Thursday, March 13, Hour 1

This is I on the Ball with Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen.

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A good afternoon, everybody.

Welcome to I on the Ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera and with me today is Dave Silver. It was a strange opening. Didn't really say anything, but we're here, and I hope we're on it. Nobody didn't say.

Hey, blah blah blah, no eye in.

The ball, blah, good morning, you're a good afternoon, whatever you're at. You're in Hawaii, you're here, Good afternoon, three o'clock. Hey, a lot of things going on today. Man scores good games, the last minute beats Sehn, Miller lost.

We'll see if he gets into the tournament.

Projections by Lunardi, which of course you could believe or not believe. It's when Man's interpretation of the events. You had them play in Arizona, possibly them in North Carolina in Arizona in the play in game for in the playing game, yeah, they would play each other, see yeah, and then possibly that was eighteen hours ago. Yeah, but that was not an hour ago, so things changed right, North Carolina beat its opponent's Xavier lost.

It's so we'll see what happened. Yeah, so many things kind of you know, kind of get shuffled around here in these last final days of the season before the NCAA tournament. But yeah, you're right as far as basketball goes, you can sit around all day and watch watch game after game and tournament after tournaments. Some games are great. Some games are blowouts. I mean the Duke situation today, they win, but they lose the best player in the country and Cooper Flag with that. That ankle injury that

I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often, or maybe it doesn't. We just don't know.

Yeah, but this was pretty obvious. I mean he went down and didn't get up for you know, a minute or so, and they took him out in a wheelchair and then he wound up coming back and sat.

On the So the report that there was nothing broken, that's good. That the chance of film playing tomorrow are not good. But but yeah, so we'll see down the road.

What's the point really, I mean, what does Duke need to do?

Yeah, well they're one of the number ones, considering from number one overall seats they're number two.

What's the difference.

Yeah, honestly, if you're one, two or three or whatever, if you as long as your top one in the top four, that they're fine and it will be obviously, so many great games David Loss Sean Miller, like two b YU. I think that was an upset over Iowa State.

Yeah, you know, that was a good game. That was you look at their their overall records even now now that the games are over and they're almost identical. It was a really close game. I mean I was again, if you were watching it this morning, kind of side by side with the Duke game. They're both, you know, fun to watch, and we've seen those two teams. I was taking b YU you know what, like within the last couple of weeks easily.

Yeah, I'm playing, Well, you're one of the hottest teams in the country right at least in the in the league for sure, definitely, and one of the one of the hottest in the West. If you want to consider the West of the whatever, right, you know, west of the Rockies.

Yeah, I mean I would think that they're gonna, you know, it'd probably be what you know, five six.

Seed there and there's teams that you don't want to play. They could be one of them. Yes, what about Saint John's, right, they have not played yet. I don't think they played. They beat Butler by twenty oh, they did by nineteen actually twenty one.

So yeah, I mean, Patino's got to working there kind of out of nowhere. Honestly, Where where was Saint John's two three years ago? Well?

That's the funny thing is I think that he's in my opinion and whatever that's worth. Bet mean, he's the best college coach in the country right now. The thing about it, and people are saying exactly what you said, where's this team coming from? Apparently they paid the team five million dollars.

There you go. You know, do you follow horse racing? Not like you, but okay a little bit.

So I was kind of, you know, thinking about this last night. I don't know why I came into mind, but I follow racing. They have for a long time, and some of the better horses, if not the best best horses are the ones that you know obviously playing the running, the breeders, in the in the Kentucky Derby, all the big races, right, those are bought for half a million to two three four million dollars. Guess what

Well, they're going to have to. I mean, you know, you know they're paying Caleb Love quite a bit of money and he's going to be gone. So there's that money there maybe to keep and then to keep to keep the next group or whoever is it is Carter Brian going to stick around or you know who knows?

Let me ask you, because I'll consider you an expert in this because you were in the business for a while, how difficult is it to convince X, Y and Z people with money who get involved emotionally or otherwise whatever word you want to use to pay their former school handsomely to succeed. And you did it non athletically. Is it you think it's easier athletically.

I don't know. I mean I guess only because you can really see it almost instantly in action, as opposed to being the scholarship money or something like that where you're not quite sure what that student is going to turn out. He may discover a cure for cancer, you know, because you got him into school, but that may be in fifty years or like a wing or like a wing to the University of Yeah, I mean, athletics is a different, different animal when it comes to giving.

But I'm sure you talk to those people, those people that are hustling money for the U of Atholt how difficult it is.

They might they must it must be tough. Well, I mean, you know, a lot of what they're doing is there's buying access to the arenas and buying access to the football stadiums and getting good seats, maybe getting invited do road trips things like that based on what they get. I mean, there's some incentive to giving, but in terms of the nil that's kind of something that I never

Yeah. No, it's a crazy time.

And we talked a little about it yesterday with one of our author guys, Russ Bradberg. But the situation in terms of Nil and the way things are today. He wrote that book started ten years ago and then kind of how it turned into this book where we're in today. It was more academics than it was athletics, but it kind of combined the two. And that's it too. Do you think do you think.

I won't even go there.

I was going to say, trying to blend athletics and academics because that's always been a touchy subject.

Right, Well, I mean just about if you're talking with alumni. You know, Number one, they probably graduated in something and they weren't athletes. Chances are and they're going to want to support that. That might be the number one thing they care about. Hey, you know, I became a great businessman. I'd like to you know, support the business college. You know, Oh, athletics, Okay, I'll give you some. But then other people maybe have a great passion for athletics and they want to give

It's funny I read a story not too long ago, and I've probably botched the numbers. But every school, every school like Arizona who's had some success in basketball, at least specific to basketball, it's it's tough to get those people who have been successful and have made a lot of money to give back.

You know, Richard did it.

Richard did it many years ago, and it's already been many years ago, right, But it's the and I know Steve does, Puick does, and people that we we know, right, and some people just don't want to be known that they've done this, which more power to them. But you know what I'm saying, it's I'm sure they don't. They haven't given back. Not that this place started their career, but it kind of started their career.

Oh it did. Yeah. I mean people do give anonymously for sure. And I was talking to some people recently just about you know what, they're still in their twenties and thirties. Yeah, you know, even though they're making you know, maybe hundreds of millions of dollars, they're not even thinking about that just yet. I mean, maybe they're you know, have a family, or maybe they're just just trying to die that much wife. I mean, I'm talking pro athletes

Well, and those who do do it or care, you know what I'm saying, And they'll they'll do it on their own.

Well, look at the guy that owns the Phoenix Suns. You know, he's a huge booster at Michigan State. He played there. You know, then he goes off and you know, becomes a multi zillionaire in the real in the mortgage business. Yeah, you know, but he's and he's still pretty young. He's probably not even fifty. But that's a rare example of somebody who's doing something like that. Yeah.

Well, you've had you've had that here a time or two with certain people, you know, I mean the big the big guys, the Modenos and the uh those guys just need to come back. And everybody's still kind of waiting. What's going to happen if these guys come back and there's a few of them. Oh yeah, so we we'll see. Did you ever have to pursue him? Probably not, because.

He's more more athletics.

Yeah, and then you get to pick your spots, right, we have to stay out.

Of the way now, really, I mean, you know, you don't want to have a one hundred people talking to the same personal and you don't want to have like two right, you know, a coach and an athletic director you know, maybe meet the players things like that, so you don't we kind of have to stay away from That's how it works. Even in academics, you know, they don't need five people talking to one donor.

Yeah, right, well, we have a pretty good show today, I think my hope. So yeah, let me see here we're gonna have let me just try to get the proper name of we're gonna have the Gonzales kid, the best player on the team by points and stuff, with the number one team in the country, a Pima College con j I think it is you are you watching it?

I'm looking at Cohen. It's Jay.

It's Jay's the last I have to go and see my thing. Gonzales. Yeah, and he's got th he he's averaging maybe at least nineteen points a game. So they're headed to the big dance for themselves tomorrow. PEMA is the number one seed in the whole entire tournament, number one in the country throughout thirty one in zero I think if not venerable. Yeah, yeah, so we'll talk to him, and then we're gonna talk to you guys.

O'Brien, Yeah, Keith O'Brien again. The Tu Song Festival books just a couple of days away now, so I'm part of one of the committees there, and Keith O'Brien has written a book about Pete Rose called Charlie, and we'll have him in the second hour. He's back east getting set to come out here to the warm desert where it's supposed to be at maybe a little wet over the weekend, but hopefully not too bad. So we're looking

Yeah, Okay, that'll be a lot of fun for me. Like I said, I followed it Pete Rose alone time. When I was a childhood he role of mine, and then as I got older, I just kind of stopped being a follow over heroes.

Yeah. I mean, I don't know if people do remember this, but back mid eighties he came out here when Dave Sitting used to put together these alumni games and he would bring in a guest manager and Rose was still playing, and he might have been managing at that point too. But he came and he was out there sandset field, you know, taking taking hacks, and that's pretty Yeah. He was pretty good Winny, Yeah he was. He was really good to everybody.

Yeah.

Busy day, busy weekend, but yeah, try to squeeze in some basketball around there, with of course the game tonight.

Yeah, we'll talk about tonight's the game as well. We'll talk about when we're not talking to a guest, we'll talk a lot about it. I didn't realize that there were three and a half point favorite. I was surprised about that too. Who did they not see the game on Saturday or well, they saw last night's game. It was like, holy crap, It's like they don't want to win this game.

Yeah it was amazing.

Uh but you know, every style, every style and every frustration happens and Florida Central Florida played out of their mind.

Yeah.

Every time they went down there three didn't they lose to them by like fifty Yeah, it was got destroyed by them. During the season. I want to say it's time and strict.

That's why you know, I think I went pop up with this history.

I think Arizona's gonna win because it's tough to beat a team twice in the year and twice in a week.

Yeah, you think they have any thing set up to defend Dickinson differently than they did, They're gonna have to.

They're going to have to write he had a pretty good game last night, not like no, no, he's had a career high.

Thirty three that day.

I don't know.

The VSAR is gonna have to watch his fouls and defend him better if I guess he was part time on him, right, yeah, part time, And so we'll see, we'll see.

That court is very strange. It's tough to watch games on that.

You did you have you noticed the ball because the ball has been in play for three years now. I think that's the ball that they're using for the tournament, and it's a different ball they've had in the regular season.

It bounces more.

I noticed this two years ago, three years ago whatever they brought it in and it was just strange. And then last year Timmy about it up where it's kind of a different ball. If you notice there's a lot of loose balls more than normal because it bounces different. And the bounces off the rims are higher, and it's just weird because it's a sponsored ball from somebody. If you kind of google google it in the time out here and we'll see where we go.

That's gonna go.

We're gonna go to a break, go to commercial and go get ahold of Cohen J. Is that how you pronounced it? We'll have to ask no, I asked. I asked, I asked Raymond, who set this up?

Cohen J.

So we'll get a hold of am see what the success of pema or how this has all happened.

Okay, here we go.

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This is High on the Ball with.

Steve Rivera on Fox Sports fourteen fifty.

Hey, welcome back to Why on the Ball Here Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera. You're Dave silver I on Ifhon. We have Coen j from Pima Men's basketball.

Beja. How are you?

I'm doing good? How are you?

We're doing fine. Congrat on your great season. But now comes the important part.

Right, yeah, thank you so much, thanks for having me.

So, what's the what's the sense of the team going? Does they think they get on the road tomorrow right?

Yeah, tomorrow morning? I uh, Brian early.

What's the what's the mood of the team.

Everyone's just ready to get to Dan Villen. We're all ready to compete.

Do you know anything about the competition you might face? I know, obviously someone has to play first to get to your game, But you know, how are you guys, you know, preparing yourself as a team for something like this.

Yeah, so we've already been watching film on the two teams that we might end up playing, because we have a buye since with the number one team. So yeah, we already have an idea of who we're playing. Definitely gonna be a lot better teams, a lot more physical, a lot more athletic.

So you've been able to handle most of those teams, right, obviously going thirty two and zero. At what point, at what point in the season, if not before the season, did you feel that maybe you had something special?

I think after our little December tournament we had for New Year's I think after that tournament, after going three and oh having some close games, we knew after those three games that we could do something, something amazing.

I guess you're in your second year, is that correct?

Yes?

Yeah, you came from Gilbert Mosquite High School. What prompted you to come down here to play.

In all honesty, I came down on a visit to Pima and I just really liked the school. I liked the vibe of the coaches, and it wasn't two songs not too far from home, so I knew I wanted to be a little bit away from home but not too far, so I knew it would be a great fit for me.

What made what makes Brian Peabody? I mean, we all know we've seen him here at the high school level and obviously at the PEMA college level, have such great success as a player. What what are you taking from him? What are you learning from him?

Yeah? Peabody is just a competitor. He just wants to win. And I mean we all know that as a team that Peabody loves to win. So I feel like everyone could see it the way he coaches, and I mean he's just been an amazing coach the last two years.

Yeah, and he's got quite a system he's got, don't Most of his assistant coaches have been with him, I know, for a long time too.

And it's a contingent. It's like a huge group.

Yeah yeah, yeah, So, uh, you come.

Down, did you expect? And I don't have the stats in front of me. But I know, I think you're the leading scorer on the team. Did you expect this type of success for you? And you probably know the numbers off the top of your head.

Yeah, I mean I wouldn't say I knew this was gonna happen, but I mean I always have high expectations for myself, So I mean I always wanted to just do the best I could and compete with whoever you know is ride by me on my team. So I mean, yeah, I definitely could see myself getting these accolades that I've gone.

You thought you'd be the ACCAC Player of the Year, No, I knew I had a chance. Well here, it's great. Congratulations on that.

Yeah, thank you so much.

Well here's the stats.

Eighteen point four points a game, three point four rebounds, five point two sists, a two point one steals in twenty eight games and starts. So you're not just doing scoring, you're doing everything. Let me ask you how. You're not very tall, are you?

No? I'm five to nine so for a basketball player.

Yeah yeah yeah.

So did you get recruited anywhere else? Maybe possibly? And then or you just found this place or did how did you get here. Did you find you? Besides the visit?

So I had a bunch of other junior college offers, but I did have a D two school offer, and I did go to on a visit there, but I just didn't really like it as much, and I didn't think it would be as good as a fit for me as as when I went on my visit for Tema. I thought it was a lot more better fit for me.

And then a kid named Marley joined your team, And how did that change?

How did that change things?

I mean, knowing that he was giving me on our team this year, I knew we would have a lot better chance at going farther in the national tournament because, I mean, we know what he could bring to the table. So it definitely helps us for sure.

Do you know much? I guess we sort of asked you about who you're gonna play, But overall, junior college basketball high quality. I mean, what can we expect to see out there in Danville, Illinois?

Yeah, so we play a lot. We played pretty fast paced, so we average one hundred and six points as a team. We're leading the nation and scoring, so I mean you're going to see a lot of scoring. Obviously, Juco D one level. It's different, but I mean the competitiveness and the entertainment meant of the game is still there.

Yeah.

No, I didn't see any games. I wanted to go see you guys playing because you guys were like the You wouldn't have any reference to this, but the Loyol and Arimount from back in the day.

Are you guys playing defense or just give you the ball, let's score?

No, we we do both, so we score, but we also play defense because pebody talks about how he thinks we're the best defensive team he's ever had, and I just feel like we've focused a lot more on communication on defense and it's really helped us to bring our defense to the next level.

Yeah. What are you thinking personally about next year? Do you have plans to still play someplace?

Yeah? So, I have an offer to Iona University in Milcho, New York, and I went on a visit there and I really liked it. But I'm still waiting for after the national tournament to make my decision. I just want to focus on this season and then when season's over, I want to, you know, decide where I'm gonna end up.

That's that's a great deal because they're they're known what rip Patino was just there?

Ree right right? Not too long ago?

Yeah, Jones it was two years ago.

Momo Jones played there, not too long ago. So it's not a not a bad little get if you can do it.

A great school.

Yeah yeah, but guess what, you're not close to home in New.

York definitely not definitely a long way from home.

You might even have to buy a jacket.

Is that what this tournament?

Will?

This will? This tournament involve a lot of D one coaches doing some scouting and making some offers at this point like next week.

Yeah. Yeah. So last year they're especially our first game, the whole left side of the bleachers, like the whole one side was full of coaches. So, I mean it's probably the most coaches I've seen in one gym. So there's a lot of recruitment going on in Dan Bill.

How did last year's season affect this year's season? Because you guys were good last year too, just fell short.

Yeah, how was it? How did that fuel you this year?

Yeah? So, so we lost first round last year and we obviously don't want to do that again. Where I feel like we're coming in and with the better mindset. This year, we got you know, some more leadership that definitely goes a long way. And I mean we're definitely just a lot more confident this year.

That's good. It's gonna be good. Just gonna to watch pimas you know. Obviously this is a rare fight air to be thirty two And oh, I mean, do you feel like there's some pressure? You're the number one team, everyone's gonna be abut to get you.

Yeah. No, there definitely is a lot of pressure, especially on losing the first game of the season. But I feel like we feel like as a team where we've been overlooked, so we only have two guys that have one D one offer and being the number one team in the nation and being thirty two, and oh, we feel like all starters we all should have offers. So I feel like we still have a little bit of chip on our shoulder even though we're number one in the country. We just feel like there's more we can do.

Yeah, what's it? We talked about your offense and your defense. What's the kind of the secret sauce of the team shares the ball? Well, just what is it?

Yeah, No, it's definitely. We share the ball really well. You know, sometimes we start games off slow because we kind of try to, you know, get our offense going individually. But we know, like whenever we're moving the ball, getting each other open, that's when teams can't stop us. That's when teams have a hard time trying to you know, guard us as a team.

Yeah, I've got some stats here raised sending me some stuff. You know, you guys hit forty pretty much, forty eight percent of your field goals, they're almost forty percent of your three pointers and eighty three percent of your free throws.

So this might be one of the better shooting teams. Yeah around.

Yeah, we can shoot the ball pretty well.

Yeah. Well, if you're scoring one hundred and some points, that's success.

Yeah.

Quick basketball, What are the games are? What are they forty minutes? Yeah, they're forty minutes?

Yeah, twenty minute half?

Yeah that's did you flee productive?

Did you guys get a scare or two this year?

Yeah? So in that New Year's tournament I was talking about earlier, we won on a buzzer beater. Maxi Marley hit a buzzer beater three to win game. It was tied ninety ninety two. So we end up winning ninety five ninety two. But that game was close, and then we've had a few other conference games that are a little closer too, But I'm in our wind margins like thirty plus.

Yeah, it's crazy. Yeah, a lot one hundred and six is one thirteen's, you know, one O two one eleven's. So you're putting up the numbers. That's for sure, is.

That the team that played close to the ninety five ninety two are they of the tournament as well?

They so they're at the next JUCO level. So we're D two JUCO and their D one j.

Okay, that's that was another thing. I have a hard time distinguishing between the two. But uh, D one is for bigger schools, right.

Yeah, so D one so they pay for everything, like they pay for housing. They just have more money.

Yeah yeah.

And then D two's, uh, well, you beat a D one and they're they're doing well. I'm sure they're doing pretty well.

Yeah, yeah, we beat we beat three D one Central Dawson and Salt Lake.

Ninety five ninety two games Dawson.

Wow, Okay, not that you want to figure out how you would play that D one because you have work to do with the D two, right are those are those games in different areas the D ones?

So we we fortunately got to play those games at home.

No no, no to us? No no, no, you're going to Danville? Or are they going somewhere else for that tournament? Where's that?

Oh my fault? Yeah? So they go to Hutching Toutch College, which is in Kansas.

Yeah yeah, okay, okay, no, great, great? Great?

Anybody else? Who who are like your favorite teammates? Who who kind of you? Probably everybody that you kind of vibe off of it, because when you're scoring one hundred and some points, you guys probably know where the other guy is going to be at all times.

Yeah yeah, yeah, I mean I would just say just the whole starring five Max, Marley, West Ball Gabled him and Coda Benson just all saw four of them. We've done a really good job, you know, getting the game started and just playing together and sharing the ball. No one's been like too selfish. We know we need each other, so I mean it's been it's just been awesome playing with them this year.

It's it's amazing that these teams kind of do come together like this when you I mean just looking at the rosters and where everybody's coming from. I mean literally from all over Arizona, the Bay Area, Utah. You didn't grow up together, and that's all and it's all meshed, which is kind of a testament to coach Peabody, I guess, and and the players, you know, buying into what the coach wants to do. I would I would assume, right.

Yeah, yeah, one hundred percent.

So let me ask you, since you played for Peabody last year, and Peabody, we know Peabody very well, like Dave said, for all these years, did he did he? Is he the same coach you saw last year? Because you were pretty good last year? But now you guys were thirty two?

And oh did he? Does he get on you more?

Does he give you more leeway?

How was he he?

He definitely gets on us still, especially if the games are closer than he thinks they should. But I mean you could tell he's a lot more relaxed, a little more chill, just because you know we're obviously we're thirty two. No, but I mean he still gets on us whenever he thinks he needs to. You know, he doesn't really change his personality that much when he's around us. He always kind of just stays the same. That's just how he is.

You have his respect or yeah, you respect your coach, I would assume. And you know, yeah, again, like Steve and I have been around around here for a long time, We've we've watched his career, so we know the numbers and the success. So this is this is great for him to have. Enjoy him. You get another thing to accomplish for him. He's one of the all time greats here in Tucson.

Yeah, that's awesome.

So let me ask you, because you're averaging plush to eighteen nineteen points a game, what's been your high and what's been your low?

So my high this year was against Glendale Community College. I had thirty six that game.

That's it.

It should have been a little bit more h And then my low I think was eleven. I'm not sure. I don't really remember that game as much. I'm play for my lower.

We never remember the defeats, right or the bad games. You must did you not shoot it well or you were not needed to shoot it.

Well, no, I yeah, I definitely just didn't shoot the ball as well. Yeah, okay, but my team, my team, you know, still was able to take care of business get us.

To win, sure, you know.

And you guys share the gym with the women's team there too, and they're also off to a tournament. So what's happened like to have really both programs having good seasons again?

Yeah, no, it's really cool to have both teams be able to go and experience, you know, our national tournaments and I mean you could just tell there's a little bit more of a buzz around campus and you know, kind of just intus on about it. Yeah, it's really.

Cool, very cool. Have you gone back home since?

I'm sure you have, like Christmas and stuff, even even now where people I don't know if they recognize you being because you you're just a normal dude playing basketball, But have you gotten stuff back at home?

I'm sure your parents are proud and all that.

Yeah. Yeah, definitely, friends, family, everyone, you know then text me congratulating me on the season and all the accomplishments. So yeah, I've definitely been chilling the love from back home.

Yet, how many games would you have to play. I haven't looked at the brackets or anything. What would the schedule look like if you win that first game?

Say, yeah, so we would play Tuesday, and then we have Wednesday Thursday off, I'm pretty sure, and then we play against Friday and then Sunday Monday. I think, so it's four games total, So I think it's so. I think it's every other day my fault. So I think it's Tuesday, Wednesday off, Thursday, Friday off, and a Saturday Sunday.

Right.

Did you play with any of the guys that's on your team now, you know, with AAU ball or whatever.

I'm sure you knew. Probably all the guys too, is from your past.

Yeah, so actually played with Brig Wolf, he comes off the bench.

Uh.

We we started playing club basketball since like fourth grade, and we actually played it all the way up until senior year high school. So me and him played club all throughout. Yeah, you know, junior high and high school.

Okay, and you probably played against a lot of the guys that are our teammates, right because of the high school situation.

Yeah, a few of them.

Yeah, Okay, David were good. I think we're good. That's great. Congratulations on a great season. It's been fun to kind of watch from the sidelines here pimas you know, they've had programs for a long time, but this is, you know, specially great year.

All right, Yeah, thank you so much, thanks for having me.

Thank you, mister. Good luck to you guys. Wait to talk to you guys again after the tournament.

Yep, thank you you will.

That's cool.

Cool, yeah, very good. And not too many teams and anything can say that they have a record like that.

No, not at all, just like but here it's happening here, right. We followed Pima soccer and no day, Well it's one a couple of national titles and you're taking in Tucson. Well, we understand. We still stand soccer here right right. Basketball, we know Arizona basketball, and bless his heart, Peabody has been very successful, but not to this degree, right, I.

Mean he's got seven hundred career wins over that now, So yeah, I mean, don't you frisch it, don't kok to Jackson, don't jingson. Just go win a win, four or five more games, come back and we'll have a parade for you, right right.

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Breaking down all the aces and ohs. This is I on the ball with Steve Rivera on Box Sports fourteen fifty.

Hey, welcome back to on the ball here on Fox Sports fourteen fifty. I'm Steve Rivera, and with me today is Dave Silver. You got about to twelve minutes, thirteen minutes, if you'd like to call us five two zero for one, six seventy four forty. We'll talk about the game today just in about what three hours, a little more than three hours, little less three hours.

Yeah, six thirty two so on times supposedly so after the Baylor Texas Tech game, which is that should be a good game, the first game of the evening session.

Yeah, they should be a good game. I'm I'm not missing this. I'm not missing this. I can't.

I missed the one in twenty eleven. I've been to most all of them.

A postseason No, I'm okay with Kansas, and then you guys got to get it on the road tomorrow, I mean next week right away and go wherever they go, right.

I mean, if they you know, who knows what's gonna happen. But certainly they could lose tonight and then there won't be a game till next next Thursday or Friday. Yeah, the week off.

A lot of people, however, Dave, are lamenting Vegas yeah, because everyone would be in Vegas today.

Well, you know everyone, it's it just happened. It just ended last year, so a lot of people were just there last year at this exact time. Yeah, you know. Then so you're seeing pictures, you know, all over the place. Oh, this was us celebrating. Have you seen those? Yeah?

People, I just got people tell me, I wish, I wish are you in Kansas City?

I wish I was in Vegas. I just saw pictures of barbecue and other stuff that Kansas City is known for. Some good shots of that on the broadcast today, so I'm sure fans are doing it. And then there was again I don't know if you're on Facebook, but there was some stuff with Arizona fans there. The Arizona alumni had a little gathering yesterday. I thought I saw Desiree was there. So, you know, I don't know how many numbers were talking about.

I think there's not a whole lot.

Can't be more. I'm gonna guess not many. Yeah.

But in fact, one of the one of my friends who was a fan, she goes to a lot of these things, and she was going to go. She was excited to go, and then realize none of her friends were going to go, and friends and friends were going to go because it's a big deal. And the flights from here back a few months ago were like seven hundred dollars.

Right, So yeah, I mean when it depends on the geography and where they're going to be. But I remember again in the job I had at the U of A, if you were talking to some people in Washington, d c. And that Arizona's going to play in New York, they would go. They would go. They'd make the road trip. It wasn't too terrible for a drive. Right, Hey, are welcome to Eye on the Ball. You're on the air. Who's this.

Richard?

See how you doing?

Richard? How are you give me something?

Hey?

I want to say. You know, there's a philosophy some people have that losing early in the tournament might be a good idea in the big coch tournament to get rested up for the NCAA tournament. Now I don't believe that, And I'll tell you who else doesn't believe that, and that's Kelden Sampson at Houston. He will be there to win the tournament and get a number.

One seed in the NCAA tournament because he's a great, great coach, and he will.

Win the tournament, this big coach tournament.

Up in Kansas City, like he did in Oklahoma.

He won three big twelves in a row two thousand to two.

Thousand and three at that time. One time he did lose in the first.

Round and then after that he went to the leit eight in the final four.

But he is going. He is a great coach. Everybody, every coach there should be watching him. He's passing Bill South in Kansas right now, no question about it.

He's a national contender.

Uh.

But he's a players coach, and.

His coaches give everything.

His players played very hard for him. Yeah, very hard. So that's what I wanted to say.

That's very you know, if you're.

Huh, that's very apparent that they play hard for him everywhere he's been.

Yeah, I'm looking for you to the next game. Their next game against b Yu and b Yu has been on quite a role as we saw, you know, in the last two or three weeks, So that could be a good one.

I do think that this style, I think the style play. Yeah, that's why I think Houston will handle this. You think stuff Richard Richard, Are you my Richard from from Albuquerque?

No?

Okay, I guess there's another Richard from I've.

Been laying low because I'm a Sooner and we had a really bad football season so.

Well and basketball is he going to survive?

Well?

We but now of a sudden we're we we've wore him back up. We won our last three, We've got twenty wins, and we're playing.

At Kentucky tonight.

I think we made our way.

Into the tournament.

Uh, we really went downhill, but now we're coming back.

So I think it's the Sooners go get in the tournament. But I really I'm pull out for Houston this year big time. Yeah, just like Calvin Samson. I just think he's got a great.

Coach, a great team.

Yeah, thanks Richard, as always right, appreciate it, Good luck guys all.

Thank you. Yeah.

Richard Richard sends me notes all the time and emails you know what about this?

What about that? Is this the same guy? It's the same guy that, yeah, that emails me all the time. Yeah, yeah, I mean Oklahoma. He said, Yeah, twenty wins, but like six and twelve in the SEC. I know they're gonna have to win. Right, one of the tournaments.

One of those non conference was against Arizona early, remember that's right.

Yeah, I don't remember, but you're right. Was that one of those games in the early the early game show that they lost? Is that in Bahamas? Could have been? Could have been? Yes? I think it was when they beat Lester West Virginia. Yeah, well, there's there was quite a game there in The SEC just ended with Texas beating Texas A and M ninety four eighty nine, two overtimes, high scoring. I'm sorry say that Texas be Texas A and M.

After all, in double overtime, they had the lead the SEC, they're struggling to the coach is on the hot seat, and yeah, what's his name, del Conte will have some decisions to make. Yeah, he's got more money than God because it's just the way it is.

In Texas, right, yeah, got oil money. Yeah. So yeah, I mean, the SEC supposedly the best conference in the country. But who's left. Well, miss, he knocked off your buddy Calipari's team, right, yeah, I don't think he's going to get in. I really don't. They are twenty and thirteen and they're Caliparty eight. And ten in the SEC caliparty. Yep.

Yeah. The only way you justify it is because it's him. Yeah, and then you put of you get bounced in the first round. How else could you justify that?

Right?

You know the Kentucky game still plus well that that league is just like the Big Twelve. There's teams waiting. There's four more teams that haven't played yet we're sitting there. They're going to play to more. The Tennessee is the world in Florida, and the Auburn. You know, that conference is loaded.

The funny thing about it, you know we all love the tournament right against next week, but they were saying that if you put the best eight teams ten teams of the SEC, it's like watching the final four, going to the Final four for three straight days and watching some great basketball. And I wouldn't dismiss that for the Big Twelve. If you're gonna have Houston, b YU, now Kansas Arizona in your final four, that's the hell.

Of a final four. Yeah, it is. I mean the SEC. You know, Auburn, Tennessee, Florida and Bama right there. You know two of those teams could be in the championships.

And then that's not including the rest of the conferences out there. Who kind of sneak up at the last sing? Oh yeah, who knows? The Zags played pretty well recently, they beat one of the better teams than Saint Mary's a couple of days ago.

They could catch fire.

Yeah, I mean there's gonna there. We know that's gonna happen. I mean it's we can talk about it for a week now, but you know next Thursday and Friday you'll be talking about the upsets of the day and five against twelve. Here's the funny thing. Are you watching them all the time?

Right?

And I explained a couple of days ago or maybe yesterday about going to Vegas and watching all the games and see down and watch them all for that Friday or that Thursday, enjoying it obviously, but then it was too much. It was like too much, these tickers coming through games all over the place.

Uh.

And now when we're at the games and you're you've been there a few times for the first round, right, You're you're working, you don't have time to watch the other games because you're watching yours, and then have one on another one maybe, but it's you don't.

Get to watch all the games. No, not even close even any I remember, like you even just go into the press room, you know, and you're trying to do your stories. We're trying to edit our stories and the games on TV on the side, and you're like, you know, it is hard to concentrate as a reporter. But that's why it's kind of nice to be at home where

First two days, then then against Saturday and then against Sunday, and then it starts all over again a week later.

Yeah. Do you think Denver is a good chance for Arizona?

Oh, if there are five, they're not going to Denver. There are four, they might go to Denver. There are five, they probably go to Seattle. I have to start leaving right now, start to drive. Probably going to drive to Denver. If they do get there Seattle, I don't know. Probably have to just make a nice minute, twelve hundred dollars plane ticket. Yeah, if I decide to goeah. I mean we talked about this other times.

Where you know, Arizona is maybe they're not a blue blood, but I think especially in the West, they're a TV team, Oh, no question. You know that's sometimes going to maybe push them over the top and maybe give them a better chance. It didn't really help them too much in the Big twelve scheduling, as we also mentioned that playing at nine o'clock senior night, it wasn't wasn't the nicest thing in the world to do.

I was part of the NCAA selection committee last year as a mock they had in Phoenix obviously the platle four right, yeah, and Magnottel who helps run that organization, and then they brought me into to help. There was like twelve of US reporters to give us a sense of how they go through things and proximity of locations right for Tucson of Denver's posture than Seattle, YadA, YadA. But things have to fall into place to make sure you have the counter or the tournament balance is there.

It was just too much.

So I went anyway and the events to get to LA But you know, it's crazy, it's crazy.

It's hard. But again, the games are March twenty and twenty two, and so that would be Thursday in Denver, Okay, So then that would mean I leave Wednesday night. Talk about alumni though, yeah, that's much closer. For We've got a lot of alumni in both Seattle and Denver, but a lot in Colorado. So that would be a good one.

I could get there, and that's the sake of maybe possibly losing an airport. Airplane seat Frontier does fly there from here, yeah, I'm.

Not sure how many times a day.

And I think Southwest does too to Denver. Yeah, oh yeah, I think straight, Yeah, because I have family in Denver, so we take that fine.

Southwest or I was looking at that over the weekend at the golf course and and you know, maybe six hundred bucks.

It's Yeah, the problem with that is that you're going to have to buy a ticket, you know, three days before you travel. Right, it's gonna skyrocket as opposed to maybe, you know, maybe I should have bought a ticket for.

Denver, but that was just and that's just the chance.

And then if they don't go there as well, I got to use that ticket sometime, so we'll see.

Yeah, and then the regionals are what New Jersey, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Indianapolis.

Yeah, if they don't go to Seattle or Denver, I'm watching it with you, Dave here, and I'm okay with that. When Arizona played it, UH played against uh?

Was it?

Who was it? When they lost the first one?

Oh?

H which not state they play? Where was that game? Like somewhere in the East. I think that might have been the sweaty game. I think that had been the I think one of those games in twenty sixteen ish, one of those where it was like they had really had no hope and they didn't. They lost the first round. Yeah, the choices, I mean, they're the usual suspects you got. You could go to Lexington, Kentucky, go to Providence, Wichita, Cleveland, Denver, Milwaukee, Raleigh,

One guess what, Either the TV station or the newspaper paid your way, everything paid for every.

They didn't care. Well they did, I'm sure at the end. But you know, no, I'm running pretty lucky. I'm running on the Steve rivera corporation with no gun. Least you have a corporation. You know what I'm saying. Yeah, just me, Okay, let's take take a break. We can't blow through this commercial here a situation. We're gonna come back atour o'clock. We're not going to have any breaking news, but we'll talk more about the game. Thanks everybody,