March 23, 2024 • 43 mins
The NCAA Tournament is underway, and this week we’ve got a freshman phenom from the No. 1 seeded Texas – Madison Booker! Haley and Madison get into all the March Madness buzz and predictions, the learning curve that comes along with becoming a freshman starting point guard, and the hoops journey that led Madison to the big stage. Tune in to us and tune in to the tournament!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The vision I had as a wing player, because I
mean I was still like a past first type of
wing player. But also I would scored when I, you know,
have my shots to take. But then moving to a
point guard is still past first mentality. The court just changes,
like how you make reads, it all changes. And so
I mean first half of the conference it was a struggle.
(00:21):
You know, she's making bad reads, not seeing it read
quick enough. Mine theme when I asked coach what do
I need to do to be better for my team
as a point guard, and he said, your turnovers. And
so that's been the main thing I've been working on.
And I can say our last game, I had zero turnovers.
So he was very he was very proud about that.
(00:42):
I was proud about that too.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Oh that's big.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
That's big.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
So I mean I would say like it was probably
the hardest transition. But I mean, my team is not
confidence in me.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Welcome back. Just sometimes I hoop today.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
We've got a rookie hooper who made some noise all
season long us on the pod today. Quick Humble Bragg
McDonald's All American Big Twelve Tournament MOP Big Twelve Freshman
Year and co Play of the Year none other than
Texas superstar point guard Madison Booker.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Thanks popping on the pod.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Oh no, thank you. It is my pleasure presented by Wendy's.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Before we jump into the tournament and march madness, tell
me what is the song on repeat for you in
the locker room right now as we head into the tournament?
US run artists.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Such a different vibe. Our last answer was Kirk Franklin
in Gospel, So a different vibe, but I like it.
Let's jump into the landscape.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Yere.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
You guys are big twelve champs and you're a big
twelve championship mop, which is like absurd for a freshman
to do.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
So talk to me about how it was you guys
had to come.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Back against k State Scotch you guys, what was that
like then taking home the championship?
Speaker 3 (02:00):
I mean really don't mean the whole tournament was tough.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
We had Kansas first round, Case State second round, and
Iowa State to finish off the tournament. I mean, we
just have funny entire tournament. We compete it, we get rewarded.
I mean ever since day one, so that's the on
campus we've been working to win Big twelve. I mean,
plus it's our last year there, so it felt definitely
sweet just to get one before we left moving to
the SEC.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
No, I mean, that's crazy that you used are really
going to the SEC next year. I didn't even think
about that all the conference ships and everything.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
You and Oklahoma are both going, right, we are? Oh
my god?
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Okay, Well, how do you feel about switching conferences after
your freshman year?
Speaker 2 (02:36):
You just kind of ran the table. Are you gonna
go do the same thing next year in the new conference?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
With?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
What are we doing?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Is a one day at a time. I mean, I
hope we do great over there. I think we will.
I'm pretty sure we are.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
That's the right answer. Way to be humble.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Okay, So as a freshman, it's your first time experiencing
selections Sunday. Walk me through the moment you guys found
out you're a number one seed, because that's pretty exciting.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Oh yeah, motion, you know, going in, we kind of thought,
you know, since we lost to oe you twice during
the regular season, we might've been two seed. I'm having
like a tougher way to get to what we're trying
to get, you know, going through just seeing teams getting
called out. I think what happened was we saw like,
Ohio Steak get too, and I think we just kind
(03:21):
of knew it was us, our Stanford the last one seed,
and saw texts for the one seed, and I think
we all we all kind of got just u like happy,
because I mean, like we've been through a lot of
like adversity this season. Of course, as you know, our
best porn gar, our best portground the nation I think
went down with like a a cl injury. So I
(03:43):
mean just us getting awarded makes us like still have
confidence in ourselves for sure.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
I Mean you talked about the different struggles, so you
guys had to go through. Roy's a big part of
the team and just kind of like the whole Texas culture.
Like I played against her a few times actually, and
every time like she just can tend to get better.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
So I'm excited to see how she does next year
coming back.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
But before we get into that, let's talk about the
tournament a little bit, the different brackets. You guys have
a tough region. You have Stanford, Utah, Tennessee, and c State.
Like that's a tough corner. So how are you feeling
about the region. Are there any matchups catching your eye?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
What are we thinking?
Speaker 3 (04:19):
I mean, I don't think I really look deep into it.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Ian.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I feel like if you look far into it, you
can kind of get out at the moment. Yeah, just
really take one game, actually, like each day at a time,
because you don't know when's your last day. But I mean,
I'm kind of looking forward to playing Utah. Yeah scha
their post players game. Yeah, listen, like, Yeah, she's tough.
She Yeah, she get folks to run for their money.
(04:42):
She's she's good.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
No, I couldn't agree more.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Peele's a she's a monster, honestly. But I think it'll
be an interesting matchup with you guys. But I think,
I mean, your regions kind of tough. And I in
my years of Stanford, Texas and State, we play each
other a few times. I think I played at Shall,
we played at home, we played in the A I
want to say, a few years ago. So I'm excited
to see if you guys get another rematch because that's
always really fun to watch. But looking into some of
(05:08):
the other corners of the bracket, I'm really interested by
the one that's Iowa, LSU and UCLA.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
That is the toughest region that.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Is the toughest region.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
I feel like.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
There's so many different storylines. So is there a certain
game that you want to see come out of that region.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
I mean, I definitely want to see I think another
Iowa and like LSU.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah, definitely want to see how that's gonna go. There's
the other one, South Carolina. And we talked about Oklahoma earlier,
and so I feel like Oklahoma didn't get that Big
Twelve tournament like they wanted, same thing with Indiana the
Big Ten. So having that matchup, I feel it could
be really interesting as well. Yeah, I think people kind
of forget ohu oh.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
He is a great team.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Like I said, we've lost to them twice, so we
know how a good of a team they are. We're
getting the season the count and start out a little
slow and in a conference they picked it up a lot. Yeah,
and they're really a good team that like they play
South Carolina, they don't get so run for their money.
They might not have the biggest posts, but they like
they are like a whole guard, but they run the
court very well.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
No, you're completely right.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
I feel like they do fall under the radar, similar
to kind of the Big Twelve as a whole.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Honestly, I feel like you hear a lot about PAC.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Twelve, sec A SEC Big ten, but Big twelve been
under the radar.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
But you guys have seven teams in the tournament this year.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
So do you feel like you know you guys are
gonna gain some more respect for the conference.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Even though you're leaving this year.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Do you feel like the Big twelve deserves more respect
in terms of the talent that they have.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
I think it does, honestly. Like the teams that's in
the tournament, they're very good. I mean, you got West Virginia,
a good defensive team that might play like Iowa, which
I think that's another gonna be another great matchup, just
their defense while I was offense.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
I think that's one to look out for. K State
KSE State is there?
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Tally is there?
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Really good?
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:54):
I like the way they play. They're big as unstoppable. Seriously,
Lee is incredible and their point guard we well, we
call it Sunny D Sundale.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
She's she's a great guard, very smart.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Our State they got twelve.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
I mean I'm not only referring to her Sunny D
from even though I've never met her.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
It's sunny D from now on, if I ever meet
her and be like, what's up, sunny D.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
We besties. But I think about the tournament. I want
to get into the madness a little bit. And these
next questions are brought to you by our lovely sponsor, Wendy's. So,
have there been any teams this year that have made
you kind of do a double take and been like
they can really make some noise heading into postseasons. I know,
for me, I've seen some teams that haven't gotten as
much love in the beginning and then all of a sudden.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Two seeds, three seeds in this tournament right now.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
I feel like a team that actually like might do
a great run. It's Ohio State, even though they're a
two seeds. Yeah, I feel like people know they're good,
but they don't they don't know how good they are.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Like, I feel like they're very good, very underrated, and
kind of very quietly. They're not always like on the headlines. Yeah,
but I feel that they gonna do good in tournament.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
I see it too, because they like, they've had a
lot of ups and downs, and so I feel like
if they can peek at the right time, they'll be good,
and I feel like another one for me, speaking from
a Pac twelve bias, is Oregon State.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Is tough, Like they came out of nowhere this season.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Yeah, that that surprised me a lot. Actually this year.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
I'm excited to see them. And then more on a
on an individual side, what players have really impressed you
this season that you feel like are really going to
make some noise.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
In the tournament. I feel like my whole freshman class.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Yeah, good answer, My whole freshman class is gonna do
well in the tournament.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
I mean, y'all been hooping all season, like half like
half your freshman class got their respective conference tournament's mops,
which is kind.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Of crazy, like how was that? How was that happening?
Speaker 4 (08:54):
But I think it's just so exciting for not only
your class, but just showing the talent that we have
coming out of high school is huge. But you had
your first season on your belt playing in the Big Twelve,
And I feel like sometimes these neutral sites, especially like
the Big Twelve tournament now moving into March Madness, they
don't always feel neutral the way that fans travel. So
in your experience, what do you feel like is the
(09:16):
craziest fan base.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
I will state, oh, oh that was quick.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
I would state that was quick.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Okay, why I was stay?
Speaker 3 (09:24):
They just rolling deep.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
We were in Kansas, Kansas City for Big Twelve and
we played them last game. Everybody, everybody, nay, Mama was there.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I love that. I would not have guessed Iowa State.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Their fans ride hard for them, k State two. Okay,
I like to right there. Yeah, that's a you win
like in their home place.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Oh, it gets nasty, it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Okay, yep, yep, I got you.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
And then we talked a little bit about, you know,
the Big Twelve kind of getting slept on, and I
feel like with that, a lot of just like individual
superstars don't get us much pub as we see in
other conferences. And so you guys have a lot of
talented players. Who has been the toughest guard, like the
player that you guys had to circle on your scouting
report every time you saw.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Them, toughest guard.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
H that's so I would give definitely credit to West
Virginia guard JJ Quickley.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Really Okay, she's it.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
I don't think she gives enough like credit. Okay, Like
for her defense, she won.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Defensive Player of our conference this year.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
But her offenses, I mean, she's probably I think she
scored like thirty like three times in our conference.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Okay, she's like that then thirty balls, Yeah you're like that.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Yeah. Oh she's good. She's good.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
We played them once, but very hard to deal with.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Okay, I'm gonnaed to keep my eye on her in
the tournament because I honestly have not watched Best Virginia
as much as I should have, So I'm gonnaed.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
To be looking out. But with the tournament being here,
I want to give some players.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
Their flowers, like we've been doing a little bit heading
the madness, and so I want you to give me
a quick scouting report without giving way the Texas secret,
so that VIC doesn't get upset with you. Give me
a quick scout of Peytonvillehurst on Oklahoma, who I feel
like has really coming to her own.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Yes, she's good, Yeah, she's just good.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
She get her off the three point line, yeah, gear
her off the three point line. Don't let her face
cut you, but you know, also get off the three
point line.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
She's very good. I mean the same.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Time we play like, oh you you were up, and
she comes down like she comes out what second or
third quarter, she had two step back threes on this.
I said, there's no way, there's no way. Yea, there's
no way. Nah, she's good. Keep her off the three
point line. I would say, she gets hides very easily.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah, I hate.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
I hate when you start a quarter like that, you know,
and then they just they just get off and you're like,
time out, please slow your role. I don't need this
right now. I don't.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
And then you mentioned her earlier. But Lee at Kansas State.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
She's so good, like her work at her size, insane good.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Yeah, so tell me about her.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
Man, push your off the block, how your hardest. Push
off the block. Don't let her get nothing easy, don't
let you know easy, lay up, push her off the block.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
Try your best.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
So we got run off the three point line and
one push her off the block. Just get them out
their spots, basically, get them, get them away from this.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Bos okay, I love that.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Well, before we jump into you and your basketball journey,
I have a question of the day that I've been
asking all the guests, which is a little bit out
of left field, but I feel like it's going to
tell me.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
A lot about you.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
So, what is the largest animal that you think you
could be in a fistfight. Yes, like, no weapons. It's
you and the animal in their terrain. By the way,
so you can't say a shark and you're in your water.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
You know it's in there.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Uh, the biggest animal.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Yeah, I'm not gonna tell you mine until you tell
me yours.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
I'm going kangaroo.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
I feel like, are you kidding? You're going boxing kangaroo?
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Stop boxing kangaroo? Your gloves?
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Yeah, no gloves, no glove? Straight up? We still going kangaroo.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I'm still going kangaroo.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Wow. I'm not living that down Honestly.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
I saw kangaroo jack when I was eight, and I
would not go against kangaroo because he was boxing crazy.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
We're gonna both be hopping around, all right.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
I like it. Mine's a giraffe.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
I feel like I could take out the knees and
just kind of keep pushing from there.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
But I like kangaroo. I like kangaroo.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Okay, so let's jump it back into your basketball roots
for a minute. You're from Mississippi. Your dad is six ten,
so I feel like that already helps. But who first
put the ball in your hands? How did you get
into basketball?
Speaker 3 (13:44):
My dad? I would say.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
He came in my room one day and put a
little plastic goal in my room, and I just started
opening ever.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Since then meant to be so is he your coach?
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Growing up a little bit, I didn't like it being
my coach.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Oh, I get that you need those boundaries.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
I need to see them all day.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yeah yeah, yeah, okay, I see it. Growing up.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Do you feel like there was a certain player that
you watched and kind of modeled your game after?
Speaker 1 (14:09):
So in my earliers, I was a botch of Celtics fan,
so I watched me too, Roger Roundo, uh huh. I
used to wear the headband like him. I just want
to be a point guard like him. Love it, love
it porn guard.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
You know.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
I kind of got too tall, so I had to
move to the wing, so I was in the point guard,
but I was just I mean, like, I love this game.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
I had posters like in my room with him.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Growing up, and then kind of switched to so I'm bigger,
So I kind of went to more of Carmelo Kevin
the Rent.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
I used to watch Highlight send them all the time
those game.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
Yeah, yeah, I love that, And I mean you're still
playing point guard now, so maybe we can throw the
headband back.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
On throw back, you know, keep it going. Maybebe I
would love to see it.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
But when did you I feel like there's always a
point in time growing up when you're kind of like, Okay,
you know I love basketball and playing whatnot.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
I want to play forever.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
But there's a point in time where you hit it
like I could really do something with this. You know,
I could play collegeball, I could go pro, play to
school like Texas. So when was that time for you
and you realized like wow, like I'm kind of getting
better than everybody around me, like I'm gonna take this
to the next level.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
It was probably when I got my first offer that
was eighth grade.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
I was like, Oka, yeah that's early.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
You're like, okay, I might actually be good at this.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
How was the exposure like in Mississippi, Like, was it
playing on the best AAU team, was it playing.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
In a different city? How did you kind of get recruited?
Speaker 1 (15:33):
So that's the thing, Mississippi really wasn't that big on
because I mean Missippi's is a football state. Yeah, so
really basketball wasn't getting no exposure really like any other
sports other than football.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Wasn't getting that much exposure.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Maybe baseball here and there, but for basketball, it really
wasn't anything. I mean, a few players came out of
Mississippi and they have great careers in the league and
the pros. So I didn't play like travel ball miss
to be I wouldn't kind of out of state to
get my exposure. So in seventh grade, I played for
a Nike team, uh Dela with them Southern Stars, and
(16:08):
I mean from their own I stayed with them and
they've been treating me right ever since.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Oh I love that.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
I feel like it's so much fun to stay with
a team for that long because like those girls become
your best friends, you know, and so you really get
to see like that top talent and you know everybody.
Now that you're in college, you still know all the
top talent around you, and so talk about your freshman
class like we did earlier. Do you remember playing any
of them in travel ball or in high school and
(16:35):
that now you're.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Still competing against them at the same level.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Now, we didn't played okay because a lot of people
in my class they played up. They always played up,
and I always played my grade because I was like,
like if I'm not dominating in my in my class,
I'm not gonna play up, so I'm gonna just stay.
And plus, I mean it's not like I wasn't getting
better or I wasn't getting like exposure. I was still
getting the same exposure. I was like, I would stay
(16:59):
my class. But I never really played against people in
Marfish class. Now I remember like going to camp, seeing them,
like I always said, blue Star camp.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
When did you eighth grade?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Maybe, I think, And she was good then and still
thriving to the best player in our class.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
Well, no, I mean that's I always say, that's so
cool because like going to USA basketball camps, doing all
these different things, and you get to know these people
and then you see them thriving and it's like, not
only can you be a fan of them, but you're
also their peers, right, And so I know I had
that relationship with people like Jordan Horston's I cooked Leah Boston.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
And then now when we're still on.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
The big stages, like you can still have that person
you can confide in because they're going through the same things.
I feel like that's always been so special. But talking
about your recruiting, what made you want to choose Texas.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
What was it about Texas that was like, yeah, that's
for me.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
So, I mean I always tell people I go back
to like Kocheffer.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
He recruited me since I was in eighth grade, and
I kind of fall back on what he did in
Missippi State, Like I knew he knew how to win,
he did it before. He definitely had a player like
me before in like Victory, Vimios and Missby State like
we had.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
So we had a great.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Relationship all them years, and so I trusted him that
he could help me be the best player I can be.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
I mean, I feel like seeing Vic's journey Fromssissippi State
to Texas is so cool because like when they beat
Yukon in the Final four a few years ago with
Morgan and Victorian and all that, that was like a
shift in women's basketball. It was like it's not one
team anymore. And so tell me what it's like playing
for a coach. I can because I've been on the
other side. He is intense and it's a lot, So like,
(18:41):
what is it like playing for somebody who's that passionate
and that hyped up and all these different things?
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Every day He's very intense. Yeah, he practice is our
practices are very intense. I think people don't understand that.
I feel like because like I talked to like other
players of course, and they're like, yeah, practice.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Kind of slight to Hi. I'm like, dang. I'm like dang,
I wish I was you.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
You know it is always our practice are always defense,
really defense, defense, defense, And you know, I'm not gonna
say I just hate defense.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
I love Offenwitch.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
You're like, so can we get a balance, Let's get
some shots up.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
It's a balance here and there.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
But I mean I also kind of came to Texas
for him, but also because I want to like get
better on defense. So a very test coach. He's very
passionate about the game. I love it. He loves the game. Yeah,
he's He's a one of kin guy.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
I to say that.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
I love I love hearing that, like what we see
what from the outside on TV.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
On the court, you get that every day and I
love it. It's the same energy every day.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
Texas as a whole right now, you guys are kind
of like an up and coming young team with Rory
Aaliyah out of Gas and Shaley Gonzalez kind of being
that veteran presence for you guys, but having all these different.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Young pieces, new pieces, all you guys coming together.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
What were those first practices like in the summer first practices.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
Uh, I'm trying to remember. I feel like a long
long time ago.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
You may have blocked it out my first practices, I've
blocked those things out.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
I didn't.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
I mean, shoot, it was more kind of like one
on one workouts really until we started our kind of group.
It was very intense, everybody talking. You know, leaders on
the court. Definitely, you have Rory being a leader, Shaye
Lee Leash, Shae Holly on like Emil on the sideline,
still recovering from my injury. So I mean really, when
(20:47):
I got to campus, I was really looking up to
like to them, people just listening, really just taking advice.
But I think one of the first things they told
me was make sure you run to every drill.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
You learned that quick.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
You learn that you run every drill.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
And also it was great.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
I liked it definitely because I saw because like in
like high school, you know, you don't see people like
punning up extra work. But I got here and you
see them getting forty five minutes before a practice just
getting up shots and I've never seen that before.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
And when I came off, was like, oh, y'all do this?
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Yeah oh and it was like uh yeah, I was,
you know, and then like everybody else doing it like
so we all just like puting up extra like just
like doing extra work.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
So, you know, just that environment right there was just
cool to be in.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
I feel like I couldn't agree more. Like college has
all those different intricate things that are so different from high.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
School, whether it be you know, running from drill to drill.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
I know, the thing at Stanford was like water breaks
are twenty seconds, Like if you get one, it's over there,
sip in your back on the court, like it's all
those little things, y'all.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
The water breaks are like nowhere to be found.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
There's no water breaks. You tired about a drill, may
get some water real quick.
Speaker 4 (22:05):
Yeah, I get subbed for a drill. I'm running to
my water because I'm not gonna get that again.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
It's the one and done situation.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
But you came into college a small forward, as we
talked about, you know, being a bigger guard, but now
you're playing strictly PG for the most part.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
So what has that shift been like for you? I
mean it seems like it's gone.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Well, is it a seamless Is it a seamless as
a transition as you make it seem.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
To be or what was that like?
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (22:30):
It was hard, I would say, I would say just
really just.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
A PG roll is hard in general, Like you have
the ball in your hands most of the game, You're
making decisions all the time, you're handling the ball all
the time, you're handling pressure, you're breaking presses, like, you're
doing a lot of things, and you still got to
run a team.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Yes, and.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
That was probably the hardest thing.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Yeah, And just also like the vision I had as
a wing player, because I mean I was still like
a past first time wing player ball, so I would
score when I you know, had my shots to take.
But then moving to point guards, still past first mentality,
Like the court just changes, like the how you view
the court, how you make reads, it all changes. And
(23:17):
so I mean it was a struggle first half of
the conference. It was a struggle turned the ball over,
you know, just making bad reads, not seeing it read
quick enough. Like I'll get yelled at, But I mean
I took it as a learning moment and like after
every game, I'm going to a film like seeing what
(23:38):
I did wrong, what I can do better, just to
help me out.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
And I mean my more theme when I.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Asked coach what do I need to do to be
better for my team as a point guard, and he said,
I need you to have limit on like basically your turnovers.
And so that's been the main thing I've been working on.
And I can say our last game, I had zero turnovers.
So he was very proud about that. I was proud
about that too.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Oh that's big, big yes.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
So I mean I would say like it was probably
the hardest transition, but I mean my teammates side confidence
in me.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
I didn't even have that. My coaching staff did too.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
And I think just getting very like overwhelmed at it,
but just taking it all in, just taking one day
at a time and also wanted to grow in that aspect.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
I think it helped me become playeronium today.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
Well, I mean I feel like we've from the outside
been able to see that growth that you've had. Like
it's hard to be a point guard in general, it's hard,
but like freshman year point guard transitioning from being a
wing to a point guard.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
It's a lot going on, and I think what you
said about the vision.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
From a wing to a point guard, and also just
like you have to take yourself out of just playing
one position when you're the point guard, not only I
think the biggest thing for me is like, oh my gosh,
I'm the one who has to call the place.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Like I'm up here dribbling it in my head and
I'm like.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
Oh, play and you can't think of one quick enough.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Everybody's looking at you and I'm like horns, I don't know.
And it's so stressful.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Up there and they have to be loud, and it's
like understanding what actions your teammates like to play off of.
You know, Shaley may not like the same thing as
Shay or Aliah may like it on a different block than Diatta.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Like there's a lot of different things going on.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
And you know what, I go to this just that
one right there?
Speaker 4 (25:23):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So tell me about how you and
watching film is hard. Let me tell you, like watching
your I'm like, that's not me out there.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Yeah, who threw that turnover? That's a different person. I
don't know who that Haley was, Like, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
But how has it been for you being able to
watch film learn from your stakes, but also like learn
about your teammates and what they want, because that's really
what like sets apart a great point guard, you know,
it's understanding how to get your teammate in the best shots.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I mean, it's all about the communication. I think that's
top one. And also you know, going through practices, just
going through different things with them, going through different like
plays with them, seeing what they like more, how they
played on each like set we run, just me looking
at that. And also I mean like going back during
the film, just seeing like how the defense was planned,
like what I could have called differently, a past I
(26:12):
could have made differently, Like It's just little stuff like that.
But I think the main thing is communication, just seeing
what they like, how they feel.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I agree. I agree film really helps.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Like I hate watching it sometimes because I'm like disgusting, Haley,
what was that? But talking about film, I know I
had many film horror stories both at Stanford.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
And in Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
Did you have, like, you know, a welcome to college
ball moment or like a film horror.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Story from your freshman year so far?
Speaker 4 (26:42):
I don't know if maybe it's just a me thing
because I remember freshman year, I through had like six
turnovers in a game.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Oh, we watched all six in front of everybody. It's like,
oh awesome. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (26:54):
No.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
So we played at West Virginia this year and I
had I had a double dough Okay, I could have
had almost a quadrup Yeah. Yeah, I had like double
ditches and points. I had ten rebounds. Yeah, I had
like seven assists.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
I think I had eight turnovers.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Oh, that'll do it.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
So you know, I always like watched film by myself
with like one of my coaches. Yeah, and I watched
all turnovers. Yeah everyone, I played them twice. She did
them twice. Yes, and she was like what is this yes,
and so you know, I was like, that's not me.
It won't happen ever again.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
You know, I'm thinking, you know, we go to the
film room, I'm thinking, we're not going to watch them again,
and we watch them again and again, and it's like, coach,
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, this is a lot of turnovers.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Yes, yes, I remember. It was always so bad.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
When they ask you what were you thinking, I was like, well,
I thought it was going to work out. I did not,
you know, coach, I apologize because like that wasn't my intention.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
I didn't think I was gonna turn the ball over,
but for sure it happened.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
It happened, and you know, you know what I tell them,
what I want to say, what I don't actually say
is I'm like, you know, guys, next play mentality, let's
leave it in the past.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Let's move forward.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Let's move forward. Let's move forward. Honestly, But your freshman season,
I feel like you had a huge breakout game. I
watched it firsthand, twenty points against Yukon, which was huge.
Do you feel like something changed for you in that
game moving into the rest of the season, like a
confidence boost? What was that game for you?
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Like, well, like beginning of the season, I think I
probably had I probably was the best. Afterwardy I would
say she was a better scorer than I was, just
because she had experience on me. But I was probably
like one of the better scores on the team that
can get my own shot. Yeah, and so we're gonna
see some kind of trouble for me to make shots,
(28:49):
but like they were good shots.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
I'll take them.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
I make them in practice, but like in a game,
it was different, like they wasn't falling. So I think
kind of leading up to Yukon game, I started like
trusting the process, trusting what my coaches want me to shoot,
and that Ukun game was just a prime example, like
I really was in Russian shots. I took the shots
that came within the offense. And so I mean they
(29:11):
feel they fell through the hoop.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Okay, So we talked a little about your teammates earlier.
Speaker 4 (29:16):
You got Shale Gonzalez and Eliah Moore both two thousand
point scores, which is insane. They have two on one team,
but also great team players. So talk to me a
little bit about what those two bring to the team.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Shaldon Gonzales, I'll start. She's like the grandmother of our team.
She's a six year senior. Well I'm on the corporate here.
She brings a sense of calmness. I mean she has
a lot of experience on like O me, I'm a freshman,
like handle the team. So like in late game situations,
if game's close, she definitely like helps me just slow
down and sometimes she will help me with the ball.
(29:49):
That that helps a lot. She's a great scorer, she's
a great leader. She might not talk a lot, but
she lead through her actions.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
Emo.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
She's like a big sister. Definitely very vocal. She's different
from Shayley vocal on court, always talking. She's definitely like
our team's energy, Like she brings all the energy. After
ann one, she has the most energy. Uh, just like celebrating.
I mean, two different people, but great leaders in her
(30:19):
own role.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
Well, I've seen it firsthand. Mo be bringing all the energy.
Oh my god, she'd be hyping y'all up.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
And I'm on the other team. I'm like, whoa, whoa
piped out. Don't get them, don't get them, roll up.
We don't we don't need this right now.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
But I feel like, you guys have so many different
pieces that you talked about, but losing a big one
in Rory back in December tells me about what that cause.
I feel like seeing her still on the screen, seeing
her through social media, she still seems so engaged, And
so what is it like to have somebody who is
that crucial to the team still be so engaged on
the sideline becoming another coach. I see her with her
(30:56):
whiteboard during every game, She's locked in. What has that
been like for you to be able to learn from her.
I mean, yeah, she's been in my ear. Just helped
me also with the role, this PG role, I mean
great advice. She sees the court tremendously well. I think
that's also how I've kind of grown to be in
a better point guard, not the best, but a little better.
(31:17):
Not her way, You're doing great, you know.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
She just you know, she is always in practice. She's talking.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
She's telling us, you know, we have this new thing
where you get three stops in a row, it's a kill,
you know, try to get seven kills. And so she
kind of came up with that theory just to help
us be more basically like defensively engaged on defense. So,
I mean she's always talking, she's always there. She always
bring energy, she's always hyping us up. You know, she's
basically like coach second voice. You know, when when we
(31:47):
have a question, we go to her, she's like the
second person will go to is because sheffer than her.
I mean she's basically to him, just in a smaller person,
smaller voice. But yeah, she's definitely engaged, happy just to
have or just like just basically smell on her face.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
Yeah, So back to you and your style of play.
What do you feel like has been the biggest area
of growth that you've seen in your game from the
beginning of the season to now.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Just finding my spot on the like on the floor. Yeah,
I think I found my spot.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
I can see that you have a lot of spots. Girlfriend.
Let me tell you it's not just one. You have
a lot of spots on.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
Okay, okay, we'll talk to us about you being a
three level scoring threat and how you're able to still
get to your spots and like you becoming who you
have been in the Big Twelve, being co Player of
the Year, being Freshman the Year, all these different things.
Scouts throw different things at you every game. I'm sure
you see it in that and that out there, playing
on ball screens differently and all these different things. So
how do you feel like you've been able to adjust
(32:49):
to whatever any team throws that you, having different defenders
on you, whether it throw so many bigger, smaller, and
still being able to get to your spots.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
And you do it at a very efficient rate. I
think it just comes with the part of being a
very poised person. I don't really I mean, I see
things thrown in me and I'm like Okay, that happened.
We'll get through it. It's basically like that. I don't
really try to get too fast, like I know my
game like my game like it's not gonna be all fast,
(33:16):
all shifty is very very vanilla.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
Very fundamental, fundamentally fundamental vanilla.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
You know I'm gonna try to get through the screen,
You're gonna still be right there, be right there and
wna pull up. I mean, like you're short to me.
I'm taking one jear will pull up kind of taller
than me.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
I might go to the room.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
So I mean, it's just really just taking a one
stition at a time, like I know things are going
to be thrown in me.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Just to stop me, but just staying poised about it all.
Speaker 4 (33:45):
Wow, you are so wise, so young, and so wise
Madison truly, But talking about those different reads that you're making,
you know, coming off an all ball screen, knowing who
your defender is, and what advantages that you have being
both big guards as we are, What do you feel
like are some of the pros and cons that you
see from being a big guard. I think it's definitely
more pros than cons. But sometimes when I have like
(34:08):
somebody tiny picking me up full court, back up. Yes,
that's so annoying.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Why are you doing that? So talk to me? What
are the pros and cons?
Speaker 1 (34:16):
Con is just little guards picking me up first game
being point guard play Baylor.
Speaker 3 (34:23):
M hm, Jada their point guard. It's like she's she's
top six. I think, pick me up full court and
I was like, there's no way.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
There's no way somebody can get the balls. That's what
I'll be thinking, Please.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
Please get the ball. Oh, I was saying.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Pros are you know? I just like basically shit over people.
I'm six to one.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Yeah, mismatched everywhere.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
You know, you're like a bigger person guard than me.
You know you're a FOURD.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Maybe Oh this matchup, I want right here and be
a little guard. I won't post you up. Another con.
I don't think there's.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
And it's a yeah, I agree.
Speaker 4 (35:04):
I feel like there's sony pros with the mismatches or
just being able to run different reads.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
No matter what your matchup is, there's an advantage that
you have. But I agree.
Speaker 4 (35:13):
I had Dana Evans picking me up this year, ma'am.
I don't need this extra stratege life, Like, I really don't.
If people want to run away as soon as they
see you with that, and it's like, why are you
being selfish?
Speaker 2 (35:25):
You see me? I thought we were cool? Like what
is this about?
Speaker 3 (35:28):
Maybe to is that be under your knees?
Speaker 2 (35:31):
Just yes, just annoying honestly, So I don't need that
in my life.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
But we talked about you kind of having this like
finesse on offense right fundamental rather than vanilla. But when
did you learn or kind of gain that ability to
slow the game down and let it come to you?
Because I think a lot of times people get so
sped up, especially as a freshman playing in a new league.
Big twelve is grade defensively, how are you able to
(36:00):
to you know, slow your game down not get rushed?
Say so, just like like we talked about you being
so wise, so mature, Where does that come from?
Speaker 3 (36:09):
I mean, honestly, it's my personality.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Like I'm really just a neutral person like I we
don't get too high about things, get too low about things.
You know, people say I'm awkward when we're like basically
like in rewards, but it's just like uh huh, thank
you for the award. But it's like next thing like
thank thank you, and it's yes, okay, But I mean
(36:32):
it's just kind of been to me since I was young,
and I kind of like put that to my game.
Wi's being a chill, Just relax.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
We got this.
Speaker 2 (36:41):
It's just you, Okay.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
So Kevin Durant, you're also wearing thirty five at Texas.
He's an active Texas alum. Have you had a chance
to interact with him, because I know he said you're
gonna have thirty five retired.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
On the women's side, what do we feel about that?
You're a Katie fan. How are we feeling?
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (36:59):
I mean yeah, I saw like I said, what we
say one day at a time.
Speaker 4 (37:04):
Person, it's my first S'm going to give not going
to give me any soundbites Madison goodness, it's my first year.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
I mean it's going well. I have three more. We'll
see at the end of my senior year or later
on life.
Speaker 4 (37:18):
You're just scratching the surface, which is crazy to think,
but it's also so exciting. But it's our first postseason.
You're heading into March Madness number one seed. What's the
mindset or of both you but also the locker room
heading into the tournament? Because it seems like you guys
are peaking at the right time. You're just coming off
the Big twive tournament.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
When so what is it?
Speaker 4 (37:37):
You know, what's the mindset? What are the vibes heading
into first weekend of March Madness right now?
Speaker 1 (37:42):
Well, I mean, we know that we have takets across
our tests. We're going to the SEC. We just won
Big twelve. We are now one seed. No, we know
it's a lot of pressure. Not everybody want to beat you.
You're one seed. We know that people think that we
should have been one seed, so that's not mine's like
we have to prove them wrong. But I just think
(38:04):
the more're thinking about it is we have to be high.
In a Big twelve tournament. We were high, and I
think we just stay high, taking one day at a
time and just stay poised.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Like me. Whoa will be just.
Speaker 4 (38:19):
Like me?
Speaker 3 (38:19):
Like me?
Speaker 1 (38:20):
Me?
Speaker 3 (38:20):
Just I am the most poisons on my team. Nothing
like me.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
I love I love that because you were talking about
you know, you got Leah getting hyped up all these people.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
You're levelheaded and that's what every team needs. It's that person.
Speaker 4 (38:33):
Wow, I'm weak, Okay, so baking to it. We talked
about the success coming off.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
A big Big twelve game. You guys were hot, and
you know, I.
Speaker 4 (38:43):
Feel like you guys do have a little bit of
a target on your back. Right Big twelve, you're number
one seed. What does it feel like last year? You're
at home, you're high school senior, you're watching the tournament right,
which is but now you're in it, which is insane
because I know for me my first march mans, it's like,
oh my god, this is happening.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
How are you.
Speaker 4 (39:02):
Able And don't say it's just who I am, give
me something new, but how are you able to like
stay where your feet are? Because I know for me,
as you get into the tournament, if you guys make
a final for a run, like it's hard not to
get caught up in all the noise. There's extra media
that you're doing, you're traveling, you're doing all these different things.
What are you guys, maybe you individually or as a program,
(39:23):
what are you guys doing to like stay where your
feet are?
Speaker 1 (39:27):
I mean basically just right now, I mean we're taking
our first point. It seriously, like, I mean, we know
they're a sixteen ceed, but it's anybody game, like anybody
can win. Like this is like anybody's ball game. Everybody
who's in this tournament are here, is basically like here
for a reason.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
To get You don't want to be that upset.
Speaker 3 (39:44):
You don't, we don't want to be upset at all.
Speaker 1 (39:47):
So I mean, really just knowing that today could be
our last practice tomorrow and be our last game.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
That's the fact you have to tape.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
I like it. I appreciate the new answer. It's twist
on it.
Speaker 4 (39:58):
I really do, because I know you wanted to say,
it's just me, Hayley, I'm just so wise.
Speaker 2 (40:04):
Yeah yeah, yeah, Okay, Well, before.
Speaker 4 (40:06):
We get into our vibe check of which is gonna
be rapid fire answers, which I feel like you're gonna
be great at is, I just want to give you
some flowers. We talked about a lot of other players,
but I personally have been very impressed with you this year,
and I was a fan seeing you.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
On all your highlights in high school and all these
different things.
Speaker 4 (40:21):
But like once you get to college to show that
you can still be doing that. I feel like a
lot of freshmen this year are getting a lot of
hype on social media, and you've kind of flying.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
Under the radar. But I've been witnessing it.
Speaker 4 (40:33):
Me and my friend, we've been talking about your three
level score, stepping into playing a point guard in such
a tough conference and doing it with the grace that
you have been and just seeing your continued.
Speaker 2 (40:43):
Growth is very exciting. So I just wanted to tell
you that as I have my time to talk to
you right now, and I know you're horrible at taking compliments,
so just smile. Thank you. Yes, so getting into.
Speaker 4 (40:55):
Our vibe check to rapid fire answers, You're gonna do great.
Some people aren't so great, but I have a belief
in you, so yeah, yeah, yeah. So what's the drill
you never want to see on the practice plan?
Speaker 1 (41:09):
We have this drill called was four for three minutes
straight defense on the four for three minutes hate it?
Speaker 2 (41:17):
Yeah? No, okay?
Speaker 4 (41:19):
Next one game winning shot or game winning block. I'm
game one a shot for show, okay, and one or
three pointer and one yeah? Group check talk solo TikTok group,
biggest trash talker.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
It could be on your team or anybody.
Speaker 4 (41:34):
That you ever played. Alia Moore, Oh okay, like it.
Who's the biggest flopper?
Speaker 2 (41:40):
That's hard, h that's actually hard. Biggest flopper I've stumped
you for the first time today.
Speaker 3 (41:46):
I go like, we have one on our team. I
would say shame. One goes out, Oh really, dang?
Speaker 2 (41:51):
Okay, okay, what's your biggest basketball.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
People who wear a short sock like angle socks with
their basketball shoes.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Bruh, Get some longer socks.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
Oh wow?
Speaker 4 (42:02):
Yeah, calling out everybody who are short socks? All right,
who would you want to be your two on two teammate?
But you can't pick one of your current Texas teammates?
Speaker 3 (42:11):
Me Handa Hidago.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Oh my gosh, I love that. Okay. What's your best
impersonation of coach Vick Schaeffer?
Speaker 3 (42:19):
God? Ain't it that?
Speaker 4 (42:21):
Ain't it the way you got a Southern twang out
of nowhere? It's insane, but I like it. Okay, Madison,
you have been such a pleasure to have on today.
Thank you so much for coming on. Thank you pleasure, well,
thank you everybody for listening. Stay tuned for another episode
of Sometimes I Hope as a tournament unfolds.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
The players Tribute dot Com
The vision I had as a wing player, because I
mean I was still like a past first type of
wing player. But also I would scored when I, you know,
have my shots to take. But then moving to a
point guard is still past first mentality. The court just changes,
like how you make reads, it all changes. And so
I mean first half of the conference it was a struggle.
(00:21):
You know, she's making bad reads, not seeing it read
quick enough. Mine theme when I asked coach what do
I need to do to be better for my team
as a point guard, and he said, your turnovers. And
so that's been the main thing I've been working on.
And I can say our last game, I had zero turnovers.
So he was very he was very proud about that.
(00:42):
I was proud about that too.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Oh that's big.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
That's big.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
So I mean I would say like it was probably
the hardest transition. But I mean, my team is not
confidence in me.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Welcome back. Just sometimes I hoop today.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
We've got a rookie hooper who made some noise all
season long us on the pod today. Quick Humble Bragg
McDonald's All American Big Twelve Tournament MOP Big Twelve Freshman
Year and co Play of the Year none other than
Texas superstar point guard Madison Booker.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
Thanks popping on the pod.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Oh no, thank you. It is my pleasure presented by Wendy's.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Before we jump into the tournament and march madness, tell
me what is the song on repeat for you in
the locker room right now as we head into the tournament?
US run artists.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Such a different vibe. Our last answer was Kirk Franklin
in Gospel, So a different vibe, but I like it.
Let's jump into the landscape.
Speaker 1 (01:45):
Yere.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
You guys are big twelve champs and you're a big
twelve championship mop, which is like absurd for a freshman
to do.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
So talk to me about how it was you guys
had to come.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Back against k State Scotch you guys, what was that
like then taking home the championship?
Speaker 3 (02:00):
I mean really don't mean the whole tournament was tough.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
We had Kansas first round, Case State second round, and
Iowa State to finish off the tournament. I mean, we
just have funny entire tournament. We compete it, we get rewarded.
I mean ever since day one, so that's the on
campus we've been working to win Big twelve. I mean,
plus it's our last year there, so it felt definitely
sweet just to get one before we left moving to
the SEC.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
No, I mean, that's crazy that you used are really
going to the SEC next year. I didn't even think
about that all the conference ships and everything.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
You and Oklahoma are both going, right, we are? Oh
my god?
Speaker 4 (02:32):
Okay, Well, how do you feel about switching conferences after
your freshman year?
Speaker 2 (02:36):
You just kind of ran the table. Are you gonna
go do the same thing next year in the new conference?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
With?
Speaker 2 (02:40):
What are we doing?
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Is a one day at a time. I mean, I
hope we do great over there. I think we will.
I'm pretty sure we are.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
That's the right answer. Way to be humble.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
Okay, So as a freshman, it's your first time experiencing
selections Sunday. Walk me through the moment you guys found
out you're a number one seed, because that's pretty exciting.
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Oh yeah, motion, you know, going in, we kind of thought,
you know, since we lost to oe you twice during
the regular season, we might've been two seed. I'm having
like a tougher way to get to what we're trying
to get, you know, going through just seeing teams getting
called out. I think what happened was we saw like,
Ohio Steak get too, and I think we just kind
(03:21):
of knew it was us, our Stanford the last one seed,
and saw texts for the one seed, and I think
we all we all kind of got just u like happy,
because I mean, like we've been through a lot of
like adversity this season. Of course, as you know, our
best porn gar, our best portground the nation I think
went down with like a a cl injury. So I
(03:43):
mean just us getting awarded makes us like still have
confidence in ourselves for sure.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
I Mean you talked about the different struggles, so you
guys had to go through. Roy's a big part of
the team and just kind of like the whole Texas culture.
Like I played against her a few times actually, and
every time like she just can tend to get better.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
So I'm excited to see how she does next year
coming back.
Speaker 4 (04:03):
But before we get into that, let's talk about the
tournament a little bit, the different brackets. You guys have
a tough region. You have Stanford, Utah, Tennessee, and c State.
Like that's a tough corner. So how are you feeling
about the region. Are there any matchups catching your eye?
Speaker 2 (04:17):
What are we thinking?
Speaker 3 (04:19):
I mean, I don't think I really look deep into it.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Ian.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
I feel like if you look far into it, you
can kind of get out at the moment. Yeah, just
really take one game, actually, like each day at a time,
because you don't know when's your last day. But I mean,
I'm kind of looking forward to playing Utah. Yeah scha
their post players game. Yeah, listen, like, Yeah, she's tough.
She Yeah, she get folks to run for their money.
(04:42):
She's she's good.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
No, I couldn't agree more.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Peele's a she's a monster, honestly. But I think it'll
be an interesting matchup with you guys. But I think,
I mean, your regions kind of tough. And I in
my years of Stanford, Texas and State, we play each
other a few times. I think I played at Shall,
we played at home, we played in the A I
want to say, a few years ago. So I'm excited
to see if you guys get another rematch because that's
always really fun to watch. But looking into some of
(05:08):
the other corners of the bracket, I'm really interested by
the one that's Iowa, LSU and UCLA.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
That is the toughest region that.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Is the toughest region.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
I feel like.
Speaker 4 (05:19):
There's so many different storylines. So is there a certain
game that you want to see come out of that region.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
I mean, I definitely want to see I think another
Iowa and like LSU.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
Yeah, definitely want to see how that's gonna go. There's
the other one, South Carolina. And we talked about Oklahoma earlier,
and so I feel like Oklahoma didn't get that Big
Twelve tournament like they wanted, same thing with Indiana the
Big Ten. So having that matchup, I feel it could
be really interesting as well. Yeah, I think people kind
of forget ohu oh.
Speaker 3 (05:47):
He is a great team.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
Like I said, we've lost to them twice, so we
know how a good of a team they are. We're
getting the season the count and start out a little
slow and in a conference they picked it up a lot. Yeah,
and they're really a good team that like they play
South Carolina, they don't get so run for their money.
They might not have the biggest posts, but they like
they are like a whole guard, but they run the
court very well.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
No, you're completely right.
Speaker 4 (06:10):
I feel like they do fall under the radar, similar
to kind of the Big Twelve as a whole.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Honestly, I feel like you hear a lot about PAC.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Twelve, sec A SEC Big ten, but Big twelve been
under the radar.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
But you guys have seven teams in the tournament this year.
Speaker 4 (06:23):
So do you feel like you know you guys are
gonna gain some more respect for the conference.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Even though you're leaving this year.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Do you feel like the Big twelve deserves more respect
in terms of the talent that they have.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
I think it does, honestly. Like the teams that's in
the tournament, they're very good. I mean, you got West Virginia,
a good defensive team that might play like Iowa, which
I think that's another gonna be another great matchup, just
their defense while I was offense.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
I think that's one to look out for. K State
KSE State is there?
Speaker 2 (06:51):
Tally is there?
Speaker 3 (06:52):
Really good?
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (06:54):
I like the way they play. They're big as unstoppable. Seriously,
Lee is incredible and their point guard we well, we
call it Sunny D Sundale.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
She's she's a great guard, very smart.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
Our State they got twelve.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
I mean I'm not only referring to her Sunny D
from even though I've never met her.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
It's sunny D from now on, if I ever meet
her and be like, what's up, sunny D.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
We besties. But I think about the tournament. I want
to get into the madness a little bit. And these
next questions are brought to you by our lovely sponsor, Wendy's. So,
have there been any teams this year that have made
you kind of do a double take and been like
they can really make some noise heading into postseasons. I know,
for me, I've seen some teams that haven't gotten as
much love in the beginning and then all of a sudden.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Two seeds, three seeds in this tournament right now.
Speaker 1 (07:47):
I feel like a team that actually like might do
a great run. It's Ohio State, even though they're a
two seeds. Yeah, I feel like people know they're good,
but they don't they don't know how good they are.
Speaker 3 (08:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
Like, I feel like they're very good, very underrated, and
kind of very quietly. They're not always like on the headlines. Yeah,
but I feel that they gonna do good in tournament.
Speaker 4 (08:09):
I see it too, because they like, they've had a
lot of ups and downs, and so I feel like
if they can peek at the right time, they'll be good,
and I feel like another one for me, speaking from
a Pac twelve bias, is Oregon State.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Is tough, Like they came out of nowhere this season.
Speaker 3 (08:24):
Yeah, that that surprised me a lot. Actually this year.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
I'm excited to see them. And then more on a
on an individual side, what players have really impressed you
this season that you feel like are really going to
make some noise.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
In the tournament. I feel like my whole freshman class.
Speaker 1 (08:39):
Yeah, good answer, My whole freshman class is gonna do
well in the tournament.
Speaker 4 (08:43):
I mean, y'all been hooping all season, like half like
half your freshman class got their respective conference tournament's mops,
which is kind.
Speaker 2 (08:51):
Of crazy, like how was that? How was that happening?
Speaker 4 (08:54):
But I think it's just so exciting for not only
your class, but just showing the talent that we have
coming out of high school is huge. But you had
your first season on your belt playing in the Big Twelve,
And I feel like sometimes these neutral sites, especially like
the Big Twelve tournament now moving into March Madness, they
don't always feel neutral the way that fans travel. So
in your experience, what do you feel like is the
(09:16):
craziest fan base.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
I will state, oh, oh that was quick.
Speaker 3 (09:21):
I would state that was quick.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Okay, why I was stay?
Speaker 3 (09:24):
They just rolling deep.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:26):
We were in Kansas, Kansas City for Big Twelve and
we played them last game. Everybody, everybody, nay, Mama was there.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
I love that. I would not have guessed Iowa State.
Speaker 1 (09:38):
Their fans ride hard for them, k State two. Okay,
I like to right there. Yeah, that's a you win
like in their home place.
Speaker 4 (09:46):
Oh, it gets nasty, it's crazy.
Speaker 2 (09:50):
Okay, yep, yep, I got you.
Speaker 4 (09:52):
And then we talked a little bit about, you know,
the Big Twelve kind of getting slept on, and I
feel like with that, a lot of just like individual
superstars don't get us much pub as we see in
other conferences. And so you guys have a lot of
talented players. Who has been the toughest guard, like the
player that you guys had to circle on your scouting
report every time you saw.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
Them, toughest guard.
Speaker 1 (10:12):
H that's so I would give definitely credit to West
Virginia guard JJ Quickley.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
Really Okay, she's it.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
I don't think she gives enough like credit. Okay, Like
for her defense, she won.
Speaker 3 (10:26):
Defensive Player of our conference this year.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
But her offenses, I mean, she's probably I think she
scored like thirty like three times in our conference.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Okay, she's like that then thirty balls, Yeah you're like that.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
Yeah. Oh she's good. She's good.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
We played them once, but very hard to deal with.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Okay, I'm gonnaed to keep my eye on her in
the tournament because I honestly have not watched Best Virginia
as much as I should have, So I'm gonnaed.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
To be looking out. But with the tournament being here,
I want to give some players.
Speaker 4 (10:53):
Their flowers, like we've been doing a little bit heading
the madness, and so I want you to give me
a quick scouting report without giving way the Texas secret,
so that VIC doesn't get upset with you. Give me
a quick scout of Peytonvillehurst on Oklahoma, who I feel
like has really coming to her own.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
Yes, she's good, Yeah, she's just good.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
She get her off the three point line, yeah, gear
her off the three point line. Don't let her face
cut you, but you know, also get off the three
point line.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
She's very good. I mean the same.
Speaker 1 (11:24):
Time we play like, oh you you were up, and
she comes down like she comes out what second or
third quarter, she had two step back threes on this.
I said, there's no way, there's no way. Yea, there's
no way. Nah, she's good. Keep her off the three
point line. I would say, she gets hides very easily.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah, I hate.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
I hate when you start a quarter like that, you know,
and then they just they just get off and you're like,
time out, please slow your role. I don't need this
right now. I don't.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
And then you mentioned her earlier. But Lee at Kansas State.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
She's so good, like her work at her size, insane good.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Yeah, so tell me about her.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
Man, push your off the block, how your hardest. Push
off the block. Don't let her get nothing easy, don't
let you know easy, lay up, push her off the block.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
Try your best.
Speaker 4 (12:15):
So we got run off the three point line and
one push her off the block. Just get them out
their spots, basically, get them, get them away from this.
Speaker 2 (12:22):
Bos okay, I love that.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Well, before we jump into you and your basketball journey,
I have a question of the day that I've been
asking all the guests, which is a little bit out
of left field, but I feel like it's going to
tell me.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
A lot about you.
Speaker 4 (12:35):
So, what is the largest animal that you think you
could be in a fistfight. Yes, like, no weapons. It's
you and the animal in their terrain. By the way,
so you can't say a shark and you're in your water.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
You know it's in there.
Speaker 3 (12:52):
Uh, the biggest animal.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Yeah, I'm not gonna tell you mine until you tell
me yours.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
I'm going kangaroo.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
I feel like, are you kidding? You're going boxing kangaroo?
Speaker 3 (13:02):
Stop boxing kangaroo? Your gloves?
Speaker 2 (13:05):
Yeah, no gloves, no glove? Straight up? We still going kangaroo.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I'm still going kangaroo.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Wow. I'm not living that down Honestly.
Speaker 4 (13:16):
I saw kangaroo jack when I was eight, and I
would not go against kangaroo because he was boxing crazy.
Speaker 3 (13:21):
We're gonna both be hopping around, all right.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
I like it. Mine's a giraffe.
Speaker 4 (13:25):
I feel like I could take out the knees and
just kind of keep pushing from there.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
But I like kangaroo. I like kangaroo.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
Okay, so let's jump it back into your basketball roots
for a minute. You're from Mississippi. Your dad is six ten,
so I feel like that already helps. But who first
put the ball in your hands? How did you get
into basketball?
Speaker 3 (13:44):
My dad? I would say.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
He came in my room one day and put a
little plastic goal in my room, and I just started
opening ever.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Since then meant to be so is he your coach?
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Growing up a little bit, I didn't like it being
my coach.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
Oh, I get that you need those boundaries.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
I need to see them all day.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
Yeah yeah, yeah, okay, I see it. Growing up.
Speaker 4 (14:04):
Do you feel like there was a certain player that
you watched and kind of modeled your game after?
Speaker 1 (14:09):
So in my earliers, I was a botch of Celtics fan,
so I watched me too, Roger Roundo, uh huh. I
used to wear the headband like him. I just want
to be a point guard like him. Love it, love
it porn guard.
Speaker 3 (14:20):
You know.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
I kind of got too tall, so I had to
move to the wing, so I was in the point guard,
but I was just I mean, like, I love this game.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
I had posters like in my room with him.
Speaker 1 (14:28):
Growing up, and then kind of switched to so I'm bigger,
So I kind of went to more of Carmelo Kevin
the Rent.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
I used to watch Highlight send them all the time
those game.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
Yeah, yeah, I love that, And I mean you're still
playing point guard now, so maybe we can throw the
headband back.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
On throw back, you know, keep it going. Maybebe I
would love to see it.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
But when did you I feel like there's always a
point in time growing up when you're kind of like, Okay,
you know I love basketball and playing whatnot.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
I want to play forever.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
But there's a point in time where you hit it
like I could really do something with this. You know,
I could play collegeball, I could go pro, play to
school like Texas. So when was that time for you
and you realized like wow, like I'm kind of getting
better than everybody around me, like I'm gonna take this
to the next level.
Speaker 1 (15:15):
It was probably when I got my first offer that
was eighth grade.
Speaker 2 (15:18):
I was like, Oka, yeah that's early.
Speaker 3 (15:20):
You're like, okay, I might actually be good at this.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
How was the exposure like in Mississippi, Like, was it
playing on the best AAU team, was it playing.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
In a different city? How did you kind of get recruited?
Speaker 1 (15:33):
So that's the thing, Mississippi really wasn't that big on
because I mean Missippi's is a football state. Yeah, so
really basketball wasn't getting no exposure really like any other
sports other than football.
Speaker 3 (15:45):
Wasn't getting that much exposure.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
Maybe baseball here and there, but for basketball, it really
wasn't anything. I mean, a few players came out of
Mississippi and they have great careers in the league and
the pros. So I didn't play like travel ball miss
to be I wouldn't kind of out of state to
get my exposure. So in seventh grade, I played for
a Nike team, uh Dela with them Southern Stars, and
(16:08):
I mean from their own I stayed with them and
they've been treating me right ever since.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Oh I love that.
Speaker 4 (16:14):
I feel like it's so much fun to stay with
a team for that long because like those girls become
your best friends, you know, and so you really get
to see like that top talent and you know everybody.
Now that you're in college, you still know all the
top talent around you, and so talk about your freshman
class like we did earlier. Do you remember playing any
of them in travel ball or in high school and
(16:35):
that now you're.
Speaker 2 (16:36):
Still competing against them at the same level.
Speaker 1 (16:37):
Now, we didn't played okay because a lot of people
in my class they played up. They always played up,
and I always played my grade because I was like,
like if I'm not dominating in my in my class,
I'm not gonna play up, so I'm gonna just stay.
And plus, I mean it's not like I wasn't getting
better or I wasn't getting like exposure. I was still
getting the same exposure. I was like, I would stay
(16:59):
my class. But I never really played against people in
Marfish class. Now I remember like going to camp, seeing them,
like I always said, blue Star camp.
Speaker 3 (17:08):
When did you eighth grade?
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Maybe, I think, And she was good then and still
thriving to the best player in our class.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
Well, no, I mean that's I always say, that's so
cool because like going to USA basketball camps, doing all
these different things, and you get to know these people
and then you see them thriving and it's like, not
only can you be a fan of them, but you're
also their peers, right, And so I know I had
that relationship with people like Jordan Horston's I cooked Leah Boston.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
And then now when we're still on.
Speaker 4 (17:38):
The big stages, like you can still have that person
you can confide in because they're going through the same things.
I feel like that's always been so special. But talking
about your recruiting, what made you want to choose Texas.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
What was it about Texas that was like, yeah, that's
for me.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
So, I mean I always tell people I go back
to like Kocheffer.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
He recruited me since I was in eighth grade, and
I kind of fall back on what he did in
Missippi State, Like I knew he knew how to win,
he did it before. He definitely had a player like
me before in like Victory, Vimios and Missby State like
we had.
Speaker 3 (18:11):
So we had a great.
Speaker 1 (18:12):
Relationship all them years, and so I trusted him that
he could help me be the best player I can be.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
I mean, I feel like seeing Vic's journey Fromssissippi State
to Texas is so cool because like when they beat
Yukon in the Final four a few years ago with
Morgan and Victorian and all that, that was like a
shift in women's basketball. It was like it's not one
team anymore. And so tell me what it's like playing
for a coach. I can because I've been on the
other side. He is intense and it's a lot, So like,
(18:41):
what is it like playing for somebody who's that passionate
and that hyped up and all these different things?
Speaker 1 (18:46):
Every day He's very intense. Yeah, he practice is our
practices are very intense. I think people don't understand that.
I feel like because like I talked to like other
players of course, and they're like, yeah, practice.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
Kind of slight to Hi. I'm like, dang. I'm like dang,
I wish I was you.
Speaker 1 (19:05):
You know it is always our practice are always defense,
really defense, defense, defense, And you know, I'm not gonna
say I just hate defense.
Speaker 3 (19:15):
I love Offenwitch.
Speaker 2 (19:17):
You're like, so can we get a balance, Let's get
some shots up.
Speaker 3 (19:21):
It's a balance here and there.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
But I mean I also kind of came to Texas
for him, but also because I want to like get
better on defense. So a very test coach. He's very
passionate about the game. I love it. He loves the game. Yeah,
he's He's a one of kin guy.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
I to say that.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
I love I love hearing that, like what we see
what from the outside on TV.
Speaker 2 (19:45):
On the court, you get that every day and I
love it. It's the same energy every day.
Speaker 4 (19:54):
Texas as a whole right now, you guys are kind
of like an up and coming young team with Rory
Aaliyah out of Gas and Shaley Gonzalez kind of being
that veteran presence for you guys, but having all these different.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Young pieces, new pieces, all you guys coming together.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
What were those first practices like in the summer first practices.
Speaker 3 (20:14):
Uh, I'm trying to remember. I feel like a long
long time ago.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
You may have blocked it out my first practices, I've
blocked those things out.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
I didn't.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
I mean, shoot, it was more kind of like one
on one workouts really until we started our kind of group.
It was very intense, everybody talking. You know, leaders on
the court. Definitely, you have Rory being a leader, Shaye
Lee Leash, Shae Holly on like Emil on the sideline,
still recovering from my injury. So I mean really, when
(20:47):
I got to campus, I was really looking up to
like to them, people just listening, really just taking advice.
But I think one of the first things they told
me was make sure you run to every drill.
Speaker 3 (21:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
You learned that quick.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
You learn that you run every drill.
Speaker 2 (21:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (21:04):
And also it was great.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
I liked it definitely because I saw because like in
like high school, you know, you don't see people like
punning up extra work. But I got here and you
see them getting forty five minutes before a practice just
getting up shots and I've never seen that before.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
And when I came off, was like, oh, y'all do this?
Speaker 1 (21:24):
Yeah oh and it was like uh yeah, I was,
you know, and then like everybody else doing it like
so we all just like puting up extra like just
like doing extra work.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
So, you know, just that environment right there was just
cool to be in.
Speaker 2 (21:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (21:39):
I feel like I couldn't agree more. Like college has
all those different intricate things that are so different from high.
Speaker 2 (21:44):
School, whether it be you know, running from drill to drill.
Speaker 4 (21:47):
I know, the thing at Stanford was like water breaks
are twenty seconds, Like if you get one, it's over there,
sip in your back on the court, like it's all
those little things, y'all.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
The water breaks are like nowhere to be found.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
There's no water breaks. You tired about a drill, may
get some water real quick.
Speaker 4 (22:05):
Yeah, I get subbed for a drill. I'm running to
my water because I'm not gonna get that again.
Speaker 2 (22:10):
It's the one and done situation.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
But you came into college a small forward, as we
talked about, you know, being a bigger guard, but now
you're playing strictly PG for the most part.
Speaker 2 (22:20):
So what has that shift been like for you? I
mean it seems like it's gone.
Speaker 4 (22:24):
Well, is it a seamless Is it a seamless as
a transition as you make it seem.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
To be or what was that like?
Speaker 1 (22:29):
Uh?
Speaker 3 (22:30):
It was hard, I would say, I would say just
really just.
Speaker 1 (22:34):
A PG roll is hard in general, Like you have
the ball in your hands most of the game, You're
making decisions all the time, you're handling the ball all
the time, you're handling pressure, you're breaking presses, like, you're
doing a lot of things, and you still got to
run a team.
Speaker 2 (22:51):
Yes, and.
Speaker 3 (22:54):
That was probably the hardest thing.
Speaker 1 (22:55):
Yeah, And just also like the vision I had as
a wing player, because I mean I was still like
a past first time wing player ball, so I would
score when I you know, had my shots to take.
But then moving to point guards, still past first mentality,
Like the court just changes, like the how you view
the court, how you make reads, it all changes. And
(23:17):
so I mean it was a struggle first half of
the conference. It was a struggle turned the ball over,
you know, just making bad reads, not seeing it read
quick enough. Like I'll get yelled at, But I mean
I took it as a learning moment and like after
every game, I'm going to a film like seeing what
(23:38):
I did wrong, what I can do better, just to
help me out.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
And I mean my more theme when I.
Speaker 1 (23:44):
Asked coach what do I need to do to be
better for my team as a point guard, and he said,
I need you to have limit on like basically your turnovers.
And so that's been the main thing I've been working on.
And I can say our last game, I had zero turnovers.
So he was very proud about that. I was proud
about that too.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Oh that's big, big yes.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
So I mean I would say like it was probably
the hardest transition, but I mean my teammates side confidence
in me.
Speaker 3 (24:12):
I didn't even have that. My coaching staff did too.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
And I think just getting very like overwhelmed at it,
but just taking it all in, just taking one day
at a time and also wanted to grow in that aspect.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
I think it helped me become playeronium today.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
Well, I mean I feel like we've from the outside
been able to see that growth that you've had. Like
it's hard to be a point guard in general, it's hard,
but like freshman year point guard transitioning from being a
wing to a point guard.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
It's a lot going on, and I think what you
said about the vision.
Speaker 4 (24:45):
From a wing to a point guard, and also just
like you have to take yourself out of just playing
one position when you're the point guard, not only I
think the biggest thing for me is like, oh my gosh,
I'm the one who has to call the place.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Like I'm up here dribbling it in my head and
I'm like.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
Oh, play and you can't think of one quick enough.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Everybody's looking at you and I'm like horns, I don't know.
And it's so stressful.
Speaker 4 (25:08):
Up there and they have to be loud, and it's
like understanding what actions your teammates like to play off of.
You know, Shaley may not like the same thing as
Shay or Aliah may like it on a different block than Diatta.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
Like there's a lot of different things going on.
Speaker 3 (25:20):
And you know what, I go to this just that
one right there?
Speaker 4 (25:23):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, So tell me about how you and
watching film is hard. Let me tell you, like watching
your I'm like, that's not me out there.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
Yeah, who threw that turnover? That's a different person. I
don't know who that Haley was, Like, I don't know.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
But how has it been for you being able to
watch film learn from your stakes, but also like learn
about your teammates and what they want, because that's really
what like sets apart a great point guard, you know,
it's understanding how to get your teammate in the best shots.
Speaker 1 (25:50):
I mean, it's all about the communication. I think that's
top one. And also you know, going through practices, just
going through different things with them, going through different like
plays with them, seeing what they like more, how they
played on each like set we run, just me looking
at that. And also I mean like going back during
the film, just seeing like how the defense was planned,
like what I could have called differently, a past I
(26:12):
could have made differently, Like It's just little stuff like that.
But I think the main thing is communication, just seeing
what they like, how they feel.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I agree. I agree film really helps.
Speaker 4 (26:22):
Like I hate watching it sometimes because I'm like disgusting, Haley,
what was that? But talking about film, I know I
had many film horror stories both at Stanford.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
And in Atlanta.
Speaker 4 (26:35):
Did you have, like, you know, a welcome to college
ball moment or like a film horror.
Speaker 2 (26:40):
Story from your freshman year so far?
Speaker 4 (26:42):
I don't know if maybe it's just a me thing
because I remember freshman year, I through had like six
turnovers in a game.
Speaker 2 (26:49):
Oh, we watched all six in front of everybody. It's like,
oh awesome. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (26:54):
No.
Speaker 1 (26:54):
So we played at West Virginia this year and I
had I had a double dough Okay, I could have
had almost a quadrup Yeah. Yeah, I had like double
ditches and points. I had ten rebounds. Yeah, I had
like seven assists.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
I think I had eight turnovers.
Speaker 2 (27:13):
Oh, that'll do it.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
So you know, I always like watched film by myself
with like one of my coaches. Yeah, and I watched
all turnovers. Yeah everyone, I played them twice. She did
them twice. Yes, and she was like what is this yes,
and so you know, I was like, that's not me.
It won't happen ever again.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:33):
You know, I'm thinking, you know, we go to the
film room, I'm thinking, we're not going to watch them again,
and we watch them again and again, and it's like, coach,
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, this is a lot of turnovers.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Yes, yes, I remember. It was always so bad.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
When they ask you what were you thinking, I was like, well,
I thought it was going to work out. I did not,
you know, coach, I apologize because like that wasn't my intention.
Speaker 3 (27:58):
I didn't think I was gonna turn the ball over,
but for sure it happened.
Speaker 4 (28:01):
It happened, and you know, you know what I tell them,
what I want to say, what I don't actually say
is I'm like, you know, guys, next play mentality, let's
leave it in the past.
Speaker 3 (28:08):
Let's move forward.
Speaker 4 (28:09):
Let's move forward. Let's move forward. Honestly, But your freshman season,
I feel like you had a huge breakout game. I
watched it firsthand, twenty points against Yukon, which was huge.
Do you feel like something changed for you in that
game moving into the rest of the season, like a
confidence boost? What was that game for you?
Speaker 1 (28:26):
Like, well, like beginning of the season, I think I
probably had I probably was the best. Afterwardy I would
say she was a better scorer than I was, just
because she had experience on me. But I was probably
like one of the better scores on the team that
can get my own shot. Yeah, and so we're gonna
see some kind of trouble for me to make shots,
(28:49):
but like they were good shots.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
I'll take them.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
I make them in practice, but like in a game,
it was different, like they wasn't falling. So I think
kind of leading up to Yukon game, I started like
trusting the process, trusting what my coaches want me to shoot,
and that Ukun game was just a prime example, like
I really was in Russian shots. I took the shots
that came within the offense. And so I mean they
(29:11):
feel they fell through the hoop.
Speaker 2 (29:14):
Okay, So we talked a little about your teammates earlier.
Speaker 4 (29:16):
You got Shale Gonzalez and Eliah Moore both two thousand
point scores, which is insane. They have two on one team,
but also great team players. So talk to me a
little bit about what those two bring to the team.
Speaker 1 (29:29):
Shaldon Gonzales, I'll start. She's like the grandmother of our team.
She's a six year senior. Well I'm on the corporate here.
She brings a sense of calmness. I mean she has
a lot of experience on like O me, I'm a freshman,
like handle the team. So like in late game situations,
if game's close, she definitely like helps me just slow
down and sometimes she will help me with the ball.
(29:49):
That that helps a lot. She's a great scorer, she's
a great leader. She might not talk a lot, but
she lead through her actions.
Speaker 3 (29:57):
Emo.
Speaker 1 (29:59):
She's like a big sister. Definitely very vocal. She's different
from Shayley vocal on court, always talking. She's definitely like
our team's energy, Like she brings all the energy. After
ann one, she has the most energy. Uh, just like celebrating.
I mean, two different people, but great leaders in her
(30:19):
own role.
Speaker 4 (30:20):
Well, I've seen it firsthand. Mo be bringing all the energy.
Oh my god, she'd be hyping y'all up.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
And I'm on the other team. I'm like, whoa, whoa
piped out. Don't get them, don't get them, roll up.
We don't we don't need this right now.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
But I feel like, you guys have so many different
pieces that you talked about, but losing a big one
in Rory back in December tells me about what that cause.
I feel like seeing her still on the screen, seeing
her through social media, she still seems so engaged, And
so what is it like to have somebody who is
that crucial to the team still be so engaged on
the sideline becoming another coach. I see her with her
(30:56):
whiteboard during every game, She's locked in. What has that
been like for you to be able to learn from her.
I mean, yeah, she's been in my ear. Just helped
me also with the role, this PG role, I mean
great advice. She sees the court tremendously well. I think
that's also how I've kind of grown to be in
a better point guard, not the best, but a little better.
(31:17):
Not her way, You're doing great, you know.
Speaker 3 (31:20):
She just you know, she is always in practice. She's talking.
Speaker 1 (31:24):
She's telling us, you know, we have this new thing
where you get three stops in a row, it's a kill,
you know, try to get seven kills. And so she
kind of came up with that theory just to help
us be more basically like defensively engaged on defense. So,
I mean she's always talking, she's always there. She always
bring energy, she's always hyping us up. You know, she's
basically like coach second voice. You know, when when we
(31:47):
have a question, we go to her, she's like the
second person will go to is because sheffer than her.
I mean she's basically to him, just in a smaller person,
smaller voice. But yeah, she's definitely engaged, happy just to
have or just like just basically smell on her face.
Speaker 4 (32:04):
Yeah, So back to you and your style of play.
What do you feel like has been the biggest area
of growth that you've seen in your game from the
beginning of the season to now.
Speaker 3 (32:15):
Just finding my spot on the like on the floor. Yeah,
I think I found my spot.
Speaker 2 (32:19):
I can see that you have a lot of spots. Girlfriend.
Let me tell you it's not just one. You have
a lot of spots on.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
Okay, okay, we'll talk to us about you being a
three level scoring threat and how you're able to still
get to your spots and like you becoming who you
have been in the Big Twelve, being co Player of
the Year, being Freshman the Year, all these different things.
Scouts throw different things at you every game. I'm sure
you see it in that and that out there, playing
on ball screens differently and all these different things. So
how do you feel like you've been able to adjust
(32:49):
to whatever any team throws that you, having different defenders
on you, whether it throw so many bigger, smaller, and
still being able to get to your spots.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
And you do it at a very efficient rate. I
think it just comes with the part of being a
very poised person. I don't really I mean, I see
things thrown in me and I'm like Okay, that happened.
We'll get through it. It's basically like that. I don't
really try to get too fast, like I know my
game like my game like it's not gonna be all fast,
(33:16):
all shifty is very very vanilla.
Speaker 4 (33:20):
Very fundamental, fundamentally fundamental vanilla.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
You know I'm gonna try to get through the screen,
You're gonna still be right there, be right there and
wna pull up. I mean, like you're short to me.
I'm taking one jear will pull up kind of taller
than me.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
I might go to the room.
Speaker 1 (33:34):
So I mean, it's just really just taking a one
stition at a time, like I know things are going
to be thrown in me.
Speaker 3 (33:41):
Just to stop me, but just staying poised about it all.
Speaker 4 (33:45):
Wow, you are so wise, so young, and so wise
Madison truly, But talking about those different reads that you're making,
you know, coming off an all ball screen, knowing who
your defender is, and what advantages that you have being
both big guards as we are, What do you feel
like are some of the pros and cons that you
see from being a big guard. I think it's definitely
more pros than cons. But sometimes when I have like
(34:08):
somebody tiny picking me up full court, back up. Yes,
that's so annoying.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
Why are you doing that? So talk to me? What
are the pros and cons?
Speaker 1 (34:16):
Con is just little guards picking me up first game
being point guard play Baylor.
Speaker 3 (34:23):
M hm, Jada their point guard. It's like she's she's
top six. I think, pick me up full court and
I was like, there's no way.
Speaker 2 (34:33):
There's no way somebody can get the balls. That's what
I'll be thinking, Please.
Speaker 3 (34:38):
Please get the ball. Oh, I was saying.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Pros are you know? I just like basically shit over people.
I'm six to one.
Speaker 2 (34:45):
Yeah, mismatched everywhere.
Speaker 3 (34:47):
You know, you're like a bigger person guard than me.
You know you're a FOURD.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
Maybe Oh this matchup, I want right here and be
a little guard. I won't post you up. Another con.
I don't think there's.
Speaker 2 (35:02):
And it's a yeah, I agree.
Speaker 4 (35:04):
I feel like there's sony pros with the mismatches or
just being able to run different reads.
Speaker 2 (35:09):
No matter what your matchup is, there's an advantage that
you have. But I agree.
Speaker 4 (35:13):
I had Dana Evans picking me up this year, ma'am.
I don't need this extra stratege life, Like, I really don't.
If people want to run away as soon as they
see you with that, and it's like, why are you
being selfish?
Speaker 2 (35:25):
You see me? I thought we were cool? Like what
is this about?
Speaker 3 (35:28):
Maybe to is that be under your knees?
Speaker 2 (35:31):
Just yes, just annoying honestly, So I don't need that
in my life.
Speaker 4 (35:38):
But we talked about you kind of having this like
finesse on offense right fundamental rather than vanilla. But when
did you learn or kind of gain that ability to
slow the game down and let it come to you?
Because I think a lot of times people get so
sped up, especially as a freshman playing in a new league.
Big twelve is grade defensively, how are you able to
(36:00):
to you know, slow your game down not get rushed?
Say so, just like like we talked about you being
so wise, so mature, Where does that come from?
Speaker 3 (36:09):
I mean, honestly, it's my personality.
Speaker 1 (36:12):
Like I'm really just a neutral person like I we
don't get too high about things, get too low about things.
You know, people say I'm awkward when we're like basically
like in rewards, but it's just like uh huh, thank
you for the award. But it's like next thing like
thank thank you, and it's yes, okay, But I mean
(36:32):
it's just kind of been to me since I was young,
and I kind of like put that to my game.
Wi's being a chill, Just relax.
Speaker 3 (36:39):
We got this.
Speaker 2 (36:41):
It's just you, Okay.
Speaker 1 (36:42):
I like that.
Speaker 4 (36:43):
So Kevin Durant, you're also wearing thirty five at Texas.
He's an active Texas alum. Have you had a chance
to interact with him, because I know he said you're
gonna have thirty five retired.
Speaker 2 (36:53):
On the women's side, what do we feel about that?
You're a Katie fan. How are we feeling?
Speaker 3 (36:58):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (36:59):
I mean yeah, I saw like I said, what we
say one day at a time.
Speaker 4 (37:04):
Person, it's my first S'm going to give not going
to give me any soundbites Madison goodness, it's my first year.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
I mean it's going well. I have three more. We'll
see at the end of my senior year or later
on life.
Speaker 4 (37:18):
You're just scratching the surface, which is crazy to think,
but it's also so exciting. But it's our first postseason.
You're heading into March Madness number one seed. What's the
mindset or of both you but also the locker room
heading into the tournament? Because it seems like you guys
are peaking at the right time. You're just coming off
the Big twive tournament.
Speaker 2 (37:35):
When so what is it?
Speaker 4 (37:37):
You know, what's the mindset? What are the vibes heading
into first weekend of March Madness right now?
Speaker 1 (37:42):
Well, I mean, we know that we have takets across
our tests. We're going to the SEC. We just won
Big twelve. We are now one seed. No, we know
it's a lot of pressure. Not everybody want to beat you.
You're one seed. We know that people think that we
should have been one seed, so that's not mine's like
we have to prove them wrong. But I just think
(38:04):
the more're thinking about it is we have to be high.
In a Big twelve tournament. We were high, and I
think we just stay high, taking one day at a
time and just stay poised.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
Like me. Whoa will be just.
Speaker 4 (38:19):
Like me?
Speaker 3 (38:19):
Like me?
Speaker 1 (38:20):
Me?
Speaker 3 (38:20):
Just I am the most poisons on my team. Nothing
like me.
Speaker 4 (38:25):
I love I love that because you were talking about
you know, you got Leah getting hyped up all these people.
Speaker 2 (38:30):
You're levelheaded and that's what every team needs. It's that person.
Speaker 4 (38:33):
Wow, I'm weak, Okay, so baking to it. We talked
about the success coming off.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
A big Big twelve game. You guys were hot, and
you know, I.
Speaker 4 (38:43):
Feel like you guys do have a little bit of
a target on your back. Right Big twelve, you're number
one seed. What does it feel like last year? You're
at home, you're high school senior, you're watching the tournament right,
which is but now you're in it, which is insane
because I know for me my first march mans, it's like,
oh my god, this is happening.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
How are you.
Speaker 4 (39:02):
Able And don't say it's just who I am, give
me something new, but how are you able to like
stay where your feet are? Because I know for me,
as you get into the tournament, if you guys make
a final for a run, like it's hard not to
get caught up in all the noise. There's extra media
that you're doing, you're traveling, you're doing all these different things.
What are you guys, maybe you individually or as a program,
(39:23):
what are you guys doing to like stay where your
feet are?
Speaker 1 (39:27):
I mean basically just right now, I mean we're taking
our first point. It seriously, like, I mean, we know
they're a sixteen ceed, but it's anybody game, like anybody
can win. Like this is like anybody's ball game. Everybody
who's in this tournament are here, is basically like here
for a reason.
Speaker 2 (39:42):
To get You don't want to be that upset.
Speaker 3 (39:44):
You don't, we don't want to be upset at all.
Speaker 1 (39:47):
So I mean, really just knowing that today could be
our last practice tomorrow and be our last game.
Speaker 3 (39:54):
That's the fact you have to tape.
Speaker 2 (39:55):
I like it. I appreciate the new answer. It's twist
on it.
Speaker 4 (39:58):
I really do, because I know you wanted to say,
it's just me, Hayley, I'm just so wise.
Speaker 2 (40:04):
Yeah yeah, yeah, Okay, Well, before.
Speaker 4 (40:06):
We get into our vibe check of which is gonna
be rapid fire answers, which I feel like you're gonna
be great at is, I just want to give you
some flowers. We talked about a lot of other players,
but I personally have been very impressed with you this year,
and I was a fan seeing you.
Speaker 2 (40:19):
On all your highlights in high school and all these
different things.
Speaker 4 (40:21):
But like once you get to college to show that
you can still be doing that. I feel like a
lot of freshmen this year are getting a lot of
hype on social media, and you've kind of flying.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
Under the radar. But I've been witnessing it.
Speaker 4 (40:33):
Me and my friend, we've been talking about your three
level score, stepping into playing a point guard in such
a tough conference and doing it with the grace that
you have been and just seeing your continued.
Speaker 2 (40:43):
Growth is very exciting. So I just wanted to tell
you that as I have my time to talk to
you right now, and I know you're horrible at taking compliments,
so just smile. Thank you. Yes, so getting into.
Speaker 4 (40:55):
Our vibe check to rapid fire answers, You're gonna do great.
Some people aren't so great, but I have a belief
in you, so yeah, yeah, yeah. So what's the drill
you never want to see on the practice plan?
Speaker 1 (41:09):
We have this drill called was four for three minutes
straight defense on the four for three minutes hate it?
Speaker 2 (41:17):
Yeah? No, okay?
Speaker 4 (41:19):
Next one game winning shot or game winning block. I'm
game one a shot for show, okay, and one or
three pointer and one yeah? Group check talk solo TikTok group,
biggest trash talker.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
It could be on your team or anybody.
Speaker 4 (41:34):
That you ever played. Alia Moore, Oh okay, like it.
Who's the biggest flopper?
Speaker 2 (41:40):
That's hard, h that's actually hard. Biggest flopper I've stumped
you for the first time today.
Speaker 3 (41:46):
I go like, we have one on our team. I
would say shame. One goes out, Oh really, dang?
Speaker 2 (41:51):
Okay, okay, what's your biggest basketball.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
People who wear a short sock like angle socks with
their basketball shoes.
Speaker 3 (42:00):
Bruh, Get some longer socks.
Speaker 2 (42:02):
Oh wow?
Speaker 4 (42:02):
Yeah, calling out everybody who are short socks? All right,
who would you want to be your two on two teammate?
But you can't pick one of your current Texas teammates?
Speaker 3 (42:11):
Me Handa Hidago.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Oh my gosh, I love that. Okay. What's your best
impersonation of coach Vick Schaeffer?
Speaker 3 (42:19):
God? Ain't it that?
Speaker 4 (42:21):
Ain't it the way you got a Southern twang out
of nowhere? It's insane, but I like it. Okay, Madison,
you have been such a pleasure to have on today.
Thank you so much for coming on. Thank you pleasure, well,
thank you everybody for listening. Stay tuned for another episode
of Sometimes I Hope as a tournament unfolds.
Speaker 3 (42:55):
The players Tribute dot Com
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