1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:04,760 Speaker 1: Ten away from for This is ESPN fifteen thirty Muegger. 2 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:09,000 Speaker 1: On Thursdays, we're joined by our guy, Chad Brendall. We 3 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: talk UC football and basketball and more. His website is 4 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:17,160 Speaker 1: bearcad Journal dot com, where he's got Signing Day covered, 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,280 Speaker 1: He's got the skyline Chile Crosstown shootout covered, He'll have 6 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:27,120 Speaker 1: the Bowl selection for UC covered, covering a lot, and 7 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: he's going to cover some of that stuff with us. 8 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 2: Now, Hi, Chad, Hello, crossover season, it's fun. Let me 9 00:00:33,400 --> 00:00:33,680 Speaker 2: tell you. 10 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:36,240 Speaker 3: I'm sure it is. I'm sure it is a lot 11 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 3: going on. 12 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:38,239 Speaker 2: Uh. 13 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 3: Is Gisel James gonna play for the Bearcats this season? 14 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 2: I don't think so. That's the word I've gotten is 15 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:55,200 Speaker 2: back around the program, not necessarily like figured in to 16 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 2: be part of the on floor product this year. But 17 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:01,960 Speaker 2: I mean, I think you know as well as I do, Like, 18 00:01:03,360 --> 00:01:07,960 Speaker 2: got a coach that's fighting for something we'll see. So 19 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 2: I have been told not to expect him to play. 20 00:01:13,280 --> 00:01:17,279 Speaker 2: So in that sense, I don't expect him to play, 21 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:22,800 Speaker 2: but this is college sports and I never rule anything 22 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 2: out anymore. 23 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:27,400 Speaker 1: So we're not expecting him, but we wouldn't be surprised 24 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: if he does play. 25 00:01:29,920 --> 00:01:34,839 Speaker 2: I think that's probably the most fair assessment of the situation. 26 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,400 Speaker 2: You would not see my shock face if we showed 27 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:43,560 Speaker 2: up one day and it was like, just's playing tonight, Okay, what. 28 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 3: If he played tomorrow? 29 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 2: I would be very surprised by that. To my knowledge, 30 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:54,800 Speaker 2: Like there, he hasn't really practiced with the team since 31 00:01:54,920 --> 00:02:00,200 Speaker 2: like June, early July, so I think that would be 32 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 2: pretty surprising. 33 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: Okay, assuming then no Jizzle tomorrow. How did the Bearcats 34 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:08,680 Speaker 1: win at the Centas Center for the first time in 35 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 1: twenty four years? 36 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 2: They defend the three point line because that has been 37 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 2: the most reliable, consistent way X has been scoring since 38 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 2: they kind of readjusted the lineup, And credit to Richard. 39 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 2: I think he's done a fantastic job with this group 40 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:32,760 Speaker 2: to this point because things look really bad, and I 41 00:02:32,800 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 2: mean they looked bad bad, and they don't look bad 42 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:40,080 Speaker 2: bad anymore. Like I don't think they're jumping up to 43 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,160 Speaker 2: compete with Yukon and Saint John's for the top of 44 00:02:43,200 --> 00:02:46,320 Speaker 2: the Big East this year. But he's taken a product 45 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,720 Speaker 2: that looked like it was going to be a nightmare 46 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 2: and they're winning, Like they're doing some winning things. And 47 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 2: I mean, look you make sixteen threes a game, like 48 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:58,120 Speaker 2: they've done a couple times, things are going to get 49 00:02:58,160 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 2: a lot easier on the win column. But uh, that's 50 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 2: a big one for me. And I think, you know what, 51 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:10,280 Speaker 2: how does Cincinnati handle a team? I'm gonna it's gonna 52 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:11,920 Speaker 2: be taken as a shot MO and I do not 53 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 2: intend this as a shot at all. Okay, right now, 54 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:17,960 Speaker 2: Xavier's formula is they play a lot like a mid major. 55 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 2: They play five out, they spread you out. They don't 56 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 2: really have a lot of rim presence. They're not playing downhill, 57 00:03:26,280 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 2: they're not turning over, they're passing the ball well, their 58 00:03:29,639 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 2: assists numbers are high, and they're making jump shots. And 59 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 2: that's you know that, that's how a mid major like 60 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:40,000 Speaker 2: wins games. Right How does how does Cincinnati defend that 61 00:03:40,160 --> 00:03:45,040 Speaker 2: with you know, Mustapha Chom and Bob A. Miller. Xavier's 62 00:03:45,040 --> 00:03:46,520 Speaker 2: going to try to drag those guys out on the 63 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 2: floor and make them defend shooters twenty two feet from 64 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 2: the basket. That's going to take away Cincinnati's ability to 65 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 2: protect the rim. They're one of the better two point 66 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 2: defenses in the country in large part because those two 67 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 2: are on the floor. So defensively, how does Cincinnati handle that? 68 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 2: And offensively and like you've got a much better seat 69 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 2: than I do. It has been hard to watch. There's 70 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 2: not a lot of continuity, there's not a lot of 71 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,560 Speaker 2: It doesn't seem like there's a lot of trust between 72 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,799 Speaker 2: the team. Yet. I thought we saw some signs of improvement. 73 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:31,159 Speaker 2: The ball moved better on Monday night, but it wasn't 74 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:35,159 Speaker 2: for forty minutes, So they got a lot of work 75 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 2: to do and not a lot of time to do it. 76 00:04:38,680 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 1: I just it doesn't feel like from Game one on 77 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:46,400 Speaker 1: November three to the eve of the Skyline Chili crossdown shootout, 78 00:04:46,440 --> 00:04:48,159 Speaker 1: it just doesn't feel like they've improved. 79 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,679 Speaker 2: That's part of the problem, right, Like we've talked about 80 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:55,560 Speaker 2: this a lot over the past past week or so. 81 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,359 Speaker 2: We're twenty five percent of the way through the season. 82 00:04:59,360 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 2: More than twenty five percent of the way through the season. 83 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 2: Where is that? You know, we talk a lot about, Hey, 84 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:08,160 Speaker 2: it's a it's a brand new team, the transfer portal. 85 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:11,040 Speaker 2: You know, they're they're they're doing this, they're doing that, 86 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 2: and then that's to me. By the time you get 87 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 2: into November and December, things should be trending up because 88 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 2: guys have got seven, eight, nine games together, they're a 89 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 2: little bit more comfortable with where everybody likes to shoot 90 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 2: and you know where to move the ball and how 91 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:32,400 Speaker 2: the offense operates. Have we seen that really at all? 92 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 2: I mean not in not in enough consistent stretches to 93 00:05:35,720 --> 00:05:38,840 Speaker 2: feel good about it. And you know what I think 94 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 2: it is mo Unfortunately the team hasn't played very hard 95 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 2: and that's concerning that. They played hard against Dayton. They 96 00:05:50,320 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 2: played hard against Dayton, they played hard against Louisville. What 97 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:55,280 Speaker 2: other of the the eight games could you look at 98 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 2: and say, man, they really they really were getting after 99 00:05:58,120 --> 00:05:59,599 Speaker 2: it tonight. I can't think of any. 100 00:05:59,680 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 3: I just you use the T word trust. 101 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: So this is the first rough environment they're going to 102 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:08,240 Speaker 1: go into, right, and it's going to be a rough 103 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 1: environment if you don't have trust. 104 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,039 Speaker 2: And was kind of a rough Yeah, I digress. 105 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 3: I get it, But I mean team that hasn't developed 106 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:18,640 Speaker 3: that yet. 107 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: Good luck winning an environment like that against a team that, 108 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:25,200 Speaker 1: say what you want about their limitations has improved. 109 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 3: And I think that's where most Bearcat fans are right. 110 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,880 Speaker 2: I think it's there, Like I don't know how you 111 00:06:33,920 --> 00:06:39,400 Speaker 2: could could legitimately say you feel good about this when 112 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:43,320 Speaker 2: you've watched the ARC for Xavier over eight games or 113 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:45,480 Speaker 2: whatever it is, and you've watched the ARC for Cincinnati 114 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 2: over eight games or whatever, like over eight games, Like, 115 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:50,240 Speaker 2: I don't know how you could look at it and go, 116 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 2: I feel really good about where Cincinnati's act coming into this, 117 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 2: and you know Xavier's got work to do. Yeah, that's 118 00:06:57,520 --> 00:06:59,960 Speaker 2: you're lying to yourself if you think that's the situation 119 00:07:00,320 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 2: right now. Now, maybe Cincinatti comes out and plays really 120 00:07:04,720 --> 00:07:08,120 Speaker 2: hard and defends and they make some shots and they 121 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 2: don't look like the two hundred and fourteenth offense in 122 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 2: the country or whatever they're ranked right now, and you know, 123 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 2: we get to Saturday and Friday night and we're like, oh, okay, 124 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 2: that's what we wanted to see. 125 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 1: Cool. 126 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 2: But I don't have any faith in that right now, 127 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 2: And I don't know how you could. 128 00:07:27,760 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 1: What happens to the intensity of whatever hot seat west 129 00:07:31,040 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 1: Miller is on if they don't win tomorrow. 130 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 2: Boy, I mean, you've already lost the Louisville. If you 131 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:46,480 Speaker 2: lose the Xavier, and I know you've paid attention Georgia 132 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 2: and Clemson are playing well, there is a chance you 133 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:56,880 Speaker 2: go one in four in those five games, and then 134 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 2: you got to go into a big twelve that is 135 00:08:00,240 --> 00:08:04,800 Speaker 2: not only awesome at the top this year, but the 136 00:08:04,840 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 2: bottom has performed a lot better than I expected through 137 00:08:09,080 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 2: the first five weeks. So I would not recommend. And look, 138 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 2: they haven't won there since two thousand and one. I 139 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 2: don't feel great about saying they're going to go in 140 00:08:21,520 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 2: there and win. But if you're Wes, you have got 141 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 2: to go in there and get this done because it 142 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 2: gets late early if you've lost to Louisville and Xavier 143 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 2: and you've got Georgia and Clemson coming up on home neutral. 144 00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 2: But there's going to be more Georgia fans in Atlanta, 145 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 2: there's going to be more Clemson fans in Greenville. Like 146 00:08:43,080 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 2: you're climbing up a steep, steep hill in December. Like 147 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 2: I said before the season, and I took a lot 148 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 2: of heat for this, I said, you know, when I 149 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:56,200 Speaker 2: when asked if Cincinnati doesn't make the tournament, does West 150 00:08:56,240 --> 00:08:58,440 Speaker 2: Miller get fired? And I said, I need to see 151 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 2: what it looks like. I can't answer that question. And 152 00:09:01,240 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 2: so I know what it looks like. This looks bad 153 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:08,800 Speaker 2: so far. The time to turn it around. Time to 154 00:09:08,800 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 2: turn it around. Starts tomorrow night. 155 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 3: Agreed, Because if you lose the Xavier. 156 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:20,079 Speaker 2: Who they think that I've been using a Seinfeld reference 157 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:25,600 Speaker 2: lately mo for the UC fan base. The sea was angry, 158 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:26,199 Speaker 2: my friends. 159 00:09:28,120 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, of course, I mean it's it's what his record 160 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: is against Xavier to this point. It's the quality of 161 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: the Xavier team that they lost to it sint Us 162 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 1: two years ago, which was not a very good team. 163 00:09:39,320 --> 00:09:43,439 Speaker 1: The caliber of the Xavier team now like nothing again. 164 00:09:43,480 --> 00:09:43,680 Speaker 2: Again. 165 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 1: I think Richard Patino's done a really nice job with 166 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: a team that I watched get destroyed home by Santa Clara, 167 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 1: nearly beating Georgia Housing West Virginia. They run good stuff, 168 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:56,199 Speaker 1: like they're they're training in the right direction, which is 169 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,920 Speaker 1: why there is all this unease. But it's not a 170 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:01,920 Speaker 1: very talented, over talented Xavior team. You lose again to him, 171 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:04,079 Speaker 1: on top of losing to Louisville, on top of how 172 00:10:04,120 --> 00:10:07,599 Speaker 1: this has looked, your message board is going to be 173 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:11,720 Speaker 1: a dark, dark dark place. Yeah, on Saturday morning. Appreciate 174 00:10:11,720 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 1: it as always, man, We will talk next week. 175 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:14,800 Speaker 2: Thanks Bob.