WEBVTT - 12-30-25 Wes Miller Show 0:00:00.960 --> 0:00:04.320 This is the Wes Miller Radio Show live from the 0:00:04.360 --> 0:00:08.559 original Montgomery In. Brought you in part by Skyline Chilly 0:00:08.920 --> 0:00:13.240 feeling good. It's Skyline Time and by the original Montgomery 0:00:13.320 --> 0:00:16.239 In and the Montgomery In at the boat House, home 0:00:16.360 --> 0:00:20.480 of the world's Greatest Ribs. Now here's Dan Horde, It's 0:00:20.560 --> 0:00:24.360 Terry Nelson and you SE's head coach, Wes Miller. 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:34.879 It is show time, very pleasant, good evening, everybody. Greetings 0:00:34.880 --> 0:00:38.839 from the original montgomery And home of the world's Greatest Ribs. 0:00:38.920 --> 0:00:41.320 Welcome to the West Miller Radio Show on Dan Horde 0:00:41.280 --> 0:00:45.280 alongside former Bearcats stand out Terry Nelson and the star 0:00:45.360 --> 0:00:48.440 of the show, the head coach of your you See Bearcats. 0:00:48.640 --> 0:00:49.760 Let's hear it for Wes Miller. 0:00:50.040 --> 0:00:52.639 I think we both agree with your intro. That's pretty good. 0:00:52.720 --> 0:00:56.200 Thank you. Tried to bring the energy for you Tel 0:00:56.240 --> 0:00:58.280 and I like it. I know that you are quick 0:00:58.320 --> 0:01:02.200 to criticize if you're not. Feel like it's not just me. 0:01:02.560 --> 0:01:03.760 The org level is. 0:01:03.840 --> 0:01:07.440 No room, bills led down if Dan Horde doesn't bring 0:01:07.480 --> 0:01:08.039 the energy, all. 0:01:08.040 --> 0:01:10.039 Right, the energy is here tonight. I'm fired up. I'm 0:01:10.080 --> 0:01:12.720 ready to all great victory last night for the Bearcats. 0:01:12.760 --> 0:01:16.440 Eighty nine sixty two over the Lipscomb buys Ins. I 0:01:16.560 --> 0:01:19.440 know what some people are thinking, Lipscomb, they're in the 0:01:19.480 --> 0:01:21.800 Atlantic Sun, big deal. Well, they led Duke in the 0:01:21.840 --> 0:01:24.440 second half about two weeks ago. They went to the 0:01:24.520 --> 0:01:27.800 NCAA tournament last year. That's a good team. It's not 0:01:27.880 --> 0:01:30.399 a Big twelve opponent, but it's a good team. That 0:01:30.480 --> 0:01:32.319 was a quality win for your team last night. 0:01:33.120 --> 0:01:36.000 Yeah, you know said that, the same thing you just 0:01:36.000 --> 0:01:38.160 said in the press conference last night. I'm not going 0:01:38.200 --> 0:01:40.160 to sit here and act like that's a power for team. 0:01:40.200 --> 0:01:41.920 But that's a really good team. 0:01:42.280 --> 0:01:44.039 And it's one of those. 0:01:43.920 --> 0:01:47.280 Deals that over Christmas, you know, you open the laptop 0:01:47.319 --> 0:01:51.080 and start watching tape and it's the game after Christmas 0:01:51.120 --> 0:01:54.120 break right, and you scheduled that game. And I'm not 0:01:54.160 --> 0:01:56.080 going to say you want a cupcake, but you know, 0:01:56.120 --> 0:01:59.200 you tell your you tell your staff schedule in the game. 0:01:59.240 --> 0:02:01.840 Fine one that if these guys ate too much food 0:02:01.880 --> 0:02:04.360 at home a Christmas or like, find one that we 0:02:04.360 --> 0:02:07.120 can work through some of the kinks from Christmas holidays. 0:02:07.560 --> 0:02:10.239 And the staff failed because I'm watching the tape and 0:02:10.240 --> 0:02:12.360 they're beating Duke in the second half and they've won. 0:02:12.919 --> 0:02:15.320 I think they'd won six to seven coming into our game. 0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:17.560 They're picked to win every single game the rest of 0:02:17.560 --> 0:02:20.600 the year and win their league. But also just they 0:02:20.639 --> 0:02:22.720 have the shooting, you. 0:02:22.639 --> 0:02:25.440 Know, they really move the ball. 0:02:26.120 --> 0:02:28.640 They play a funky style of defense that is given 0:02:28.720 --> 0:02:31.120 some people that have more gifts than they do problems. 0:02:31.720 --> 0:02:34.000 So it was one of those games that you're a 0:02:34.000 --> 0:02:36.160 little bit more nervous about than you should be coming 0:02:36.160 --> 0:02:36.959 off a Christmas break. 0:02:37.000 --> 0:02:38.520 I thought our guys played well last night. 0:02:39.600 --> 0:02:46.880 Some similarities here, Kenyon Martin, Jason not Jason, Maxill close, 0:02:47.320 --> 0:02:49.400 three other post players I'm trying to think of, Trey 0:02:49.400 --> 0:02:54.120 Scott and Gary Clark. These are all the latest guys 0:02:54.120 --> 0:02:57.960 that have twenty rebound games, and Boba Miller. It seems 0:02:58.000 --> 0:03:01.480 like it was so effortless. It's almost like guys were 0:03:01.520 --> 0:03:03.400 getting out of the way because they knew it was 0:03:03.400 --> 0:03:05.760 effortless to try to grab a rebound. What's it like 0:03:05.800 --> 0:03:07.840 when you have a guy you know on the defensive end, 0:03:08.000 --> 0:03:09.440 we'll grab every rebound for you. 0:03:09.520 --> 0:03:10.720 And you only give them one shot. 0:03:12.040 --> 0:03:15.760 Well, when somebody's rebound and the way Baba was, it's 0:03:15.800 --> 0:03:18.639 a great thing. I told the guys at halftime, terry 0:03:18.720 --> 0:03:22.079 that you know. I said, Hey, let's point this out. 0:03:22.080 --> 0:03:25.359 Baba has thirteen rebounds. I said, but hell, you guys 0:03:25.440 --> 0:03:27.280 going to compete with them a little bit? I mean, 0:03:28.160 --> 0:03:31.560 And the one statistic that I believe you can be 0:03:31.639 --> 0:03:35.240 selfish with as a player and it's still good for 0:03:35.320 --> 0:03:38.440 the team is rebounding. You know, you can be selfish 0:03:38.520 --> 0:03:40.800 with rebounding and it's still good for the team. I said, Hell, 0:03:40.880 --> 0:03:45.560 somebody else will get one, but twenty one something I 0:03:45.640 --> 0:03:49.280 had somebody when I first got here. I won't give 0:03:49.320 --> 0:03:52.400 a name player on the team my first year or so, 0:03:52.560 --> 0:03:53.160 said coach. 0:03:53.240 --> 0:03:55.240 Coach, take me to Rubies like you you take me 0:03:55.280 --> 0:03:55.800 to Rubies. 0:03:56.520 --> 0:03:59.320 And I said, I will if you get twenty rebounds 0:03:59.360 --> 0:03:59.800 in a game. 0:04:00.400 --> 0:04:01.360 I said, that's my rule. 0:04:01.360 --> 0:04:03.640 I'll take anybody to Rubies they get twenty rebounds in 0:04:03.680 --> 0:04:08.360 the game, so me and in one game or a season, 0:04:08.400 --> 0:04:09.400 because I would have went at the. 0:04:09.360 --> 0:04:11.560 End of the year one game in one game. 0:04:11.640 --> 0:04:14.040 So I told the team last nsks, I'm taking Boba 0:04:14.080 --> 0:04:17.799 the Rubies. I'm sure there's some instead of a violation, 0:04:17.920 --> 0:04:18.880 but I hadn't done it yet. 0:04:18.920 --> 0:04:21.640 He can pay for you, He can pay for your 0:04:21.640 --> 0:04:22.719 meal exactly but. 0:04:24.200 --> 0:04:25.960 The guy said, do we get to come to I said, 0:04:26.000 --> 0:04:27.920 if you get twenty days bound, you do you know 0:04:27.960 --> 0:04:28.560 what type of thing? 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:31.760 All right, next time somebody gets twenty rebounds, we will 0:04:32.000 --> 0:04:33.000 mention the Ruby rules. 0:04:33.240 --> 0:04:35.479 Here's our struggle for the steak thing to that. 0:04:36.200 --> 0:04:40.479 One of us has to get twenty rebounds. You never 0:04:40.600 --> 0:04:44.160 you're never getting mistake team. Now you might not get 0:04:44.200 --> 0:04:46.799 one anyway based on occurrence standard. 0:04:47.880 --> 0:04:50.320 Correct. Let's talk about Mustapha Chohm. 0:04:50.400 --> 0:04:53.440 He had eighteen points last night that tied his career high, 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:56.280 eight field goals and a couple of free throws. You 0:04:56.320 --> 0:04:59.800 said something really interesting on the postgame show, basically kind 0:04:59.800 --> 0:05:02.480 of saying, you know what, when I've really been stressing 0:05:02.520 --> 0:05:05.479 that I wanted him to do, wasn't working out so well. 0:05:05.839 --> 0:05:08.400 So we're gonna let him do what he's comfortable doing. 0:05:08.440 --> 0:05:11.400 And it seems to have kind of brought the confidence 0:05:11.440 --> 0:05:12.880 back for Mustafa. 0:05:13.640 --> 0:05:16.159 Yeah, I mean I want him to put his seven 0:05:16.200 --> 0:05:20.880 to two frame on the rim and dunk every basketball 0:05:20.920 --> 0:05:24.040 and go get twenty You know, I mean, Terry Dan 0:05:24.040 --> 0:05:25.880 and you guys have been at practice like that's the end. 0:05:25.880 --> 0:05:29.360 Then we're not gonna stop emphasizing that because when when 0:05:29.400 --> 0:05:32.279 that part of the game clicks form Mustafa, He's in 0:05:32.360 --> 0:05:34.200 an entirely different category as. 0:05:34.120 --> 0:05:36.440 A player, and I do believe it will. But he's 0:05:36.680 --> 0:05:38.760 he has a great touch, and he has a lot. 0:05:38.600 --> 0:05:42.640 Of confidence in his touch, even from the post facing 0:05:42.720 --> 0:05:46.640 up shooting a turnaround and allowed him to get back 0:05:46.680 --> 0:05:48.599 to doing that. I think has helped him and he's 0:05:48.600 --> 0:05:51.360 found some confidence again. And it was good to see 0:05:51.360 --> 0:05:53.840 the ball go in for him last night and I 0:05:53.880 --> 0:05:56.880 think it'll continue to do so. And we got to 0:05:56.960 --> 0:05:58.920 let him kind of be him with his touch from 0:05:59.279 --> 0:06:01.279 you know, fourteen to fifteen feet and in. 0:06:02.279 --> 0:06:04.880 Dayda Thomas was on a heater in the Clemson game. 0:06:05.480 --> 0:06:08.560 Follows that up he's two or five from downtown and 0:06:08.640 --> 0:06:11.240 lifts him game. But what is it like now that 0:06:11.320 --> 0:06:14.240 you know that you have an instant outlet that if 0:06:14.240 --> 0:06:16.120 you draw something up, he doesn't have to toll the 0:06:16.120 --> 0:06:18.920 three point line to make the shot, but he can. 0:06:19.839 --> 0:06:21.160 He can make shots. 0:06:20.800 --> 0:06:23.000 From all over the floor from three sort of just 0:06:23.040 --> 0:06:24.160 to loosen the defense up. 0:06:25.040 --> 0:06:28.800 Yeah, I just think you got to have guys that 0:06:29.080 --> 0:06:32.800 can be elusive scoring the basketball when you know if 0:06:32.839 --> 0:06:35.280 you can find small advantages for him, they can make 0:06:35.360 --> 0:06:38.160 things happen when there is no advantage, they can make 0:06:38.200 --> 0:06:38.800 things happen. 0:06:39.520 --> 0:06:41.080 Day Day's been. 0:06:40.960 --> 0:06:43.200 One of those players, but he's emerging in a different 0:06:43.240 --> 0:06:45.880 way here in his final season. 0:06:46.560 --> 0:06:48.800 You can see the maturity and the confidence, and he's 0:06:49.080 --> 0:06:50.200 I think in. 0:06:50.200 --> 0:06:53.480 The right positions. And I think Jis Will being back 0:06:53.480 --> 0:06:55.279 out there helps him too. It takes some of the 0:06:55.279 --> 0:06:58.120 pressure off absolutely and allows him to get more comfortable 0:06:58.160 --> 0:06:58.800 in his own right. 0:07:00.160 --> 0:07:02.960 In the final twenty three minutes of the Clemson game, 0:07:03.000 --> 0:07:05.480 you outscored the Tigers fifty four to thirty. That's a 0:07:05.560 --> 0:07:08.280 twenty four point difference. Last night you won the game 0:07:08.320 --> 0:07:12.440 by twenty seven. So over the last basically six half 0:07:12.560 --> 0:07:15.800 or three halves rather you've outscored the opposition by fifty 0:07:15.840 --> 0:07:20.360 one points. Do you feel like this is the team 0:07:20.720 --> 0:07:23.080 that you thought you could have coming into the season. 0:07:24.120 --> 0:07:27.240 Yeah, I don't know if I've like thought in those 0:07:27.360 --> 0:07:30.880 kind of terms. Other I think it's simpler for me 0:07:32.040 --> 0:07:35.480 that I think when we play consistently, Dan, we can 0:07:35.520 --> 0:07:39.600 be a great basketball team. We're starting to figure out 0:07:40.200 --> 0:07:45.120 recently how to play more consistently. Certainly, Gisel's presence, you know, 0:07:45.200 --> 0:07:48.240 I think has helped everybody. It's not Gigsels plays great, 0:07:49.000 --> 0:07:51.760 but Gisele's presence on the floor has made other players 0:07:51.800 --> 0:07:56.040 better because there's another guy that can shot create for others. 0:07:56.520 --> 0:07:59.080 He has a calming influence with the ball and then 0:07:59.120 --> 0:08:01.240 he can go make something happens, so the defense has 0:08:01.280 --> 0:08:05.920 to respect him. He also has like physical presence defensively, 0:08:06.440 --> 0:08:09.600 which is impactful, and so I think that's elevated us. 0:08:09.640 --> 0:08:11.960 But you know, you know, they'd still like to see 0:08:12.040 --> 0:08:13.400 Jalen Haynes out there at some point. 0:08:13.440 --> 0:08:15.080 I'd like Tyler McKinley to be healthy. 0:08:15.240 --> 0:08:17.800 So I think if we could ever get to full strength, 0:08:17.840 --> 0:08:19.160 I think that'd be a lot of fun too. 0:08:20.320 --> 0:08:21.160 Kirk Resa had. 0:08:21.080 --> 0:08:24.360 A good game against Tartleton State, and then he had 0:08:24.360 --> 0:08:25.360 a good game yesterday. 0:08:25.360 --> 0:08:27.640 But yet, even though he didn't score as. 0:08:27.600 --> 0:08:30.440 Much as Tartleton State, you said yesterday was his best game. 0:08:30.600 --> 0:08:35.559 Why well, I thought he was really good defensively. 0:08:36.520 --> 0:08:36.880 You know that. 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:40.080 I don't know what the perspective is that people that 0:08:40.120 --> 0:08:44.360 are watching, but that's a very difficult team to defend. Again, 0:08:44.440 --> 0:08:49.040 all five guys can shoot, they all cut, they're always moving, 0:08:49.760 --> 0:08:51.680 you know, and they're good at it right, And you 0:08:51.679 --> 0:08:54.320 can see how they started the year and they they 0:08:54.440 --> 0:08:56.280 hadn't found their way, and then they hit their stride 0:08:56.280 --> 0:08:58.720 and they've been really good ever since. But they put 0:08:58.720 --> 0:09:00.400 a lot of pressure on your defense. If you make 0:09:00.440 --> 0:09:03.840 one mistake defensively, they get a quality shot. I thought 0:09:03.920 --> 0:09:09.079 Kerr was really good defensively. I thought offensively he made 0:09:09.200 --> 0:09:11.920 better reads with the basketball, he protected the ball better, 0:09:12.400 --> 0:09:14.920 and then obviously, like you know, seeing him shoot the 0:09:14.920 --> 0:09:17.200 ball with confidence is important to our team. 0:09:17.640 --> 0:09:20.720 He mentioned Tyler McKinley. He was capable of playing. He 0:09:20.760 --> 0:09:23.160 could have played last night. You elected not to use 0:09:23.200 --> 0:09:26.920 him in the game. Is what he's dealing with right now, 0:09:27.040 --> 0:09:31.120 something that's likely to linger for a while. Or is 0:09:31.120 --> 0:09:32.920 he close to the point where he expected them to be? 0:09:32.960 --> 0:09:36.800 Back on the news channels nowadays, don't they bring in 0:09:36.840 --> 0:09:41.480 like the special doctor to answer these questions, like I 0:09:41.720 --> 0:09:44.680 we got to bring in you know, doctor Nelson here. 0:09:44.600 --> 0:09:44.680 I. 0:09:47.080 --> 0:09:51.000 Got it exactly, But I don't. I don't, honestly, I 0:09:51.040 --> 0:09:51.520 don't know. 0:09:52.960 --> 0:09:55.840 I know that he was trying to do some things 0:09:55.880 --> 0:09:58.480 in practice a couple of days before and shoot around, 0:09:59.120 --> 0:10:02.800 and he he didn't look right. He didn't look ready 0:10:02.840 --> 0:10:06.240 to play to me physically mentally. Tyler McKinley's ready to 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:08.840 play every single day of every second, every day, but 0:10:09.240 --> 0:10:11.760 he didn't look right physically, and I didn't feel right 0:10:11.800 --> 0:10:15.320 about playing him the way that his leg looks. So 0:10:16.400 --> 0:10:19.040 my hope is that he looks like one hundred percent 0:10:19.080 --> 0:10:20.319 tomorrow and we have no. 0:10:20.320 --> 0:10:22.160 Issues the rest of the year because he's very important 0:10:22.200 --> 0:10:22.680 to our team. 0:10:23.000 --> 0:10:24.680 All Right, we're going to take a time out. We 0:10:24.720 --> 0:10:26.760 are live at the original Montgomery in the home of 0:10:26.800 --> 0:10:29.920 the world's greatest ribs. It's the Westmeller Radio Show on 0:10:30.080 --> 0:10:36.800 seven hundred WLUB. We are back at the original Montgomery 0:10:36.800 --> 0:10:38.720 in the home of the world's greatest ribs and the 0:10:38.720 --> 0:10:42.640 Westmeller Radio Show. Here there's Radio seven hundred WLW. We 0:10:42.679 --> 0:10:45.600 appreciate the Bearcat fans who are here tonight. We've got 0:10:45.600 --> 0:10:47.920 some stuff to give away at the end of the 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:50.959 show as always, So gotta be here in order to win. 0:10:51.040 --> 0:10:54.079 Come out and join us normally on Thursday nights. This 0:10:54.160 --> 0:10:58.600 week on Tuesday night, since New Year's is on Thursday. 0:11:00.000 --> 0:11:03.600 Open portion of the schedule is over. Big twelve play 0:11:03.679 --> 0:11:04.439 is about to begin. 0:11:04.480 --> 0:11:05.439 You get an easy. 0:11:05.200 --> 0:11:09.400 One to begin league play the defending champion team that 0:11:09.640 --> 0:11:12.880 almost won the National championship Houston on the slate for 0:11:12.920 --> 0:11:15.839 your first league game. But I know as a competitor 0:11:16.360 --> 0:11:19.600 you are eager to test ub what your guys can 0:11:19.640 --> 0:11:22.000 do against the great Houston team. 0:11:22.080 --> 0:11:25.480 Just excited to get Big twelve play going. 0:11:25.760 --> 0:11:28.880 And as the guys in our locker room that they 0:11:28.920 --> 0:11:30.960 all came to Cincinnati to play in the Big twelve, 0:11:31.600 --> 0:11:34.680 you know we prepare to play in the Big twelve, 0:11:34.800 --> 0:11:36.520 is excited to get that portion of it going. 0:11:36.559 --> 0:11:37.439 That's what it's all about. 0:11:38.360 --> 0:11:38.959 Do you think this. 0:11:41.559 --> 0:11:46.400 You've wrapped up with the lineup chains able to now 0:11:47.080 --> 0:11:51.880 dish out a little punishment physically and with pressure opposed 0:11:51.880 --> 0:11:55.240 to before, because it seemed like before you have to 0:11:55.280 --> 0:11:56.719 make it just you have to bring in subs in 0:11:56.840 --> 0:11:59.360 order to right this ship a little bit. Now it's 0:11:59.360 --> 0:12:01.360 like you're bringing the fight to the team. 0:12:02.440 --> 0:12:05.360 I just think as we get healthier and more holes 0:12:05.400 --> 0:12:09.520 a team, there's a lot more options in terms of 0:12:10.640 --> 0:12:15.040 you know, lineups, accountability that there's just a lot more 0:12:15.080 --> 0:12:18.800 that you can do there and that part, that part's fun. 0:12:18.800 --> 0:12:19.000 Again. 0:12:19.040 --> 0:12:20.600 If you can the closer you can get to having 0:12:20.640 --> 0:12:23.600 the whole team together, the better I think we're going 0:12:23.679 --> 0:12:23.800 to be. 0:12:24.000 --> 0:12:26.840 Yep, So This Houston team that comes in on Saturday 0:12:26.920 --> 0:12:29.360 is interesting to me because, unlike a lot of other 0:12:30.360 --> 0:12:33.120 prominent teams in college basketball, they did not bring in 0:12:33.160 --> 0:12:35.760 a bunch of transfers this year. They've got a corps 0:12:35.760 --> 0:12:37.400 of guys back from the team that played for the 0:12:37.440 --> 0:12:41.160 national championship, and then three of the best freshmen in 0:12:41.240 --> 0:12:44.120 the country. So it's almost like an old school approach, 0:12:44.160 --> 0:12:45.080 at least for this year. 0:12:46.679 --> 0:12:49.840 Yeah, it's interesting because they do return some really key players. 0:12:50.080 --> 0:12:53.360 I mean, you know, to two backcourt players that started 0:12:53.400 --> 0:12:57.040 on a team that i mean dominated our league last year, 0:12:57.080 --> 0:13:00.240 which is almost impossible to do, and then you know, 0:13:00.440 --> 0:13:02.680 was a possession away from winning the NASH Championships. So 0:13:02.720 --> 0:13:05.840 they and then you know, an All American I was Tuggler, 0:13:05.880 --> 0:13:07.280 I think he was a defensive Player of the year, 0:13:08.160 --> 0:13:11.720 maybe an All American. You know, so three starters from 0:13:11.760 --> 0:13:15.120 that team that it's back. But then they add, you know, 0:13:15.600 --> 0:13:18.840 quite a few guys as well that are young players 0:13:18.840 --> 0:13:21.960 that are terrific that will only be there for one year. Right, 0:13:22.640 --> 0:13:24.520 They have a couple of guys, two freshmen in their 0:13:24.559 --> 0:13:28.439 starting lineup that are lottery picks or projected lottery picks 0:13:28.440 --> 0:13:29.160 that are terrific. 0:13:29.480 --> 0:13:32.000 And then they have some other returning. 0:13:31.559 --> 0:13:33.440 Players that have been in the program for a really 0:13:33.520 --> 0:13:36.839 long time that are you know, program guys. So they're 0:13:37.000 --> 0:13:39.640 again it's a little different than what you're seeing across 0:13:39.640 --> 0:13:40.840 the board in college basketball. 0:13:40.920 --> 0:13:44.640 Right now, your third iteration of the Big Twelve going 0:13:44.640 --> 0:13:48.079 into the season. Now you've had two seasons under your belt, 0:13:48.160 --> 0:13:50.760 you realize how difficult this league is and how tough 0:13:50.800 --> 0:13:53.880 it is to play on a nightly basis, not just 0:13:53.920 --> 0:13:56.319 the ranked teams but the non ranked teams. It's a 0:13:56.400 --> 0:14:00.280 quality conference from top to bottom. What have you learn 0:14:00.320 --> 0:14:02.560 from those previous two that says, Okay, we're ready to 0:14:02.559 --> 0:14:07.199 take the step the next step in third and year three. 0:14:06.800 --> 0:14:11.920 Well, I just think that you learn to value every opportunity, 0:14:12.520 --> 0:14:16.080 that every single Big twelve game is a big time game, right, 0:14:16.679 --> 0:14:20.160 Every single opponent is a big time opponent. Every single 0:14:20.200 --> 0:14:22.840 win is a big time win. And that's exciting and 0:14:22.920 --> 0:14:25.480 that's fun. I mean, who doesn't want a chance for 0:14:25.520 --> 0:14:28.040 a great win every single time you take the floor 0:14:28.480 --> 0:14:30.320 for the rest of the season. That's what you get 0:14:30.320 --> 0:14:32.640 when you play in the Big Twelve. What an awesome 0:14:32.640 --> 0:14:36.840 opportunity and viewing it that way and. 0:14:36.680 --> 0:14:38.280 Preparing the way that we prepared. 0:14:38.800 --> 0:14:41.200 You know again, I think I think we're more prepared 0:14:41.200 --> 0:14:43.960 this year than we've been going into it the last 0:14:44.000 --> 0:14:45.560 couple Are there. 0:14:45.440 --> 0:14:48.080 Any NBA draft picks out there that you can add 0:14:48.120 --> 0:14:53.800 to your roster like Baylor did last week? I mean, 0:14:53.800 --> 0:14:57.280 what did you think of that? I mean, if you 0:14:57.320 --> 0:14:58.960 can do it, more power to you. I do not 0:14:59.000 --> 0:15:01.800 blame Baylor, don't get just seems crazy. 0:15:01.920 --> 0:15:04.680 I don't have a problem with Scott or Baylor, you know, but. 0:15:06.120 --> 0:15:10.320 I just there's just been times it felt like since COVID, right, 0:15:10.400 --> 0:15:14.200 like whatever COVID hit, it's felt like whatever the rules 0:15:14.240 --> 0:15:16.880 are of college basketball. 0:15:16.720 --> 0:15:19.040 Well they make new ones, and they make new ones. 0:15:19.080 --> 0:15:20.640 It's it's like every month it changes. 0:15:20.720 --> 0:15:23.640 And and this is just another example like you can't 0:15:23.680 --> 0:15:28.200 even you can't strategize about rules because they what are 0:15:28.240 --> 0:15:30.440 the rules, you know, and every time you think there are, 0:15:30.480 --> 0:15:33.640 they change. So it's just another example of the chaos 0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:38.440 and the unpredictability and the direction that the sports it's been. 0:15:38.760 --> 0:15:41.040 It's just been chaos, and that's all I can say 0:15:41.040 --> 0:15:43.320 about it. There's another another really good example. 0:15:43.920 --> 0:15:47.040 You have went to a more full court pressure, more 0:15:47.120 --> 0:15:48.920 based on the talent that you have on the floor 0:15:48.960 --> 0:15:50.480 in the lineups you have on the floor. Obviously you 0:15:50.560 --> 0:15:53.640 do everything based on your lineups, but it seems as 0:15:53.640 --> 0:15:56.720 if you go into full court pressure sort of unlocks 0:15:56.720 --> 0:16:00.920 the gift of Buck, Harris Day Day and Gisel James. 0:16:01.160 --> 0:16:03.960 It seems like they like they communicate a lot more 0:16:04.000 --> 0:16:05.760 than any other of your back court mates. When they're 0:16:05.760 --> 0:16:08.000 on the floor together, They're always looking and pointing at 0:16:08.040 --> 0:16:11.360 each other. They're always doing mind games and talking nonverbally 0:16:11.400 --> 0:16:13.640 to each other as if they understand what other people. 0:16:14.240 --> 0:16:16.640 They understand what they're gonna do as a team. Have 0:16:16.720 --> 0:16:19.720 they worked on that in practice or just something? Is 0:16:19.720 --> 0:16:22.240 it just chemistry that they have from playing together. 0:16:23.240 --> 0:16:25.560 No. I think when we started in the summer, I 0:16:25.600 --> 0:16:28.560 think we thought that ball pressure could be a huge, 0:16:30.920 --> 0:16:34.160 a huge component of this team, and that you'd be 0:16:34.160 --> 0:16:36.680 able to play multiple guards together that could really get 0:16:36.720 --> 0:16:40.040 after the ball and pick up ninety four feet. And 0:16:40.320 --> 0:16:42.360 as you said, there's just some lineups that doesn't make 0:16:42.400 --> 0:16:45.320 as much sense, but we thought there'd be quite a 0:16:45.360 --> 0:16:47.280 few that it does. In the one year speaking of 0:16:47.360 --> 0:16:48.960 it makes quite a bit of sense for sure. 0:16:49.480 --> 0:16:52.520 Halven Zella gave you an energy boost in the Clemson 0:16:52.640 --> 0:16:55.200 game and then last night and as limited minutes six 0:16:55.240 --> 0:16:58.480 point six rebounds. Are you getting exactly what you're looking 0:16:58.480 --> 0:16:59.040 for out of him? 0:16:59.720 --> 0:16:59.880 Well? 0:17:00.080 --> 0:17:05.359 I just think that you know, people, I think in 0:17:05.400 --> 0:17:09.280 today's age forget that. You know, these guys are still 0:17:09.400 --> 0:17:13.000 very young players. Right, there's eighteen, nineteen, twenty twenty one 0:17:13.040 --> 0:17:16.480 years old. You know, if you just keep working and 0:17:16.520 --> 0:17:19.520 they have the right mentality, they're going to keep improving 0:17:19.840 --> 0:17:21.600 that they're doing their part, We're doing our part. 0:17:21.600 --> 0:17:22.520 They're going to keep improving. 0:17:22.600 --> 0:17:26.040 He and Halvin just keeps improving. So yeah, I'm not 0:17:26.080 --> 0:17:31.399 surprised with Tyler's injury. It's been much needed production. But 0:17:31.480 --> 0:17:33.280 I think there's even more in there from Halvin. I 0:17:33.280 --> 0:17:35.960 think his finishing can improve. I think he still gets 0:17:36.000 --> 0:17:38.720 a little nervous sometimes around the basket. He's a good finisher. 0:17:39.680 --> 0:17:41.879 He actually has some ability to pass and has some 0:17:42.000 --> 0:17:44.600 skill that it hasn't come out yet. So I think 0:17:44.640 --> 0:17:46.359 there's a lot more in there. But the rebounding and 0:17:46.440 --> 0:17:48.280 the defense has been very important to us. 0:17:48.680 --> 0:17:50.840 Uh My son TJ's got this new dog and he 0:17:50.920 --> 0:17:52.560 trains it every day and he treats it like a 0:17:52.600 --> 0:17:54.800 football player, because if the dog doesn't want to train, 0:17:54.920 --> 0:17:57.720 doesn't feed it. It's like, come on, man, what's doesn't 0:17:57.720 --> 0:17:59.280 get a water or anything like that. But when I 0:17:59.320 --> 0:18:03.720 see your top dog defensively, Buck Harris, do you have 0:18:03.840 --> 0:18:07.520 to reel him in at times? Because when you unlease 0:18:07.640 --> 0:18:12.240 him out there, he wants to play aggressive from baseline 0:18:12.320 --> 0:18:15.560 or in line to inline and you almost have to say, look, 0:18:15.920 --> 0:18:18.880 let us get into the flow before you start pressuring 0:18:18.920 --> 0:18:21.360 and getting files that are seventy feet away from the basket. 0:18:21.520 --> 0:18:22.760 Do you have to reel him in or you just 0:18:22.840 --> 0:18:23.919 let him be who he is? 0:18:24.600 --> 0:18:26.840 I think it's a little bit of both, right, Terry. 0:18:26.880 --> 0:18:29.959 I think number one, I want him to be that 0:18:30.080 --> 0:18:34.840 relentless competitor all the time, and he's very capable of that, 0:18:34.880 --> 0:18:36.959 and at times he's been able to execute that. But 0:18:37.080 --> 0:18:41.160 just to be relentlessly competitive at all times, I don't 0:18:41.160 --> 0:18:44.560 want to ever reel that in. But you know, continuing 0:18:44.600 --> 0:18:48.840 to have good discipline, improve his decision making, improve his 0:18:48.920 --> 0:18:51.119 pace with the basketball, play to his strengths. 0:18:51.480 --> 0:18:54.040 I think those are the areas that we're trying. 0:18:54.080 --> 0:18:55.520 I don't know if reeling is the right word, but 0:18:55.560 --> 0:18:58.080 trying to coach, and I think at times he's shun 0:18:58.119 --> 0:18:59.240 great development there. 0:19:00.000 --> 0:19:02.200 All right, I have a very minor bone to pick 0:19:02.240 --> 0:19:02.480 with you. 0:19:02.600 --> 0:19:04.120 Are you ready I'm handling. 0:19:05.000 --> 0:19:10.040 I want to see Grant Darby Shire score. So when 0:19:10.080 --> 0:19:13.240 he's in the game. I appreciate the fact that when 0:19:13.240 --> 0:19:15.399 you're inside it thirty seconds to go, you tell the 0:19:15.400 --> 0:19:17.680 guys no more shooting. The game is over. We've won. 0:19:18.160 --> 0:19:20.160 But I think you should make an exception for him. 0:19:20.160 --> 0:19:23.600 He's never scored in his career between Kentucky and Cincinnati, 0:19:24.119 --> 0:19:26.920 so if he's in the game, that rule goes down 0:19:27.000 --> 0:19:28.440