WEBVTT - More Than The Power Four with Rob Knox 0:00:00.640 --> 0:00:02.719 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we can't 0:00:02.720 --> 0:00:05.920 stop watching the clip of American tennis player Danielle Collins 0:00:06.160 --> 0:00:09.240 heckling the hostile crowd at the Australian Open when I 0:00:09.440 --> 0:00:14.240 say our jaws dropped. It's Friday, January seventeenth, and on 0:00:14.240 --> 0:00:16.400 today's show, we'll be talking to basketball writer for the 0:00:16.400 --> 0:00:19.080 Next Rob Knox about the front runners for Women's College 0:00:19.079 --> 0:00:21.360 Player of the Year, the under the radar stars you 0:00:21.400 --> 0:00:24.160 need to know about and HBCUs that could make noise 0:00:24.160 --> 0:00:27.640 in the NCAA Tourney. Plus no love in this tennis match, 0:00:27.920 --> 0:00:30.880 rule changes you need to know before Unrivaled tips off tonight, 0:00:31.240 --> 0:00:34.000 plus your chance to own a slice. It's all coming 0:00:34.080 --> 0:00:51.080 up right after this Happy Friday welcome back. Here's what 0:00:51.120 --> 0:00:55.360 you need to know today in Pro hoops news. 0:00:55.560 --> 0:00:58.240 Unrivaled tips off tonight. That's right. 0:00:58.280 --> 0:01:00.640 The new three on three League holds its first two games, 0:01:00.680 --> 0:01:03.800 starting at seven pm Eastern with Missed BC against Lunar 0:01:03.840 --> 0:01:07.600 owls BC, followed by ROSEBC and Vinyl BC at eight 0:01:07.640 --> 0:01:10.640 to fifteen. Both games will be broadcast live on TNT 0:01:11.160 --> 0:01:13.720 and no none of the teams are from BC British Columbia. 0:01:13.800 --> 0:01:17.160 That stands for Basketball Club. Unrivaled rules and format are 0:01:17.200 --> 0:01:19.319 a little different from what we've seen in the WNBA 0:01:19.480 --> 0:01:22.080 and in Olympic three x three competition, so we'll link 0:01:22.080 --> 0:01:23.559 to a post in our show notes from the folks 0:01:23.600 --> 0:01:27.240 that just women's sports that explains some key differences, including 0:01:27.280 --> 0:01:30.120 one big one. There are three seven minute quarters and 0:01:30.160 --> 0:01:33.200 then a winning score fourth quarter where they add eleven 0:01:33.240 --> 0:01:35.760 points to the winning team's score, and then that's the 0:01:35.800 --> 0:01:38.120 total a team needs to hit to win the game. 0:01:38.440 --> 0:01:40.479 So let's say it's a forty to thirty eight game 0:01:40.560 --> 0:01:43.560 through three quarters, the first team to fifty one wins 0:01:43.600 --> 0:01:46.560 it walk off style. It's that whole elam ending that 0:01:46.600 --> 0:01:48.680 I mentioned in a previous show, and I swear I 0:01:48.680 --> 0:01:50.080 didn't know that they were using it. 0:01:50.400 --> 0:01:52.600 I think the Unrivaled folks just read my mind. They 0:01:52.640 --> 0:01:54.440 know I love an elam ending. You can check the 0:01:54.480 --> 0:01:54.760 link in. 0:01:54.760 --> 0:01:57.360 The show notes to read about the other rule differences. Also, 0:01:57.440 --> 0:02:00.600 Unrivaled announced that seven sports bars in seven cities across 0:02:00.600 --> 0:02:03.240 the US will air all of the twenty twenty five 0:02:03.320 --> 0:02:06.960 Unrivaled games and host official watch parties during the season, 0:02:07.200 --> 0:02:10.400 beginning with tonight's tip off. The locations include a Bar 0:02:10.480 --> 0:02:13.720 of their own in Minneapolis, Blue Haven South in New York, 0:02:14.040 --> 0:02:17.040 Grails and Miami, The ninety nine Ers Sports Bar and 0:02:17.120 --> 0:02:20.880 Denver The Sports Bra in Portland, Watch Me Sports Bar 0:02:20.960 --> 0:02:24.280 in Long Beach, California, and Whiskey Girl Tavern in Chicago. 0:02:24.680 --> 0:02:27.200 Each bar will get watch party kits thanks to Unrivaled 0:02:27.240 --> 0:02:30.480 and Ally Financial, one of the league's founding partners, and 0:02:30.480 --> 0:02:34.400 they'll feature cheer items and merch for fans. Speaking of cheering, 0:02:34.440 --> 0:02:36.880 By the way, I gotta start talking about my squad, Phantom, 0:02:37.120 --> 0:02:39.240 We by far have the best name for our fans. 0:02:39.240 --> 0:02:40.160 We actually have a couple. 0:02:40.320 --> 0:02:44.639 It's either the fandom with pH Ghost Gang, or, as 0:02:44.639 --> 0:02:46.520 Satoosabaly said, the Ghosties. 0:02:47.280 --> 0:02:49.680 Sorry, y'all, you can't compete with us. You can't. 0:02:50.240 --> 0:02:52.960 In volleyball news, we've got more League one volleyball going 0:02:53.040 --> 0:02:55.520 down tonight. Love Salt Lake and Love Madison hit the 0:02:55.520 --> 0:02:58.600 court at Wisconsin Fieldhouse at nine pm Eastern. You can 0:02:58.639 --> 0:03:02.840 catch that action on ESP More Vibes. The Pro Volleyball 0:03:02.919 --> 0:03:05.040 Federation has a match later in the night between the 0:03:05.040 --> 0:03:08.720 Omaha Supernovas and the Vegas Thrill at Lee's Family Forum. 0:03:08.760 --> 0:03:10.880 That one starts at ten pm Eastern you can watch 0:03:10.880 --> 0:03:14.840 on YouTube. And speaking of the Omaha Supernovas, news broke 0:03:14.880 --> 0:03:18.520 on Thursday that there is yet another volleyball league starting 0:03:18.560 --> 0:03:22.480 next year, Major League Volleyball, and that the Omaha Supernovas 0:03:22.520 --> 0:03:25.320 will be leaving the PVF to join that new league. 0:03:25.880 --> 0:03:27.639 Let's just say, we have a lot of questions about 0:03:27.680 --> 0:03:30.640 how many startup professional volleyball leagues one country can have, 0:03:31.280 --> 0:03:34.920 especially with so few dedicated volleyball reporters and outlets to 0:03:34.960 --> 0:03:37.560 cover them. We're going to address that down the road. 0:03:38.120 --> 0:03:41.120 In WNBA news, the Indiana Fever are getting a dedicated, 0:03:41.200 --> 0:03:44.040 seventy eight million dollars world class sports performance center in 0:03:44.120 --> 0:03:47.880 downtown Indianapolis. Pacer Sports and Entertainment, the company behind the Fever, 0:03:47.960 --> 0:03:50.080 released plans to break ground on the center in August. 0:03:50.280 --> 0:03:53.480 They planned open doors before the twenty twenty seven WNBA season. 0:03:53.760 --> 0:03:56.920 Three stories, one hundred and eight thousand square feet, connected 0:03:56.920 --> 0:03:59.480 to Gainbridge Field House by a skybridge. 0:03:58.840 --> 0:04:00.720 And a bunch of amenities. 0:04:01.080 --> 0:04:04.000 Two regulation sized courts with strength and conditioning equipment, a 0:04:04.080 --> 0:04:07.440 Yogan palates area, a spat like retreat with massages, an 0:04:07.480 --> 0:04:11.400 infrared light therapy sauna, steam and heat studios, a float tank, 0:04:11.480 --> 0:04:15.600 hydrotherapy pools, private outdoor courtyard, mental performance space, is a 0:04:15.640 --> 0:04:19.560 hair and nail salon, childcare space, a podcasting content production studio. 0:04:19.640 --> 0:04:22.680 This place is going to have everything, and they thought 0:04:22.680 --> 0:04:24.320 of the fans. The center is going to have a 0:04:24.320 --> 0:04:28.000 Fever team store and offer some exclusive fan experiences. Some 0:04:28.080 --> 0:04:31.040 cool responses to this, including from unrestricted free agent most 0:04:31.040 --> 0:04:34.080 recently with the Las Vegas Aces Alicia Clark, who tweeted 0:04:34.120 --> 0:04:37.040 about the facility news quote, all these w teams investing 0:04:37.040 --> 0:04:39.520 in their own facilities. You love to see it. The 0:04:39.600 --> 0:04:43.160 days of practicing in churches, old community centers, and schools 0:04:43.240 --> 0:04:45.640 is coming to an end. This is the investment the 0:04:45.720 --> 0:04:48.040 OGS have pushed for since the inception of the league. 0:04:48.160 --> 0:04:48.760 End quote. 0:04:48.839 --> 0:04:51.120 Clark went on quote The thing I really love is 0:04:51.120 --> 0:04:53.200 that this younger generation of players, who have now been 0:04:53.240 --> 0:04:55.760 passed the torch to carry this league forward, won't have 0:04:55.800 --> 0:04:58.080 to know what it feels like sleeping in an airport 0:04:58.120 --> 0:05:00.440 because of a delay. What being told not to go 0:05:00.480 --> 0:05:03.400 one hundred percent on a court because the court isn't safe. 0:05:03.520 --> 0:05:05.280 What having to move out of a locker room after 0:05:05.360 --> 0:05:08.520 every season feels like? What not having the proper resources 0:05:08.520 --> 0:05:10.800 and still showing up and thriving at your job. Feels 0:05:10.839 --> 0:05:14.599 like all they'll know is professionalism and professional treatment, and 0:05:14.640 --> 0:05:15.560 I love that for them. 0:05:16.040 --> 0:05:16.719 End quote. 0:05:17.120 --> 0:05:20.240 Sky's the limit for players with the kind of resources, facilities, 0:05:20.279 --> 0:05:23.040 and treatment that men athletes have been getting for decades, 0:05:23.760 --> 0:05:26.200 as for the players that will use that Fever facility. 0:05:26.480 --> 0:05:28.960 On Thursday, the team extended a core qualifying offer to 0:05:29.000 --> 0:05:32.320 guard Kelsey Mitchell, giving the team exclusive negotiating rights tour. 0:05:32.640 --> 0:05:36.000 In return, Mitchell gets a guaranteed supermax offer around two 0:05:36.040 --> 0:05:38.680 hundred and forty nine thousand for the twenty twenty five season. 0:05:39.040 --> 0:05:41.120 The core offer makes a ton of sense. The two 0:05:41.160 --> 0:05:42.800 time All Star has been a key piece for the 0:05:42.800 --> 0:05:44.760 Fever and is one of the top free agents available 0:05:44.800 --> 0:05:47.120 this offseason. She joined the squad is the number two 0:05:47.200 --> 0:05:49.360 draft pick in twenty eighteen, and spend the team's leading 0:05:49.360 --> 0:05:52.520 scorer in five a first seven seasons. Mitchell and Katelon 0:05:52.560 --> 0:05:54.520 Clark were one of the most efficient backcourts in the 0:05:54.600 --> 0:05:57.520 league in twenty twenty four, both averaging nineteen point three 0:05:57.520 --> 0:06:00.880 points per game. To College Hoops, the NCDA AZE membership 0:06:01.000 --> 0:06:05.280 unanimously voted to approve paying women's basketball teams. Quote unquote 0:06:05.320 --> 0:06:08.839 performance units for playing games in the NCAA Tournament each March, 0:06:09.160 --> 0:06:11.840 just like the men have four years. The units will 0:06:11.880 --> 0:06:14.280 be distributed to women's teams playing in the tournament starting 0:06:14.320 --> 0:06:16.320 this year, and a team that reaches the final four 0:06:16.320 --> 0:06:19.159 could bring its conference roughly one point twenty six million 0:06:19.200 --> 0:06:22.440 dollars Over the next three years in financial rewards, fifteen 0:06:22.480 --> 0:06:24.719 million in total will be awarded to the teams. That's 0:06:24.760 --> 0:06:27.440 twenty six percent of the current women's basketball media revenue 0:06:27.440 --> 0:06:30.400 deal and on par with what men's basketball teams received 0:06:30.480 --> 0:06:33.320 the first year at the Performance Units program was established 0:06:33.360 --> 0:06:35.520 in nineteen ninety one. That total will grow to twenty 0:06:35.600 --> 0:06:38.040 five million, or forty one percent of the revenue by 0:06:38.080 --> 0:06:40.200 twenty twenty eight. You can read more about the vote 0:06:40.240 --> 0:06:42.640 and what it means moving forward at the link, and 0:06:42.720 --> 0:06:45.560 our show notes more college hoops. We're looking forward to 0:06:45.560 --> 0:06:48.479 a top twenty five matchup between number ten TCU and 0:06:48.560 --> 0:06:51.320 number twenty three Utah tonight at seven thirty pm Eastern 0:06:51.520 --> 0:06:54.320 that'll stream live on ESPN Plus. There's a whole bunch 0:06:54.360 --> 0:06:55.960 of ranked teams in action over the weekend too, so 0:06:56.000 --> 0:06:58.400 we'll link to the full college basketball schedule in our 0:06:58.440 --> 0:07:01.880 show Notes to Hockey. The Women's bean Pot Championship is 0:07:01.920 --> 0:07:05.240 set to take place between Northeastern and Boston University Tuesday, 0:07:05.320 --> 0:07:08.240 January twenty first at TD Garden. Now puck drops on 0:07:08.279 --> 0:07:10.120 the final at seven thirty eastern, but if you buy 0:07:10.160 --> 0:07:12.200 a ticket, you could also take in the third place 0:07:12.240 --> 0:07:15.080 game between Boston College and Harvard at four thirty eastern 0:07:15.400 --> 0:07:17.480 and get a chance to take pictures with some players 0:07:17.520 --> 0:07:20.800 from the Pro Women's Hockey League AKAPWHL that'll be in 0:07:20.840 --> 0:07:23.360 attendance during the intermission between the games. We got to 0:07:23.360 --> 0:07:26.040 give a shout out to Certified Slice Molly Pritz, who's 0:07:26.040 --> 0:07:28.280 been working with a group called Boston Unites to bring 0:07:28.320 --> 0:07:31.200 the four competing schools together with the community to fill 0:07:31.240 --> 0:07:33.720 Ted Garden with fans. These are the same folks who 0:07:33.680 --> 0:07:35.800 helped fill the garden for the Connecticut Sun game there 0:07:35.880 --> 0:07:36.480 last summer. 0:07:36.720 --> 0:07:38.240 We love this excellent stuff. 0:07:38.560 --> 0:07:41.240 First round game between Northeastern and Boston College Tuesday night 0:07:41.280 --> 0:07:44.720 at the Huskies Matthew's Arena was standing room only thirty 0:07:44.760 --> 0:07:46.920 two hundred and ninety eight people, making for the largest 0:07:46.920 --> 0:07:49.040 crowd at a campus site game in Women's bean Pot 0:07:49.080 --> 0:07:51.640 history and the largest at a home game in Northeastern 0:07:51.680 --> 0:07:54.480 women's hockey history. Congrats to them on that, and we've 0:07:54.520 --> 0:07:56.200 dropped a link to where you can snag tickets to 0:07:56.240 --> 0:07:59.680 Tuesday's games in our show notes. Finally, some pro soccer news, 0:08:00.040 --> 0:08:02.360 Dan and midfielder Quinn is set to sign with Vancouver 0:08:02.440 --> 0:08:05.120 Rise FC of the Northern Super League, sources tell the 0:08:05.120 --> 0:08:08.240 Equalizers Jeff kassoof the move comes after Quinn opted not 0:08:08.320 --> 0:08:10.640 to re sign with the Seattle Rain. They played the 0:08:10.680 --> 0:08:14.040 last four NWSL seasons with the Rain, winning the NWSL 0:08:14.080 --> 0:08:16.080 shield in twenty twenty two and making it to the 0:08:16.160 --> 0:08:19.280 championship match in twenty twenty three. They're an Olympic gold 0:08:19.280 --> 0:08:21.920 medalist with more than one hundred appearances for the Canadian 0:08:22.000 --> 0:08:24.120 national team and have featured on the squad for the 0:08:24.120 --> 0:08:28.080 past three Olympic Games and the past two Women's World Cups. Meantime, 0:08:28.360 --> 0:08:31.520 more soccer news, multiple outlets are reporting that another big 0:08:31.600 --> 0:08:34.600 name NWSL player could be headed out of the country. 0:08:34.880 --> 0:08:37.000 Naomi Germa could be on the move. 0:08:37.480 --> 0:08:40.120 Chelsea of the Women's Super League in England are rumored 0:08:40.160 --> 0:08:41.960 to be leading the fight for the rights to Germa. 0:08:42.080 --> 0:08:44.079 No official news as of this taping. We'll keep you 0:08:44.160 --> 0:08:47.800 updated we got to take a quick break. 0:08:47.800 --> 0:08:50.040 When we come back, we're talking to college basketball player 0:08:50.080 --> 0:08:52.200 of the Year race and mid major teams we should know. 0:08:52.360 --> 0:08:53.480 With Rob Knox. 0:09:02.920 --> 0:09:06.080 Joining us now, he covers HBCU women's basketball for the 0:09:06.120 --> 0:09:08.880 next He's been published in outlets including Slam Magazine, The 0:09:08.920 --> 0:09:12.120 Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Washington Post, and he's an adjunct 0:09:12.120 --> 0:09:15.280 instructor at Temple University. He was a longtime college sports 0:09:15.320 --> 0:09:19.520 information director and communications professional, former president of KOSIDA, now 0:09:19.559 --> 0:09:22.120 known as CSC. He was honored by the NCAA and 0:09:22.120 --> 0:09:24.839 twenty twenty two with its Championship Diversity and Inclusion Award, 0:09:25.080 --> 0:09:27.320 and he's in the Lincoln University Hall of Fame for 0:09:27.400 --> 0:09:28.400 his work as an SID. 0:09:28.440 --> 0:09:29.880 There. Coming on the show will. 0:09:29.720 --> 0:09:32.319 Afford him a brief break from tweeting about his Eagles 0:09:32.320 --> 0:09:34.120 and the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. 0:09:34.240 --> 0:09:36.600 It's Rob Knox. Thanks for joining us, Rob. 0:09:36.840 --> 0:09:38.360 Hey, thank you for having me, Sarah. 0:09:38.480 --> 0:09:41.360 I am honored to be here today, and you know 0:09:41.480 --> 0:09:45.480 I am at day one slice, So yes, this is outsteady. 0:09:45.520 --> 0:09:48.320 To have this opportunity to spend some time with you today. 0:09:48.760 --> 0:09:51.440 Awesome. We love to hear it. I want to start 0:09:51.480 --> 0:09:52.040 big picture. 0:09:52.080 --> 0:09:54.600 Maybe some of the names folks know, the biggest names 0:09:54.600 --> 0:09:57.400 in women's college hoops, the front runners for national Player 0:09:57.440 --> 0:09:57.840 of the year. 0:09:58.000 --> 0:09:59.319 Who's on your list? 0:10:00.000 --> 0:10:01.680 We need to say that for everybody else's list. 0:10:03.520 --> 0:10:07.840 You know, Hannah Hidalgo, Juju Watkins, Page Beckers, you know, 0:10:07.960 --> 0:10:11.120 Laura Betts. Uh, those are probably the top names. And 0:10:11.559 --> 0:10:14.280 how lucky were we this year to you know, have 0:10:14.360 --> 0:10:17.760 those matchups right, to have Hanna Hidago go against so 0:10:18.360 --> 0:10:20.800 Juju and Paige and vice versa. You know they you know, 0:10:20.920 --> 0:10:23.360 Dori Day USC and you kind of all played each 0:10:23.360 --> 0:10:25.960 other this year, which was outstanding for everybody. And then 0:10:26.320 --> 0:10:29.000 I'm maybe a little by just because of my geographical location, 0:10:29.160 --> 0:10:33.320 but I'm a huge Cheyenne Sellers and Kaylee's Michael fann 0:10:33.320 --> 0:10:35.480 at at versa of Maryland. I mean, I know they won't, 0:10:35.520 --> 0:10:37.760 you know, necessarily be considered for Player of the Year, 0:10:38.280 --> 0:10:41.640 but I think Cheyenne and Kayleen are one of the 0:10:41.640 --> 0:10:43.960 best duels in the country. And uh, you know, I 0:10:43.960 --> 0:10:46.600 had the opportunity last week to cover the USC Maryland 0:10:46.600 --> 0:10:49.520 game and write about Cheyennes on w b A Prospects, 0:10:49.520 --> 0:10:52.360 and uh and go and and go really deep dive 0:10:52.480 --> 0:10:54.680 on on wish he breaks to the game. 0:10:55.280 --> 0:10:58.520 Yeah, I wonder if you think the success of the 0:10:58.600 --> 0:11:01.199 teams will have an impact down the stretch on who 0:11:01.280 --> 0:11:05.319 ultimately wins this award, because I think you know, Page 0:11:05.320 --> 0:11:08.679 and Yukon have a real high upside, but we have 0:11:08.760 --> 0:11:11.080 seen them not be able to finish against the best 0:11:11.080 --> 0:11:13.920 teams this year. You've got a team like Notre Dame 0:11:14.160 --> 0:11:16.440 that got a couple first place votes in the AP 0:11:16.640 --> 0:11:20.040 rankings this week trying to steal that spot from UCLA, 0:11:20.520 --> 0:11:23.280 where Hidalgo might get some points for that, but also 0:11:23.280 --> 0:11:25.880 Olivia Miles is so strong, does that take away from 0:11:25.920 --> 0:11:28.840 her case? Like how do you see the final stretch 0:11:28.880 --> 0:11:30.400 of this season affecting the odds? 0:11:30.760 --> 0:11:32.800 That's a really good question, really good thought process. 0:11:32.840 --> 0:11:35.360 And you know, as somebody that has you know, spent 0:11:35.440 --> 0:11:38.280 my time on numerous committees and voted and obviously been 0:11:38.320 --> 0:11:40.679 on at least a Leslie a ward committee is always 0:11:40.760 --> 0:11:43.280 hard because because you do get to a point where 0:11:43.320 --> 0:11:46.440 you are kind of picky Straws that said, well, you know, 0:11:46.600 --> 0:11:49.880 hit the head, but then they all you know, Page backers, 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:52.280 oh and too against Dori, David usc and you know, 0:11:52.320 --> 0:11:56.880 obviously Noyi Day beat USC, so I tende lean slightly 0:11:56.960 --> 0:12:00.600 towards Dago based on that, you know, just they hit 0:12:00.640 --> 0:12:03.440 the hit day. But I do think team success is important. 0:12:03.640 --> 0:12:05.360 Sometimes it feels like U kind does have a built 0:12:05.360 --> 0:12:08.640 in a vege because they are they are probably hit 0:12:08.720 --> 0:12:10.680 the shows above every team in the Big East this year, 0:12:11.480 --> 0:12:17.160 whereas Juju is going to be navigating a minefield. And yeah, 0:12:17.360 --> 0:12:20.760 same thing with Hannah and the ACC. So I think 0:12:20.760 --> 0:12:23.160 deep success does play a part in it. But I 0:12:23.160 --> 0:12:25.719 also think that Juju as well. I mean, if she 0:12:25.800 --> 0:12:28.280 has another game like he had Sunday and strings and 0:12:28.320 --> 0:12:31.480 feurials consistently together, it'd be hard to argue against her. 0:12:31.920 --> 0:12:35.960 Right now, that would say, mid mid season, Hannah Hadago 0:12:36.080 --> 0:12:37.280 by a slider EDG. 0:12:37.960 --> 0:12:39.839 Yeah, it feels like that's where people are leaning. You've 0:12:39.840 --> 0:12:41.640 been in the rooms having these conversations. 0:12:41.679 --> 0:12:42.280 I'm curious. 0:12:42.320 --> 0:12:44.560 You know, we talk a lot, and in my many 0:12:44.640 --> 0:12:48.679 years doing ESPN National Radio covering all the biggest stories, 0:12:48.920 --> 0:12:52.000 we talked a lot about In NBA MVP, it was 0:12:52.080 --> 0:12:55.800 like whose turn is it right? There was reluctance to 0:12:55.880 --> 0:12:58.360 give someone the same award multiple years in a row, 0:12:58.440 --> 0:13:00.600 or there was a lot of conversation about well, who's 0:13:00.679 --> 0:13:05.040 hot right now? Who's interesting in the women's college basketball space. 0:13:05.360 --> 0:13:09.480 Do you think conversations that people have affect their voting 0:13:09.480 --> 0:13:11.640 in the same way, because you know, like you mentioned, 0:13:11.840 --> 0:13:14.280 this is an individual award, but people might be trying 0:13:14.320 --> 0:13:17.199 to take team success as some sort of indication of 0:13:17.240 --> 0:13:19.280 whether that individual steps up. You look at someone like 0:13:19.320 --> 0:13:21.679 Paige Yukon hasn't been able to finish, but she has 0:13:21.679 --> 0:13:24.920 been a model of efficiency. She has been the player 0:13:25.000 --> 0:13:27.160 that shows up in those games even when other players 0:13:27.200 --> 0:13:29.840 are injured or they've struggled to find cohesion. And so 0:13:30.200 --> 0:13:32.160 is there an extra bonus for that as opposed to 0:13:32.200 --> 0:13:34.440 Hannah who gets to lean on someone like Olivia who's 0:13:34.440 --> 0:13:36.600 going to be a superstar next to where every game? 0:13:36.760 --> 0:13:39.960 How much do those conversations get in people's heads when 0:13:39.960 --> 0:13:42.679 they're making these decisions versus looking at box score? How 0:13:42.720 --> 0:13:44.840 much are you looking at eye tests versus numbers? 0:13:45.360 --> 0:13:47.840 I prefer the eye test, boys, so did the numbers, 0:13:47.880 --> 0:13:51.160 because numbers can be skewed however you want them to look. 0:13:51.600 --> 0:13:54.000 One of the blessings have been an sid for so 0:13:54.040 --> 0:13:57.160 many years and work in basketball is you have conversations 0:13:57.160 --> 0:14:00.720 with basketball coaches or you spend time with them watching 0:14:00.800 --> 0:14:03.440 film where you see them breaking down different things that 0:14:03.480 --> 0:14:06.600 you have those different intangible conversations, right, And I think 0:14:06.600 --> 0:14:08.400 we're all guilty of it when it comes to page 0:14:08.440 --> 0:14:10.560 back because the excellence is taken for granted. And I 0:14:10.559 --> 0:14:14.240 think sometimes people when somebody is at a high level 0:14:14.400 --> 0:14:16.760 consistently like they, oh, okay, that's page well, she's supposed 0:14:16.760 --> 0:14:17.840 to get twenty five and so. 0:14:17.760 --> 0:14:21.000 Smooth, so smooth. She makes it look too easy. 0:14:21.040 --> 0:14:23.120 It's like, girl, make it look harder, so we realize 0:14:23.120 --> 0:14:24.520 what you're doing exactly. 0:14:24.600 --> 0:14:27.320 That's so true, and so I think sometimes she becomes 0:14:27.880 --> 0:14:30.880 a victim of that. Obviously, last year there wasn't much 0:14:30.920 --> 0:14:34.400 debate about who the Player of the Year was. But 0:14:34.400 --> 0:14:36.880 but again she she was somebody where you could say 0:14:37.880 --> 0:14:40.320 eye test or the numbers, right, because she was kind 0:14:40.320 --> 0:14:43.440 of doing both both and you're just like and then 0:14:43.600 --> 0:14:45.480 you look at it to you again, like South Carolina 0:14:45.520 --> 0:14:49.760 that went undefeated last year where the sum was greater 0:14:49.840 --> 0:14:52.360 than that whole right. So yes, so it was always 0:14:52.400 --> 0:14:55.200 the internal internal battle when it comes for you know, 0:14:55.320 --> 0:14:56.640 these types of the awards. 0:14:56.760 --> 0:14:59.560 Yeah, for sure, it is fun this year. Last year, 0:14:59.560 --> 0:15:01.440 like you said, Taitlin Clark kind of running away with it. 0:15:01.520 --> 0:15:04.600 To have this trio or quartet of players that are 0:15:04.600 --> 0:15:07.040 all really in the mix. Let's look beyond that, though, 0:15:07.080 --> 0:15:09.400 because there's got to be some stars that are flying 0:15:09.480 --> 0:15:12.040 under the radar. Who's having a standout year in women's 0:15:12.040 --> 0:15:14.120 college hoops that you think isn't getting talked about enough. 0:15:14.440 --> 0:15:18.640 I'm Michi, Kayleen and Cheyenne at Maryland, and you know, 0:15:18.720 --> 0:15:21.440 it's really interesting and I know we'll you know, talk 0:15:21.480 --> 0:15:25.000 to HBCU hoops a little later. But Alabama's leading scorer now, 0:15:25.160 --> 0:15:28.880 Zay Green. She's leading them and scoring and assist at 0:15:28.880 --> 0:15:31.040 sixty eight pointy seven points a game, and they you know, 0:15:31.120 --> 0:15:33.560 she's used to the SEC because she started her career. 0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:36.280 I wanted to say she started at Tennessee, then transferred 0:15:36.280 --> 0:15:38.920 to Texas A and m then transferred to Arkansas Pine 0:15:38.960 --> 0:15:41.480 Bluff before coming back to Alabama, and then you go 0:15:41.520 --> 0:15:43.240 go to West Virginia. I had the opportunity to see 0:15:43.240 --> 0:15:46.680 West Virginia play in person earlier this year, and I 0:15:46.720 --> 0:15:47.120 came away. 0:15:47.160 --> 0:15:47.600 It's funny. 0:15:47.600 --> 0:15:50.160 I went into the game like excited to see JJ Quinley, 0:15:50.240 --> 0:15:53.560 and she's she's phenomenal, She's dynamic, she's a bulldog. She's tenacious, 0:15:55.080 --> 0:15:57.120 but with her just coming back from an injury that 0:15:57.200 --> 0:15:59.800 force to the missed a game earlier this year, I left, 0:16:00.440 --> 0:16:03.520 I left that gay you know, raven about Jordan Harrison. 0:16:03.680 --> 0:16:05.960 I love her, Gabe. I think she's a perfect compliment 0:16:06.040 --> 0:16:08.960 to JJ and I think she's the engine of that 0:16:09.000 --> 0:16:11.800 West Virginia program on both ends of the floor. I 0:16:11.800 --> 0:16:14.960 think she's she's somebody that fins should should get to know. 0:16:15.240 --> 0:16:17.200 I think, you know again, I mean we know about 0:16:17.200 --> 0:16:19.840 how how talented UCLA is obviously a Num. One team 0:16:19.840 --> 0:16:22.520 in the country. It is funny because I don't think 0:16:22.600 --> 0:16:24.560 ke Key Rice has been talked about a lot this year, 0:16:25.680 --> 0:16:27.160 and again I don't know what her numbers are. 0:16:27.200 --> 0:16:29.120 They're good, it's just a part of the It's like 0:16:29.160 --> 0:16:31.440 you said before, like the whole is bigger than the 0:16:31.480 --> 0:16:35.680 sum of its parts. It's it's one of several pieces 0:16:35.720 --> 0:16:37.160 that get it done for them every night. 0:16:37.280 --> 0:16:38.840 Versus her putting up thirty. 0:16:38.760 --> 0:16:41.240 Right at South Carolina, they have the one loss and 0:16:41.280 --> 0:16:44.440 some of those players have taken tremendous leaves by Chloe Hits. 0:16:44.520 --> 0:16:47.800 I mean, man, she's she's been phenomenal this year. 0:16:47.960 --> 0:16:49.600 You know, I got two other ones that stand out 0:16:49.600 --> 0:16:52.000 to me, and one is Tania Latson of Florida State. 0:16:52.040 --> 0:16:55.080 She's leading the NCAA and scoring right now. And you know, 0:16:55.120 --> 0:16:57.920 Florida State, it's a fine team. They're not really gonna 0:16:58.200 --> 0:17:00.240 you know, no one thinks they're going all the way. 0:17:00.520 --> 0:17:04.200 But Tanaya and her ability to consistently score and perform 0:17:04.280 --> 0:17:06.880 every night, it's been really impressive. And then Audie Crooks 0:17:07.280 --> 0:17:10.080 at Iowa State. You know that team. I think they're 0:17:10.200 --> 0:17:14.040 sixth maybe in the Big twelve. Their record isn't super impressive, 0:17:14.080 --> 0:17:16.560 but she's such a fun watch and I think she's 0:17:16.600 --> 0:17:20.720 averaging twenty three something like that points a game. So 0:17:20.840 --> 0:17:23.680 those are two players that I like to watch the highlights. 0:17:23.720 --> 0:17:25.240 I like to hear what they're doing, and I've been 0:17:25.240 --> 0:17:28.679 impressed by what they got. Mesh, just turn their camera 0:17:28.760 --> 0:17:30.800 on what you got me add something? 0:17:31.200 --> 0:17:31.480 Man. 0:17:31.640 --> 0:17:34.160 I gotta give a shout out to Kyomi mc miller 0:17:34.359 --> 0:17:38.200 out of Rutgers folks, we cannot sleep on her either. 0:17:38.280 --> 0:17:41.639 Rutgers is not gonna win the conference, they're probably not 0:17:41.680 --> 0:17:45.560 gonna make the tournament, but she is a walking highlight reel. 0:17:46.320 --> 0:17:48.560 I have a friend Don Patrick, shout out to her. 0:17:48.600 --> 0:17:51.439 Shout out to rising media stars who regularly gets to 0:17:51.480 --> 0:17:53.680 call those games at Wreckers and gets a front row 0:17:53.720 --> 0:17:56.760 seat to just the and one handles that this young 0:17:56.840 --> 0:17:58.840 lady has so definitely want to shout her out. Love 0:17:58.880 --> 0:18:02.520 it and Harmony Turner from Harvard she is just you 0:18:02.520 --> 0:18:03.760 have stuff you want to say about her. 0:18:03.800 --> 0:18:04.879 Rob right now. 0:18:05.000 --> 0:18:07.040 You know she's average of twenty point three points a game, 0:18:07.040 --> 0:18:08.720 in the top twenty in the country at scoring. She 0:18:08.960 --> 0:18:11.320 you know, scored forty one points earlier this year, gets 0:18:11.320 --> 0:18:14.760 so Boston College and you know she she has She 0:18:14.800 --> 0:18:17.480 has definitely set up social media on fire throughout the 0:18:17.520 --> 0:18:20.600 season and a lot of people have two dinner Harvard. 0:18:20.600 --> 0:18:23.800 It is interesting because you you look at Harvard, but 0:18:23.880 --> 0:18:26.560 you look at the IVY League. At the top of 0:18:26.600 --> 0:18:28.560 the IVY League, it's kind of like a Battle of 0:18:28.560 --> 0:18:29.760 War where they. 0:18:29.640 --> 0:18:31.880 Could conceivably get three teams in the tournament. 0:18:31.920 --> 0:18:33.879 I know that sounds funny and crazy because it's the 0:18:33.920 --> 0:18:38.359 IVY League, But with Princeton and Columbia at Harvard, you know, 0:18:38.359 --> 0:18:39.719 Princeton and Columbia win the tournament. 0:18:39.800 --> 0:18:42.320 Last year, Columbia got the I believe Columbia. 0:18:42.000 --> 0:18:44.480 Got the at large last year out the IVY and 0:18:44.560 --> 0:18:47.240 right now in the mid major top twenty five, Harvard, 0:18:47.280 --> 0:18:51.720 Princeton and Columbia two three and four, and Princeton knocked 0:18:51.720 --> 0:18:52.720