April 1, 2026 • 47 mins
ESPN play-by-play announcer Ryan Ruocco joins Sarah to discuss why the four teams still standing in this year's NCAA hoops tournament are clearly a step above the rest, talk about some of the breakout players of the tournament, and share how his signature “You bet!” call came to be. Plus, volleyball at the Friendly Confines, flagging this for the future, and the real bracket challenge enters the chat.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're ditching
our puffy coats and digging into the back of our
closet for those cowboy boots we've been meaning to wear.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
We're headed to Phoenix.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Baby.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
It's Wednesday, March thirty second, and on today's show, we'll
be talking all things March Madness with ESPN play by
play announcer Ryan Ruco. I caught up with them on
Tuesday to discuss why this year's Final four teams were
clearly a step above the rest, talk about some of
the breakout players of the tournament, and learn how his
signature you bet Call came to be. Plus vibes at
the Friendly confines flagging this for the future, and the
(00:32):
real Bracket Challenge enters the chat. It's all coming up
right after this welcome back slices. Here's what you need
to know today. Let's start with college hoops, where the
final four is set on Monday night. Number one seeds
South Carolina and Texas both punched their tickets to join
(00:56):
UCLA and Yukon in Phoenix. First up in Fort Worth
Tech was hot from the jump with a smothering defense
and a ten for ten start.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
From the field.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
They defeated number two Michigan handily, seventy seven to forty
one to earn their second straight trip to the Final four.
Madison Booker led the Longhorns with nineteen points, Kyla Oldacre
had twelve points and eleven rebounds, and Rory Harmon's thirteen
assists tied an Elite eight record. The Longhorns enter the
Final Four with a plus one forty two point differential
in the tournament, the largest for an SEC team interney history.
(01:28):
Monday's second matchup out in Sacramento was another blowout, as
South Carolina defeated number three seed TCU seventy eight to
fifty two. Joyce Edward scored twenty four points, Agatt mckeir
added eighteen, and the game cox defense held TCU to
twenty points below their season average. Don Staley has led
her squad to a sixth straight appearance in the Final four.
That's the second longest streak in NCAA tournament history, behind
(01:51):
Yukon's fourteen straight Final four appearances from eight to twenty two.
Looking ahead to this weekend in Phoenix, the game Cocks
will tip off against Yukon in Semi Final Number one
on Friday, a rematch of last year's national championship game,
while UCLA will take on Texas, the only team to
beat them this season. Per ESPN research, it's just the
fifth time that all four number one seeds have advanced
(02:13):
to the women's Final four, and only the second time
that the same four teams have reached the final four
and back to back years. First time was the ninety
five ninety six seasons. So much more to say about
these matchups, and all of the March Madness actions so
far will do it in just a bit. With Ryan
to the WNBA, the Toronto Tempo announced on Tuesday that
the club has welcome Massai ujiy as a principal owner. Ujiri,
(02:35):
who is president of the mnba's Toronto Raptors from twenty
thirteen to twenty twenty five, joins an ownership group led
by Larry Tenbaum and also includes Serena Williams and Lilly Singh.
As part of the announcement, the Tempo said that Ujeri
and the team are launching a global coaching mentorship program
called Tempo Rising, with the goal of supporting women, identifying
and non binary coaches who are getting started in the
(02:55):
coaching pipeline to college vibs and big news in my
On Monday, it was announced that historic stadium Wrigley Field,
home to baseball Chicago Cubs, will host two Big Ten
outdoor volleyball matches on September sixth. Penn State will take
on Kentucky in one match, while the other will feature
Nebraska versus Missouri. The announcement was part of a larger initiative,
(03:17):
the inaugural Big Ten SEC Volleyball Challenge Week, which will
see all eighteen Big Ten schools and all sixteen SEC
institutions match up beginning Tuesday, September first, and culminating with
that double header at the Friendly Confines on the sixth.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Tickets for the Wrigley games go on sales to.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
The public beginning April ninth, via the Cubs to hockey,
where we've got three games on the schedule tonight in
the PWHL, including the league's first ever visit to Calgary
Scotia Banks Saddle Dome for a takeover tour game between
the Ottawa Charge and Toronto Scepters.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Now that's a big one.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Just four teams make the postseason, and heading into Wednesday's games,
just two points separate the fourth place charge and fifth
place scepters. We'll link to the schedule in the show.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Notes to the World of Flag Football.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
On Monday, the NFL announced additional details for their planned
men's and women's professional flag football leagues, including the signing
of Tomorrow Sports as the organization's developmental and operational partner
in the new project. The co founders of Tomorrow TMRW
are CEO Mike McCarley and golfers Rory McElroy and Tiger Woods,
who made headlines for all the wrong reasons this weekend.
(04:22):
Per an NFL press release, the leagues are expected to
launch ahead at the twenty twenty eight Los Angeles Olympics,
where flag football will make its debut. Investors in the
new flag leagues include a variety of NFL legends and
active players, in addition to folks outside the football bubble
like Alex Morgan, Serena Williams, and friends of the Show
Billy Jean King and Alana Claus. Finally, some big tennis news,
(04:43):
as tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg is reporting that the WTA
is ending its controversial partnership with Saudi Arabia this year,
will mark the final edition of the WTA Finals in
Riod and the WTA will look for a new host
for its year end championship event. We're going to take
a quick break when we come back. A Final four
preview with Ryan Rucco.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Joining us now.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
He's a play by play announcer for women's college basketball
the WNBA and the MNBA and ESPN. He calls New
York Yankees in Brooklyn, nets games on Yes Network. A
Fordham gradfather of two, slinger of sweatshirts, screamer of you
bet it's Ryan Ruco.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Hi, Ryan, Well, you know what, Sara, that was the
most accurate, enthusiastic, eloquent intro I've ever gotten, so thank you.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Glad to hear it.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
I'm wondering if we're going to get to see anydo's
hoodies in Phoenix or is it going to be too.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Hot out there?
Speaker 3 (05:41):
You know what. I actually, when we were talking to
the company we were doing this with, I was like,
you know, because we were talking about it was kind
of like a crunch timeline. We're like, well, we want
to get them out. People could have them by the
time they go to Final four, And I'm like, are
they actually going to wear them in Phoenix though, because
it's really hot there. But uh, but we'll see, you
(06:02):
know what. It was hot before Worth two, and a
lot of people were in hoodies inside the arena because
it's chill, are you know.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Yeah, in warm places like that, they tend to over
a see it so that you've got to have, you know,
multiple outfits. It's youbet shop dot com if people want
to rock the merch. I did just talk to j Perry,
who's organizing the Final four in Phoenix, and she said
when everyone was leaving the w NBA All Star there,
they were all rocking their orange hoodies in the airport.
So there's still a chance that you're going to be
(06:30):
see selling some sweatshirts, them slinging them some sweatshirts.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Well let's start there because I've heard you tell the
story about your signature call, and I actually love that
there's more to it than just you know, happening upon it.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
So can you share it here?
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Yeah? Like so you know, for me, play by play
is really it's an art, you know, it's a craft.
It's something I'm obsessed with. And that was the way,
like I always took an interest in announcers growing up.
But then the way I was really taught it from
my mentor at Boredom at WFUV and my radio station
there at the radio station at Boredem, Bob Aarons, was
(07:10):
through the Marty Glickman style, and it was like really about,
you know, the mechanics of it and the touch, and
the differences in the mediums and the difference between radio
and TV. And when I started doing TV, I really
appreciated that, you know, you weren't having to be on
(07:32):
the action describing everything the same way you are in radio.
Right in radio you have to be the eyes for
the listener. In TV there's some space for creativity that's
slightly different than radio, since the audience is seeing what
they're seeing. And I've always thought, because of the way
I was taught, you can't manufacture a signature call, right,
(07:54):
You can't. You Also, you don't want to become too
sticky or hokey, you know, like it all it has
to be natural. So I was trying to come up.
I realized that on TV you have these moments where
you're creating anticipation and you're trying to pay it off.
That was one thing actually to bring it back even further,
I got to observe Joe Buck in the booth when
(08:15):
I was twenty one, and he was talking to me
about the difference between radio and TV, and he brought
up how you're setting up anticipatory moments for the audience
in a different way than just having to describe it
as it's happening on radio. And so I would I
think about and I say, Okay, I kind of can
do that, especially from the three point line, like if
(08:36):
someone's getting hot, like will she hit again? Or you know,
you know, is it going to be six of them
or whatever. It's things that you couldn't really do on
radio because the audience would be lost.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah, yeah, six of what are there on the court?
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Exactly exactly. So when I was thinking kind of like
about a call and response, and suddenly I was like, oh, like,
you is like a way to respond to that if
they make it right. And that's the only way you
would punctuate it enthusiastically anyway, because if you're like, is
she gonna hit again and she doesn't, you're not going
to have some explain Well.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
That's also my favorite when you say no.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
That's our that's my director's favorite too. That was Van
Gundy's favorite too. Yeah, yeah, I have fun with that.
But I so anyway, so I started doing I started
like using you bad. I was like, oh, I kind
of like that. I think this was like twenty eleven
or twenty twenty twelve somewhere around there. And then I
started using it more and I just started being like, oh,
(09:36):
I think this is my call. And so I was
using it a lot in games. And then Tim Corrigan,
who's our boss overseeing NBA and WNBA at ESPN, he
called me one day. I could still remember where I was.
I was at this smoothie shop I used to go
to near my old apartment on eighty fifth and second.
Smoothie shop was on eighty fifth and thirds. And he
was like, hey, he's giving me, you know, different feedback.
(09:58):
And whenever he's like you know something with you bet
it's a really good call. Which he doesn't dole out
compliments unless he means them, so it's like, okay, good.
And he was like, but you use it too much.
You should be more selective, make it more meaningful. And
he was like, it doesn't have to be a game
winner all the time, but you know, something meaningful within
the course of the game, and from that moment on
I was more strategic about it, and then you know,
(10:20):
it gets attached to different moments, different players. Certainly Caitlin
has had an enormous effect on helping popularize it, and
all of a sudden it becomes a thing. And it's
pretty cool for me now, an arenas, you know, especially
in the women's basketball circles, and everybody's just like yelling
at me, you bet, you bet? Can you record you
bet on my phone? It's cute. It's very endearing.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah, yeah, it's I just like the call and response.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
It makes so much sense, and it pays off these
moments of anticipation, which is great. We haven't gotten to
hear a lot of you bets in the last couple
of rounds of the tournament, a lot of blowout wins,
so not a lot of big time shots. The excitement
isn't there quite the same way. Per ESPN searched, the
Elite eight games were decided by an average of twenty
three points per game. That's the largest average margin of
(11:05):
victory in the round all time. I'm not that surprised
coming into the tournament this final four to me was
a clear tier above the rest this year. Did you
feel the same coming in?
Speaker 3 (11:16):
I did? I did. I felt the same coming in
and and honestly, it's tough when you know it going
in because normally the tournament and the drama of it,
you know, it generates these incredible moments and you know,
awesome forever highlights and memories and you get such a
(11:37):
high from the broadcast and the games that you call.
And I kind of knew it was going to take
something unique for that to happen in these in these rounds,
and you know, it just they've been blots, you know,
they've been mostly we got to come up. But you know,
looking in the games I thought would be really good,
(11:57):
We're Duke LSU and Vandy Notre Dame, and both of
those games were great. You know, I didn't get to
call either of those games, but both of those games
are great. And then we had, I think the second
round we actually had quite a few really great games.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Too, And that's what I expected.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
I thought, you know, seven to twenty five this year,
there was so much motion that I expected to be
surprised in some of those because they did move around
a lot. Even a team like duke that started the
season so poorly and gradually moved its way up over
the course of that deep season run.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
You had some questions up in there.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
It was really just at the top where it felt
pretty inevitable. I was surprised to hear that it's just
the fifth time in the women's tournament that all four
number one seeds advanced, though hasn't happened since twenty eighteen.
It kind of feels so chalky all the time when
you get to the late rounds that I was surprised,
But I guess there's always, you know, one that doesn't
show up or has a bad game in the last
(12:49):
couple of years.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Yeah, I know, I was surprised at that too, Sarah.
I was also surprised this is only the second time
you ever had the same exact final four, Yeah, back
to back years, because right, there has been through the years,
like such established programs and and you know, I think
one of the things that where the women's final four
is different than the men is, you know, you don't
(13:11):
have the same kind of chaos and upsets often in
the early rounds, right, although we've had more in recent
years this year notwithstanding. But yeah, but then you you
usually end up with classic matchups in the final four,
and you know, true, you know, the programs with huge
followings and whatever, because it's a safer bet, right than
(13:32):
in the men. So you would think you'd get some
more duplication than what we actually have.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Yeah, just the second time, which is surprising.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Yeah, yeah, I hate to dive back into the is
this good for basketball after eleventy years of having that
conversation about yu Kon?
Speaker 2 (13:46):
But let's do it back to back, same final four.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Good for the game that we're getting some of these
repeat matchups, some of these storylines.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
You know. I I think what's good for the game
is having the most genuinely competitive, you know, games with
uncertain outcomes at the biggest moments. I think that's what's
best for the game. We had a run recently where
(14:16):
it felt like that was happening in the Sweet sixteen,
in the Elite eight, in the Final four, in the
National Championship game. Right. I think last year what derailed
a little bit of that was the Juju injury, because
I think that USC Yukon Elite eight game would have
been you know, just it was like basically the first
blip on what was that two year, like everything broke
(14:39):
right for women's basketball ride right and then and then
we kind of had some different, you know, unfortunate moments
after that, but like then you kind of just beat
the living hell out of everybody the rest of the tournament,
and and so we didn't necessarily have that. But I
think I think where our payoff could come this year is,
you know, you're getting Yukon South Carolina in the Semis, right,
(15:00):
And I do think Yukon has looked a little bit
more vulnerable than people thought they would be in this tournament.
Even though they've won their games, handling, they haven't looked
quite as good. And South Carolina has looked really good.
And so maybe going into this tournament I would have thought,
like a Yukon's in its own tier and those other
(15:21):
one seeds are like just below. Now I actually kind
of look at it like they're all like Texas is
playing the best basketball right now. Yeah, and then Ucla,
you know, has been incredible all season. The only game
they've lost this to Texas. So I think, Sarah, if
we get some great final four games, and I think
(15:41):
we will, then I don't think we're all going to
have the feeling we have now of like is this
like that for the game, then I think we're going
to be like, Okay, thank god it was these four
teams who care? Who cares how they got here? Look
at the moments they gave us, you know, But in general,
in the perfect world, you have some of that also
in the earlier rounds.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Of course, let's talk about these four. So South Carolina
is returning.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
They've got a couple familiar faces, Joy Sedwards, Raven and
Tessa Johnson. But today Latsin comes over from Florida State,
Medina Ocott transfers over from Mississippi State. You've got the
freshman Agatt mckeir, who was big last night. How impressive
is it for don Staley to run it back sixth
straight Final four for her with so many new faces,
and she's been able to.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Do this the last couple of years with the transfer portal.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
It's amazing. You know, what Dawn has built in South
Carolina is remarkable. And I think there's a couple of
ways in which, you know, Dawn separates herself as a
coach or maintains consistent excellence. You know, one is her
team's always play their best this time of year, like
she is great at having your teams to send at
(16:48):
the right time. And if you were to watch South
Carolina earlier in the season, you might have really thought, like,
that team is incredibly vulnerable, and you know, I'm not
so sure given they're going to the Final four. And
then she gets them to a point where you know,
you're watching them in late February and you're like, oh
my gosh, of course they're going to go to the
final four, you know. And that's what she does. And
(17:09):
I think if you look at their last couple of months,
their only blip was the SEC Championship game, and there
were some mitigating circumstances there. Now, Texas is incredible and
they played great, but Tessa Johnson and Raven Johnson were
both like a little nicked up in that game. One
was dealing with cramps and tested it seem quite right.
Raven was dealing cramps, tested it seemed quite right. And
(17:33):
also they had just come off the LSU game, which
was a game that you know, great magnetism to it.
I think it was probably a little hard to play
the next day. Right, everything else they've looked incredible, And
I also think Dawn does a great job throughout the
course of the season of being willing to even lose
a game to teach a lesson. She always keeps the
(17:55):
big picture in mind, and if that means she's going
to not call a time out to stop run at
certain points in the season because she wants her team
to learn a lesson, or she's going to sit a
player down or change your lineup or whatever it might be.
She's great at having the big picture in mind, knowing
it's about how they're playing now. I also think what
she deserves a ton of credit for is this is
(18:16):
a South Carolina team that is without Chloe Kids, who
might have been their best player this year, and without
Ashlan Watkins, who was a total game changer, who's you know,
not with the program this year. So for them to
do this after the players they lost last year, but
also with those two, I mean you could have gotten
into the season saying those are their two best players. Yeah.
(18:37):
I think that is what makes this run very special.
And you know, I know sometimes when you go every year,
it could be hard for people to appreciate the accomplishment.
I think it is an incredible accomplishment that South Carolina's
back in the Final Four this year.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
They struggled a little bit early against TCU, but they
pulled away to finish off the sweep of Elite eight
blowouts that we got. What stood out to you most
about them in that or even their closer game against
LSU and the Sweet sixteen. In terms of what is
clicking for me, it's a lot of it is to
Nia Latton playing her best ball now as she's really
gotten into this chemistry, into this team, into being a
(19:12):
more well rounded player.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Yeah, I think Laxon playing as well as she has
is a huge, huge part of things because they can't
reach their ceiling unless she is aggressive offensively scoring, which
we've seen her obviously not do it the same way
as she did of Florida State. That was to be expected,
but the way she's evolved as a distributor, the way
(19:36):
she has defended and now getting back to that scoring
as well, I think it is a huge part of it.
But the thing that's impressed me most is Raven. You know,
Raven Johnson is having an amazing season, and I think
what struck me most is her lack of hesitation in
shooting from three in the biggest moments, Like Rebecca and
(19:57):
I were watching the game against TCU and together after
our game and we were both like, my gosh, Like,
Raven Johnson is just like a big money bucket getter now.
And you know, she's always had the defensive ability, she's
always had the cerebral nature, the ability to run an offense.
But the way she now can score and her confidence
and taking and making big shots. I think it's a
(20:19):
game changer for South Carolina. I also think it's done
wonders for her draft stock. Yeah. I you know, I've
talked to different you know, WNBA executives who I think
now you know, are looking at her and saying like, oh,
you know, like I was worried about her hesitating shooting
from three. Now I don't have that concern. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
She's so smart out there too.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
And you heard Don Staley say of all the players
she's coached, she's gonna miss Raven Johnson the most, which
is really saying something when you've got folks like Asian
Wilson who came through. Yeah, she's she's really stepped up
and done well for herself and the team. Yukon had
to work through three quarters against Notre Dame. It was
their lowest total through three at any point in their
(21:01):
fifty four game win streak. But in the fourth again
it was like, oh, okay, I guess we should win the game. Now,
step on the gas. Can South Carolina take any tips
from what the Irish did right through those first three?
Speaker 3 (21:14):
I think so. I think so. I also think, you know,
right now, there's been moments in the first few games
of this tournament for Yukon where they've not been consistent
enough getting Sarah strong the basketball, and so if you
can find a way to try and limit the touches
(21:35):
of Sarah, I do think Yukon's entire offense struggles some
when it's not running through her. And then you know,
this is more of a Yukon thing than something South
Carolina would do. But I think aasy if she has
even the slightest window of daylight, she's got to shoot.
You know, there were times where I thought she was
(21:55):
not aggressive enough, both in the Sweet sixteen and the
Elite eight after she had that historic second round game.
And if those two aren't aggressive or aren't getting their
normal touches, they become much more vulnerable because now all
of a sudden, a lot is falling on you know,
Ashland shade making shots, and she hasn't yet in this tormum.
(22:15):
She's quite capable. We saw it last year in the
runs of the National Championship game. We even saw the
year before, but she hasn't been hitting shots lately. Right,
kk Arnold is going to be selective with her opportunities offensively,
So I think if you're South Carolina, you know that
would be something that would encourage you. I think the
(22:37):
X factor game changer for Yukon is Blanca Quinone, who
is just a monster. I mean, she's six to two
with incredible guard skills, fearless because she's been playing pro
ball since like ninth grade, and you know.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Kind they were like, let me shut down Sarah Strong
and Asy Fund and oh doesn't matter because now we've
left Blancaona's and she's going to take us out.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Yeah. Like, the way I feel about watching Blanca in
this tournament is the way I felt about watching Sarah
last year, where you know, we knew she was really good.
It had a really good regular season. It was clearly
one of, if not the best pressure in the country,
and then you watch her in the tournament and it
was like, oh, wait, Sarah Strong is the best player
in the country, you know, And I'm not Blanca is
(23:26):
not not the best player in the country, But I
think she's having that same kind of moment of fan
consumer discovery where if you're watching, you're like, wait a second,
I yes, she was good, but like.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
You're like another one for you.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yeah, yeah, exactly right.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
That's the thing about Yukon is like they're so good
and so dominant that we're like, yeah, they haven't looked
that good, and they're winning every game by twenty plus points,
and when when their best players have an off night,
it literally doesn't matter because somebody else goes off like
Blanca Kenyona. So I'm I'm still firmly in the court
of Yukon winning that one. I think as great as
SC has looked, they're a lot more inconsistent and rely
(24:02):
a lot more on somebody being hot, and you kind
of relies on fundamental depth, every player being able to
do what they do and figuring it out. But yeah,
I mean, I'm hoping it's a close one. Yeah, I'm
really a little bit less certain about the second game.
You were actually on the call for Texas Michigan on Monday.
These Longhorns good lord. They hitch you from the very
(24:25):
first second and they do not let up until the
game is out of reach ten minutes in. What are
you seeing from Vic Schaefer squad?
Speaker 3 (24:32):
You know what's interesting is like Vic is a super
intense guy, and you know, getting to know him over
the years, he is I think, you know, he's he's
focused on every detail. I think he carries a you
know a good amount of stress generally into each game.
And he has been completely calm and so confident in
(24:57):
his team, and he's even expressed it to us, like
yesterday he knew, he said, we're going to have to
not shoot well and really not play well to lose
this game because they just don't match up with us.
And you know, for a coach to say that on
the morning of one of those games, like you know,
they feel good, Gino. We sometimes we'll get those vibes
from from Geno at times too, where like he just
knows it's going to take something, you know, really unique
(25:20):
for them to lose a game, you know, And Vick
has had that air to him in these matchups over
the Sweet sixteen and now and now the Elite eight.
And you know, I'm not I don't know he's going
to have that feeling going into UCLA. But I think
what it's representative of is how well Texas is playing
offensively right now, because defensively that's been there. And Vic
(25:41):
was talking to us about that the other day too.
He was like, you know, over the last six years,
I've spent so many games where I'm sweating out every
possession because i know we're going to have to win
this game in the fifties or the sixties and win
it with our defense because we can't really score. He's like, y'all,
it's a lot easier when you're putting the ball in
the hoop, and they are. They are really putting the
(26:01):
ball in the hoop right now, Like they are playing
the best basketball in the country as we enter the
Final four, and they're so deep, like they barely had
to use a Leah Crump, who's a dynamic scorer off
the bench if they need her. And then they've also
been you know, they kind of play a carousel of
biggs that you know, Oh, is it going to be
(26:23):
Branon Cunningham or is it going to be Kyl the Oldacre. Oh,
they're both going to play. Well, let me they least
get twenty minutes.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Let's just put Madison Booker on the bench for a
while and still full away.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Right exactly like as Ashton jug going to get some minutes,
so she'll contribute. Oh, tayo, Sidberry, you haven't seen her
in a week. That's okay. Now she's going to impact
the game, you know, like they really do have. And
I think Vic's been a night job of pressing the
right button when he's needed to. It almost reminds me
some of what Dawn did two years ago when they
won the national championship, when she had a really deep
(26:52):
team and she just had such a great feel for
when she was going to push which button. Oh it's
time for Mylesia. Okay, No, Tessa Johnson needs to come
in all right, you know, like and no, we're going
to let Raven run this one out. So anyway, I
I think Texas is playing incredible basketball going into the
Final four and going into this matchup against UCLA.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
Plus one forty two point differential is the largest for
an SEC team in NCAA tournament history entering the Final four.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
So they are beating the brakes off everyone.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Meanwhile, UCLA actually trailed Duke at the half, just the
second time they've trailed at the break all season long,
but then second half, whatever was said in the locker room,
and they come out and they finish them off. What
has stood out for you about UCLA, not just in
this tournament but all season long and how strong they've been.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Well, first of all, I just want to say, I'm
excited to go see Corey close. She's one of my
favorite people to me too interact with, and she's wonderful,
Like she's just like she's a human being who gives
and gives and you know, you walk away feeling better, right,
And I also appreciate and this is one of the
things I love about and I know you you experienced
at two, Sarah, Like, one of the things I appreci
(28:00):
about the ecosystem of women's basketball is there really is
a shared feeling of connection between you know, even media
and players and coaches in kind of the the gratitude
we all have for each other's roles. And Corey definitely
embodies that as much as anybody. So I'm so happy
for them. I think what's really impressed me is their resilience.
(28:23):
You know, they've been tested in these games and they've
played really well in the second half and specifically fourth
quarters in these games in the latter rounds, and I think,
you know, they have rightly or wrongly at times, been
given a stigma of you know, are they tough enough?
You know, can they handle this? And you know, last year,
(28:44):
I thought they answered questions by getting to the Final four,
And this year, I think they've answered those questions again
with some of the ways they were tested in the
Sweet sixteen and then especially in the Elite eight. And
so you combine them answering those tests with the fact
that they are just you know, they're much more talented
this season than they were last year. And I always
(29:05):
thought like there was a lot on kiky Rice in
the past, like, and she's been a much better player
this year and has like much less on her than
she has in the past. You know, what leder Walker
has done for them is you know, incredible. Neatkins is
a game changer, you know, and then you have the
main stays as well, obviously Lauren Betts being the central pillar.
(29:28):
So I just feel like, like, I think, as great
as Texas is playing, UCLA has an excellent chance to
win this game. And whoever comes away the winner in
that game, you're probably gonna still think the loser is
a great basketball team, you know, like I I don't
think anyone's like I don't think anyone's going to be
overmatched in that game.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Well, you know, last year we felt that way about
the Bruins going into the maybe Sweet sixteen Elite eight
Final four, even like they're too big, no one can
stop Lauren Betts. This is you know, who's going to
get in their way, no matter how well everyone else
was playing. We just thought, oh, the Bruin, they look
unbeatable and then you know, remind us how things ended
(30:09):
for them last year.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
It wasn't it wasn't close.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
No, it wasn't. No, you can beat the living hell
out of them, and I, you know, I I think
that you comes just want to Last year, they were
in one of these like rhythmic missions, if you will,
where it was just like everything's.
Speaker 4 (30:27):
Clicking page on title exactly, yes, exactly, as he was
playing the best basketball for her career at that time,
right like Sarah Strong was historically in the tournament and then.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
Page So they ran into a buzzsaw last year. Uh,
you know, I there's a chance that like Texas kind
of is in that place that was yeah, that Yukon
was in last year. Like, you know, I don't think
there's a zero percent possibility. There's probably a better way
(31:01):
to word that there is a greater than zero percent
chance that we end up talking on Monday and we say, oh,
I guess we should have known Texas was going to
win both games by eighteen. You know, I like, like
they're playing that good. But I think that option that
options on the table, I do, I just I But
(31:24):
I think the stronger possibility is we get three really
competitive games with serious drama, and it's kind of a
toss up. You know, I'd probably say Texas because of
how they've been playing. I haven't seen the lines, but
I'm guessing they're like a slight favorite in that game
against UCLA. But but Ucla, I do think it's not
(31:46):
the same as last year in that they just have
way more answers when it comes to the guard position,
in the wing position than they did a season ago.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
Is there a difference maker either a player or a
style or something it has to go right or wrong
in that Longhorns Bruins matchup.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Yeah, So I think for for UCLA to win I
think they need Texas to have both Harmon and Lee
miss shots like Booker is. Booker is going to do
what she does right like she is. She's remarkably efficient,
(32:25):
and we'll taker.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Probably won't be able to do what she did in
the Elite Eate because with one bets not to mention
too gunking up the lane, she's not going to be
able to be as big like that. I think you
guys described her as like a bully holding the ball
over the heads of smaller people.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
That's not going to work against UCLA.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
Exactly exactly, So I think it's going to be really
important for Texas to get. Now, like Jordan Lee, who's
been incredible the first three games the tourment, she shot
horribly in the Elite oh.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
For nine or something from three.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
From three and she finished I think two of eighteen
from the foard. Now, some years you worry about them
going in the tank after that, Like I don't. With her.
She's a really strong kid mentally and like super super smart,
but forgetting how it does or doesn't affect her. She's
going to need to hit shots, and Rory Harmon is
(33:18):
going to need to hit shots and maintain the same
level of offensive aggression that she has especially early in
games over the last couple of games. I think if
that doesn't happen, right if Lee, if Lee goes two
for eleven, and if Harmon is two for seven, you know,
then I think Texas is going to be in some
trouble because I don't think they're going to get the
(33:39):
same level of interior production against Ucla that they've gotten,
you know, in their other games. And this is a
game where because of that, Aleiah Crump might be an
X factor as well. Like even Crumb's teammates the other
day we're telling us, you know, I know, she's not
playing a ton of minutes, like there's going to be
a moment at some point in this tournament where she's
(34:01):
going to really help win us a game, like she's
going to be really important. And I do think that's
one area where Texas is different this year. If they
need to, they have the ability to put an additional
three point shooter on the floor that they just did
not have in years past, and that's Croup well.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
And hopefully UCLA has been working on that full court
press break because just watching teams try to inbound the
ball against Texas has been an adventure.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Well, I think I got the note here somewhere. I
think they have. I think they have forced thirty five
second violations this year, and I believe it is thirty
five second violations. It's sixteen more than any other D
one team. Wow, force sixteen more five second violations than
any other D one team.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
Yeah, it's not that common.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
Most teams, first of all, aren't press in full court,
especially early in games like that, but to be that effective,
and actually we did see, and I don't know how
much of a correlation there's, but we saw UCLA pick
up a handful of shot clock violations they'd only done
twice all season, and then multiple times in the last game.
So you know, clock awareness and handling the pressure in
those moments that'll be big early in that game against Texas,
(35:10):
so they don't get out of rhythm. What are you
most excited about in general about heading to Phoenix? Can
be basketball or otherwise?
Speaker 3 (35:16):
Wow. I mean, I'm most excited to get cocktails with
my good friend super Bird. That's what I'm most excited about.
That's that's first on my agenda on the off day.
But in addition to Negroni's with Sue I Am sounds
like a show. It definitely could be. Maybe maybe that'll
be the name of future podcast. I honestly like I am,
(35:38):
I'm really excited just to sit their court side, to
feel the atmosphere. Phoenix is a wonderful women's basketball town.
You know, the X factor the Mercury crowd has been
incredible for decades. I'm just excited to see how these
teams play out. Like what I want is close games,
like please, I know, yeah, and I do believe we
(36:04):
have four teams like you, you know, set the table for
off the top SRA. We have four teams who are
so clearly a tier above everybody else this year that
I do believe we are primed for some classic matchups
where there is not only genuine intrigue about who will win,
but where you're looking at these four teams and you're saying,
(36:24):
all four of these teams are natty worthy. You know,
That's not always how you feel going into a Final four, right,
There's usually like one team that you're like, I'm pretty
sure they're like they were good enough to get here,
but they're not good enough to win it. You know,
this year, I genuinely think all four teams are good
enough to win it, and so I'm excited to see
how it plays out because I think there's some real
(36:46):
intrigue and drama there and I'm just thirsty for some
close games.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
Yeah, ditto.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Okay, before I let you go, I want to do
a quick speed round to pick your breat brain. And
these are tough questions for a speed round. I'm just
going to give you a buzzword and you just tell
me whatever comes to mind.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
Take opinion question.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
I really just want to be thinking going forward using
whatever's up there in your brain, maybe something I haven't
thought about. So let's go NC double a versus house payments.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
NC double a versus house payments. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Are you with Geno?
Speaker 1 (37:19):
That title nine's basically out the window at this point
because no one's doing that equitably.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
You know what, I'm with Gino on on most things,
Like he I think he's like I think he The
first thing I think of when you say that, honestly,
is like what he was thinking about or what he
was talking about the other day with like just getting
teams more time and making sure they can shoot on
the hoops that they're going to be playing on and
the value of that. And I do think in general,
(37:48):
when these established coaches, and I know I'm kind of
going off from what you said, Yeah, when a Gino
says something, when a Dawn says something, right, when a
Kim Moultky says something, when a Corey Close says something,
when a Vick Schaeffer says something, I think our approach
needs to be curiosity instead of defensiveness. Before the NCAA, Okay,
(38:09):
and this goes for any governing body. If the central
figures that are lifting up your sport are collectively sharing
some sort of breathe, ince or complaint, instead of the
instinct being to be defensive, I think the instinct needs
to be to be curious. So if GINO is raising
red flags about what can happen to Title nine as
(38:31):
a result of the current system, I think we all
need to get real curious about, you know, what kind
of a problem that could be for the equity of
women's sports. And I hope that that curiosity is followed
up on.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
You touched on the regional sites too, which you know
that's going to be in place for the next five seasons.
That doesn't mean they can't still look into some of
the problems that have been created by the way they
currently have those two sites set up. As Gina was
complaining about, Okay, I always state transfers.
Speaker 3 (39:00):
You know. I Bill Fenneley is like an all time
great coach, and I'm it was surprising to me because
I feel like he runs such a sturdy, stable program.
Hilton is an amazing place to play. That community loves
its team. You know, they've been selling out women's basketball games,
(39:20):
you know, long before it was in vogue. I don't know.
I wonder like, how much longer is Bill going to
do it? I have no knowledge about that, but is
there anything going on to that? I have no idea,
but I was genuinely surprised seeing that because I feel
like he does such a great job with that program.
But clearly this year there was something off, something was off.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
They started off so well and then it just fell apart.
And listen, Audie Crooks has been such an amazing person there,
not just player, so.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
You'd hate to see or leave.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
And yet I also would love to see Audie Crooks
in the way that Tanaia Latson got to her first
Sweet sixteen, first Elite eight, like a great player getting
to be on the highest stage. I want Audie to
be somewhere where the country can see her more regularly
and she can shine the way that she does at
Iowa State. But it's going to be tough with all
those transfers. Okay, w NBA's compressed off season.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
A bomb cyclone of interest is So I remember talking
to talking a player at some point during the offseason,
and they were talking to me about like just you know, like, oh,
what's you know, what's going to happen timeline wise with everything,
And I was like, well, look, as long as you
guys get a CBA done in time, you're going to
have like this unbelievable run of just interesting things going
(40:42):
on in the world of women's basketball, from you know,
the CBA being signed, to selection Sunday to the tournament,
to expansion draft to free agency in Final four, you know,
w draft, start of the season. So I think I'm
just excited for the you know, the rush of dopamine
and that we're going to get every day thanks schedule.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
Every day, a piece of news.
Speaker 1 (41:04):
No sleep team, no sleep until especially for the GMS
of the teams that have like no players on their
roster as of right now, and our hustling.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Well, Ryan, it was so great to talk to you.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
I would ask you how your brackets are doing. I
imagine you're not allowed to have them, So how are
your kids brackets doing that?
Speaker 2 (41:20):
They definitely filled out for themselves.
Speaker 3 (41:23):
They totally did. They're doing great. They felt pretty Yeah,
Evy my four and a half year old, she felt
pretty confident about all four one Saints, So she did
a great job.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
Glad to hear it me too. Tell EVM with her. Ryan,
this was so great. Thanks for turning around so fast
after last night's game to.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
Hang out with us.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
Yeah. No, thank you Sarah for like all you're doing
in First of all, you're just great at what you do,
regardless of what you cover. But it's so nice to
have a to have like this kind of platform, a
program for women's sports and what you've built in her building.
So thank you for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
I appreciate you saying that we waited too long to
get you on, but now you're in.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
The fam, so you'll be back.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Yes, a good.
Speaker 1 (42:04):
Thanks again to Ryan for the great chat. We have
to take another break when we come back. We unveiled
the bracket challenge within the bracket.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
Challenge, stick around, Welcome back slices.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
We love that you're listening, but you know we want
you to get in the game every day too.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
So here's our good game play of the day.
Speaker 1 (42:27):
Well, you've already made your plays and you put them
into our March sliceness bracket. So let's see who's hanging
out at the top heading into this weekend.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
We've got raw Pick one still in the lead.
Speaker 1 (42:37):
That's Super Slice Aaron Racho and everyone how it's done
with eleven hundred and ninety points right behind her with
eleven seventy it's Coach Burn and Steph jam One's picks
two rolls right off.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
The tongue just a few slots down. Who's that? Oh,
it's me.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Good game With Sarah Spain sitting in a tie for sixth,
not too shabby. We won't know the big winner and
prize getter till Sunday's national title game, but I can
announce a different winner today. Producer Bianca pointed out how
many clever names we've gotten our bracket challenge. So I
decided to rummage around in my prize closet and find
something good for the best name of the bunch. First,
(43:13):
I got a shout out the bracket called hoops and
gay shit. We do appreciate you being on brand, but
I'm afraid there were just a few even better names.
We'll go top ten to acknowledge the near winners that
are also deserving of some love before getting to the
true winner.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Drum roll please.
Speaker 1 (43:30):
Number ten Ai Sucks Booty. Number nine, Mom Jean's number two.
Number eight Tortured Teachers Department. We love a Taylor Swift
rough Number seven, deranged loaf of cheese. Number six, go away.
Kim Geaux mentioned that one before, We love it.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
Number five Johnson and Johnson No tears.
Speaker 1 (43:49):
They of course have South Carolina and Tessa and ravend
Johnson going all the way.
Speaker 2 (43:53):
Number four exactly how I drew it up. That one
made me giggle. Guse yeah.
Speaker 1 (43:58):
Number three chalk me like a hurricane. Chalk of course,
when the top seeds advance, that's clever. One haven't seen
that one before. Number two Nacho the Goat shouts shouts
to that listener for recognizing the real MVP of this show.
The goat who wore Dinah Tarassi's jersey at her bench
dedication ceremony. I miss Nacho I need to get myself
a goat and the winner. Number one. Seeded Rivalry just
(44:24):
a great combination of two things we love, bracket challenges
and heated rivalry.
Speaker 2 (44:28):
It's very clever. We love it.
Speaker 1 (44:30):
You are the champion, and if you are the proud
owner of the seated Rivalry bracket, shoot me a message
good game at wondermediatnetwork dot com so I can't grab
your address and send you your prize. Hopefully, whoever you
are Seated Rivalry, you're listening to this episode. Oh I've
got one more bracket update too. Our show remains in
first place in the Welcome to the Party bracket, and
(44:52):
I don't imagine we'll be looking back or down at
our competition anytime soon. You know, if you ain't the
lead dog, the Scenery and Ever and those other podcasts
have been looking at her butts since day one. Beating
Sue Bird, Meghan Rappino, Abby Wambach, Julie Foudy, Sam Muis,
Kristin Press, Hobin Heath and Moore in sports adjacent competition.
Speaker 2 (45:15):
It feels really nice, feels right. Have ever mentioned how
much I like winning stuff?
Speaker 3 (45:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (45:21):
We always love to hear from you.
Speaker 1 (45:22):
Slices so hit us up on email Good game at
wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail at eight
seven two two oh four fifty seventy, and don't.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
Forget to subscribe. Rate and review.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
It's easy watch. March Sliceness is a family affair. Rating
two out of six members of the Hillier family are
neck and neck. Review producer Bianca and producer Bianca's dad
are tied in our March Sliceness Bracket challenge. Now it's
Bianca's second bracket, which she wants folks to know she
filled out based on everything but basketball. She has Ohio
(45:53):
State beating Vermont in the finals because she loves Vermont
and she's from Ohio hence the six one four in
her racket name. And her dad, who is an animal
skin doctor, has a bracket appropriately and literally called animal
skin Doc. They're sitting tied in two hundred and ninety
first place with six hundred thirty points. Better luck next year,
you two, but also cute. Now it's your turn, y'all,
(46:17):
Rate and review. Thanks for listening, see you tomorrow. Good game, Ryan,
Good game, Evy for listening to your dad's picks. Wink
wink you anyone who sends us an email saying there's
no March thirty second, it.
Speaker 2 (46:29):
Was an April fool's joke, y'all.
Speaker 1 (46:33):
Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports
production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You
can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network,
our producers are Alex Azzi and Bianca Hillier. Our executive
producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder.
Our editors are Emily Rudder, Lucy Jones, Britney Martinez, and
(46:55):
Gianna Palmer. Production assistants from Avery Loftus and I'm Your
Host sarahir Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're ditching
our puffy coats and digging into the back of our
closet for those cowboy boots we've been meaning to wear.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
We're headed to Phoenix.
Speaker 3 (00:08):
Baby.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
It's Wednesday, March thirty second, and on today's show, we'll
be talking all things March Madness with ESPN play by
play announcer Ryan Ruco. I caught up with them on
Tuesday to discuss why this year's Final four teams were
clearly a step above the rest, talk about some of
the breakout players of the tournament, and learn how his
signature you bet Call came to be. Plus vibes at
the Friendly confines flagging this for the future, and the
(00:32):
real Bracket Challenge enters the chat. It's all coming up
right after this welcome back slices. Here's what you need
to know today. Let's start with college hoops, where the
final four is set on Monday night. Number one seeds
South Carolina and Texas both punched their tickets to join
(00:56):
UCLA and Yukon in Phoenix. First up in Fort Worth
Tech was hot from the jump with a smothering defense
and a ten for ten start.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
From the field.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
They defeated number two Michigan handily, seventy seven to forty
one to earn their second straight trip to the Final four.
Madison Booker led the Longhorns with nineteen points, Kyla Oldacre
had twelve points and eleven rebounds, and Rory Harmon's thirteen
assists tied an Elite eight record. The Longhorns enter the
Final Four with a plus one forty two point differential
in the tournament, the largest for an SEC team interney history.
(01:28):
Monday's second matchup out in Sacramento was another blowout, as
South Carolina defeated number three seed TCU seventy eight to
fifty two. Joyce Edward scored twenty four points, Agatt mckeir
added eighteen, and the game cox defense held TCU to
twenty points below their season average. Don Staley has led
her squad to a sixth straight appearance in the Final four.
That's the second longest streak in NCAA tournament history, behind
(01:51):
Yukon's fourteen straight Final four appearances from eight to twenty two.
Looking ahead to this weekend in Phoenix, the game Cocks
will tip off against Yukon in Semi Final Number one
on Friday, a rematch of last year's national championship game,
while UCLA will take on Texas, the only team to
beat them this season. Per ESPN research, it's just the
fifth time that all four number one seeds have advanced
(02:13):
to the women's Final four, and only the second time
that the same four teams have reached the final four
and back to back years. First time was the ninety
five ninety six seasons. So much more to say about
these matchups, and all of the March Madness actions so
far will do it in just a bit. With Ryan
to the WNBA, the Toronto Tempo announced on Tuesday that
the club has welcome Massai ujiy as a principal owner. Ujiri,
(02:35):
who is president of the mnba's Toronto Raptors from twenty
thirteen to twenty twenty five, joins an ownership group led
by Larry Tenbaum and also includes Serena Williams and Lilly Singh.
As part of the announcement, the Tempo said that Ujeri
and the team are launching a global coaching mentorship program
called Tempo Rising, with the goal of supporting women, identifying
and non binary coaches who are getting started in the
(02:55):
coaching pipeline to college vibs and big news in my
On Monday, it was announced that historic stadium Wrigley Field,
home to baseball Chicago Cubs, will host two Big Ten
outdoor volleyball matches on September sixth. Penn State will take
on Kentucky in one match, while the other will feature
Nebraska versus Missouri. The announcement was part of a larger initiative,
(03:17):
the inaugural Big Ten SEC Volleyball Challenge Week, which will
see all eighteen Big Ten schools and all sixteen SEC
institutions match up beginning Tuesday, September first, and culminating with
that double header at the Friendly Confines on the sixth.
Speaker 2 (03:31):
Tickets for the Wrigley games go on sales to.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
The public beginning April ninth, via the Cubs to hockey,
where we've got three games on the schedule tonight in
the PWHL, including the league's first ever visit to Calgary
Scotia Banks Saddle Dome for a takeover tour game between
the Ottawa Charge and Toronto Scepters.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Now that's a big one.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
Just four teams make the postseason, and heading into Wednesday's games,
just two points separate the fourth place charge and fifth
place scepters. We'll link to the schedule in the show.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Notes to the World of Flag Football.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
On Monday, the NFL announced additional details for their planned
men's and women's professional flag football leagues, including the signing
of Tomorrow Sports as the organization's developmental and operational partner
in the new project. The co founders of Tomorrow TMRW
are CEO Mike McCarley and golfers Rory McElroy and Tiger Woods,
who made headlines for all the wrong reasons this weekend.
(04:22):
Per an NFL press release, the leagues are expected to
launch ahead at the twenty twenty eight Los Angeles Olympics,
where flag football will make its debut. Investors in the
new flag leagues include a variety of NFL legends and
active players, in addition to folks outside the football bubble
like Alex Morgan, Serena Williams, and friends of the Show
Billy Jean King and Alana Claus. Finally, some big tennis news,
(04:43):
as tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg is reporting that the WTA
is ending its controversial partnership with Saudi Arabia this year,
will mark the final edition of the WTA Finals in
Riod and the WTA will look for a new host
for its year end championship event. We're going to take
a quick break when we come back. A Final four
preview with Ryan Rucco.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Joining us now.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
He's a play by play announcer for women's college basketball
the WNBA and the MNBA and ESPN. He calls New
York Yankees in Brooklyn, nets games on Yes Network. A
Fordham gradfather of two, slinger of sweatshirts, screamer of you
bet it's Ryan Ruco.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Hi, Ryan, Well, you know what, Sara, that was the
most accurate, enthusiastic, eloquent intro I've ever gotten, so thank you.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Glad to hear it.
Speaker 1 (05:36):
I'm wondering if we're going to get to see anydo's
hoodies in Phoenix or is it going to be too.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Hot out there?
Speaker 3 (05:41):
You know what. I actually, when we were talking to
the company we were doing this with, I was like,
you know, because we were talking about it was kind
of like a crunch timeline. We're like, well, we want
to get them out. People could have them by the
time they go to Final four, And I'm like, are
they actually going to wear them in Phoenix though, because
it's really hot there. But uh, but we'll see, you
(06:02):
know what. It was hot before Worth two, and a
lot of people were in hoodies inside the arena because
it's chill, are you know.
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Yeah, in warm places like that, they tend to over
a see it so that you've got to have, you know,
multiple outfits. It's youbet shop dot com if people want
to rock the merch. I did just talk to j Perry,
who's organizing the Final four in Phoenix, and she said
when everyone was leaving the w NBA All Star there,
they were all rocking their orange hoodies in the airport.
So there's still a chance that you're going to be
(06:30):
see selling some sweatshirts, them slinging them some sweatshirts.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
Well let's start there because I've heard you tell the
story about your signature call, and I actually love that
there's more to it than just you know, happening upon it.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
So can you share it here?
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Yeah? Like so you know, for me, play by play
is really it's an art, you know, it's a craft.
It's something I'm obsessed with. And that was the way,
like I always took an interest in announcers growing up.
But then the way I was really taught it from
my mentor at Boredom at WFUV and my radio station
there at the radio station at Boredem, Bob Aarons, was
(07:10):
through the Marty Glickman style, and it was like really about,
you know, the mechanics of it and the touch, and
the differences in the mediums and the difference between radio
and TV. And when I started doing TV, I really
appreciated that, you know, you weren't having to be on
(07:32):
the action describing everything the same way you are in radio.
Right in radio you have to be the eyes for
the listener. In TV there's some space for creativity that's
slightly different than radio, since the audience is seeing what
they're seeing. And I've always thought, because of the way
I was taught, you can't manufacture a signature call, right,
(07:54):
You can't. You Also, you don't want to become too
sticky or hokey, you know, like it all it has
to be natural. So I was trying to come up.
I realized that on TV you have these moments where
you're creating anticipation and you're trying to pay it off.
That was one thing actually to bring it back even further,
I got to observe Joe Buck in the booth when
(08:15):
I was twenty one, and he was talking to me
about the difference between radio and TV, and he brought
up how you're setting up anticipatory moments for the audience
in a different way than just having to describe it
as it's happening on radio. And so I would I
think about and I say, Okay, I kind of can
do that, especially from the three point line, like if
(08:36):
someone's getting hot, like will she hit again? Or you know,
you know, is it going to be six of them
or whatever. It's things that you couldn't really do on
radio because the audience would be lost.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Yeah, yeah, six of what are there on the court?
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Exactly exactly. So when I was thinking kind of like
about a call and response, and suddenly I was like, oh, like,
you is like a way to respond to that if
they make it right. And that's the only way you
would punctuate it enthusiastically anyway, because if you're like, is
she gonna hit again and she doesn't, you're not going
to have some explain Well.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
That's also my favorite when you say no.
Speaker 3 (09:15):
That's our that's my director's favorite too. That was Van
Gundy's favorite too. Yeah, yeah, I have fun with that.
But I so anyway, so I started doing I started
like using you bad. I was like, oh, I kind
of like that. I think this was like twenty eleven
or twenty twenty twelve somewhere around there. And then I
started using it more and I just started being like, oh,
(09:36):
I think this is my call. And so I was
using it a lot in games. And then Tim Corrigan,
who's our boss overseeing NBA and WNBA at ESPN, he
called me one day. I could still remember where I was.
I was at this smoothie shop I used to go
to near my old apartment on eighty fifth and second.
Smoothie shop was on eighty fifth and thirds. And he
was like, hey, he's giving me, you know, different feedback.
(09:58):
And whenever he's like you know something with you bet
it's a really good call. Which he doesn't dole out
compliments unless he means them, so it's like, okay, good.
And he was like, but you use it too much.
You should be more selective, make it more meaningful. And
he was like, it doesn't have to be a game
winner all the time, but you know, something meaningful within
the course of the game, and from that moment on
I was more strategic about it, and then you know,
(10:20):
it gets attached to different moments, different players. Certainly Caitlin
has had an enormous effect on helping popularize it, and
all of a sudden it becomes a thing. And it's
pretty cool for me now, an arenas, you know, especially
in the women's basketball circles, and everybody's just like yelling
at me, you bet, you bet? Can you record you
bet on my phone? It's cute. It's very endearing.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
Yeah, yeah, it's I just like the call and response.
Speaker 1 (10:45):
It makes so much sense, and it pays off these
moments of anticipation, which is great. We haven't gotten to
hear a lot of you bets in the last couple
of rounds of the tournament, a lot of blowout wins,
so not a lot of big time shots. The excitement
isn't there quite the same way. Per ESPN searched, the
Elite eight games were decided by an average of twenty
three points per game. That's the largest average margin of
(11:05):
victory in the round all time. I'm not that surprised
coming into the tournament this final four to me was
a clear tier above the rest this year. Did you
feel the same coming in?
Speaker 3 (11:16):
I did? I did. I felt the same coming in
and and honestly, it's tough when you know it going
in because normally the tournament and the drama of it,
you know, it generates these incredible moments and you know,
awesome forever highlights and memories and you get such a
(11:37):
high from the broadcast and the games that you call.
And I kind of knew it was going to take
something unique for that to happen in these in these rounds,
and you know, it just they've been blots, you know,
they've been mostly we got to come up. But you know,
looking in the games I thought would be really good,
(11:57):
We're Duke LSU and Vandy Notre Dame, and both of
those games were great. You know, I didn't get to
call either of those games, but both of those games
are great. And then we had, I think the second
round we actually had quite a few really great games.
Speaker 2 (12:11):
Too, And that's what I expected.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
I thought, you know, seven to twenty five this year,
there was so much motion that I expected to be
surprised in some of those because they did move around
a lot. Even a team like duke that started the
season so poorly and gradually moved its way up over
the course of that deep season run.
Speaker 2 (12:26):
You had some questions up in there.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
It was really just at the top where it felt
pretty inevitable. I was surprised to hear that it's just
the fifth time in the women's tournament that all four
number one seeds advanced, though hasn't happened since twenty eighteen.
It kind of feels so chalky all the time when
you get to the late rounds that I was surprised,
But I guess there's always, you know, one that doesn't
show up or has a bad game in the last
(12:49):
couple of years.
Speaker 3 (12:50):
Yeah, I know, I was surprised at that too, Sarah.
I was also surprised this is only the second time
you ever had the same exact final four, Yeah, back
to back years, because right, there has been through the years,
like such established programs and and you know, I think
one of the things that where the women's final four
is different than the men is, you know, you don't
(13:11):
have the same kind of chaos and upsets often in
the early rounds, right, although we've had more in recent
years this year notwithstanding. But yeah, but then you you
usually end up with classic matchups in the final four,
and you know, true, you know, the programs with huge
followings and whatever, because it's a safer bet, right than
(13:32):
in the men. So you would think you'd get some
more duplication than what we actually have.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
Yeah, just the second time, which is surprising.
Speaker 1 (13:38):
Yeah, yeah, I hate to dive back into the is
this good for basketball after eleventy years of having that
conversation about yu Kon?
Speaker 2 (13:46):
But let's do it back to back, same final four.
Speaker 1 (13:49):
Good for the game that we're getting some of these
repeat matchups, some of these storylines.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
You know. I I think what's good for the game
is having the most genuinely competitive, you know, games with
uncertain outcomes at the biggest moments. I think that's what's
best for the game. We had a run recently where
(14:16):
it felt like that was happening in the Sweet sixteen,
in the Elite eight, in the Final four, in the
National Championship game. Right. I think last year what derailed
a little bit of that was the Juju injury, because
I think that USC Yukon Elite eight game would have
been you know, just it was like basically the first
blip on what was that two year, like everything broke
(14:39):
right for women's basketball ride right and then and then
we kind of had some different, you know, unfortunate moments
after that, but like then you kind of just beat
the living hell out of everybody the rest of the tournament,
and and so we didn't necessarily have that. But I
think I think where our payoff could come this year is,
you know, you're getting Yukon South Carolina in the Semis, right,
(15:00):
And I do think Yukon has looked a little bit
more vulnerable than people thought they would be in this tournament.
Even though they've won their games, handling, they haven't looked
quite as good. And South Carolina has looked really good.
And so maybe going into this tournament I would have thought,
like a Yukon's in its own tier and those other
(15:21):
one seeds are like just below. Now I actually kind
of look at it like they're all like Texas is
playing the best basketball right now. Yeah, and then Ucla,
you know, has been incredible all season. The only game
they've lost this to Texas. So I think, Sarah, if
we get some great final four games, and I think
(15:41):
we will, then I don't think we're all going to
have the feeling we have now of like is this
like that for the game, then I think we're going
to be like, Okay, thank god it was these four
teams who care? Who cares how they got here? Look
at the moments they gave us, you know, But in general,
in the perfect world, you have some of that also
in the earlier rounds.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Of course, let's talk about these four. So South Carolina
is returning.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
They've got a couple familiar faces, Joy Sedwards, Raven and
Tessa Johnson. But today Latsin comes over from Florida State,
Medina Ocott transfers over from Mississippi State. You've got the
freshman Agatt mckeir, who was big last night. How impressive
is it for don Staley to run it back sixth
straight Final four for her with so many new faces,
and she's been able to.
Speaker 2 (16:23):
Do this the last couple of years with the transfer portal.
Speaker 3 (16:27):
It's amazing. You know, what Dawn has built in South
Carolina is remarkable. And I think there's a couple of
ways in which, you know, Dawn separates herself as a
coach or maintains consistent excellence. You know, one is her
team's always play their best this time of year, like
she is great at having your teams to send at
(16:48):
the right time. And if you were to watch South
Carolina earlier in the season, you might have really thought, like,
that team is incredibly vulnerable, and you know, I'm not
so sure given they're going to the Final four. And
then she gets them to a point where you know,
you're watching them in late February and you're like, oh
my gosh, of course they're going to go to the
final four, you know. And that's what she does. And
(17:09):
I think if you look at their last couple of months,
their only blip was the SEC Championship game, and there
were some mitigating circumstances there. Now, Texas is incredible and
they played great, but Tessa Johnson and Raven Johnson were
both like a little nicked up in that game. One
was dealing with cramps and tested it seem quite right.
Raven was dealing cramps, tested it seemed quite right. And
(17:33):
also they had just come off the LSU game, which
was a game that you know, great magnetism to it.
I think it was probably a little hard to play
the next day. Right, everything else they've looked incredible, And
I also think Dawn does a great job throughout the
course of the season of being willing to even lose
a game to teach a lesson. She always keeps the
(17:55):
big picture in mind, and if that means she's going
to not call a time out to stop run at
certain points in the season because she wants her team
to learn a lesson, or she's going to sit a
player down or change your lineup or whatever it might be.
She's great at having the big picture in mind, knowing
it's about how they're playing now. I also think what
she deserves a ton of credit for is this is
(18:16):
a South Carolina team that is without Chloe Kids, who
might have been their best player this year, and without
Ashlan Watkins, who was a total game changer, who's you know,
not with the program this year. So for them to
do this after the players they lost last year, but
also with those two, I mean you could have gotten
into the season saying those are their two best players. Yeah.
(18:37):
I think that is what makes this run very special.
And you know, I know sometimes when you go every year,
it could be hard for people to appreciate the accomplishment.
I think it is an incredible accomplishment that South Carolina's
back in the Final Four this year.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
They struggled a little bit early against TCU, but they
pulled away to finish off the sweep of Elite eight
blowouts that we got. What stood out to you most
about them in that or even their closer game against
LSU and the Sweet sixteen. In terms of what is
clicking for me, it's a lot of it is to
Nia Latton playing her best ball now as she's really
gotten into this chemistry, into this team, into being a
(19:12):
more well rounded player.
Speaker 3 (19:14):
Yeah, I think Laxon playing as well as she has
is a huge, huge part of things because they can't
reach their ceiling unless she is aggressive offensively scoring, which
we've seen her obviously not do it the same way
as she did of Florida State. That was to be expected,
but the way she's evolved as a distributor, the way
(19:36):
she has defended and now getting back to that scoring
as well, I think it is a huge part of it.
But the thing that's impressed me most is Raven. You know,
Raven Johnson is having an amazing season, and I think
what struck me most is her lack of hesitation in
shooting from three in the biggest moments, Like Rebecca and
(19:57):
I were watching the game against TCU and together after
our game and we were both like, my gosh, Like,
Raven Johnson is just like a big money bucket getter now.
And you know, she's always had the defensive ability, she's
always had the cerebral nature, the ability to run an offense.
But the way she now can score and her confidence
and taking and making big shots. I think it's a
(20:19):
game changer for South Carolina. I also think it's done
wonders for her draft stock. Yeah. I you know, I've
talked to different you know, WNBA executives who I think
now you know, are looking at her and saying like, oh,
you know, like I was worried about her hesitating shooting
from three. Now I don't have that concern. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:39):
She's so smart out there too.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
And you heard Don Staley say of all the players
she's coached, she's gonna miss Raven Johnson the most, which
is really saying something when you've got folks like Asian
Wilson who came through. Yeah, she's she's really stepped up
and done well for herself and the team. Yukon had
to work through three quarters against Notre Dame. It was
their lowest total through three at any point in their
(21:01):
fifty four game win streak. But in the fourth again
it was like, oh, okay, I guess we should win the game. Now,
step on the gas. Can South Carolina take any tips
from what the Irish did right through those first three?
Speaker 3 (21:14):
I think so. I think so. I also think, you know,
right now, there's been moments in the first few games
of this tournament for Yukon where they've not been consistent
enough getting Sarah strong the basketball, and so if you
can find a way to try and limit the touches
(21:35):
of Sarah, I do think Yukon's entire offense struggles some
when it's not running through her. And then you know,
this is more of a Yukon thing than something South
Carolina would do. But I think aasy if she has
even the slightest window of daylight, she's got to shoot.
You know, there were times where I thought she was
(21:55):
not aggressive enough, both in the Sweet sixteen and the
Elite eight after she had that historic second round game.
And if those two aren't aggressive or aren't getting their
normal touches, they become much more vulnerable because now all
of a sudden, a lot is falling on you know,
Ashland shade making shots, and she hasn't yet in this tormum.
(22:15):
She's quite capable. We saw it last year in the
runs of the National Championship game. We even saw the
year before, but she hasn't been hitting shots lately. Right,
kk Arnold is going to be selective with her opportunities offensively,
So I think if you're South Carolina, you know that
would be something that would encourage you. I think the
(22:37):
X factor game changer for Yukon is Blanca Quinone, who
is just a monster. I mean, she's six to two
with incredible guard skills, fearless because she's been playing pro
ball since like ninth grade, and you know.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Kind they were like, let me shut down Sarah Strong
and Asy Fund and oh doesn't matter because now we've
left Blancaona's and she's going to take us out.
Speaker 3 (23:04):
Yeah. Like, the way I feel about watching Blanca in
this tournament is the way I felt about watching Sarah
last year, where you know, we knew she was really good.
It had a really good regular season. It was clearly
one of, if not the best pressure in the country,
and then you watch her in the tournament and it
was like, oh, wait, Sarah Strong is the best player
in the country, you know, And I'm not Blanca is
(23:26):
not not the best player in the country, But I
think she's having that same kind of moment of fan
consumer discovery where if you're watching, you're like, wait a second,
I yes, she was good, but like.
Speaker 2 (23:36):
You're like another one for you.
Speaker 3 (23:38):
Yeah, yeah, exactly right.
Speaker 1 (23:40):
That's the thing about Yukon is like they're so good
and so dominant that we're like, yeah, they haven't looked
that good, and they're winning every game by twenty plus points,
and when when their best players have an off night,
it literally doesn't matter because somebody else goes off like
Blanca Kenyona. So I'm I'm still firmly in the court
of Yukon winning that one. I think as great as
SC has looked, they're a lot more inconsistent and rely
(24:02):
a lot more on somebody being hot, and you kind
of relies on fundamental depth, every player being able to
do what they do and figuring it out. But yeah,
I mean, I'm hoping it's a close one. Yeah, I'm
really a little bit less certain about the second game.
You were actually on the call for Texas Michigan on Monday.
These Longhorns good lord. They hitch you from the very
(24:25):
first second and they do not let up until the
game is out of reach ten minutes in. What are
you seeing from Vic Schaefer squad?
Speaker 3 (24:32):
You know what's interesting is like Vic is a super
intense guy, and you know, getting to know him over
the years, he is I think, you know, he's he's
focused on every detail. I think he carries a you
know a good amount of stress generally into each game.
And he has been completely calm and so confident in
(24:57):
his team, and he's even expressed it to us, like
yesterday he knew, he said, we're going to have to
not shoot well and really not play well to lose
this game because they just don't match up with us.
And you know, for a coach to say that on
the morning of one of those games, like you know,
they feel good, Gino. We sometimes we'll get those vibes
from from Geno at times too, where like he just
knows it's going to take something, you know, really unique
(25:20):
for them to lose a game, you know, And Vick
has had that air to him in these matchups over
the Sweet sixteen and now and now the Elite eight.
And you know, I'm not I don't know he's going
to have that feeling going into UCLA. But I think
what it's representative of is how well Texas is playing
offensively right now, because defensively that's been there. And Vic
(25:41):
was talking to us about that the other day too.
He was like, you know, over the last six years,
I've spent so many games where I'm sweating out every
possession because i know we're going to have to win
this game in the fifties or the sixties and win
it with our defense because we can't really score. He's like, y'all,
it's a lot easier when you're putting the ball in
the hoop, and they are. They are really putting the
(26:01):
ball in the hoop right now, Like they are playing
the best basketball in the country as we enter the
Final four, and they're so deep, like they barely had
to use a Leah Crump, who's a dynamic scorer off
the bench if they need her. And then they've also
been you know, they kind of play a carousel of
biggs that you know, Oh, is it going to be
(26:23):
Branon Cunningham or is it going to be Kyl the Oldacre. Oh,
they're both going to play. Well, let me they least
get twenty minutes.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Let's just put Madison Booker on the bench for a
while and still full away.
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Right exactly like as Ashton jug going to get some minutes,
so she'll contribute. Oh, tayo, Sidberry, you haven't seen her
in a week. That's okay. Now she's going to impact
the game, you know, like they really do have. And
I think Vic's been a night job of pressing the
right button when he's needed to. It almost reminds me
some of what Dawn did two years ago when they
won the national championship, when she had a really deep
(26:52):
team and she just had such a great feel for
when she was going to push which button. Oh it's
time for Mylesia. Okay, No, Tessa Johnson needs to come
in all right, you know, like and no, we're going
to let Raven run this one out. So anyway, I
I think Texas is playing incredible basketball going into the
Final four and going into this matchup against UCLA.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
Plus one forty two point differential is the largest for
an SEC team in NCAA tournament history entering the Final four.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
So they are beating the brakes off everyone.
Speaker 1 (27:20):
Meanwhile, UCLA actually trailed Duke at the half, just the
second time they've trailed at the break all season long,
but then second half, whatever was said in the locker room,
and they come out and they finish them off. What
has stood out for you about UCLA, not just in
this tournament but all season long and how strong they've been.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Well, first of all, I just want to say, I'm
excited to go see Corey close. She's one of my
favorite people to me too interact with, and she's wonderful,
Like she's just like she's a human being who gives
and gives and you know, you walk away feeling better, right,
And I also appreciate and this is one of the
things I love about and I know you you experienced
at two, Sarah, Like, one of the things I appreci
(28:00):
about the ecosystem of women's basketball is there really is
a shared feeling of connection between you know, even media
and players and coaches in kind of the the gratitude
we all have for each other's roles. And Corey definitely
embodies that as much as anybody. So I'm so happy
for them. I think what's really impressed me is their resilience.
(28:23):
You know, they've been tested in these games and they've
played really well in the second half and specifically fourth
quarters in these games in the latter rounds, and I think,
you know, they have rightly or wrongly at times, been
given a stigma of you know, are they tough enough?
You know, can they handle this? And you know, last year,
(28:44):
I thought they answered questions by getting to the Final four,
And this year, I think they've answered those questions again
with some of the ways they were tested in the
Sweet sixteen and then especially in the Elite eight. And
so you combine them answering those tests with the fact
that they are just you know, they're much more talented
this season than they were last year. And I always
(29:05):
thought like there was a lot on kiky Rice in
the past, like, and she's been a much better player
this year and has like much less on her than
she has in the past. You know, what leder Walker
has done for them is you know, incredible. Neatkins is
a game changer, you know, and then you have the
main stays as well, obviously Lauren Betts being the central pillar.
(29:28):
So I just feel like, like, I think, as great
as Texas is playing, UCLA has an excellent chance to
win this game. And whoever comes away the winner in
that game, you're probably gonna still think the loser is
a great basketball team, you know, like I I don't
think anyone's like I don't think anyone's going to be
overmatched in that game.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Well, you know, last year we felt that way about
the Bruins going into the maybe Sweet sixteen Elite eight
Final four, even like they're too big, no one can
stop Lauren Betts. This is you know, who's going to
get in their way, no matter how well everyone else
was playing. We just thought, oh, the Bruin, they look
unbeatable and then you know, remind us how things ended
(30:09):
for them last year.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
It wasn't it wasn't close.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
No, it wasn't. No, you can beat the living hell
out of them, and I, you know, I I think
that you comes just want to Last year, they were
in one of these like rhythmic missions, if you will,
where it was just like everything's.
Speaker 4 (30:27):
Clicking page on title exactly, yes, exactly, as he was
playing the best basketball for her career at that time,
right like Sarah Strong was historically in the tournament and then.
Speaker 3 (30:39):
Page So they ran into a buzzsaw last year. Uh,
you know, I there's a chance that like Texas kind
of is in that place that was yeah, that Yukon
was in last year. Like, you know, I don't think
there's a zero percent possibility. There's probably a better way
(31:01):
to word that there is a greater than zero percent
chance that we end up talking on Monday and we say, oh,
I guess we should have known Texas was going to
win both games by eighteen. You know, I like, like
they're playing that good. But I think that option that
options on the table, I do, I just I But
(31:24):
I think the stronger possibility is we get three really
competitive games with serious drama, and it's kind of a
toss up. You know, I'd probably say Texas because of
how they've been playing. I haven't seen the lines, but
I'm guessing they're like a slight favorite in that game
against UCLA. But but Ucla, I do think it's not
(31:46):
the same as last year in that they just have
way more answers when it comes to the guard position,
in the wing position than they did a season ago.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
Is there a difference maker either a player or a
style or something it has to go right or wrong
in that Longhorns Bruins matchup.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
Yeah, So I think for for UCLA to win I
think they need Texas to have both Harmon and Lee
miss shots like Booker is. Booker is going to do
what she does right like she is. She's remarkably efficient,
(32:25):
and we'll taker.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Probably won't be able to do what she did in
the Elite Eate because with one bets not to mention
too gunking up the lane, she's not going to be
able to be as big like that. I think you
guys described her as like a bully holding the ball
over the heads of smaller people.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
That's not going to work against UCLA.
Speaker 3 (32:42):
Exactly exactly, So I think it's going to be really
important for Texas to get. Now, like Jordan Lee, who's
been incredible the first three games the tourment, she shot
horribly in the Elite oh.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
For nine or something from three.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
From three and she finished I think two of eighteen
from the foard. Now, some years you worry about them
going in the tank after that, Like I don't. With her.
She's a really strong kid mentally and like super super smart,
but forgetting how it does or doesn't affect her. She's
going to need to hit shots, and Rory Harmon is
(33:18):
going to need to hit shots and maintain the same
level of offensive aggression that she has especially early in
games over the last couple of games. I think if
that doesn't happen, right if Lee, if Lee goes two
for eleven, and if Harmon is two for seven, you know,
then I think Texas is going to be in some
trouble because I don't think they're going to get the
(33:39):
same level of interior production against Ucla that they've gotten,
you know, in their other games. And this is a
game where because of that, Aleiah Crump might be an
X factor as well. Like even Crumb's teammates the other
day we're telling us, you know, I know, she's not
playing a ton of minutes, like there's going to be
a moment at some point in this tournament where she's
(34:01):
going to really help win us a game, like she's
going to be really important. And I do think that's
one area where Texas is different this year. If they
need to, they have the ability to put an additional
three point shooter on the floor that they just did
not have in years past, and that's Croup well.
Speaker 1 (34:16):
And hopefully UCLA has been working on that full court
press break because just watching teams try to inbound the
ball against Texas has been an adventure.
Speaker 3 (34:26):
Well, I think I got the note here somewhere. I
think they have. I think they have forced thirty five
second violations this year, and I believe it is thirty
five second violations. It's sixteen more than any other D
one team. Wow, force sixteen more five second violations than
any other D one team.
Speaker 2 (34:46):
Yeah, it's not that common.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
Most teams, first of all, aren't press in full court,
especially early in games like that, but to be that effective,
and actually we did see, and I don't know how
much of a correlation there's, but we saw UCLA pick
up a handful of shot clock violations they'd only done
twice all season, and then multiple times in the last game.
So you know, clock awareness and handling the pressure in
those moments that'll be big early in that game against Texas,
(35:10):
so they don't get out of rhythm. What are you
most excited about in general about heading to Phoenix? Can
be basketball or otherwise?
Speaker 3 (35:16):
Wow. I mean, I'm most excited to get cocktails with
my good friend super Bird. That's what I'm most excited about.
That's that's first on my agenda on the off day.
But in addition to Negroni's with Sue I Am sounds
like a show. It definitely could be. Maybe maybe that'll
be the name of future podcast. I honestly like I am,
(35:38):
I'm really excited just to sit their court side, to
feel the atmosphere. Phoenix is a wonderful women's basketball town.
You know, the X factor the Mercury crowd has been
incredible for decades. I'm just excited to see how these
teams play out. Like what I want is close games,
like please, I know, yeah, and I do believe we
(36:04):
have four teams like you, you know, set the table for
off the top SRA. We have four teams who are
so clearly a tier above everybody else this year that
I do believe we are primed for some classic matchups
where there is not only genuine intrigue about who will win,
but where you're looking at these four teams and you're saying,
(36:24):
all four of these teams are natty worthy. You know,
That's not always how you feel going into a Final four, right,
There's usually like one team that you're like, I'm pretty
sure they're like they were good enough to get here,
but they're not good enough to win it. You know,
this year, I genuinely think all four teams are good
enough to win it, and so I'm excited to see
how it plays out because I think there's some real
(36:46):
intrigue and drama there and I'm just thirsty for some
close games.
Speaker 2 (36:50):
Yeah, ditto.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Okay, before I let you go, I want to do
a quick speed round to pick your breat brain. And
these are tough questions for a speed round. I'm just
going to give you a buzzword and you just tell
me whatever comes to mind.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
Take opinion question.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
I really just want to be thinking going forward using
whatever's up there in your brain, maybe something I haven't
thought about. So let's go NC double a versus house payments.
Speaker 3 (37:15):
NC double a versus house payments. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (37:18):
Are you with Geno?
Speaker 1 (37:19):
That title nine's basically out the window at this point
because no one's doing that equitably.
Speaker 3 (37:25):
You know what, I'm with Gino on on most things,
Like he I think he's like I think he The
first thing I think of when you say that, honestly,
is like what he was thinking about or what he
was talking about the other day with like just getting
teams more time and making sure they can shoot on
the hoops that they're going to be playing on and
the value of that. And I do think in general,
(37:48):
when these established coaches, and I know I'm kind of
going off from what you said, Yeah, when a Gino
says something, when a Dawn says something, right, when a
Kim Moultky says something, when a Corey Close says something,
when a Vick Schaeffer says something, I think our approach
needs to be curiosity instead of defensiveness. Before the NCAA, Okay,
(38:09):
and this goes for any governing body. If the central
figures that are lifting up your sport are collectively sharing
some sort of breathe, ince or complaint, instead of the
instinct being to be defensive, I think the instinct needs
to be to be curious. So if GINO is raising
red flags about what can happen to Title nine as
(38:31):
a result of the current system, I think we all
need to get real curious about, you know, what kind
of a problem that could be for the equity of
women's sports. And I hope that that curiosity is followed
up on.
Speaker 1 (38:44):
You touched on the regional sites too, which you know
that's going to be in place for the next five seasons.
That doesn't mean they can't still look into some of
the problems that have been created by the way they
currently have those two sites set up. As Gina was
complaining about, Okay, I always state transfers.
Speaker 3 (39:00):
You know. I Bill Fenneley is like an all time
great coach, and I'm it was surprising to me because
I feel like he runs such a sturdy, stable program.
Hilton is an amazing place to play. That community loves
its team. You know, they've been selling out women's basketball games,
(39:20):
you know, long before it was in vogue. I don't know.
I wonder like, how much longer is Bill going to
do it? I have no knowledge about that, but is
there anything going on to that? I have no idea,
but I was genuinely surprised seeing that because I feel
like he does such a great job with that program.
But clearly this year there was something off, something was off.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
They started off so well and then it just fell apart.
And listen, Audie Crooks has been such an amazing person there,
not just player, so.
Speaker 2 (39:51):
You'd hate to see or leave.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
And yet I also would love to see Audie Crooks
in the way that Tanaia Latson got to her first
Sweet sixteen, first Elite eight, like a great player getting
to be on the highest stage. I want Audie to
be somewhere where the country can see her more regularly
and she can shine the way that she does at
Iowa State. But it's going to be tough with all
those transfers. Okay, w NBA's compressed off season.
Speaker 3 (40:18):
A bomb cyclone of interest is So I remember talking
to talking a player at some point during the offseason,
and they were talking to me about like just you know, like, oh,
what's you know, what's going to happen timeline wise with everything,
And I was like, well, look, as long as you
guys get a CBA done in time, you're going to
have like this unbelievable run of just interesting things going
(40:42):
on in the world of women's basketball, from you know,
the CBA being signed, to selection Sunday to the tournament,
to expansion draft to free agency in Final four, you know,
w draft, start of the season. So I think I'm
just excited for the you know, the rush of dopamine
and that we're going to get every day thanks schedule.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
Every day, a piece of news.
Speaker 1 (41:04):
No sleep team, no sleep until especially for the GMS
of the teams that have like no players on their
roster as of right now, and our hustling.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Well, Ryan, it was so great to talk to you.
Speaker 1 (41:15):
I would ask you how your brackets are doing. I
imagine you're not allowed to have them, So how are
your kids brackets doing that?
Speaker 2 (41:20):
They definitely filled out for themselves.
Speaker 3 (41:23):
They totally did. They're doing great. They felt pretty Yeah,
Evy my four and a half year old, she felt
pretty confident about all four one Saints, So she did
a great job.
Speaker 1 (41:33):
Glad to hear it me too. Tell EVM with her. Ryan,
this was so great. Thanks for turning around so fast
after last night's game to.
Speaker 2 (41:39):
Hang out with us.
Speaker 3 (41:41):
Yeah. No, thank you Sarah for like all you're doing
in First of all, you're just great at what you do,
regardless of what you cover. But it's so nice to
have a to have like this kind of platform, a
program for women's sports and what you've built in her building.
So thank you for having me. I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
I appreciate you saying that we waited too long to
get you on, but now you're in.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
The fam, so you'll be back.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Yes, a good.
Speaker 1 (42:04):
Thanks again to Ryan for the great chat. We have
to take another break when we come back. We unveiled
the bracket challenge within the bracket.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
Challenge, stick around, Welcome back slices.
Speaker 1 (42:21):
We love that you're listening, but you know we want
you to get in the game every day too.
Speaker 2 (42:25):
So here's our good game play of the day.
Speaker 1 (42:27):
Well, you've already made your plays and you put them
into our March sliceness bracket. So let's see who's hanging
out at the top heading into this weekend.
Speaker 2 (42:34):
We've got raw Pick one still in the lead.
Speaker 1 (42:37):
That's Super Slice Aaron Racho and everyone how it's done
with eleven hundred and ninety points right behind her with
eleven seventy it's Coach Burn and Steph jam One's picks
two rolls right off.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
The tongue just a few slots down. Who's that? Oh,
it's me.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Good game With Sarah Spain sitting in a tie for sixth,
not too shabby. We won't know the big winner and
prize getter till Sunday's national title game, but I can
announce a different winner today. Producer Bianca pointed out how
many clever names we've gotten our bracket challenge. So I
decided to rummage around in my prize closet and find
something good for the best name of the bunch. First,
(43:13):
I got a shout out the bracket called hoops and
gay shit. We do appreciate you being on brand, but
I'm afraid there were just a few even better names.
We'll go top ten to acknowledge the near winners that
are also deserving of some love before getting to the
true winner.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Drum roll please.
Speaker 1 (43:30):
Number ten Ai Sucks Booty. Number nine, Mom Jean's number two.
Number eight Tortured Teachers Department. We love a Taylor Swift
rough Number seven, deranged loaf of cheese. Number six, go away.
Kim Geaux mentioned that one before, We love it.
Speaker 2 (43:47):
Number five Johnson and Johnson No tears.
Speaker 1 (43:49):
They of course have South Carolina and Tessa and ravend
Johnson going all the way.
Speaker 2 (43:53):
Number four exactly how I drew it up. That one
made me giggle. Guse yeah.
Speaker 1 (43:58):
Number three chalk me like a hurricane. Chalk of course,
when the top seeds advance, that's clever. One haven't seen
that one before. Number two Nacho the Goat shouts shouts
to that listener for recognizing the real MVP of this show.
The goat who wore Dinah Tarassi's jersey at her bench
dedication ceremony. I miss Nacho I need to get myself
a goat and the winner. Number one. Seeded Rivalry just
(44:24):
a great combination of two things we love, bracket challenges
and heated rivalry.
Speaker 2 (44:28):
It's very clever. We love it.
Speaker 1 (44:30):
You are the champion, and if you are the proud
owner of the seated Rivalry bracket, shoot me a message
good game at wondermediatnetwork dot com so I can't grab
your address and send you your prize. Hopefully, whoever you
are Seated Rivalry, you're listening to this episode. Oh I've
got one more bracket update too. Our show remains in
first place in the Welcome to the Party bracket, and
(44:52):
I don't imagine we'll be looking back or down at
our competition anytime soon. You know, if you ain't the
lead dog, the Scenery and Ever and those other podcasts
have been looking at her butts since day one. Beating
Sue Bird, Meghan Rappino, Abby Wambach, Julie Foudy, Sam Muis,
Kristin Press, Hobin Heath and Moore in sports adjacent competition.
Speaker 2 (45:15):
It feels really nice, feels right. Have ever mentioned how
much I like winning stuff?
Speaker 3 (45:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (45:21):
We always love to hear from you.
Speaker 1 (45:22):
Slices so hit us up on email Good game at
wondermedianetwork dot com or leave us a voicemail at eight
seven two two oh four fifty seventy, and don't.
Speaker 2 (45:29):
Forget to subscribe. Rate and review.
Speaker 1 (45:32):
It's easy watch. March Sliceness is a family affair. Rating
two out of six members of the Hillier family are
neck and neck. Review producer Bianca and producer Bianca's dad
are tied in our March Sliceness Bracket challenge. Now it's
Bianca's second bracket, which she wants folks to know she
filled out based on everything but basketball. She has Ohio
(45:53):
State beating Vermont in the finals because she loves Vermont
and she's from Ohio hence the six one four in
her racket name. And her dad, who is an animal
skin doctor, has a bracket appropriately and literally called animal
skin Doc. They're sitting tied in two hundred and ninety
first place with six hundred thirty points. Better luck next year,
you two, but also cute. Now it's your turn, y'all,
(46:17):
Rate and review. Thanks for listening, see you tomorrow. Good game, Ryan,
Good game, Evy for listening to your dad's picks. Wink
wink you anyone who sends us an email saying there's
no March thirty second, it.
Speaker 2 (46:29):
Was an April fool's joke, y'all.
Speaker 1 (46:33):
Good Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports
production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You
can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or
wherever you get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network,
our producers are Alex Azzi and Bianca Hillier. Our executive
producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder.
Our editors are Emily Rudder, Lucy Jones, Britney Martinez, and
(46:55):
Gianna Palmer. Production assistants from Avery Loftus and I'm Your
Host sarahir Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
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