This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera and Jay Gonzalez on Fox Sports fourteen fifteen, powered by Nova Insurance Services and Sure Your Most Prized Possessions KATZ R TWU Sage at iHeartRadio Stationiao afternoon, Welcome Driving the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Ja Gonzalez, your host for the day with Steve Rivera on the road in Salt Lake City. He'll be joining us in a little bit on the phone, reporting in from the the arena over there.
They haven't had some Tommy Lloyd, not Tommy ray All. The team's at press conferences today. But Steve's over there, so we'll get we'll get with him in the second segment. I got Sid here today and my guest host, George Mott is from Showtime Cards. He's on his way. He has some issues at his business. We'reunning a little late, but he will be here a little bit to join us and we'll we'll get some of his thoughts
on you know, we're in the in between day, right. All the thinking, all the worrying, all the worry about a first round loss is over. Now you're talking about you gotta play a better team. Yeah, and that's kind of what the conversation was today in Tommy's press conference. On top of which I don't know what the NCAA or the T or the TV networks are thinking, but they've got a ten forty five am game in Salt Lake City, nine forty five Tucson time. You know, I don't understand
that. I will, you know, no matter what they say, they're not going to make me understand the local tip time. That's ridiculous that you don't even play regular season games at ten forty five in the morning, you
know, Yeah, it's just too damn early. I get on the East Coast tipping off at twelve forty five, but twelve forty five Eastern time when you're not in the East coast, right, Yeah, you know, if people were asking me, you know, all throughout today when days there was only plane windsday zone plane when, and I'm like, it'll be later in the afternoon. We're in the west to play the East Coast games first exactly.
And then the schedule comes out and I read it. It said twelve forty five, and I like, is that eastern Eastern time or Salt Lake City time? And it said Eastern time on the note days. That can't be right. That can't be right. And I waited and I saw it three or four more times. I'm like, who thought of that? I'm
like, what the hell are they thinking? Because you have teams playing on that date that that are in different time zones than than the West Coast, so it would make it would make sense, right, and they played the same day as Arizona song. It's not like they're getna yeah. And look, I'm not saying that on behalf of y you know, it's it favors one or the other. It doesn't both teams have to come out. They've got to play at ten forty five in the morning. It's just ridiculous that
they're making those guys play at ten forty five in the morning. That's it. It's that simple. You know. The teams usually they prepare, prepare for a game, they have a shoot around, go back to their hotel, you know, come back, and they're not gonna be able to do that, you know. That was one of the first questions that Tommy Lloyd got asked, uh, was was you know the short prep for you know, they you know, for this game and what they're gonna do on on
on Tomorrow morning to get ready for this game. Here's what he had to say. Brian Peterson Easy Desert Swarm. What is the difference between preparing for a morning game as opposed to a night game? Are there any benefits or detractors too? I mean no, no real significant difference. The only one would be easy. You don't get like a physical walkthrough or shoot around, so you just have to kind of load up a little bit more of the day ahead. But this time of year, I mean, you're playing a
team you haven't played all year. You're playing a team that you're really not familiar with, and that works both ways. So it's a short prep so you kind of got to rely on what you do and what you do best, I think at the end of the day, and and that that's generally going to be the answer to to your problems. When when I'm facing an opponent on a quick turnaround that you're not familiar with, you know, And
I didn't expect Tommy to say this is screwy, this is stupid. He's not going to make a big deal out of it because then his guys start thinking about it. Right, Yeah, I mean, at this point in the season. You kind of have to deal with what you're dealt with and kind of go with it. But analyzing it, there's I believe that there's some some other games on the West Coast that are playing at Waylely. Yeah. Right, again, all they had to do is take to the East
coast games. Ye put them in this time slot, move them down. Yeah, and that's all you had to do and not an under I just don't understand why they did that, but they didn't. So there we are. Set your alarms, get up in the morning and have some breakfast, watch the game. It's a nine tuos on time, so there you go. You know, we talked about those first game. You know, you won your first game, You're you're happy, you feel better some of the
pressures off time. He was asked, you know, doesn't help to get that first game pressure off your back, coach. I know the opponents generally get more difficult the further you get, But do you think there's something to the belief that kind of getting that first one out of the way those jitters, that pressure of the first game of the tournament. I hope, So, you know, especially you know after what we went through the year before. I mean, you got to acknowledge you know, that was you know,
in the back of you know, people's minds. You know, I know, I know it wasn't in the back of people's minds outside of the program. I mean, it was probably in the forefront of their minds inside the program. You got to admit it's it's on your mind. So I think to to kind of be able to, you know, to get past that first hurdle, I mean, I think feels good and hopefully it puts us in a position where we can come out and just let it rip and
and play good normal Arizona basketball. You know, uh, I know the Arizona fans are feeling we're feeling that that okay got you got to win and everybody folks better, you know, and so now but you know, now, as you said, uh, you got a tougher team. Yeah yeah, and uh you know Dayton they were down by twenty something, yesterda. This team can play when they're down, so you cannot take your foot off right, and they shoot the lights out. They they they're one of the
best of one of the best three point shooting teams in the country. We know that's been sort of a problem for ari Zona's guarding the three point line. Sounds like this matchup doesn't you know, doesn't doesn't help Arizona manch which is this is a great opportunity for this team to kind of reinvent themselves. You know, during the season we saw them struggle. But if you can come out and play well and get a win against Dayton, you have so
much more of a right. Tommy talked about you know, needing to you know, to match it or you know, you want to run your pace, but you have to be able to run somebody else's pace. You talked a little bit about that Dayton is going to slow the ball down a little bit, run some half court, try and get some three pointers. But here's what Tommy had to say about trying to dictate the pace. Jason Sheerwildkint
Authority, You've had teams try to slow you down throughout the season. What is the challenge in facing that and how do you kind of try to make sure that the game is played at your pace? Well, you know, you also need to be aware when you're playing in some of these teams that you're you're not always going to get it your way, So you can't panic
if you don't get it your way. I mean, we're built to play lots of different styles, you know, and and generally, if if you want to be a team that's playing in transition, you better be a good defensive team. So you're not taking the ball out of the net, especially these nets, because the ball didn't come out of them, it just stays in there. Like you talk about stopping a fast break. I mean, I mean, geesh. So hopefully they have that fixed by tomorrow. Yeah.
So so you know, you you and then you want it, you have to rebound the ball. Well, you know, you put those two things together, good defense and rebounding usually gives you an opportunity to play and transition offense. Yeah, you know, and that's it. Uh. You know. Long Beach State tried to run with Arizona yesterday, and in spite of the fact that it was a close game, actually Arizona was behind in
the first half. When I saw that, I kind of relaxed a little bit because I thought, they're not gonna They may run with them now, but they're not gonna be able to run with them through the whole game. And Arizona ultimately, you know, took over the game by just playing doing what it does and and Long Beach State couldn't keep up Dayton. You know, they're they're A they're a better team, and B they were in a
different style. So we'll see what happens there. We're dictating that. I think what's going to dictate it is going to be the physicality, right run in the half court when Date's in their half court? How physical is Arizona defensively? Can can bollow step up defensively? Again, he shot those guys the guards, so well, it's going to be a test for them, so right, Yeah. Tommy had a little bit of a comment there about
the nets. I know, if you saw the game yesterday, you saw there were a number of times the ball did not come out of the net. Those nets were very tight. He was asked about that. You know, do you expect him to do something about that? Uh. Here he had to say talk about both about the nets and about the balls that they're using, which Steve mentioned yesterday when when he was on the air. Here's
what he had to say about the nets and the basketballs are using. Hey, Tommy, Josh Waine ESPN, you mentioned the nets and they were working on them throughout the day yesterday. Was that's an issue for you guys to slow you down. Do you expect them do you expect it to be if
they haven't changed, to be an issued tomorrow. Well, I mean, listen, I don't think it's very hard to find nets where the ball goes through, like you know, so like go up to the University of Utah, take the nets off the basket because they're probably not stopping there, and bring them down here. It's not complicated. So I mean, I hope they have the wherewithal to make that change. I mean, I mean, I don't know if they stretch them, and they can stretch them good enough
and prove to themselves it's that they're not going to stick. That's fine. The other problem is the ball. I mean, and we've been dealing with this forever. I mean, these are brand new basketballs and I know they'll probably throw well. The shooting percentages don't change. There were more mishandles for both teams in our game yesterday because that basketball is brand new. It's just inflated a little different and just different than what the guys are comfortable with every
day. And I think it begs the question in college basketball, how do we not have a standardized basketball? How can you play with an Adida's ball one game, a Nikey ball, the next game the Rock and the next tournament, you know, a Spalding in this tournament. You know, if you're in the Hall of Fame Classic, you're playing with Spalding, and then you're in the NCAA Tournament, you're playing with a Wilson. I mean, come on, I mean, I think we can like standardize the game a
little bit. I think it's common sense. So but hey, I know there's also a business and I'm just a coach, so I'm gonna get back in my lane. At first, all that was interesting the way he ended that, but he had his say, and you know, it's funny because
these things really matter, you know. I when I when I'm sitting at the at the scores table at Airason basketball games, when Arizona comes out on the court for the first time, uh to uh uh to warm and actually after warm ups even there's the rack of basketballs that they're they're shooting from. And this season it was Colin Boswell who had the responsibility to go over there
and pick a game ball, and you'll sit there. He'll handle four or five balls and I don't know what he's looking for, what he's feeling for, but he'll handle four five balls. He'll handle him and rub his hand all attim. He'll bounce them until apparently at some point one of them was like, Okay, this is the one today, and I'm not so sure it's the same one. Yeah, yeah, you know every week. And you know, these guys, it's kind of like a golfer, right,
yeah, you know, right. The clubs have to be set, you know, with with a certain degree of or tennis with tennis with a racket and a grip and the strings and the whole bit. And these basketball is the way you know, these guys and and how and not details not the right word, but just you know, they're just they feel these basketball every day. They have to have a certain field for them to feel good about it. And I understand what Tommy's saying about having these basketballs, yes,
and having a standardized ball. I think, uh, the NFL, obviously they have a standardized ball where no matter where you're playing, you're gonna get the NFL ball. With Wilson and other stuff. Same with them I'll be wherever you are. It's the same, the same. So basketball is different. It's and using the diferent brands. Yeah, and you know and in
college basketball, okay, that's another piece of the home court advantage. Arizona uses Nike Basketball, somebody else uses you know, other or whatever they're whoever their sponsor is. And so somebody comes into town and maybe they don't use Nike basketball and they've got to play with this basketball. And if it's if they can tell, you know, you're going up for you know it just it matters. And that's for the nets, you know what, as he
said, because they're playing in the Delta Center. They're not playing at Utahs Arena. They're playing at the Delta Center where the Jazz play. Go get some nets at work, go to sporting goods. I was watching all the other games and they all had loose nets where the ball goes right through right, you can pick it up, go pay if you want to go pay. It's the responsibility of the arena. You know, they're hosting the they're
hosting the tournament. It's the responsibility of the arena to have nets that work. And it was amazing to me because I mean, it was they were even like three pointers were going through and getting stuck in the net, and Tommy talkalked about how you know that that can have an impact on your ability to run uh one more quick clip and then we got to go to break uh again. We talked about, you know, you're playing a more difficult team. It's kind of a basic question. The guy answer asked it,
but we'll let will let Tommy answer that. What's more difficult about a two seven matchup where you're going up against a team white Dayton where you never really faced them before. I mean, they're both really challenging. You know. I would just say as you as you get deeper into the tournament, usually the teams start getting better and and and that's just kind of a logical, uh, you know answer. So, yeah, we know it's going to
be a real tough test tomorrow. I mean, Dayton's had an incredible year, They've had an incredible couple of years, and and you know it's it's a well established program, and you know that they definitely have a plan and how they want to play and they're very comfortable executing that. So we we understand what we're up against tomorrow. And and that's it. You know, these games come along and you know you got you got to play somebody a
lot better than the last than the last team you played. And that's what they're up against. And you know to that, I'll say, Arizona fan, calm down. When the game gets going, these guys are going to be good. It's gonna be closely, going to be a close game. Dayton's in the in the tournament for a reason because they're good. Don't freak out if you know they Arizona falls behind all of these things that think these things are going to happen. All right, we're gonna come back. We're
gonna have David Jablonsky right for the date Dayton Daily News. He's covering UH, he's covering the Flyers up in Salt Lake City. Steve Uh lined him up for us. So we're gonna get a picture of Dayton, the Dayton Flyers from David David Jablonski when we come back. And then after that, Uh in the next segment, after that, Steve will be calling in from Salt Lake City. So stick around, make the right choice for your home
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behind the ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm your host, Jacob Zalez. We're going to talk to Steve Rivera in a few in about twenty minutes, when we have after we have this conversation with our guest on the show today, David Jablonski, on the on the phone from Salt Lake City. David the beat writer for the Dayton Daily News covering the Dayton Flyers and was there yesterday obviously when Dayton made a nice comeback to get into a game
that they'll face Arizona tomorrow. David, thanks for joining us today, Thanks for having me so, uh, just first tell us you know about yesterday. Uh, you know, it looked grim for a while, and then all of a sudden, the Flyers come and I'm not good to say they come flying back. I wasn't going to say that, but I'm not going to say it, but they come back a huge comeback, pull out, pull out the win. H you know, the seed holes. Now they
got Arizona. Tell us a little bit about what went wrong and then what went right. Yesterday? Yeah, they were dead. I mean we have seen them come back before. They had a fifteen point comeback in the second half to beat LSU and this Charleston Classic in November. It was their first big win of the season and then that led to a matchup against Saint John's
in the second round. So those were the victory for Dayton. But just two games ago they came back from seventeen down against VCU and their regular season finale at home. Of course, that was the first half, that's and this game was under eight minutes to play. They were down seventeen. It looked bleak and just didn't expect any sort of comeback on this stage against such
a good team like Devada. But it was a little bit by a little bit fired with a single free throw by Dayton star player Deron Holmes, but then there were a flurry of three pointers and three by Kobe Brea, Nation the most accurate three point shooter, And yeah, they just made all the plays down the stretch. So they come back from a game like that, is it? Is it? You know? I mean we've all, you know, we played sports, and you have all these things about the mental
aspect of it. Are they worried about the way they played or are they juiced about the way they came back? You know what? Do you think
what might have an impact on them tomorrow? I think it's more of the latter, because they've had plenty of stretches where they've not played well and then played great basketball in the same game, and that goes for most teams, and happened with the Body yesterday too, because they had a sixteen o run in the first half and then they got outscored twenty four to four down the
stretch. Right. Coaches love to say it the game of runs, but it really is that momentum is a crazy thing, and the Dayton is probably more prone to that than some teams, giving up big runs and going on big runs. But I think they're feeling good going into this game. There's
a little pressure off now that they want to turn them a game. Sure, so tell us a little bit just the type of team they've been there, sort of the you know what, if you had two or three words to describe you know, who they are to the people listening to you here in Tucson. Who are the Dayton Fly I would say resilience. They haven't lost more than one game in a row all season. You know, they
had an injury in the first minutes of the season. They lost their starting point guard, Malecied Smith Uh. He played a total of seven minutes in first game and hasn't played all season because he had a knee surgery two days later. So you had to deal with that, and after last season was totally plagued, plagued by injuries that seem you know, was ranked at the beginning of the season and didn't live up to the hike and part because of
so many injury issues. And that was also you know after a year two years ago, you know, where they lose three terrible games at home to start the season and a week later beat number four Kansas in Orlando and win ESPN Events Invitational. Uh and you know, nearly got their season back on track and good enough to make the Vinzibay Tournament, but fell just short.
So he had those two disappointing seasons where they were so close, you know, followed by this one where they finally did a job in the non conference and you'll beat LSU as I mentioned Saint John's Cincinnati on a neutralport, you know, built that resume up where you know, even though they didn't win the A ten, they did enough there too to build that at large resume.
And from that perspective, it's been a great season for Dayton. So Doron Holmes, he's he's an Arizona guy, but by that I mean he's he went to high school in Arizona to tell us a little bit about him, and he, you know, kind of Arizona didn't recruit me or didn't want me or anything like that about him. You know, what's what's the fact that he's playing Arizona is that factoring anything at all tomorrow for him? They did recruit him, He had Arizona in his final four. I don't
know how strongly they recruited him. I don't know if they made him a priority like Maayton did. I think summer reporters were talking to him about that today. That wasn't one of my focuses, so there might be some stories out there about that. But yeah, he's the highest ranked recruit Dayton really and that at least, you know, in the age of the all the websites, right recruits, and he has more than lived up to the heights
to pass the hype. He's kind of following in the footsteps of Obi Coppin, who was a you know, Consents of Soul American in twenty twenty. Duran committed to UD in twenty twenty during the pandemic, never got to visit campus because of that, and uh, you know, he never wanted to be the next day we thought somebody really has been because he's concerns the soul American and that's the rare thing. And Dayton wanted to fifth in UD history.
Shoot to three a little bit, but probably his strength of getting the free throw line, and you made eight of nine yesterday. And when he's making us free throws, he's he's going to be a you know, a real dangerous player. So one of the things if you've paid much attention to Arizona, and I don't know how much you had the ability to do that, but those of us who have watched it this year, we know Arizona's been a little uh, let's just call it a little thin against a three
point shot. Dayton is a shooting forty. You know, when you look at that piece of the matchup, you know that part of it doesn't favor Arizona. Maybe the fact that Arizona runs up and down the floor might be doing doing something different from what Dayton does. But tell us a little bit about how important is this three point game going to be for Daton. I mean, is that where it's all going to hang? Do you think, all right, this is the best three point shooting team in Dayton history.
Five percentage. It starts with Kobe Brea nas leading three point series, yes under fifty percent. After make it five to eight yesterday, Nate Dantis can shoot the three. Jevan Bennett a little bit. Kobe El looked as well. He made a couple of shoot threes to be Vcu a couple of weeks ago. Yeah, they're right over forty percent, third in the country. Arizona's not too far behind, and there I think somewhere in the thirties and three point shooting, so that'll, yeah, that'll be a big factors who's
making their three there. I play Arizona shot a ton of threes in their game against Lumba Stay. I don't know if that's normal for them. They can kind of suck their average. I think eighteen three yesterday. We'll see what happened. Yeah, No, Tommy commented that that you know, he's he's not he's not looking for thirty five threes in any game. But they
were there, they were making them. I mean they shot thirty five percent, which you know that's about okay, you know, that's about what you're trying to get to it from three point but they don't normally shoot that number, but again they were there and that's and that's what they did. So you know, everyzone's like, you know, they'd like to run up and down the court and you know, get some open shots and they don't always
have to be threes. But that's just what they did. So I you know what you know when you when we've been watching them all year, we figured that. I mean the games that they lost, all they lost but except to probably not Florida Atlantic so much, but all the other games they lost because they couldn't offend the three point line and either either couldn't or chose
not to because they didn't whatever however you want to put it. So that's I think the thing that people are going are going to be watching for. Flip it over. You know, Dayton's playing against a team team that likes to get up and down the floor. Uh, their defense sets up their offense. How does that match up work against Dayton. Yeah, Dayton's offer to the tendency to get balled down and play at a slow place. They like to get it down to homes and he starts backing down to the offender
and it takes time off the shot clock. Certainly when the offense isn't clicking. You know, they're they're running into possible shot clock violations and throwing up stuff at the right before the buzzer. Well, if there was a couple of inst of that yesterday, but they certainly played a bunch of fast spaced teams over the over the course of the season. I don't know if that's too much of an advantage for Arizona, the fact that you know, their
their styles are so different. But uh, it'll it will certainly be a we'll see who's a controlling the pace, I guess tomorrow. Tell us a little bit talk te us a little bit about coach Grant. You know his background. Uh, you know, what do you see, what kind of a what kind of a coach is he? What? You know, how does he handle his players? You know, just just those kinds of things. Tell us a little bit about him. Well, he's known for his
calm demeanor on the court and huddles and stuff like that. He's not breaking up and down the sideline like some courts are jumping up and down two months. He does at at times. But there are a lot more emotional coaches out there. During games. You know a lot of players were thrilled to
get him at a tournament victory. The last one you want, a tournament game was his very first season as a head coach at VCU in two thousand and seven when they upset Duke, and I was just looking at all of his other instead of a tournament games, and they were all like one point losses. They lost the second round that first year of VCU, that close game, and then they made it two years later with VC lost again by one point. And he made it one only one time in six years at
Alabama again another one or two point loss. So I'm sure it was exciting for him to get over to the hump and and get that victory. But he's not he's not to kind of tell stories about those old games. He had asked about them today, So he's always pretty focused on the game and not looking back. And the team, you know, in terms of being in the NC Double A tournament, you know, Arizona just has all this pressure, right, they got to win a first run game. They flamed
out last year. You know, in terms of dating, I mean, they're they're the seventh seed, they're not supposed to win tomorrow. They obviously think they can win or they wouldn't, you know, they wouldn't be there. But you know what's the NC Double A tournament experience, tournament pressure, if any on them at all, Well, yeah, that was their first experience yesterday, except for Nate Santos was there with Pittsburgh last year, but
he barely played the tournament appearance last year. But I didn't see any you know, nerves like I mean, I guess they did give up a sixty run in the first half. We're looking pretty dead for most of the second half. But when you play as well as you did for the last seven minutes of that game, you got to say that they weren't bothered by the stage right back, getting that first game out of the way, just like Arizona, it's got to be a good thing for your for your mental states.
But winning a game, one game is a big deal for Dayton because they had won one in nine years. The bar is a lot higher for Arizona to I would say, there's got to be a little no pressure on Arizona tomorrow. Right we're talking to David Jablonski up beat right for the Dayton Daily News, covering the Dayton Flyers up in up in Salt Lake City. Okay, over here, you know we're in the we're technically because of daylight savings time, we're in the Pacific time zone. Now we're on California time.
This game is a nine in the morning Tucson time, ten forty five over there. I know the coaches are going to say, look, we're both having to play at the same time. No, it doesn't favor anybody, But what the heck? I mean, what did you think when that game time came out? I was surprised. This seems real early. I don't know how that came about or what the other options were. Uh,
you know, I probably likely talked a little bit about it. Only differences he saw where you're not gonna have that morning shoot around or walk through. You know, you're pretty much gonna get up and go to the game, right. Yeah, I guess if you're reaching as a Flyer fan, you're you're hoping that's a little advantage for Dayton because maybe, like me, I'm still on Ohio time three nights. Didn't getting up at like five am, but seven am back to Ohio and this game will start at full forty five
in Ohio. Yeah, more a reasonable time, But I don't. I don't. It probably won't matter. Yeah, he won't matter anybody. Well, okay, so what what do you think we're gonna see tomorrow? What? Uh? You know it pays uh, you know, scoring, high scoring, kind of middle of the road. Uh you know your thoughts on on how this game will unfold? Man, I don't know. I've seen
so many games where I I have no idea what's going to happen. If I had to pick somebody yesterday, I would have picked Nevada up just because Dayton had it won a real big game away from home, you know quite a while, because all their big ten road game they lost, and George Mason and Loyal Chicago and they were all closed. I mean, they could have won any of them, but they didn't win them. Didn't make enough winning plays down the stretch. We hadn't seen date and pull off a victory
like that in a while. And that haven't been a team of Arizona's thatcher since they beat Kansas two years ago. I mean, the the only team they played in that thatcher was Houston and that was the only real decisive loss they've had this year. In the Charleston Classic, lost sixty nine to fifty five. But it wasn't that they didn't get blown out or anything. They
were somewhat competitive. Yeah, but I don't know if Arizona's on Houston's level either, So you know, I think it'll be a competitive game, and I would give the edge to Arizona just because their speed and their history and and all that. But I wouldn't be surprised if Dayton won either. You never know. You never know, all right, David, We appreciate it.
We appreciate the time and the information. You don't play good game tomorrow right for you at least and say, yeah, I'm gonna have to go on to La Yeah, yeah, and the trip, but I've been willing to do it. Try and keep our buddy Steve out of trouble over there too. He can't he contend to do that, So you never know. Okay, all right, thanks so much, thanks for your time. Bye. That's David Jablonski, beat writer for the Dayton Daily News covering the Dayton
Flyers over there. You know, he's right. I mean, it's just you just don't know until the game starts getting played. You know who's going to do? What are they be hitting their threes. If they start shooting a bunch of threes and making them, you know what happens, how well is there's I'm going to defend that. I think that's going to be, like we said, the key to the game. So all right, let's
take our break. We're gonna see if we get Steve on the phone over here any minute and uh and uh, George looks like he's arrived, so he'll be here for the next segment. So stick around for all that and we'll be right back. If you're an Arizona men's basketball fan, you know it's been successful for nearly forty years. Now take a look back at the
Ludolsen era. In my new book, Lessons from Loot, it was a labor of love through the eyes of twenty five former players, coaches, and friends to give insight to the coach and the men who led them, competed against them, and inspired them twenty five chapters for his twenty five years as Arizona's beloved coach. Lessons from Loot is an insight to how he built the program into a national powerhouse. What one email me at Steve dot Rivera ninety
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time on the ball agin Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Jacob Zavez, your in studio host. My out of studio host, Steve Rivera is on the line from Salt Lake City. We're gonna talk to him here, but we've got George Matti is our special guest host for the week from sometime cards. So, George, thank you for joining us and sid feel like a crowd, Steve, but it's not just you know your way the hell over there and you're doing whatever you're doing, but we appreciate you calling in. How's
it going over there? Did we lose you? Oh? Yeah, turn Mike, start over? I mean, did your good night's sleep because it's early game? Start over? I forgot to turn on your microphone. He's blowing. You're here, you're present, So what you start over? What were you saying about that? Well, we just we just fuched start for all our coves today. Obviously, I just sat in for for the U of A Press coverns and the UH and the Dayton Press covents. So I'm
in the middle of writing I just posted by Sally Larsons for you. In fact, you because I mentioned Evan Mayakawa and his analytics. That's my story that you know, how has he become Palla Larsens become a deep guy to depend on Arizona. So I just fished that I'm going to talk about the game tomorrow and my next column. So here we are still at arena, yep. So let's go in a little bit about first of all, the game time, and it's I'm more upset than Tommy is. Obviously. You
know, they're they're just gonna play whenever they play. What the hell has anybody asked somebody who might know what the hell the NC double Air the networks were doing for for that early start time they did it? Issue up where are thinking about? And guys uh Arison place Yestery right whatever time they finish, and then maybe an hour or two later, guess what the biggest question
they're gonna play? I know the paint hasn't even dried yet. And then people are asking when yeah, wait, okay, And then they let us know late last night ten o'clock down here saying that there's a little fans who loved to complain they're playing this is what they just said. Well, I'm
complaining. All right, I'm complaining, funny guys, you know, I mean I was hoping, you know, I was gonna got like some burgers and hot dogs for an afternoon game, and Sarah, I got to go get some tradesa and eggs and cook and cook it up early, set my alarm, get up early and watch the game. All right, someone makes you a take and you wonder, oh god, it tastes how many calories
matter? All right? So they got Dayton. We we talked to David David Dablonski, their three point shooting team, you know, and I know that's been Arizona's kryptonite. Uh, don't, don't even say that. Don't is that the word you're using. Don't even because change it. Come on, That's why I asked the question. Yeah, but but you know, I mean, it's a big deal, right and then, and certainly Arizona fans have to be thinking about it. Two things. That's three point shot
and then they're past they go slow. Uh, there's one strike, that's two strikes. There's only should be able to deal with it. Now. If you've been hitting your hand five times, you know, sixt times, stop one right right now? And and that's and and that's really it. But and it's going to be a matter of are they making them or are they not? And if they're having a good shooting to day, it's gonna be a tough day for Arizona very much so, very much so, so
we'll see. I mean that honestly, that was my lead, or it's gonna be my lead for the ball because I asked all these questions that touch Murphy who scouted him, do play like that? Uh? If there is one that play their game, get him out of that rhythm like it took a half yesterday. I think took a half yesterday, so I think them is maybe a little. And then there was another mind away. Yeah,
so there was a conversation about Kylon Boswell, the game he had. They talked about Pella and we're gonna play those clips from Tommy's press conference, and then you know you and I talked about Key Shot and how important he was yesterday. Uh, Tommy got asked about, you know, did they purposely try and help Key Shot improve his outside shot? And Tommy basically said, yes, how you know, he's going to be a huge key if they can get one extra shooter out there. In the game like, yeah,
no question. Again, every player is important, even even the fifth sixth of the eighth guy, because don't bring something to the table. If key Shot is hitting the baskets from perimeter, that's a bonus that you don't even expect. If k is playing the way he plans, that to another bonus because you don't you haven't received that too often. If Caleb looks played better
than he has on the perimeter, that's another bonus. But again that's if if if so, we'll see, right Steve so on a team like this, though, don't you think we should just go inside, maybe some lobs to Ballow or key Shot. He's so athletic, the three could be deadly. I mean, ask Kentucky, you know, I just that game is incredible to me. I don't see how they let someone shoot twenty threes in
a game, right, No, No, I think you're right. I think we try to do that initially, go to ball You still don't think to go to him enough, which of course he is silly because she's done very well. H But we'll see how they how they h in that slow type of offense. But the thing is as a defense as much as Tom says it's good. Tomorrow will be a test to see how good it is on a perimeter. Right, No, absolutely, because you know I'm looking at I'm looking at the the the Dayton roster. They're not big. Uh.
The you know they got six eleven guys. You know, Doron Holmes is six ten, but you know they're not massive. And and and play plus Bollows are really good players. He's one of the best big men in the country. So it'll be interesting to see what how that how that unfolds cold in Boswell Man had a great game yesterday. Uh, the big mystery is can he do it two times in a row? Well, you hope that happens. But they all played well. Five five guys, the starters
a double figures. Uh. They weren't overwhelming in this in the first half obviously they kind of snuck appoint and then this played out of the mind in the second half games a better team. So one's got to be prepared. Uh, if you if you eat breakfast before the game and make sure it's a light rest. Yeah, you might want to yact if they the Cats fall behind, which you know, just I was saying earlier. You know, Arizona fan needs to expect it. There's gonna be a really hard game.
Arizona might get behind. It's gonna be close, it's gonna be tight. Uh And all you want to do is win. You don't give a crap if you win on a buzzer beater by one or if you win by twenty. All you got to do is win. Uh And And if Arizona fan is disappointed by anything other than you know, losing, then they got a problem. Yeah, no question. That's why they shouldn't gamble the pot calling the kettle black over there, Steve, because I can't gamble Steve.
Steve scratching his arm like he needs a fix right now. He's got that, he needs that, he needs that needle in his arm right now. So uh, I thought this thing was at the Huntsman Center. It's at the Delta Center because they were talking about that. And hey, last night, I stayed for all the games, which is crazy, but I stayed not half for the Kansas game against Sandford. What a fantastic game that was,
and the cloud was crazy. I think the one thing that Arizona can't afford to do is keep or allow dating to stay close because you know how teams, how crowds love underdogs. They love the underdogs, they absolutely do. They they love Sanford. Last night they had canvas on the ropes and if there was seventeen thousand people here, sixteen thousand were for Sandford. It
was crazy. I'm guessing that's what we're seeing at the East Region, where right now Yale is up seventy three seventy two on Auburn with fifty five seconds left in the game. Yeah, have you've seen it? I've seen it a number of the squarers, the underdog are the favorite, favorite, and then some teams hang around and they fall in love with the underdogs. Could happen tomorrow? Yeah, I mean it was a Princeton home game last year in the second or you know, and you I mean you were there for
that. Hey how about the Pac twelve? Look at this Arizona. Arizona wins. Okay, they were supposed to Oregon. Oregon pulls off an upset because they were in eleven seed. Uh, Washington State hangs on. They looked like they were gonna get beat, but they come back and win. And now Colorado is up by five with uh a little over a minute left. To play. PAC twelve is just about very close to going four. And oh, I know Tommy talked a little bit about the PAC twelve today
in the press conference. Yeah, I think could gather the troops and yeah, no, that that's happening. I know that that's happening. But good, you know, good for the PAC twelve to have a show in here at the you know, at the marvery end. But I did like, I did like the fact that they got you know, Tommy said, if you guys want to create that narrative, go ahead. I said, we're not. Caleb Love too. You just kind of said, guys, what, we're here to win a national championship. We don't give a about the
about showing up for the conference. Is a little more diplomatic about it. But but Caleb was like, shut up. Yeah, it's like the question do you guys bring disiplate in the DAIS Championship? What does it mean to everybody? Shut up? And that was very funny. Gave us a little bit about the atmosphere over there. What you know, what's it been like being at the Delta Center and all that. Yeah, first of all, Utah, the weather has been fantastically good, not cold at all walkable.
The arena has been very good. It is seventeen to eighteen thousand people here yesterday, should be more tomorrow, very basketball savvy people. Four teams left. I think it's going to be packed, even though it's an early day here ten forty five years, nine years side, so very good, A very good place that was to watch a game. Uh the Jazz play here. But it's a lot of It's been a lot of fun, very very simple. They've done a good job here, and you know you've hosted or
been part of the hosting party. And great casual, very nice. A lot of Arizona fans no, no, no, because you know, I think one of them is stillmers is that Arizona travels well, well, they have their continuent and put the airplane and they come, but they don't have a lot of a lumps in Utah and so so to hear La will be
blonkers. Yeah. Yeah. Well, And the thing and the thing that this has always been the case that you know, when you've got eight teams playing in one spot and everybody gets their allotment of tickets, a lot of the tickets get eaten up by you know, by the teams before they start selling them to to other people. So, uh, you know, interesting that there might not be you know, a lot of fans. And then again, maybe Arizona fans are being a little cocky said I'm saving my money
for l A or something like that, right, which is right. I mean, one of the things did I talk to you yesterday after the game? I did right after the game. I think one of the things that's being in controlled it was my story for was how leaved everybody was after that win. And then and historically you know this that the second game is always
easier to win, not that tomorrow will be. But they've only lost three times in the second round after the first win because everyone's got their well they're pucker type, you know, because yesterday and it's kind of really relieved sometimes in the second round at least two of the three times they played somebody that was better than them and got beat so and then and that's fair, and that's fair. So tomorrow I think will be maybe more fast and loose and
more comfortable from Arizona. Yeah. No, and and Tommy talked about that too, but you know, you know, you get the relief of the first game, but Now, as we said, you're playing a harder team, you're playing a tougher team. So it's not like the next game is easier. It's just, yes, you hope that some of that pressure of having to win the first game is off, but it's off for both of them. Although you know, talking to Jablonski from from the Dayton Daily News,
he's kind of like it's been a hoston Stateton's won a game. Not near as much pressure or expectations on Dayton as there are on Arizona. But nonetheless, you know, they're they've won a game, they feel good about themselves and just play the other for dating. They're kind of playing with house money at this point. Sure, and you know what that means. Jay, I don't think you've ever played with us. You know I am right now? Okay, I'm having a good a good tournament so far. I'm
having a very good term. Although I will say I will say I lost. I lost a game last night. Uh it was the Saint Peter's Saint Peters and who I can't well, I took the under, Okay, I took the under. At the end of the game, a Saint Peter's guy gets you know, they they're just taking him out of the game. He's a senior bringing a new guys. He mouths off on the way off the court. They tee him up and the free throws flip it to the over. I am tell one say that again. I'm telling Thorst to tell gate
next step. Oh yeah, I mean, who does that happen to besides me? Just a bad beat? Come on, you are the poster child. I mean, he mouthed and the ref didn't even have to. Don't call the technical foul. Just let the guy get off the court. He's leaving the game anyways. Let him get off the court. You don't have to tee him up and under and he flipp and it flips the spread.
I was so upset. I was so upset. Good things lest games are switching a lot of the first half second half days, switching the more game. Oh yeah, I bet big on that, and I was. I was definitely nervous the first half I was like, oh no, you know, and then the second half was completely different games. So yep, yep, yeah. Colorado trying to hang on. They're up by two with fourteen seconds left, they're at the free throw line. We'll see if they get
there's big bat pack twelve. Dude, get your money on the PAC twelve right now. All right, Steve, we're gonna let you go. Look for Steve's columns and stories on All Sports Tucson dot com. Steve, you know, if they don't win, we're gonna lay this one on you. Okay, well then my krickt night. I'm using that lead. All right, man, we will talk to you probably Monday. All right, man, have a good weekend. Wow, Florida just hit a long, long
three with ten seconds left to tie the game. At one hundred six seconds left, Colorado calls the time out with the ball over. At that that Yale Auburn game. Uh, Yale was up by one over Auburn with what thirty three seconds left? Thirty three seconds left and and Yale has the ball. So good stuff going on in these uh in these games. But man, thicked the three pointer that that that guy just hit for for Florida was I mean, it was like, and we're talking well beyond the NBA line.
It was crazy. It was crazy. All right, let's go ahead and take our last break. We'd love to take your calls. Five two zero four one six seventy four forty if you want to give us a call. Excuse me. Uh. We've also got a few more comments from Tommy Lloyd from his press conference today, talking about kyl And Boswell, Pela Larson, and Keishad Johnson. So stick around.