This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty powered by Nova Insurance Services. In sure your most prized POSSESSI yets.
Been good afternoon, everybody.
Welcome to I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera in with me today. Is kind of like my regular dude, I'm back, Dave Silver.
Yeah, I'm glad you retired. You got This is kind of work now sort of, so this is fun.
This ain't work. This is fun. It's like this is good. Bork is roofing in the mornings one hundred and ten degrees.
No, I don't have to do that. No, this is great. Glad to be back. Good to be back. On Monday. I had a busy week. Are you had a busy week? And I guess with basketball at least observing? Yeah, we and you did too.
How'd you do in your little try out there with baseball Baseball WBC.
I don't know.
I guess I hung in there, Okay, it was It was a challenge. You know, I've never really done public address. Of all the things that I've done kind of around a microphone. That was one thing I really unless maybe I did some little league games or through the years, and yeah, so not doing that. Plus you're the challenge of a couple different teams from different countries from you know, from China and Germany yesterday, so I don't know. I
thought I did. Okay, they've invited me back at least for one more game, and good for you, and they can you know, get the professionals in there.
Yeah, no, good for you. How was the crowd?
It was okay. It was an early morning game when I was at was at eleven. I think they announced it somewhere around sixteen or seventeen hundred. I think they had more for the night game. It looked like I saw some of it on TV. It look like there are more people there. So the weather was nice. The weather's supposed to be okay, I guess a little warmer tomorrow, which is good. Yeah, since we have eleven o'clock and six o'clock games again, and then there's another one on
Thursday at night. But that's it, so you know, quick and right, So it's it's tomorrow.
So it's already three days, right, four days Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. Yeah, that's it. Okay, No, good, good, good for them. I will see how the crowd is. I hope to get out there at some point sometime soon. You talked about the weekend EWA basketball. We're gonna have Troy Hutchinson coming in the first hour at three seventeen. I don't know if he went to Timmy Lloyd's press convin Did you go today to press comings? No, I didn't, so I didn't listen to it. I was too busy. So it's
not a shock to me. I mean, maybe the maybe the way they played, not the way they played, the number of how once they got beat by right, was a little shocking, But I'm not surprised.
I think people who listen to me.
Know that I'm not too high on the team, and can you be, can you be given the situation and.
Well, yeah, I mean late in the year like this and they give up you know, those kind of points and those kind of threes and you know, basically March already. It was pretty frustrating to watch that, and you know, kind of ominous knowing that we're really just a couple more weeks away from the tournament, and.
That's kind of the same thing that happened in December.
Yeah, the threes, the defense, the kind of lulls, And he even talked about it and his post game that he would he had wanted them to come out emotionally ready because it was the problem.
Maybe a week or so, right, right.
So the funny thing about it, David, and you've been in the business a lot of time, people like like General Public say well, they'll learn from this, they'll learn from this.
How many times can you learn from that? Now, either you do it or you don't, after what whatever, twenty five games? Yeah, how much have you not learned or how much do you still need to learn?
I've never spent my kids and they'll probably agree say the yes, but I give him a look. I gave him a look is don't do don't do this. That's kind of what he needs to do. Don't do this. You can't do this anymore. You can not if you want to have a future. In the march, usually you think about how is this all going to end? Well, that might have been a preview of it, Dave. No, you're spot on, man, You're spot on. You you can elaborate, but I'm gonna go with you.
No.
I was just thinking, I mean, really, how is this season going to come to an end. And that's really kind of what's been their downfall almost all year is just lack of intensity on defense, even though they have great moments on defense, which I think kind of turn their season around. Yeah, like in December, but you know when they you know, sit there and give up how many three pointers eleven or something in the twelve first half in the first half and just you know, most
of them were pretty much clear shots. You know, that's good. That's going to what's going to end things against you know, another Princeton type team.
Well, Clemson did that last year. Yeah, well, I totally agree with you, because you are who you are. I mean, just you are who you are, and this is kind of who they are, right the lax passes, the bad defense, on shooting, the bad shooting. I think those three are partly good enough to get your beat right any point in the tournament.
Yeah, meantime, there's still twenty fourth in the country. The poll came out again today, which I know you don't you don't care about either, but it's the matchups. It's who they're going to be playing, right right.
No, Yeah, when I was a little bit surprised they hung in there, but I think a lot of the voters still think highly of them.
There ninth in the net really in the top ten, so.
They I still think that they're pretty good, which could very well happen too. They can go on this one that we're not expecting. But I think a lot of people are kind of like poo pooing it because what they've seen. You know, how high can you be on this team given what you've seen, especially recently.
What they're two and four their last six games, and you know, I mean, let's figure they're going to probably win this next game against Arizona State, but then going to Kansas who knows. Kansas lost at home the other day themselves, so they're not maybe the Jugger or not that we've all worried about, sure, but it's still a road game. It's going to be a big one for them no matter what.
Well, look at this, they've they played tomorrow night here, which you say should be a win, and I agree with you. Kansas, who knows? And then they go to Big twelve.
They don't.
I don't think they're going to come home, but maybe they do. They will, and then they go three or two or one in the tournament and then you've got to go back on the road again to the tournament.
It's not an easy thing.
Yeah, they'll be stuck in the Midwest, you know, somewhere for sure, at least, you know, for a week basically getting through the Kansas game and then just kind of sliding over to Kansas City. So that's going to be a long time on the road. And we don't even know obviously who they're going to play. If they're one of the top four teams in the conference. There, they'll be off for a couple of days, kind of waiting to see who's who's you know available. Basically. It's funny.
Before the game started, I was watching horse racing and the Bathrood horses getting ready for the for the derby. But there was a guy that came on the scene scene and he was talking about it. You know, if you have a weapon, if you have a weapon, go with that weapon, right, you know, you use that weapon. I'm thinking, I don't know why I haven't heard that, but it's it was profound and very easy to understand, right, And I'm thinking, who's Arizona's weapon. It's a very easy choice.
It's Caleb, right, but he's not really a weapon because you don't know when he's gonna go off.
Yeah, it's you know, it's just been one kind of inconsistent run after another.
Who do you trust?
Who do you trust? Yeah, I don't know. I don't know if there's an answer to it. That's the problem. Yeah, I mean there's been obviously flashes of good stuff throughout the season, but then you know, games where he's just not even part of the offensive whatever results that the team is putting together, right, I don't know.
And then we've talked about it. They need him to go deep into the tournament. They just they just do and maybe they don't need it to win all the games. But this ain't going to be easy. And I'd said in my story, I don't know if you read it. We knew that the second half, was second half of the conference season was going to be torture. It's been torture because they didn't play anybody in the first half, really pretty much played the bottom half of the league.
Now the second half or a bunch of the tournament teams, the tournament teams that equal the other tournament teams are kind of just as good, right, right, Well, they're all tournament teams pretty much from here out except for tomorrow.
Yeah, I mean Houston obviously, today, Ioway State, Kansas, Kansas is coming up. You're right, it's going to be pretty high competition, high quality competition, I would say, you know, the rest of the way. Obviously, even even when they get into the Big twelve tournament, that first game is gonna still be against somebody who's won two games and they're gonna have some momentum and all this and that, and now Arizona's gonna be an animey territory and things like.
You know, it's gonna be an interesting dynamic just for that one weekend itself.
Yeah, it's gonna be tough. It's gonna be tough.
One.
Give me your quick observation from Saturday.
Saturday, Like you've talked about, it was disappointing to see the effort, especially on the defensive side. But that's credit to Iowa State. They're a great team. They if it wasn't for a miracle shot, they would have won in Tucson, they would have had the regular season sweep against the Cats, and it took a miracle to prevent that.
Look at you, you've become more pragmatic than this sounds like me.
But regardless, you can't play that way if you're Arizona. Because you play that way, like you said in the first round, you're going to lose another Princeton, another Clemson. Yeah, and where the Wildcats are projected right now? You don't like that? No, you don't like that?
Where?
Where? What's the lights of projection after today?
And they still I think they're still a force, but I don't know if they've updated it since I don't think they're going to fall far anyway. Four or five, right, four or five, that's still respected. But let me also recall I was going to some memories on my Facebook that Arizona is the only program in the country that had lost to so many lower seeds. And I'm not being facetious and I'm being serious. They're the most the team with the most losses against higher seeds.
Still haven't lost that one sixteen game, and that's not that's not kind of many times soon, but certainly the we've had the two fifteens a couple of times in thirteen, yeah, twelve, Yeah, the eleven's I think, so, yeah, you're right.
So just another factor we talked about maybe a couple of months ago, we talked about them being on the road outside of tomorrow Kansas, the tournament, the tournament, what about being tired, what about being tired with a small rotation.
Yeah, well it's interesting because maybe they will come back if they're gonna if they're gonna play until whatever, the Thursday, third day of this tournament. Yeah, they probably will come back. I'm guessing. And I don't know where spring break falls. I think we might be approaching swing spring breaks, so you know, there won't be any classes and things like that, so i'd be maybe they will. I would think they would come back.
I'm talking Okay, a good point, but I'm talking more tired, getting beat up, right, because they have to play beat up and I'm terms up, you're going to be really good defensively, guess what you have to do? Be physically defensively. They weren't the Saturday, and that kind of that's what it led to.
And again like kJ did he foul out again? You know, I mean that's like two games in a row. You know, it's one thing to be aggressive, but you gotta be somewhat smart. Don't be fouling on three point shots again. I mean, those things like that are just frustrated. You learn, do you need to learn? We should look that one up. I look that one up. I'm just saying that it's happened a lot. I'm just kidding, but it has happened quite a few times, it seems.
Yeah, And there's this team has little margin for error, just little Yeah.
He talks about being tired and being beat up. That doesn't matter. No, no one's gonna feel sorry. March third and it's got check time. And that's what separates some of the great teams and some of those surprise teams that go and runs and watching the second round at home.
Yeah. Well, I mean everybody's everybody's beat up for sure, and so even when they get to the Big twelve tournament, they're gonna be facing teams that are either going to be injured or beat up. So you know, there's there's kind of that story with everybody. Yeah, but we and we're focusing on our team here, so we kind of know. But you're right, the teams are just you know, it's March. Guys have played a lot of games and those who can you know, survive some of this one of.
The things I thought right away when kJ went down and he was down for a little bit, you know you're thinking, they can't. They can't little dude going out now, especially a guy like him or anybody, because those minutes are going to be gobbled up and the guy who's going to replace you isn't as good as the guy getting hurt.
Yeah. I mean they're like one twisted ankle away from it being a really quick exit.
You have to be they have to be careful with that.
Yeah.
The good the good thing for whatever you saw from him was Martinez. He didn't contribute anything offensively, but.
It wasn't damaging.
He so to say, yeah.
Yeah, as long as the house is not on fire, you did a great job.
Do you think this is and this is my personal question, do you think there's there's an issue with Tommy shortening that rotation and not having enough when it gets to March when when you have a player possibly like kJ Lewis, having four fouls and there's still ten minutes left and go to a good question.
That's a good question. Who else do they have? They don't they don't?
Yes, yes, and I'll say this yes, but every other coach does it too. Because it's who you trust, right, It's who you trust in tough situations. And guess what, March is tough situations. And he hasn't played enough. He just hasn't played enough. Whether he goes to him again or two Stephens, same.
Kind of deal.
Right. You could have kind of moved him in every now and again for three, four or five minutes. You let him get in for o'waka or whomever.
But he didn't.
It's the thing is how many softies did you have this schedule in the second half?
And none? None? So what do you do? Yeah? But again I don't know who else you bring in? That's the problem you know they had they have. Stephens is the only one really played barely. You know, did he really want to bring him in in a situation where they need to fill a couple of minutes?
I suppose sometimes how that's how great players are made too, And this is this is a different sport in a different atmosphere.
But you think about Tua.
He comes into the National Championship the second half and has a great game. Yeah, yeah, and sometimes you got to take that risk. Sure is there a two on the bench?
We don't think so.
I'm just saying there.
Maybe we might find out, well, we might have to find out.
Let's take a break. Thirty three to fourteen. We're going to take a break. Come back with mister Troyea Hutchison.
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Breaking down all the xys it ohs. This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
Hey, welcome back to Winning the Ball. Here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera in today's Dave Silver and now we have one at the lead here. Now we have Troy Hutchison from Goazycats dot Com.
Troy, how are you good?
How about you guys?
We're doing fine.
Did you go to the press commerce today?
Uh?
No, I did not. I've been busy working on suck, getting ready to fly al for Arizona Kansas this upcoming weekend.
Welld you hit the lottery or something?
Yeah? I wish, I wish I did.
You'll enjoy fall Allen. It's a cool place. Whether it's a good game, I don't know. But so you didn't. What did you come up with Saturday? And I was hoping maybe we play some clips later about Tommy? What'd you come up with your dissection of the game?
Well, you know, it really wasn't a surprise to me how Arizona performed on the road. I always felt like that was going to be one of the tougher games this season, especially how the game ended in the Kale Center. You're going to get the best out of I always say. And they're coming off of multiple losses back to back, so you have them with their back up against the wall,
they get out to a hot start. Arizona was able to play better defense in the second half, but really by that point too little, too eight in Caleb Loff just too cold from the field to make any sort of comeback. But overall not a huge surprise in the result for Arizona.
So they they play, they play tomorrow, they play Saturday, at least one game, let's say two games in the tournament. How many good games are you going to get from Killer?
That's a good question. I mean, that's really kind of been the question we've been asking all season long, is we don't even know when that game is going to happen, then maybe one out of every four. It seems like, you know, I guess if you want to bet those.
I see, I think you're going to get as a better game against Asu. I'm not going to say a classic Caleb good game, but I think you're gonna get a better game. I think you're gonna get a great game at fog Allen from Caleb seems he seems to feast off of those type of environments, although I always say, you can say it's that type of environment. But just going back to the Duke game. He had a good game at Cameron, so I think you'll he'll do well there.
And then in the Big twelve tournament who knows Pack twelve not well Pack twelve NCAA tournament, I think you're gonna need to have a great game from him comes sweet sixteen if you want an advance. I think he can get away with him having a so so game advance in the first two rounds, but at that sweet sixteen point, that's gonna be where you're gonna need Caleb game in and game out to get.
Twenty plus points to night. So I want you a game on Saturday like everybody else. And then one of my one of my good friends who knows basketball a lot, text me, but maybe in at the end of the game. What's evident about Arizona is they are so limited by love. I can't expect deep run when your best player no shows so often. I can't say I've seen a player at this level be so hot and cold like love.
Yep, I think.
Yeah. I think the one thing that Arizona has working for it, although it didn't work Saturday Night, is last year they didn't have this this type of defense. You have a defense that can at least keep you in a game, and maybe you can hit a few buckets down the stretch from Carter Bryant or Henry Vasart to overcome that again in that first couple of rounds. But yeah, I mean Cayleor Love is the offense and it's been that way ever since he got to Tucson.
Let me ask you what I asked Dave earlier. If not Love, who are you going to trust on this team? Take your time?
That's good.
Now that I would say Jayden, But Jayden looks a little worn down to me with the number of minute season been playing. I mean, you think about she a year ago, he was only playing twenty minutes a game. Now he's playing almost thirty four or thirty five minutes a game. I guess you would have to say, Henry Basar and Toba lock in just kind of pound the paint and get this go and do as much as you can in the paint to mitigate your your limitations offensively.
Yeah, those seem to be the games that they've had pretty good successes. When those two guys, you know, if one guy's gonna score fifteen, the other guy's gonna score ten. And that seems to be a winning combination. So I would not be surprised if that's kind of the approach they take as I get, you know, into the postseason, play against maybe some teams that aren't as big or as tall, and you know, Henry's been able to take advantage of some teams just with his height.
That and you're gonna have to have Anthony del Rosso take shots during the game. He passed up a couple three pointers in the second half wide open, and I think there was one when Arizona was down by they cut it to ten, and he passed up the shot. You need to take that shot. You're not going to get a better shot. I think the possession ended of I think Caleb Lover or Jayden Bradley dribbling the ball
out of bounce. You're gonna have to take those shots and hope Carter gets you somewhere between ten to thirteen points a game. If Caleb isn't going right.
So if you don't know me by now, you'll never never know me. And I'm saying this in reverse for tell also, if he doesn't know what to do that by now, you'll never never know.
It's five months in.
Yeah, yeah, well, I mean he did it against Eyu and that's then pretty much the only game. I know, you had that twenty point game earlier in the season. I can't remember the opponent, but outside of those two games, that's that's been it.
Yeah, I mean, they're gonna have to find some answers. And like you said, you know, the defense has been pretty good, maybe not so much the last five or six games, but they're going to have to rely on their defense as well. I mean, they can't be given up eighty five ninety five points.
Even then that's like a sixty seventy deal because they didn't do it Saturday. Right, There's times when they they do things in like really not spurts, but whatever they want to and some of the I.
Mean they're locked in.
Yeah, and then you know these teams are playing, they're you know, they're pretty good offensive teams too, exactly the United States not shabby.
Nor is By and Troy.
We don't and Day We've seen this a thousand times since we've covered the team this long. You go up against Houston, maybe not as good as Houston, but a team that's going to slow them down, limit the possessions they can play in the half court. That's a recipe for disaster. It's always been.
It's a team like Saint Mary's that likes to slow it down playing that or good offensively and a very good Saint Mary's seen that that that would be a very interesting matchup, to say the least. That's say, I don't know, let's say, uh five four or three six? Yeah, yeah, that's not a comfortable game, no, No, And.
Who knows about the other teams that we don't even know about.
Yeah, I mean I look at my ma alma mater, San Diego State. That's the way they play. I mean, they're lucky to get into the sixties sometimes, but they win a lot of those games too. So I mean those those teams dictate the tempo, and you know, you wind up in with a kind of an ugly game sometimes. Yeah, And people say you can get out of it, No, you can't.
If I if I choose to hold the ball with five seconds left every possession, you can't change that, right, That's just what they do now. Yeah, even if they're down ted, they're going to do it.
Definitely.
Yeah. Yeah. And the only way you can really speed teams like that up is if you one get out and transition when there's a misshot and to press them. They usually those teams have a really good guard play and they don't turn over the ball because they're used to teams trying to press them and turn them over. So it's a tough task.
What are you expecting to see in Kansas? Is this me your first time there?
This is my first time there, you know, high expectations after seeing Arizona Duke and Cameron indoor last year. To be honest, that's the best environment I've ever been to is Camra an indoid stadium. So I don't know if he'll be at that level, but you know, I expect a really good game. I think it's going to come down to the wire, and I do think everyone's going to come away with the victory somehow.
In Kansas.
It's just not the same Kansas team. But you have you know, Bill self challenging his team and challenging the fans leading up to that game with the statement that he released after their loss.
Against Sex Attack.
Well, so that's not the same team that's been Kansas, right, This is not the same team it's been Arizona either, No.
No, No two programs that are hovering around the top twenty five, that are usually in the top fifteen, top ten.
So yeah, no, it'll be fun.
It'll be fun.
I was with you at Duke obviously, and I've been to Fog maybe two or three times, so you'll enjoy it.
Stay warm. Were you with the Saline Stottam game?
The thought that that was don't forget it was still the Candy Gate game. That's right, Candygate game. And they went back again, so it's it's been and that was when actually Kevin O'Neill took him in two thousand and eight. I think it got beat there over that. But yeah, well I remember go.
Ahead, well they went there, no way, because I remember nine they came to Tucson with penal and I think they beat them by like fifteen something like that. Something crazy.
Yeah, that was a return game. So it'll be fun. It'll be cold. But then you've got to get ready. Are you going to staying? Are you coming back?
No, I'm coming back to two on of a break in between games. To stay up there for me in terms of, you know, the day to day stuff, not only with the website but just life in general. But I will be coming back and covering the Big twel tournament from home in Tucson. I know Arizona the plan is as of right now, to travel back and then travel back up to Kansas City. Uh. That way the team gets some rafts in between the games.
That makes sense. It can't get rested in Kansas real real quick.
What's your thought on this in the Auburn series, it's been put together as last week. Your thoughts on that?
Oh, I think it's great. You know, it reminds me back in the day of Riddolson challenging anybody. Anytime you have Auburn, you have Alabama, you have Yukon on the schedule, you have UCLA on the schedule, it wouldn't be surprising enough they added something else. I mean, maybe they're done, but Tommy's not one to hide away from playing teams home and away and taking those challenges. And even with this challenging, big old schedule, he clearly wants to keep
that up. And I think not only is it great for Arizona fans and for the Alburn fans, it's great for the game of college basketball, but you can do these home and home events instead of playing at a neutral side in New York or neutral side in La or Vegas. Just having the home crown environments is what college basketball is all about.
Yeah.
The thing is, you know you have to win some of those games.
Yeah, you just do it.
I don't know if do you guys have it's lost its luster. I cover Loot for twenty five years and everyone knows that. But there was a luster there until his maybe the last two years, sure, those last two years. But now even though there was almost been good the last three years prior to this with under under Tommy, it still didn't do well in tournament and it lost the luster. Every year it's kind of lost, and now this year is.
Like what, there's there's still a brand. I'm gonna be there a pretty good brand. I mean TV is putting these games together too, so they look at the ratings. Is a people going to watch this? Yeah, you play a game in the West Coast. I mean there's there's a little vac that goes in the brand is yeah, go.
Ahead to try.
I know.
I know Sean Miller had a running with the two eliteates, three Elite eights in total, but honestly, it's lost its lusters since I would say the Illinois game. It hasn't been the same Arizona stay the same style, guard play, the uh you know, the NBA toughness and the point guard you mentality, that's that's long gone. And how you get back to that is winning NCAA tournament games. And uh,
unfortunately for Tommy hasn't gone past the sweet sixteen. So everybody's like, well, you know, the last guy got to at least an Elite eight. So what are what are your standards of a program? Because in my opinion, Sean Miller didn't meet the standards of a program. Well, now you're saying, well, you know Tommy's not meeting the standards.
Of what Shawn did.
So are the standards down for you? Ovating it?
Like?
What is the standard?
Now?
Well, there's here's here's an interesting thing. So David and I are older. We know the history of long history, right, so we can kind of put things in perspective. You talked about Illinois. That's been like twenty years of just about give or take your twenty twoish.
Yeah.
So so one let me say one, you issue a twin I was thirty, right, I have well socks older than you. So one in your perspective. Do you agree what we're saying here with the team perception?
Oh yeah, one, Well, we I've talked about a lot how uh people around the city too. So I think Arizona's a blue blood within the sport of college basketball, and I've said multiple times that they're not, and that's because of the lack of winning going to final fours, leit eights. Yeah, you have one national championship on your belt for about to be thirty decades old, three three decades old, thirty years so it's lost his touch a little bit, right, Yeah.
I'll even say that it's it's never been a blue blood. It's been close. I mean, Arizona was very good in the nineteenth and early two thousands. If they got that second title against Duke, you you get to a title game, getting over the Illinois hump, maybe you can still kind of talk about it. But it used to be a top ten, top fifteen program when Sean took it over. I would say at the end of that era, I went down to a top fifteen, top twenty, and that's where it's been hovering ever since.
So it's not a blue blood.
So hold on, let me get your grades. A plus for understanding it's not a blue blood. J Steele fails by quiz.
You know, I have to go back to my TV roots and again, there is not a lot of West Coast powers basketball, and that's where Arizona has fit in. Even though maybe they're not a blue blood, but they still draw it and they still attract a matchup like we're going to see what these it's your Alabama schools.
To your point, it was your your your your A, it was your symbol. What did you say you called it your brand?
The brand?
I mean, it's the brand. The brand is still there. But you're right, you know they're not with Yukon or even it's a brand. But let me say this, here's the brand. Uh. They still get issue and U eight mixed up. They did last week with the bridge and they still spelled Tucson wrong.
So what the hell the brand? That's the UFA's problem. Yeah, really you Arizona, that's gone, I believe. Yeah, but you know what I'm saying, to change the name.
Here's another question though the last twenty years, is that even a bigger brand than Gonzaga basketball.
Now true, that's the only other one I can think of, or you go past Arizona. I don't think so.
Historically, by for a young kid growing up, you've seen in the title game twice and Arizona not even close.
You're the young kid, I would agree.
Yeah. Yeah, it used to be Ucla because they went to back to back final fours, but that was in ninety five nineties, in the nineties with what's the name, well.
Twenty years ago.
Yeah, so you know, we all like to talk about the good ole days when I was Thinn bad hair. Yeah.
Okay, well we gotta go. We go ahead.
I got one last question. And we've kind of been talking about this for the last couple of weeks. Uh, and we've talked about it before we came on. H Is there is there a player that maybe the Arizona fans or even just in general, that Arizona can trust to go and win you a game.
He was talking about, I mean in terms of to win you a game. Oh God, that's what I would say, bas Are. If he's going right for me, everybody that you talk about, it's if they're going right, if they're in rhythm. kJ Lewis can win you a game defensively, you lock eyes down. If he's not fouling too much. Carter can win you a game with his athleticism. Again, if he's not fouling too much. Thease are in love,
if they're on. I mean, I just feel like they have so many pieces that are right there with the young players that are developing, but unfortunately for them, their top dog you can't trust. And at the end of the day, you're going to live and die by Caleb Love. So even though a player might be going right, you know, with the last couple of seconds of the game, it's going to be Caleb Love time. Whether Arizona fans like or not, it's going to be lived by love or die by love, come German time.
So you just went with if if that, if that so, let me tell you, I'm going to be a few multimillion dollar winner here in the next couple weeks if my numbers all five of them right, and that if the red ball hits the nice knowing you because you ain't gonna find me if this there's too many years.
Yeah yeah, yeah, okay, But I mean again, the team, the team's talent enough to at least make in my opinion, sweet sixteen or a leader at the highest but in terms of winning the title. I do not believe this seam can win the title.
Yeah, it's just got to, like you say, if yes, if that, and if that. Okay, thanks Troy.
Have a good one.
Yeah, good luck in Kansas travels. Yeah, well he'll be he'll be there to morrow. But yes, uh, we're gonna take a break, come back, maybe take some calls.
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Lender Extreamy Live on the iHeartRadio WIP. This is Eye on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.
Hey, welcome back to them all here on Fox Sports fourteen fifteen. I'm Steve river He's Dave Silver. If you got one at control, we get another intern here.
Ray.
I'm getting ready for what's up ahead. Good to see you, Ray, Thank you?
But where are you from?
Ray? From Monterey Junior? At U of a you? You U a fan or just a dude?
I'd say I'm a fan.
Kind of hesitated three times. I'm not sure.
But it's because, you know, growing up in California, there's a lot of there's a lot of college schools.
Oh yeah, uh nor California.
Okay, yeah, I was standing for guy growing up. What the hell are you doing?
Yeah?
What are you doing in this boot?
You know?
It was just like during the like I was going to high school when uh, Christ McCaffery is there, so they're you know, they're on that run and then coming off Andrew Lux So yeah, just ye, there's the there's the program around.
Okay, and I've kind of disappeared. Now they're in the A c C. It's like, where who are they playing?
And the coach from Washington State went there? Right, you know the coach there, Washington State? I think, yeah, pretty sure it's not how I gotta look it up. Jared has was just here, that's right. Yeah, yeah, okay, And anybody wants to call I've two zero four one six four forty. You could be more decisive than rate. It's what you saw, what you think is gonna could happen. I mean, I don't know if people are just tired already from seeing what they've seen, or just not optimistic or whatever.
I think this time of year, everyone's really kind of in the almost in the tournament mode. I mean, seriously, next week there's gonna be some postseason tournaments. I would assume, you know, we start popping up, and Arizona is going to be kind of swept into that news cycle with just the one game against Kansas on Saturday, and that's going to wrap it up. So all of a sudden, there's postseason talk and We're all used to that here
around here. I would think, yeah, so who knows, you know, kind of looking to looking to see how long this thing's gonna last.
Do you you follow Facebook? Right and twitterly all the mean stuff, kind of like the radio show. I'm not We're not being mean, We're.
Not realistic, he said, pragmatic. What are people saying, Oh, it's been been I'm trying to find some stuff.
Now, Tommy, he's supposed to be fired for about the fourth fifth time this season.
Right, this is the worst game I've seen in a long time prom Arizona so far. I got to admit being who you know, I don't have to sit here like I used to watch those games. That thing was off like a couple of minutes into the second half for us were I had, you know, I was watching other stuff and I was kind of watching the score. But I'm sure a lot of fans just said, you know what this game is, They're not going to come back. Yeah no, And that's kind of the way people are.
I think. You know, it's like said, you invest so much time and energy at some point, you know, it's like, you know, if they're not going to play defense, how much fun is this going to be to watch?
Tree? Townsend has an undefined role on this team.
Who is he? He was a guy that scored twenty in the tournament last year. He has no rule. Fortunately he's the only guy without a rule.
I don't know about that. There's a lot of dudes without role.
He seems to have had a hard time adjusting to the to the bigger conferences. I don't know if that's true. Or they're putting him position down low sometimes or he turns around and there's somebody, you know, six' nine that he has to try to jump. Over and you, know his offensive skills aren't the greatest unless he's either getting an offensive rebound or maybe it's just a quick put. Back what do you think about?
That? Yeah, well the first thing that people, say you know him And doors so are not this level. Players they're more been majors because they played, This and people still say that because that's who they are or who they. WERE i don't know it's from. THEM i think it's just about confidence and they lost it right. Away the
bad thing for everyone who saw talents and. Play remember that first, game but he needed three point three pointers and he, said oh, god he got a shooter and well you didn't get a.
Shooter, YEAH i mean that was. Incredible he had LIKE i think six maybe that that exhibition, game and everyone was all hyped about.
It well remember last, year he don't need shit like maybe, NOT i don't remember it. Was it was led like ten. Twelve there was a reason he didn't take him because he couldn't shoot. Them.
Yeah, well you, know they obviously made some switches in the lineup and the playing time and things like, that and you, know they brought him in for the B yu, game AND i Guess tommy even kind of apologized, saying, well you, know he was on the bench the whole, game AND i bring him in for the fifteen seconds and look what. Happened so you, know maybe they're expecting. More he's in his last he's in his final, season, right.
There's twenty eight year old players already.
Playing who, knows who? Knows delorson needs to step. UP i, mean he just needs to be less hesitant with this. Shot any, shooters.
They don't have.
Enough we'll see anybody. Calling no one's. Calling everyone's.
Off it's a Rainy monday after a. Loss as talk the, clouds.
He wants to weigh in with their strategy on how this team is going to get better in the next two.
Weeks twelve should be. Fun should be. Fun probably the last time we'll See.
BOBBY i would think sounds like from what at least the reporting that we've been, seeing especially out Of, phoenix is they're looking for ways, to you, know separate him from his contractor wherever they put.
It, WELL i know you're not a numbers, guy like in house numbers, guy but how how difficult does?
THAT i don't.
KNOW i, Mean arizona's got to be among, them you, know the leaders having to pay off coaches that they've let. GO i, mean there's some some huge ones around the, country But arizona has had those, issues had to do it as well a few times here and there with football and. Basketball it's got to be a, big a big. Number i'm sure he's got to be at least a couple of, MILLION i would, ASSUME i don't, know which which is almost a. Discount, yeah, no, no it. IS i,
mean isn't his contract it's contracts? Probably oh?
Almost.
Yeah.
Yeah WHEN i saw the headline that they're looking into how to do it or, WHATEVER i think it's more of a pr move than a financial, move.
Don't you, Think, well, yeah you, know and again they're one of these programs is you, know they've joined this new confer it's a new conference for, them and you know the arena we've talked about that how it really needs to be upgraded quite a. Bit and that's gonna be with a new coach coming in most likely who's gonna have to be part of the fundraising deal and you, know have the charisma and have the donors interested in supporting what he wants to. Do and that's it's not gonna just happen.
Overnight, Right, well it's funny at least the philosophies where he's been their ten years at least ten, years, right and you've seen his results and you've seen his resume and they're not, sure well you'll use those in. Quotes And tommy's been here three almost four and has his results and there's talking about getting rid of him.
Too that makes no. Sense it makes no.
Sense that's that's that's not gonna. Happen BUT i, mean you, Know Arizona state has a ton of big donors and they just need to be you, know kind of, asked and you, know meet a coach who's gonna not embarrass the program and lead them to you, know more. Success it's kind of the way it's. Done and a lot of these, PROGRAMS i, mean weren't they's the. Same baylor had a new, arena put together a new, arena, right some of these other places are on the you you've
gone To. Settle you're From San, diego So San diego the football. City that's.
Nice wouldn't that be perfect?
Here that's you, KNOW i thought that that was kind of what the plan was going to. Be there was always plan about doing something to kind of Shrink Arizona stadium seating. Numbers, now with with what's been happening on campus in the last three, years who knows where that. Stands but that was that was going to be a big push from the athletic. Department was you, know short and raising money for. That, yeah what's what's it going to?
Like forty ye? For it would be nice and. Cozy, YEAH i MEAN i haven't been, WELL i don't know if you've been to The Stanford, stadium BUT i mean in the old, Days stanford had a, huge huge stadium and they shrunk that thing down to in the fifties and it's. GREAT i, MEAN i can't sell that out.
Now, yeah study's.
True is a tough, schedule of, Course andrew luck is putting together that football prole that's, Right he's, yeah, right that's gonna let's see what that mounts.
Too. Right, so so If bobby hits the, road who do they go? After you, think give me a, second can they always you know it's hes gonna be somebody from mid. Major let's see how the tournament. Goes does Little Patina Richard? Patino, so m where is he Now?
Mexico, yeah that's been on the, rise that would be a step.
Up, well he was In, minnesota, right didn't do well, there has done really well At New.
Mexico where does he get his players? From?
Top, no he's all Over topping And. Mashburn mashburn's son used to was with them last year he left The, Temple topping left him To Texas. Tech now it's all about, this, Right so if you have that name and you have this like's you were, saying the, Money i'm going them with the. Money who, knows BUT i think maybe that'd be my first.
Choice that's a.
Good choice in my, Opinion, uh there's a he's at least made to the. Tournament The drake coach is pretty. Good they're doing very, well and you just don't win, It, drake, right you just gotta be you gotta be.
Good so is there any worry if You're arizona tomorrow with the, game because we've seen it in the.
Past, right it is supposed to be an.
Easy game For, arizona you, know look.
Ahead, circumstances circumstances like you talked About who's, who maybe destroy circumstances of your lost long. Shot they should have beat them. Here they were hurt and injured. Recently now they're not. Hurt i'm talking About iowa state. Circumstances. Uh issue pissed Off arizona there didn't shake their hand whatever that. Means they lost their best player Of, freeman he's no longer, there and why not just say goodbye with the.
Crushing i'm sure they're gonna they're gonna fix that handshake thing as soon as the coaches meet at the beginning of the. Game don't you envision that like a hug or. Something i'm, sorry they will fix that right.
Soon.
After, YEAH i mean they'll be joking about. It bobby will take off his jacket and you got a spot on your assistant coaching. Spot yeah, really, yeah you know. WHAT i answered my own question looking At New mexico's roster With Richard. PATINO i mean it's literally international all over the. Place that players From, Tanzania. Serbia he's got the kid From, Arizona Philip. Boro last year he's there now,
here but, yeah he always got a couple from From New. Mexico, yeah basically he's there from all over the of the. World do you think anything's gonna happen with the students? Tomorrow oh, gosh oh, yeah what do you mean the usual monitor anything similar to by? U, yeah, no, no.
No, no, no it'll Be it'll be the.
Dude the people right behind tom Why bobby are going to be the same because they get on him like. Crazy you remember when he hit the. Shot, yeah he ran and celebrated and then he came.
Back do you remember that video he came back to tell them don't do blah blah. Blah it'll be it'll be. GOOD i think there'll be some energy in the in the for the last. Game it's, is IT'S i THINK i do the senior ceremony like at midnight or.
Something that's pretty.
Much you don't talk about that nine, o'clock nine, o'clock another nine. O'clock did they do it after the?
Game before the? GAME i feel like as of recent, years they think they did before last.
Year and they.
HAVE i hope that some of the guys have already participated in the senior do it. AGAIN i Believe caleb was in it last. Year i'm pretty. SURE i believe, so and So Grant. GRANT i, think, YEAH i shall go down. There he'll probably get a start. Possibly oh, yeah in the past they will do.
That you AND i can go.
Start that's, right that whole the whole last section of the, bench one of the seven Walk ons or.
Whatever, well, uh leam his son, TOO i think. SENIOR i think, SO i don't, know check that.
Roster check the.
Roster they'll all be out. There he's a he's a fiftieth. Senior, yeah of, course all, right we have a met a, minute so we can go down a. Minute, okay this is our first. Hour in the second, hour it is kind of get the breaking news, right and then we're going to have a person a kid actually who won The Tucson amateur golf tournament over the. Weekend, uh he
is fifteen years. Old, Wow and we'll talk to Him John, JOHN i forget his last, name but we'll get ahold of him after AND i think Not matherin BUT, mathenyi, uh fifteen years, then, YEAH i have to beg on my, phone so we'll. See we'll talk to him about how exciting that was to win The amateur at fifteen years.
Old