1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 1: There is a ton of college basketball to talk about, 2 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: and when it comes to talking about a ton of 3 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: college basketball, there is nobody better to do it that 4 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,800 Speaker 1: we wanted to get right off the top with the 5 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:13,080 Speaker 1: tournament pairings and the Butler News and everything else than 6 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:15,920 Speaker 1: Mike Decursi of the Sporting News and the Big Ten Network, 7 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: as I always say, the dean of college basketball writers. 8 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:21,280 Speaker 1: And he joins us on the Java House Colbrew Coffee 9 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:26,279 Speaker 1: guest line, Mike, bottom line, it basically is Christmas season. Man, 10 00:00:26,360 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 1: here it is and you are you are literally Chris 11 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,319 Speaker 1: Kringle right here on the radio program. Awesome time of year. 12 00:00:33,320 --> 00:00:33,760 Speaker 2: How are you? 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:35,600 Speaker 3: I am, well, Jake. 14 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 2: But you know the difference is that after Santa Claus 15 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:41,880 Speaker 2: delivers all the presents, he gets to put his feed 16 00:00:41,960 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 2: up for the next three hundred days, and I'm still 17 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 2: working for the next month at least. 18 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's true. That is a good point. Well, that's 19 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:51,960 Speaker 1: the whole month is fun. And like I said, Mike, 20 00:00:52,360 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: it's always funny to me whenever one shining moment comes on. 21 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 1: I mentioned this last week. Whenever I watch one shining 22 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:01,760 Speaker 1: moment at the end of the tournament, it's very melancholic. 23 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: To me because you're seeing the it reminds me of 24 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 1: tournaments of yesteryear and people we've lost and things like that. 25 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: I know that sounds over dramatic, but it's also interesting 26 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: how in three weeks when we know who the national 27 00:01:13,160 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: champion is going to be, today feels like at that 28 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 1: point five years ago, you know what I mean. So 29 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 1: much happens over the course of this tournament, which is 30 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:20,800 Speaker 1: the magic of the whole thing. 31 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 2: Well, you said overly dramatic, but it's really not, and 32 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 2: it's really poigning in this particular tournament because there are 33 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 2: two teams, Kennesaw State and South Florida that were coached 34 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 2: by a young man named Amir Abdur Raheem, brother of 35 00:01:35,120 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 2: Sharif Abdur Raheem, who was a great NBA player, and 36 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 2: Amir was a rising star in coaching, and he coached 37 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 2: Kennesaw to the tournament a couple of years ago and 38 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 2: then came over and took over South Florida and got 39 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 2: them invigorated. I don't think they made the tournament yet 40 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: under him, and he passed away very suddenly last year. 41 00:01:57,040 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 2: And so to have both of those teams in this 42 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 2: fel so soon after we lost him is exactly what 43 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 2: you're talking about. 44 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: And he was very highly I mean he was really 45 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,680 Speaker 1: highly thought of, right, not just as he was as 46 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: a coach. 47 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 3: He was a guy, right, yeah, wonderful person. 48 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,799 Speaker 2: As a matter of fact, the American Conference has now 49 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:21,080 Speaker 2: named their Sportsmanship award after him. And he was a 50 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 2: guy who was going to be He was on a 51 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:27,480 Speaker 2: rocket ship up the charts in college basketball. He was 52 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 2: going to be in a major conference at some point soon. 53 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,920 Speaker 2: It was just going to be a question of taking 54 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 2: the time to make the right move, the one that 55 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 2: would fit him best, the one that was set up 56 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:41,639 Speaker 2: for success, not just the first big paycheck. I think 57 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:44,799 Speaker 2: that the coaches sometimes make that mistake, or maybe it's 58 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:46,959 Speaker 2: not a mistake. Hey, if I get enough money, it 59 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:49,239 Speaker 2: won't matter if they if they run me out, and 60 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,040 Speaker 2: if I win, then they'll keep me longer. 61 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 3: So or maybe they'll give me one of those contracts 62 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 3: with those. 63 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 2: Huge buyouts that the eighties keep growing around like candy 64 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:58,160 Speaker 2: in certain places. 65 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:00,959 Speaker 1: So Mike one of the players is that Mike de 66 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: course he is my guest. It was not a buyout, 67 00:03:03,560 --> 00:03:06,240 Speaker 1: but rather a retirement. But we know now to lead 68 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: off the show, let's talk about that Mada and Butler overall, 69 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 1: I guess just assessment of Fad in his career and 70 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 1: then also where you believe Butler turns well. 71 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 2: I think that first of all, Sad when he left 72 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 2: Ohio State, I wasn't sure whether he was going to 73 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 2: coach again. 74 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 3: At that point, I knew well of his health issues. 75 00:03:26,680 --> 00:03:30,639 Speaker 2: I've known Sad for twenty five years now, always have 76 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 2: admired and respected him and thought that he was on. 77 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 3: A Hall of Fame track. 78 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 2: I didn't think that I knew that he was headed 79 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,560 Speaker 2: to the Hall of fame if he hadn't had the 80 00:03:39,600 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 2: health issues with his back and the surgery and everything 81 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:46,600 Speaker 2: that resulted from that. He was on a Hall of 82 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 2: Fame track without a doubt. His record at Ohio State 83 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:53,480 Speaker 2: was phenomenal. The work he did at Xavier getting them 84 00:03:53,520 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 2: to the elite e, the work he did at Butler 85 00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 2: to really launch what became the rocket to the to 86 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 2: the multiple final fours that Brad Stevens took them toward. 87 00:04:03,720 --> 00:04:06,720 Speaker 2: I know that Barry Callier got the program set and going, 88 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 2: but it was a really terrific mid major program. 89 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 3: When Barry left and when. 90 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 2: Sad in his very short time he said his experience 91 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:19,479 Speaker 2: said yeah, we can be a little better than that. 92 00:04:19,520 --> 00:04:20,599 Speaker 3: We can be a lot better than that. 93 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,240 Speaker 2: And then ultimately Brad took it to where it went 94 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 2: and that got them all the way from the Horizon. 95 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:30,600 Speaker 3: League to the Big East. And so when he. 96 00:04:30,560 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 2: Retired or resigned or whatever we call it, when he 97 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,400 Speaker 2: left Ohio State, I wrote a column then and I 98 00:04:37,520 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 2: just shared it again and I went back and read. 99 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 3: It and I was like, Wow, that column still works. 100 00:04:43,160 --> 00:04:47,039 Speaker 2: It's like the same, like everything that impacted him then 101 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:48,080 Speaker 2: still impact that. 102 00:04:48,160 --> 00:04:51,280 Speaker 3: He fought through it at Butler, but it just he. 103 00:04:51,360 --> 00:04:55,000 Speaker 2: Just didn't have the same gun, the same juice that 104 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:58,800 Speaker 2: he had when he was in his prime. And I 105 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:00,919 Speaker 2: thought he did it really fine and work at Butler, 106 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 2: but they just needed more. And I probably wasn't the era, 107 00:05:04,720 --> 00:05:07,080 Speaker 2: so to speak, for him to be trying to push 108 00:05:07,160 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 2: that rock up the hill because of the influence of 109 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,480 Speaker 2: Nil and all of that. And I think that really 110 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 2: the first thing that every program like Butler that has 111 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 2: not yet been successful in this era, and it is 112 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 2: a distinct era from probably twenty forward, anybody that hasn't 113 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 2: been successful has to look first, can how do we 114 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:35,280 Speaker 2: afford to be great. That's the first question that they 115 00:05:35,320 --> 00:05:38,800 Speaker 2: have to answer. It. Going out and hiring the biggest 116 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,799 Speaker 2: named coach is never the most important thing. It wasn't 117 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:47,040 Speaker 2: before money it is, and it isn't now. You have 118 00:05:47,080 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 2: to hire somebody that's got. 119 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 3: The skill and the talent. 120 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:55,200 Speaker 2: I always it always amazes me at how many people 121 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:57,839 Speaker 2: hire resumes and don't hire coaches. 122 00:05:58,680 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 3: Oh, he's like, okay, he's. 123 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 2: Been really good, really good a long time. But he's 124 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:05,160 Speaker 2: never won the NCAA Tournament. He's never made the NCAA 125 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 2: tournamer whatever it might be, whatever that barrier is, he's 126 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:11,440 Speaker 2: never made this to Kenny coach, that's the question that 127 00:06:11,520 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 2: needs to be asked. But the first question that needs 128 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 2: to be asked is not how to afford that coach, 129 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 2: but how to afford a team that can be competitive 130 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 2: in the Big East. 131 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:21,919 Speaker 1: How do we support said coach? 132 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:26,599 Speaker 2: Right, Yes, that's that's the biggest question for every team 133 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:31,240 Speaker 2: that's that's in every conference, but especially I think in 134 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 2: a position like Butler's, where they're not a state school, 135 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 2: and so where where do we get enough money so 136 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 2: that we can afford a team that can be highly 137 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:44,840 Speaker 2: competitive in a very good conference. 138 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,159 Speaker 3: I think you seeing that that's a struggle for a lot. 139 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 2: Of the teams below the Saint John's, Yukon Villanova level 140 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 2: that no one else has stepped forward. Providence Georgetown even 141 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 2: hasn't been able to step forward to be great. And 142 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:05,120 Speaker 2: I don't think it's that they don't have the right coaches. 143 00:07:04,839 --> 00:07:07,800 Speaker 2: I think that it's a question of whether they have 144 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:12,320 Speaker 2: the money to compete with Florida or Kentucky or whoever 145 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 2: it might be out there. 146 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: Do you believe you know? I was just saying, Mike 147 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: before we brought you on, and then I want to 148 00:07:18,840 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 1: get into the brackets themselves and Purdue notably, but on 149 00:07:22,640 --> 00:07:25,920 Speaker 1: this stab a bout of Butler situation. I've talked to 150 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: a couple of different people from different areas, and you 151 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: can always tell, Mike when you do it long enough, 152 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,280 Speaker 1: when you talk to people that don't necessarily cross pollinate 153 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,880 Speaker 1: and they kind of tell you the same thing, then 154 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,840 Speaker 1: that's when you're like, Okay, there may be something to this. 155 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: By that, I mean, at no disrespect to him, I 156 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: don't know that Travis Steele is as lock and stock 157 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:49,240 Speaker 1: a candidate for Butler as people may assume. And Ronald Norad, 158 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:51,160 Speaker 1: the former Butler Star, who has been in the NBA 159 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: for quite some time now in coaching circles, I think 160 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:58,320 Speaker 1: is one of candidates. But are there others out there 161 00:07:58,320 --> 00:07:59,320 Speaker 1: that we might be overlooking? 162 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 2: Well, I think there are capable coaches all throughout college 163 00:08:04,080 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 2: basketball that could do a really good job, and it 164 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 2: may be someone that no one's heard of a lot. 165 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:14,800 Speaker 3: I'll just give you an example in the Horizon League. 166 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 2: Andy Toole has been at Robert Morris I guess for gosh, 167 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 2: fifteen years now, maybe something like that. 168 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,800 Speaker 3: I don't know exactly the tenure, but his teams are. 169 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 2: Always good and he always finds talent to extent the 170 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:30,600 Speaker 2: first time around when he had success at Robert Morris 171 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:33,680 Speaker 2: in the early part of the previous decade in the tens, 172 00:08:33,720 --> 00:08:37,839 Speaker 2: I guess the early tens, even before the portal guy 173 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:42,320 Speaker 2: started getting plucked off his rosters to various high major places, 174 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:44,680 Speaker 2: and of course then they'd have to sit out. But 175 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 2: now they can go in a year and go start 176 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:53,400 Speaker 2: for Iowa, like Falvaris did as a forward for Iowa 177 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:55,000 Speaker 2: did this past year. 178 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 3: That's a guy that. 179 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 2: I recommended to a high major program in twenty thirteen 180 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 2: and he's still there. It's like I said, too many 181 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 2: programs of hire resumes and don't do the work of 182 00:09:11,160 --> 00:09:15,520 Speaker 2: hiring coaches, and they and they do it lazily by 183 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 2: hiring these search firms who don't know coaching. They don't 184 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 2: know who the talent guys are. They know who they 185 00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 2: they can say, Okay, this guy made this tournament and 186 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 2: won these games, and so you can sell that. But 187 00:09:30,559 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 2: I don't have a ton of respect for the search 188 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 2: firms in terms of their. 189 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:35,280 Speaker 3: Ability to identify talent. 190 00:09:37,360 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 2: I think that that's a real problem with how Now. 191 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:42,080 Speaker 2: I don't know what Butler's process is going to be, 192 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,640 Speaker 2: but the minute I hear somebody hired a search firm 193 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 2: is the minute I'm like skeptical, skeptical about whether that 194 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 2: search is going to go well. 195 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:53,400 Speaker 1: You know, Mike. A couple of years ago, I went 196 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 1: to the Horizon League tournament at the Coliseum and I 197 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:58,280 Speaker 1: watched a matter of fact, I take it back, might 198 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:00,840 Speaker 1: even been a regular season game. Robert Morris was in 199 00:10:00,880 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: town to play IUND and they were not good. They 200 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 1: were having a bad year. They were rebuilding their roster, 201 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: and I noticed I was with Derek Schultzen. He and 202 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: I both commented on this the Robert Morris bench, every 203 00:10:14,320 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: one of them. Every time a guy would hit a 204 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 1: big shot, they were up clapping. They were coming out 205 00:10:19,480 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: at every break and every time out high fiving, guys 206 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: cheering each other on. That sounds so ridiculously elementary YMCA basketball, 207 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:31,280 Speaker 1: But I also think that it speaks to coaching because 208 00:10:31,320 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 1: it showed this belief of guys that were working together 209 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,760 Speaker 1: and even though they might have been in a tough situation, 210 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: they were all positive. And to me that I have 211 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: no idea how that translates to x's and o's, but 212 00:10:43,360 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 1: I thought it was impressive for what that's worth a 213 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: value tool. 214 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 2: If I have a second, I'll tell you a story 215 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:52,200 Speaker 2: about a player that I won't mention the name. 216 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:53,199 Speaker 3: Now it's been twenty some. 217 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:55,760 Speaker 2: Years, but there was a high level player who was 218 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:59,000 Speaker 2: a draftable player who played for one of the teams 219 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 2: that uh that I was covering as a beat writer, 220 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:08,439 Speaker 2: and that player was suspended for a particular high profile 221 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 2: game and sat on the bench and never did anything 222 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:13,800 Speaker 2: of what you just said. And this guy, like I said, 223 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,320 Speaker 2: was a draftable player, so obviously a significant player for 224 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 2: the team, but he got suspended because of a uh 225 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,319 Speaker 2: an attitude issue. Uh And and so I got a 226 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:24,800 Speaker 2: call from an NBA team saying, Hey, what was up 227 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:28,160 Speaker 2: with that? What what what's the what's he like, what's 228 00:11:28,360 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 2: what's what's his character? 229 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 3: Et cetera, et cetera. 230 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:33,960 Speaker 2: And then in reality, he was a great talent, uh 231 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 2: a terrific teammate for the most part. And he did 232 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 2: he had a bad week or two, I guess, uh 233 00:11:39,800 --> 00:11:43,839 Speaker 2: and and and was was having some concerns about another 234 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:45,839 Speaker 2: player who had emerged as a star and that sort 235 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 2: of thing. But that that those teams recognized that. So 236 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,559 Speaker 2: you're not off at all, You're right on. This is 237 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 2: the NBA, that's the highest level of basketball on the planet, 238 00:11:55,280 --> 00:11:56,640 Speaker 2: and they noticed that stuff. 239 00:11:57,559 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 1: What did you notice, Mike, Mike, of course he's my 240 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:05,480 Speaker 1: BTN and as well, of course Sports Illustrated talking college basketball. 241 00:12:05,640 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: What did you notice about Purdue that spoke maybe to 242 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: that or what was kind of the if you will 243 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,839 Speaker 1: or Sporting News excuse me, Mike on Mike's credentials or 244 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: Sporting What was it about Purdue that what switch was 245 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:25,600 Speaker 1: flipped here and that enabled them to do what they 246 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:26,640 Speaker 1: did in the Big Ten Tournament. 247 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 2: I think that I thought Nathan Baird in the Star 248 00:12:30,600 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 2: did a great job of capturing what was different. They 249 00:12:34,640 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 2: were more invested and engaged over the course of the 250 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,760 Speaker 2: time in Chicago than they maybe had been down the 251 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 2: stretch of February, and maybe that kind of on wi 252 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:47,760 Speaker 2: Is is fair. 253 00:12:47,840 --> 00:12:48,320 Speaker 2: Almost. 254 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 2: I think they realized they weren't going to win the 255 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 2: regular season because Michigan's record was just unreachable. Michigan wasn't 256 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:57,840 Speaker 2: going to lose five in a row or whatever it 257 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:00,920 Speaker 2: would have taken to get anybody back into the the mix. 258 00:13:01,679 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 2: So I think maybe a little bit of hey, man, 259 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 2: we've been doing this for four years. We know which 260 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:09,400 Speaker 2: games are gonna matter and this and these aren't those, 261 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:13,480 Speaker 2: And so maybe maybe it was subconscious, but when they 262 00:13:13,520 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 2: got to this, they realized, if we don't invest in this, 263 00:13:18,320 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 2: we're walking out the door having accomplished you know, with 264 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:25,840 Speaker 2: the potential of having accomplished nothing, despite being four year starters, 265 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 2: four year seniors, some of the great players in Purdue history. 266 00:13:30,080 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 2: And we're going to walk out this door. Yeah, Okay, 267 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 2: we made the Final. 268 00:13:32,720 --> 00:13:34,600 Speaker 2: Four, that's that happened two years ago. 269 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:36,760 Speaker 2: What do we do without Zach? 270 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:40,719 Speaker 2: And I think they I think they put aside some 271 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 2: some of that that competitive lack of fire and said okay, 272 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:49,839 Speaker 2: let's do this, and and Nathan talked about Fletcher Lawyer 273 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 2: and how he was engaged in communication on defense. Well, 274 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:58,000 Speaker 2: I mean, Fletcher's never been Gary Payton on du right, 275 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:04,880 Speaker 2: but being invested and being in terms of communication, communication 276 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,440 Speaker 2: can make up for a lot on defense because if 277 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 2: you're communicating, even though you may not be built to 278 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 2: guard the absolute best players, you can still make sure 279 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:17,120 Speaker 2: you're in the right place. And therefore the guys that 280 00:14:17,160 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 2: are maybe slightly better defenders are in the right place 281 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:22,160 Speaker 2: and everybody that's in the right place, and it makes 282 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 2: it hard for the opposition. And you saw that with Michigan, 283 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:30,240 Speaker 2: especially on Sunday. Michigan a team that can be coerced 284 00:14:30,720 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 2: into being stagnant if it's hard. They don't have a 285 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 2: lot of ways to take This is where they miss LJ. 286 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 2: Cason. 287 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 2: They don't have a lot of guys that say, Okay, 288 00:14:40,920 --> 00:14:43,520 Speaker 2: I'm putting the ball on the floor and because you're 289 00:14:43,560 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 2: Fletcher Lawyer, I'm going to I'm going to get past 290 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 2: you and get in the lane and make something happening 291 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,800 Speaker 2: there for myself on a float or throw it over 292 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:54,760 Speaker 2: the rim to a dayemarra or throw it back out 293 00:14:55,040 --> 00:14:57,920 Speaker 2: to Trey McKenny or whatever it might be, that they 294 00:14:57,920 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 2: don't have a lot of that. 295 00:14:58,960 --> 00:15:00,040 Speaker 2: That's one of the things. 296 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:02,960 Speaker 2: I harped on a last yesterday in the pregame show 297 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 2: and then again last night on the shows we did 298 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 2: on BTN to break down the brackets. Trey mckenny's got 299 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:12,640 Speaker 2: to be that guy. So they and it still hasn't happened. 300 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 2: But because of that, they were the Purdue guys were 301 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:19,920 Speaker 2: able to put Michigan into a position where their offense 302 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:23,360 Speaker 2: was less productive than it needed to be. Offense hasn't 303 00:15:23,440 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 2: really been a problem for this Purdue team situationally, maybe, 304 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 2: but I mean, gosh, you look at the Senior Day game. 305 00:15:30,800 --> 00:15:33,960 Speaker 2: They scored ninety and lost, so it clearly wasn't that 306 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:35,920 Speaker 2: end of the court that was the issue. 307 00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:40,000 Speaker 1: Mike de Coursi is my guest Java House Colbrew Coffee. 308 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: Guest line is where you are hearing him, of course, 309 00:15:42,400 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: TSN Mike Sporting News where you can read him, Big 310 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:47,720 Speaker 1: Ten Network where you can see him as well. Okay, Mike, 311 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:52,440 Speaker 1: with the tournament bracket. Two questions I had here. First, 312 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:55,520 Speaker 1: which region to you appears to be the most loaded. 313 00:15:56,800 --> 00:15:59,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, the most loaded is the South, although they do 314 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,480 Speaker 2: not have they have the least of the number one seeds. 315 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:07,120 Speaker 2: In terms of regular season accomplishment. They are strongest at 316 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 2: the two by far almost. I think guy with States 317 00:16:10,840 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 2: really good, but I think Houston's clearly the best team 318 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 2: on the two line. I think their strongest on the 319 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 2: three line as well. I was surprised at the number 320 00:16:20,960 --> 00:16:24,040 Speaker 2: of people that looked at the East and said that's 321 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:26,840 Speaker 2: the toughest region. But I think honestly that a lot 322 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 2: of people who talk about college basketball in March don't 323 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,240 Speaker 2: talk about college basketball the rest of the year, right, 324 00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:37,160 Speaker 2: and so they see the names Duke, Michigan State, Yukon 325 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 2: have all been great, Kansas great, Saint John's, Rick Patino. Oh, 326 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 2: that's the toughest region, even if you want. 327 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 3: To go all the way back. 328 00:16:43,920 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 2: They have UCLA and their ten titles. But it's looks 329 00:16:48,200 --> 00:16:50,440 Speaker 2: they're not easy teams by any stretch. But if you 330 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 2: saw a Yukon on Saturday night as a two seed, 331 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:57,600 Speaker 2: I'm not that super bothered by having to deal with them. 332 00:16:58,080 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 3: I didn't. 333 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 2: I don't have Duke winning that region, although certainly they can. 334 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 2: Because I didn't pick any of the injured teams. 335 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,360 Speaker 3: I just I just don't. 336 00:17:08,200 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 2: Feel comfortable with teams having to reinvent themselves on this. 337 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:13,719 Speaker 1: So who do you have out of that region? 338 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:15,400 Speaker 3: I picked Saint. 339 00:17:15,320 --> 00:17:19,479 Speaker 2: John's and I'll probably be wrong, but I looked at 340 00:17:19,520 --> 00:17:21,680 Speaker 2: it and I said, if there's one player in America 341 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:25,600 Speaker 2: that I think is built to defend Caleb Boozer, excuse me, 342 00:17:25,640 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 2: a Cameron Boozer, it is, it is Zubiegi four of 343 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 2: Saint John's physical, quick, long, smart, just feels like the 344 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:40,400 Speaker 2: guy that can deal with the Boozer's question. And so 345 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:44,640 Speaker 2: that's where I went. But I could see really any 346 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,959 Speaker 2: of sixteens, five six teams coming out of that region. 347 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:52,000 Speaker 2: I think it's the it has the most candidates, but 348 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:53,640 Speaker 2: I think that's because Duke is impaired. 349 00:17:54,240 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 1: By the way, Mike, I hate to break this to you, 350 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: but Saint John's is going to get upset by Northern Iowa. 351 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:01,720 Speaker 1: Just so you know. Okay, here's my other question I 352 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:03,760 Speaker 1: wanted to ask you, And we're going to have Tom 353 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:05,359 Speaker 1: Creene on later and I'm going to talk a little 354 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 1: more in depth about leagues that best prepare teams for 355 00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 1: the tournament because they are diverse leagues and so therefore 356 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:14,960 Speaker 1: a team has had to play a bunch of different 357 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:16,919 Speaker 1: styles right by the time they get to the tournament. 358 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:19,399 Speaker 1: And who jumps out at that. But I wanted to 359 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:22,400 Speaker 1: ask you this, Give me a team. Saint John's might 360 00:18:22,440 --> 00:18:25,479 Speaker 1: be this team because of the way that Patino can defend. 361 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 1: But give me a team that plays a style that 362 00:18:30,359 --> 00:18:34,320 Speaker 1: is going to be the most unique and therefore they 363 00:18:34,320 --> 00:18:37,480 Speaker 1: have the highest odds that each matchup they have, their 364 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:40,240 Speaker 1: style is going to catch someone off guard because it 365 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,160 Speaker 1: is just so seldomly replicated across the country. 366 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 2: Well, I think the team that is most uncommon is Iowa, 367 00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 2: but I don't think that they're talented enough to make 368 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:51,960 Speaker 2: it stand up for more than one round. They don't 369 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 2: have the size. They certainly are talent enough at the 370 00:18:55,720 --> 00:18:59,200 Speaker 2: point guard position. Minister's is phenomenal, but I don't think 371 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:02,480 Speaker 2: they have enough to physicality beyond that. But that's the 372 00:19:02,520 --> 00:19:04,720 Speaker 2: team that could make that that I think will win 373 00:19:04,840 --> 00:19:08,520 Speaker 2: a game and could win two, but probably won't because 374 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:12,199 Speaker 2: of the limitations I discussed uh that that that's I 375 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:15,320 Speaker 2: don't think we have a Syracuse in the field, a 376 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:19,879 Speaker 2: Beheim Syracuse, wherein they not only have that zone that 377 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:23,480 Speaker 2: only teams in their league really were comfortable and familiar with, 378 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:28,160 Speaker 2: but also significant talent to the CJ Fairs and the 379 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:31,800 Speaker 2: Carmelo Anthony's and uh going all the way back to 380 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:35,679 Speaker 2: Derek Coleman, et cetera, that that could make that zone 381 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:39,000 Speaker 2: not only problematic but also then overpower you at the 382 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:42,600 Speaker 2: other end as well. I don't think they really have that. 383 00:19:43,080 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 2: There's a team in this field that feels like that. 384 00:19:46,760 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 2: To me, there's a lot more similarity in college basketball 385 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:53,040 Speaker 2: now than there used to be. But I will say 386 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 2: that I think that the teams that are in the 387 00:19:55,040 --> 00:19:59,040 Speaker 2: Big Ten have probably been the most rounded in that 388 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 2: respect in terms of preparation. Because Minnesota had to go 389 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 2: to zone because of all the injuries they had, and 390 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:08,720 Speaker 2: they played zone almost exclusively. They were never a great 391 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 2: zone team, but look, they beat UCLA two weeks ago, 392 00:20:13,040 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 2: so they certainly are capable. They were capable of making 393 00:20:16,200 --> 00:20:19,520 Speaker 2: you work if you were a They also beat Michigan 394 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:23,200 Speaker 2: State this year, so it was at least a significant 395 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,919 Speaker 2: enough challenge that the two of the teams that are 396 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 2: in the field couldn't conquer it. And then I mentioned 397 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:31,399 Speaker 2: the Iowa challenge of having to be dealing with the 398 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,240 Speaker 2: starts question and how they play and the pace they play, 399 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:39,720 Speaker 2: and then the Wisconsin deal where the two guards having 400 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:42,679 Speaker 2: to cope with them, especially boyd and is left handed, 401 00:20:43,280 --> 00:20:46,600 Speaker 2: and their ability now to just basically attack you from 402 00:20:46,680 --> 00:20:50,119 Speaker 2: three point range. I don't think I've seen a team that, 403 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:56,920 Speaker 2: over last several seasons that could get in a lead 404 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:01,440 Speaker 2: or be in a game while shooting and scoring almost 405 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 2: exclusively in some instances from three point range. You look 406 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 2: at that halftime box of the Purdue game. I mean, 407 00:21:08,240 --> 00:21:10,440 Speaker 2: I think they've made four field goals inside the three 408 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:13,040 Speaker 2: point ark and they'd scored like fifty five points or 409 00:21:13,040 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 2: something like that. 410 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: Okay, last, Mike, I want you to tell me, and 411 00:21:18,640 --> 00:21:21,919 Speaker 1: don't tell me the school, the school that you have 412 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 1: winning the national championship this year that will be cutting 413 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 1: down the nets at the Final four in Indianapolis. I 414 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 1: want you to tell me currently the most popular professional 415 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 1: athlete in the state that that school represents. 416 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:42,680 Speaker 2: Hmmm, ah, gosh, Devin Booker, gotcha. 417 00:21:42,760 --> 00:21:45,680 Speaker 1: Okay, Devin Booker, who I thought the other night was 418 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:47,960 Speaker 1: going to break his own scoring record at Gambridge Field 419 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,200 Speaker 1: House of sixty two points for an opponent in a game. 420 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:53,159 Speaker 1: So that means things go well for teams from the 421 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:56,719 Speaker 1: Valley of the Sun. Meaning Mike Decursi says that, like 422 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 1: it was in nineteen ninety seven, Arizona will win the 423 00:21:59,760 --> 00:22:02,679 Speaker 1: national championship in Indianapolis. We shall see right. 424 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:03,160 Speaker 3: There in India. 425 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:06,400 Speaker 2: Yes, it won't be at the old RCA Dome, but 426 00:22:06,920 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 2: Lucas Oil Stadium. And what I remember about that night 427 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:12,760 Speaker 2: was it felt like there was a constant wind blowing 428 00:22:13,200 --> 00:22:16,280 Speaker 2: through the RCA Dome. And I know obviously there were windows, 429 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 2: so but they had I don't know it was. I 430 00:22:18,760 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 2: don't know if it was the vending system or something 431 00:22:20,760 --> 00:22:22,640 Speaker 2: of it felt like the wind was blowing all night. 432 00:22:23,160 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 2: Lucas Oil doesn't have that problem unless they opened the windows. 433 00:22:25,960 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 3: Hey, I know they wont. 434 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:29,200 Speaker 1: Miles Simon didn't have that problem either, let me tell 435 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:29,680 Speaker 1: you that much. 436 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:31,680 Speaker 2: Right. But he get to that because he put the 437 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 2: ball on the floor all the time and got to 438 00:22:33,560 --> 00:22:33,920 Speaker 2: the lane. 439 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 3: I don't think he had a ton of threes that night. 440 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:39,160 Speaker 1: Lightning in a bottle and that's in that final four though, 441 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 1: no question. 442 00:22:40,080 --> 00:22:42,280 Speaker 2: Let me let me say this before we go. I 443 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:45,240 Speaker 2: am so excited to be coming back to Indy. Every 444 00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:48,720 Speaker 2: final four should be in Indianapolis. There is no second 445 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,439 Speaker 2: place in terms of the best place to hold the 446 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 2: final four, and so really excited to be coming back 447 00:22:55,040 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 2: to town for this. 448 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,680 Speaker 1: Well, we love it, Mike, and I appreciate your time 449 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:02,080 Speaker 1: coming on and obviously we will be looking for you 450 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 1: BTA Network, watching it on Twitter at TSN Mike and 451 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:08,919 Speaker 1: Sportingnews dot com where you can read his column as well. 452 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:11,879 Speaker 1: Appreciate it, Mike, Thank you very much. Shake a Mike 453 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: of course he joining me Java House Coldbrew Coffee guest 454 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 1: Line