeah we if we start running around press in every, possession it'll get pretty wacky out.
There that's how yes organized.
Chaos But i'd love to be able to do that for.
Sure so we didn't have a show Last thursday because it Was thanksgiving. Night you played a game the night before and C J anthony was. There we BROUGHT cj up on this show at various points during the course of the. Year he's playing For iona this. Year first game of the, year he had twenty four. Points you were almost moved to tears after learning that he's having a tremendous. Year, yes he's averaging like sixteen points and six.
Assists it's so. Great he came back in the coaches a. Lot we were doing our recording on the radio show and he came. Back and that's, it guess coaching. Man that's some of the great stuff that people don't get to. See but he's, uh he's FAMILY a love him to. Death i'm so happy for. Him i've been ribbing a. Lot you, know people rib us they call you about we have this recruit for, you you, know and then that that kid goes off in a game for somebody, else and you get the TEXT i told you, so you,
know LIKE i hate that. Text and most of the TIME i want to, say you, KNOW i already know, this you don't have to rub it in my. Face BUT i called a bunch of my buddies ABOUT. Cj, anthony AND i, Said i'm telling, You and we had all this practice tape we sent out and all this. STUFF i, Said i'm telling, You i'll put my name on. It he will be unbelievable for. You and it's not about the. Nil it's just about a scholarship and the right opportunity and a bunch of my friends and a
bunch of people THAT i care. About they looked at it One i'm just not. Interested And i've been giving them. HELL i should have listened to me ON. Cj. ANTHONY i tried to help you. Out But i'm so thrilled for. Him and he was so. Funny we were talking about the year he's having and he had a game that wasn't so, good AND i asked him about, it. JOKING i, said, SEEZE i ain't really impressed. Yet, Man i'll be impressed if you can do, this you, know for the next
twenty five. Games and he laughed and he, said that makes sense coming from. YOU i, said BUT i want to ask you about the one game you didn't play, well and he started. LAUGHING i knew you were gonna, ask he, Said, coach it's a lot different when you're on the top of the scouting REPORT a, right he, said for a, while they didn't know WHO i. Was now they're guarding me a lot, Differently AND i laughed
because that is, true and we've talked about that. Before it's a little different when they're trying to stop you or She you surprised, Him but he's gonna do. Great whether he's gonna be at the top of the scouting report all year and he's still gonna do, Great i'm super proud OF.
I spoke to him before the game and after the, game and he had nothing but glowing terms to talk about you and what you. Did but you told us before the season last year as well as told, him AND i think they need to hear their story.
About why you didn't play him when you, thought in.
Your own words that he had worked himself up to be a starter in pretty much.
Any team in a power Or power four.
Conference, WELL i don't know about starter in A power four, league is HOW i felt at the. Time but you, know he was trying to figure out what was right for him when he was going into that senior, year and he was one of those guys that he came here because he just wanted to be A. Bearcat he grew up in the state Of ohio dreamed about playing For cincinnati and he just wanted a, chance and he
had low major And division two offers and he. DID i told, HIM i can't promise you'll ever play a, minute but if you're good enough and you work your tail, off you'll have a. Chance like it's not going to be about whether you had a scholarship or non scholarship or that type of. Thing and that was one of THE i think my first month on the job here and his first freshman year he wasn't very. Good he'll tell you that. Too his sophomore year he got significantly.
Better and going into his junior, YEAR i thought he'd have a chance to compete for rotational, men and he just couldn't quite crack the. Rotation he was right. There and we met after his junior, year AND i thought he might want to go just, play you, Know and he, Said i'm just so torn BECAUSE i do want to, play BUT i want TO i don't ever want to Leave. CINCINNATI i want to be a Bear. CAT i love what you love you, GUYS i love what we're, DOING i love the, program BUT i do want to play
AND i, SAID i got an. IDEA i, said how about you come back next year so you can graduate four years a Bear, cat which is what you deserve to do and what you should. Do and if we are starting the season and you're not in the, rotation weill Red church you and then you can go play that fifth year somewhere else and you can get the
best of both. Worlds, now if you're gonna be in the, ROTATION i ain't gonna Red church Right and to start the, season if you guys will remember last, Year Connor hippen was. Terrific dan With skillings was, injured but you Knew dan was gonna come back after five weeks or something like, that and so he was right, there and.
But you'dn't want to give him five six minutes a.
Game he was right, there so we decided the red shirt. Him and Then Connor hickman ended up breaking his foot and missing the, year and he would have been really damn good for, us and he would have. PLAYED i don't know if he'd have played at the role he's in now At, iona but he would have had a significant. Role he shoots the heck out of it and we needed, that so, Badly so it wasn't. HARD i had a couple of NIGHTS i, Went i'm about to CALL cgs see IF i can get. It but that wouldn't have
been fair to the young. Man and he gave us, everything and it's kind of the old school, deal Wasn't he got no money for, it and, shoot didn't even get a dang. Scholarship for the most, part we did find a way to get him some legal nil whatever the heck that. Means we found a way to get some of that so he could pay us to wish and those last couple of years he'd earned. That but it was all about the right. Stuff so you, know it was easy to do the right thing for. Him
And i'm so happy it's working. Out this is going to lead into a professional basketball career that he was. Playing, now all, right.
We are out of. Time we appreciate The bearcat fans who came out to be with us tonight here at the Original mintgomery in stuff to give, away Including crosstown shootout. Tickets, Momentarily if you've been listening on the, radio thanks for tuning in to The West Miller radio show on seven HUNDRED. Wlw