March 4, 2020 • 33 mins
Pac-12 Networks’ Mike Yam and Don MacLean interview USC guard Jonah Mathews. The Trojans’ senior captain reveals who on the team is paying the most attention to NCAA Tournament Bracketology (5:08), and explains why he is desperate to make the most of his final collegiate season. Mathews praises the energy that freshmen Ethan Anderson and Onyeka Okongwu have brought to the team (10:00), and describes the relationship Okongwu has developed with Nick Rakocevic (14:52). Mike and Don ask Mathews about the resiliency of USC this season (15:50), and the offensive freedom he enjoys while playing under Andy Enfield’s (17:09). Mathews previews the Trojan’s upcoming game against UCLA, and praises the job Mick Cronin has done in Westwood this season (21:00). Finally, Mathews gives a review of the music played at the Galen Center on game day (24:35).
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Episode Transcript
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(00:02):
Ah, Hell, rap the ball, baby, let's go. This is
Inside the Pack twelve podcast. Puton a pair of your headphones and fall
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(00:24):
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an Inside is Cold and young Packtwelve legends. In the Lums book Death
(00:44):
Analysis, we go farther on thestores to take you from conference play all
the way to the final four withsome hook kind of swords, just walking
you through the game. I hityour host, Mike gamming the board,
dumb McClain. Hey, oh,yesterday we said that we were gonna talk
to the one and only Jonah Matthewsfrom USC and don we never lie USC's
guards. We do. We doas does Jonah on the basketball floor because
(01:08):
he's coming off for performance where hedropped twenty three against Asu. Jonah.
Can't thank you enough for spending sometime with us on the podcast. Oh,
I appreciate you guys. You guyswere having me on to today,
Jonah. You know, there's somany different places to go. We could
talk about the NC doable A tournament, how the season has gone. There
was a story though, and thisis probably not the the way that I
(01:29):
think most thought I was going tostart the podcast. Heck, I didn't
know I was going to start itthis way. But you guys had those
losses against the Mountain Schools and Ikept seeing these reports on Twitter that there
was like this flu bug that wasemanating through the locker room. I know
you were a little sick. Canyou just put into perspective for people,
because the timing wasn't great because peoplewere talking about you guys as a bubble
(01:49):
team, and then you beat theArizonas and now you listen to the bracketologists
and they all seem to have youin the field, which is outstanding news.
But how sick were you specifically onthat road? Um? Well,
we lost a Colorado and then wethe ministure of the Utah and Nick my
roommate Nick Kosvick got sick. Iremember for like three years now, and
he like he's never gotten sick likethat. So out of nowhere we had
(02:13):
like lunch, we didn't have lunch, and then out of nowhere, he
just felt sick and started throwing up. And I was like, I was
asking I get a new room becauseI don't want to get sick. I
want to catch it, and everyonewas like, no, you won't catch
this, not contagious. But beforethe game Sunday, I just felt queasy
and like lightheaded, and during thewarm ups, I was like just not
feeling like myself, and I startedthrowing up right before the game, and
(02:36):
in my mind I was like,Okay, maybe it's done. I threw
up, but the game came ongoing down. I couldn't even like breathe
or run so like I've never beensickly that before. It just came over
me so fast, and then Icouldn't even play at the end of the
game. So what was last week? Why? Like then John and Mike
mentioned how bad of timing that wasfor you guys to get sick. Was
it more last week about recovering andmaking sure you're ready to play or guys
(03:00):
are like mad that you lost boththose games. How was last week in
practice getting ready for their arizonas?I mean a little bit of both.
Um. I didn't go to practicefrom until Wednesday until before the game Thursday.
They wanted me to recover. Ihad to go get ivs. I
got two ivs the next day.I got back, but there was a
whole bunch of its hydrating and mate, you're making sure you're ready to play
on Thursday. Um. I didn'treally get the practice or run like that.
(03:22):
But they's all focused on us whenthese next two games, which you
need to do. Jonah. Ialways getting nervous when I ask references like
this to movies or even players whoplayed in the NBA for a really long
time. When I'm talking to currentcollege kids, Um, don I know
you've seen the movie at any givenSunday, Jonah, have you seen that
movie? Yeah? Have you?Have you seen that? Even though I'm
(03:43):
a big movie guy, that's themoment we have not seen. Can you
be a big movie guy, Jonah? And you haven't seen that? Is
that like a big Is that apopular movie? Jamie Fox is in it?
And it transcends generations? Jones.Oh really, Okay, I'm out
to look into it. Yeah,it's it's an easy thing. And you'll
if you watch the movie. Well, I'll just tell you why I'm referencing
(04:04):
it because you mentioned not feeling wellbefore the game, a little queasy.
So Jamie Fox's character Willie beam Inin the movie, he would throw up
literally on the football field before thegames. It was like his way of
getting the nerves out. So Ididn't know if that was like something that
clearly that wasn't something that is undergo. Yeah, you just you're ready to
(04:26):
play when you're out there, whichis a win. Please go and see
any given Sunday before Vegas, becausewhen Don and I see you, and
hopefully we'll see you on a Saturdayplaying in the pactwelve championship game, I'm
going to ask you if you've seenany given Sunday. So I got a
brush over my skills then and makesure I'm ready. You got a little
homework there, all right, Soyou guys rebound off of those losses you
(04:46):
take out the arizonas you mentioned notbeing able to practice for a couple of
days there, and the recovery processfor you specifically can you just big picture
the team vibe coming off of thoselosses and then going back home, like
are you away air of the bubbletalk? Does coach infield bring that up?
And the pressure of winning games againstboth Arizona and asu UM. Yeah.
(05:09):
Well, as a seniors, Quentinme, Quinn, Daniel Nick,
I've all looked into the brackets becausethe start last year, we want to
make a chreament obviously, so Quinn'sall about knows all about the bubble talk,
all about the standings, and wejust came together after losing to the
Mountain Schools and I just had ateam meeting with the team is just like,
guys, this is it, Likewe have no we have no room
for air. We have to getthese two wins. We want to if
(05:29):
you want to go to the postseason, and the whole team of mentality,
which is all money in everybody,get it full effort, and we happen
to come out with those two winsand the vibe of the team right now
just we're going to keep on rollingwith the mentality to be We're not done
yet. We have to play YouthSlam on Saturday, get that win and
move to the tournament. And tryas many wins as we can. Jonah.
Every year it seems like, andI've been doing this for a while,
(05:49):
and especially in this conference, youknow, I inevitably start talking about
seniors. And you just mentioned thatyour senior group got together to talk about
the NCAA tournament, that there's athere's a senior or seniors in our league
that you can tell see the lightat the end of the tunnel, meaning
that, oh, I'm a senior, this is almost over. I'm gonna
(06:11):
go on a run. Has thatkind of crossed your minors? It more
just about the team because we seeit seemingly every year has definitely crossed my
mind. Um, every game thisyear I felt like it's my last because
every it could be. Um,I have no more I have known next
year, there's no oh, nextyear, media day, next year,
pack towel, there's none of that. So for as a senior, you
just look to every game, getto give us your all, and when
(06:33):
you walk up the court, youcan say I do my best and I
gave him all because there's no there'sno coming back from that. So as
the seniors, and it seems around the pack towel, I feel like
they feel the same thing. Um, it's the last go around and try
to make the most of it,Joannah, have you do you in your
mind? Have you made the mostof the opportunities this season? When you
reflect and I know the season's obviouslynot over yet, but when you think
back to the way the year isgone, are you happy and content with
(06:56):
how you've played and how the teamis played? Um, I would say
I'm pretty happy, but not content. I could always play better, just
some games I wish that we didn'tdrop or I could have played better in
one, But um, for thefor the moment right now, it's like
I'm a pretty good spot right now. Playing pretty good team is playing well,
a team is happy. So asa captain and as a leader,
just if the team's happy, we'rewinning that I'm happy. I'm just proud
(07:18):
of make these adjustments as a senior. Right now, I'm in a really
good spot. How much has yourrole changed this year, Joanna? Being
a senior and being a captain.You know you guys are relying on some
young guys, especially you know yourpoint guards, of your starting point guards
a freshmen. How much more responsibilityif you had this year? Um?
(07:39):
I would say a lot more um. Last year we had Benny I was
still captain. We had Benny whotook most of the scoring load. We
had other guards who were older,We had Dick. So the past three
years I've been the kind of backsea we had George McLoughlin. Loger threw
all those kids on as a freshmanand sophomore. But this year we have
young guys and new guys, soand I know the system like the back
of my hands. So it's beenon me to teach, to incur young
(08:00):
guys and tell the old guys someof the new stuff we do. And
there's a lot of weight on ourshoulders, but that's what they prepared me
to do, and I've think I'vehandled it pretty well. You know,
Jonah, last week we had mccronin as our guest on the podcast,
and he had mentioned something about histime at Cincinnati with his upperclassman who are
doing or did what you're doing whatyou're current guys and that show younger players
(08:20):
what's expected of them. And itwas probably a little bit harder when he
got to UCLA because he didn't reallyhave upperclassman who knew what it was expected
of them, you guys match upagainst them around the corner. But circling
back to what you had said,you've been around this program now for a
while, what does that actually meanwhen you're showing guys, can you give
me some examples of what that actuallymeans when you're with some of the younger
(08:43):
players and showing them what's expected thisUM practice in and out, even like
the little stuff beyond time to filmautolo, being the weight room, just
showing the ropes like Jordan mclough andall the other guys did me UM just
paying super close details of the gamesa scout, everything goes into that and
just on the court shown that oneterm doesn't mean you can't just hang your
(09:05):
head because as a freshman you're gonnawhen you do some value things, the
world is gonna end. And that'show I felt. But as a senior,
you're supposed to be there and showingthat, keep your poise, keep
on playing through the next play,next play, And I feel like our
freshman had really grown in that aspectof moving on to the next play and
playing hard and giving it there allthat's a That's what I'm there to do,
Jonah, I'm gonna go back tothe beginning of the year, before
(09:26):
the season even started, and youdon't need to speak to last year,
but I could tell last year thatthe things weren't great, that you guys
weren't connected. It didn't seem likeit just seemed like it was a little
disjointed. And then I showed upfor practice before the season started, and
there was life. Man, therewas this new life, and it seemed
like you guys were communicating more,there was more energy and practice, you
(09:50):
guys were having fun and talking tothe coaching staff, they pointed to the
young guys kind of bringing that joltof life with an Yuka and Ethan and
Isaiah to a certain degree, howmuch of those guys when you think back
to the start of the year,how much how much energy did those guys
bring to the program and how doesit come together with those guys us a
(10:11):
tremendous amount. As a freshman,they came in ready to play, ready
to compete. And when that happens, you have a whole team ready to
compete and can fight every day inpractice. It creates a lively environment.
But Ethaneka, Isaiah, even Maxat the beginning of the year was They're
super competitive each each day and outpractice didn't matter if you're a junior senior.
They're going up against you, goingat you day in and day out,
(10:33):
and that could creates a competitive firein nature. And then it's brought
us a long way. Without thoseguys being that competitive fire to preseason,
I don't think we would be rautright now. So no, what's the
you mentioned Benny Boat right like aseason ago, you know, or taking
up the bulk of the scoring,and Rakosovic comes back the season you're obviously
(10:54):
back. Did you guys anticipate andYeka having as much of an offense is
um piece of the pie as ashe has had. Well, to be
honest, we recruited him. Iknew he was good because I've seen him
playing high school, but I didn'tknow he was this good. I didn't
know he would have draw this muchattention. Um, I didn't know he's
as skewed as he was. Ihad never seen him play. I don't
(11:16):
see something like one time. Butum, we didn't anticipate that at all.
But at the same time we werewe appreciate it because teams really keen
on him. Um, how leshe get opened and um, he just
creates a big force in the paintand that we need. So coming into
the season, I didn't know whatit was gonna be like. But now
that I know, he's top tenthe boards now, so um, it's
(11:37):
just amazing to see how much he'sgrown and how really how good he really
is. It's interesting. Jonah,and I've been, like I mentioned,
I've been around this league for awhile, I've never seen three freshman bigs
come into the league that are thisgood. O'congo was Steward up at Washington
and then Naji at Arizona, andthen going around the league this year and
watching you guys play a bunch andwatching all the teams play a bunch,
(11:58):
it seems like because you have Nickand on Yucka, you guys are able
to handle defenses better than like Stewartis by himself or Naji by themselves.
Not taking any anything away from thosetwo because they both had great years,
but it just seems like because Anyukahas Nick with him, it's been a
little bit easier for him right.Um. Also coming Nick I was a
(12:22):
double double last year, so Nickwas a high He's high on the scout.
Everybody knows what he could do,and Nick's super skills. So having
two footers down there, and thenif Nick scoring really good, they can't
double Nick. They can't double bothof them, so and they pass really
well to each other. So havingthem both down there, it really helps
I think on Yeka and both Nickat the same time because they both ken
and on Nick, Onyeka is gonnabe up and if I mean Yucky getting
(12:43):
doubled, Nick's gonna be up.And so they play really well together and
it's just tough for other teams tohandle too big that that's skilled. Was
there a wow moment that stands outwatching a congo? I don't know if
it came in practice before the seasonor in the game. I know yours
down because his first game year eightblocks. You had it. You were
you were calling the game against FloridaA and M. What for you,
(13:05):
Jannah is Was it game one foryou? Was it those eight blocks in
that matchup? No? I thinkit was first practice when we first started.
He was just super dominant and itwas just like, Wow, I've
never seen a freshman coming and bethat dominant. He was just dunking everything,
blocking everything, he was moving.It was just crazy to see.
I didn't know he could move likethat, um, and so I saw
it. So it started really earlyfor me day when day were on first
(13:26):
practice in September, so I wasjust like wow, Um. But ever
since then he's had a couple morewhile moments, Like at Oregon State he
had like seven monster dunks that game, three blocks. It was, it
was It's crazy to see how manytimes has he dunked on you in practice?
Joanna be on zero. I'm notgetting the way of that. There
would be no charge taking on that, all right, without naming names?
(13:50):
Who has he dunked on? Then? All right? How many guys has
he dunked on in practice? Toomany tomes, I'll say about three to
four. Well, what freaks meout about him? Or I shouldn't say
freaks me out, But what standsout about him is his second jump is
he hits the floor and he's backup there faster than everybody. I don't
know how many times this year I'veseen him. You'll miss a shot,
(14:13):
but then he's the first one there, like by a mile to get it
finish. Watch the game at Oregonwe played at Oregon, he had a
one that was insane, like hemissed a floater and he gathered so he
got the ubone so quick and gatheredit and dunked it like so quick.
Everybody was shocked. I've never I'venever seen that quick of a jump,
(14:33):
like a second jump before either,especially the big man. Yeah, that's
the thing that's really stands out tome is just his second jump is elite,
elite more than and it'll be aleade at the next level, and
in a league full of elite levelathletes, that'll still stick out. How
do Nick and Yeka get along offthe floor like I would imagine when you
(14:56):
are you mentioned he's your roommate,He's been your roommate Rokosovich that is the
last couple of years on the road, I would imagine. It's it's two
big how dominant they are. Donnaand I talked about this all the time.
Your team's front court is probably thebest in the entire conference. What's
the dynamic between the two of them? Well, Nick as a person who
is just super lively and friendly,so and you know, Yeka is very
(15:18):
shy until you get to know him. So at first he wasn't They weren't
really talking like that. But whenthey started playing together more sending more time
together. Now A're like really closefriends. They talk all the time.
But Nick as the person just friendseverybody. So like Niko would bring out
your inner shell and make you talkeven though you don't want to. And
I think that's happened to Yeka andhim he's man, you have to come
out of his shell. And they'vebecome really close and playing those games together
(15:41):
and being down there together. Ithink it's really helped them a long way.
We touched on it earlier, Johan, I want to go back to
it about you know where you guysare at in terms of the NC tournament.
I loved what you said after theArizona State game. Somebody asked you
if you thought you'd done enough,and you said, no, that we
still have work to do, thatwe still have to beat UCLA, and
that we want to go to Vegasand win the PAC twelve tournament. Is
(16:04):
that where you guys are out interms of like your team's more determined?
Is it is there more pressure knowingthat you feel like you still have to
win these games? Kind of wheredo you think it's out for you guys?
I feel like with our team.Um, we r a city occasion.
Um we were down to the dumpsside that we lost to the to
the Mountain schools. But with thesetwo wins, he just picked up.
(16:26):
It shows us the resilience of theteam and just how if we come together
and play hard what could happen.And I feel like when people ask me
that you have do you feel goodabout it? I'm like, no,
we still have. We have thegames to win. We can't just assume
that we're in. We want tomake sure and validate that we're in with
these next wins. You want towin, want to beat East till they
We want to get a couple ofwins in the tournament, possibly a championship.
We want to solidify that we're inand not just be a bubble team.
(16:47):
So I've had the bubble. I'vehad the bubble with them before my
sophomore year, we didn't get inand I just don't want have that feeling
again. I want to make surethat we're in, and I think everybody
else does too. Mentioned that sophomorecampaign, I mean, heck, canny
Field still talks about that season andwhat you guys accomplished and how disappointed he
was that you guys weren't in thebig Dance. Speaking of Andy, you
(17:08):
know we watch all the coaches inthis conference and what they do with their
basketball teams. When he took thisjob, it was let's just get athletes
in Southern California and these guys arejust gonna out jump. It was,
you know, all the dunks andall that stuff. How much freedom,
John, do you guys have inthis offense? Uh? He gets we
have a lot of freedom. Actuallygives us all freedom. He never told
(17:30):
anybody not to shoot, not tomake plays. He wants to be aggressive,
it'd be smart. Um. Sowe have a lot of freedom of
the offense to make plays with thebigs driving kick and he sets it's up
for the person that we have tobe successful at it. So um,
he isn't putting the reins on anybody. So I don't think anybody can say
my coach coach infield holds me back. He does this, isn't that Now?
He gets everybody equal opportunity. Andin this offensive we have with these
(17:52):
shooters and big it creates a lotof opportunities for everybody to show the skill
set. But what people don't getfrom the outside Jonah is that where he
doesn't give you freedom is on thedefensive end. That you can't be a
fast breaking style team if you're notgetting stopped right right. Um, he
hangs. He hangs his hat ondefense, as as do I. So
as a team, I think thisyear we've really keyed in on defense and
(18:17):
one of the whole teams under theiraverage. And on defense, he doesn't
allow you to make multiple mistakes ina row or you're coming out for sure.
I mean, I think that's likeany coach. But on defense he
really hangs his hat and not alot of freedom there, not a lot
of wiggle rooms. So we practicein preach defense every day and drill it
so um. On defensive end,you have to be right and sharp,
and I don't think there's a lotof freedom there. Jonny, you're kind
(18:40):
of an og in this conference rightnow, considering the amount of time you've
been now in Southern California wearing thatUSC uniform. I had started this podcast
and actually yesterday Don and I we'retalking about it on the podcast. The
amount of teams, you know,the bracketologist right now, I have seven
teams in from this league, includingyours. Can you just come pair this
season how difficult and competitive the leagueis compared to the other years that you've
(19:06):
been um playing in the Pac twelveum, I would say it's definitely top
two for sure. My sophomore year, our freshman year is really good too.
We did a lot of players inthe league. But this year,
for sure, every team can geta win anywhere because cow does beat Colorado
and we didn't beat Colorado, sothat any team can get beat at any
time, and that's what makes theleague fun. There's no team you can
(19:27):
really count out of the league andyou did go into play every game or
you will get beat, and that'swhat makes it so fun. But I
think this is for sure with thelevel of talent on each team, the
level of players that compete at ahigh level, this is for sure top
two talented year in the pack.And this has really been really fun.
Each road game, each home gameis a test and teater coming in to
(19:47):
beat you. So I mean,if you gotta if you don't bring it,
then you'll get beat. So that'swhy we love about this league.
What are you guys better at thisyear, Jonah than you've been? Then?
What are you better at this year? Than you then you've been in
the past as a team. Forgetpersonnel, Just what are you guys better
at team wise? This year?I would say defense. Defense. This
(20:07):
year has been I think one ofthe best years we've helped. We've held
teams under their average, We've heldteams, We've locked down team in the
second half more than I've ever experiencedhere. But I think defense, and
probably I would say defense. Iwould say this defense. To be honest,
everybody on a team really takes pridein defense and just stopping your man,
and in the past year has beenlike that. But this year,
(20:30):
I think everybody's really keyed in onthat and it's really helped us in the
long run. I think it's agreat point because I know you guys had
that win against a su you know, Jonah, I remember actually doing this
podcast with Don a couple weeks agowhen you guys were down in Temping.
You lost that game, but man, you guys were so damn active on
the road. It was almost likea surprise to me considering how good the
(20:51):
defensive effort was, especially in thefirst half and for stretches in the second
half, that you guys even lostthat basketball game. And now you match
up and you close out the seasonwith a UCLA team that's also kind of
on this resurgent path right now,got an opportunity to win the conference.
What strikes you about what mccronan andthis team is doing that's given them some
success to win seventh straight heading intoyour guys's game, Well, even at
(21:15):
Cincinnati, they're a tough, grittyteam. They went to the tournament six
times, so the formula for himdidn't change. He just brought over to
Westwood, and I think it tookhim a while to buy in at first.
But now they're really keaty and theygot a couple. They got a
humans at Colorado at Arizona and theybeat Colorado Arizona twice. So I think
that the DNA of Nick cronin herough from Cincinnati is for sure and stood
(21:36):
on them and they guarded a highlevel and they started to play at a
high level. So this game onSaturday is going to be a game for
the ages. I think some justpopped into my head. Yeah, I
don't think we've ever asked a playerof this. You and I have discussed
this. I think we've even askedcoaches this, But I'm curious to Jonah,
I'm sure you guys want a topfour seed in Vegas, Okay,
because you don't have to play onWednesday, of course, But in what
(21:59):
I've always said is if you knowthat you you have a game that you
can win on Wednesday, wouldn't itbe better to get almost like a warm
up game on Wednesday? Or howhow are you? How do you view
Vegas in terms of getting a topfour seed or not. I've done both
ways. I've had to buy beforeand I like it. But also the
warm up game is true too.We played Arizona last year to warm up,
but uh, and it's it's likethe same thing. But I feel
(22:22):
like the buy buy the BUYE gamereally set you up because you don't have
to play. You don't have toplay three games out of that. So
if you get the buye game,you win the next game, you're two
more that you're in there, oryou did my sophomorere we played we didn't
have to play the first game andplay organ State Oregon and we were in
So I feel like I like itboth ways. I don't have an issue
with it, but I prefer tobuy um easier route UM I just I
(22:42):
just like it that way, tobe honest. You're Jonah another thing on
Vegas because you have done it andyou've had some success in the tournament.
Don comes from a player's background,right, You score more points than anyone
in the history of the conference.And here it is. I can just
go by what you guys tell meon my end. But in the back
to back you know, the seasonobviously doesn't work that way, right,
(23:03):
you got some days in between gameswhen you're playing back to back to back
or even four straight games depending onthe year. Obviously, you guys want
to win, you know, geta top four seed. But what's it
like in terms of the stamina outthere? Do you guys feel it on
day two or day three in thetournament in those situations, Oh, you
for sure feel it day two becausein the fact of the tournament, every
game is greedy, it's hard,it's tough. Everything is tough. Everybody's
(23:26):
trying to win. So if yougave it, sure all, you're definitely
gonna feel the next day. Butthat's a treatments for you know what I'm
saying. You got to get thehotel. We have all day off,
so you play it like one,you have the whole day to rest up
and watch film and tape. SoI mean, by the second game,
third game, we're definitely gonna feelit. But if you do the treatment
right and you get your legs right, it's not as bad as it seems.
Joana, you're a shooter. AndI'm sure you guys you know once
(23:48):
or twice in the non con playinga big arena. But does the big
arena change anything for you versus youknow the small You know not that our
our school's gyms are small, butthey're not as big as t mobile either.
I like it the arena morton thegyms, to be honest, really,
um yeah, this is more lively. Um. Jason Hart always told
(24:10):
me to think of this as yourhigh school gym, like you're not.
You're just playing in the bigger highschool gym. So every time I played
in a big arena, I justthink it was Santa Marca High School and
at a shoe like I've been there. And then that helped me a long
way, to be honest with you, ever since I was a freshman who
told me that. But I likethe big arena is way more in the
gyms because I don't know. Somethingabout the arena feeling, the crowd and
(24:30):
the people there just makes you playbetter than rise to the occasion. Jonah,
You guys got the best music rightin the conference at home. No
chance, no no, no,no, no, no, I wish.
I mean we had the best DJ. For sure. He played.
Yeah, Mosque is really good.He gets the crowd going. But um,
as a player, like, wewant to hear our own playlist,
not the people like people. Soit's like it's a different type of it's
(24:53):
a different type of thing. Areyou any producing Jonah? Oh, I
can't. Derek Thorton actually last yearhe like makes beats and he taught me
how to do it, so likeI've been doing it ever since. Then,
No kidding, you want you wantto redo our show open? Yeah?
I was just gonna say, yeah, maybe you and I could I
could show cooking some up for youguys. Well, what did you think
of our show open? Oh?It was not I like it. Yeah
(25:15):
it was good, but you knowI could probably make something a little better
a demo Jonah, for sure.You know it's interesting because I gotta be
honest with you, Jonah, Iwas surprised that you were gonna say no
on the music because every time I'mwatching your guys game when we're at Pat
twelve Networks, you know, wehave all we got these eight monitors up,
so we got all the games up. But a lot of times we
don't watch the TV feed. Sometimeswe're watching like the in house feed.
(25:37):
So as soon as it goes toa time out, we are monitors don't
go to commercial all the time.They'll just stick with a shot of the
arena. But you can hear themusic, and I'm like, man,
they're killing it down there in termsof the music, but here it is.
I I didn't realize that you guyswould just prefer your own playlist,
which I guess does kind of makesome sense. There's some throwbacks I mean,
I mean during the game. Imean during the game doesn't really matter
to us because we're not we're notreally focused on music. That's probe of
(26:00):
the fans, like the pre warmup warm up like that sixty minutes before
the game. We want to hearthe stuff that we know we like and
it's not random. We just weall know we're gonna like it and it's
gonna get us going. So ifyou never you never went up to Mollsky
and said, hey, dude,here's here's the playlist. We need you
to play this or that multiple times. But you have Yeah. But I
(26:22):
think he's had a set place thathe's that he's done and it's been proven
for him, So I think thathe's gonna stick with that, which is
which is fair. By the way, Joan, are you a headphones guy?
In the warm up listen like,oh yeah, what's on your playlist?
Um? A lot of Travis Scott, that's my favorite artist. Um,
there's a bunch of different things.I have soft, I have hard
music. I have in between,just like stuff to get your emotions and
(26:45):
blood flaming. But I'm for surea big headphones guy. I don't like
to hear anybody talk to me forthe game. I like to get my
own zone. I didn't either,Jonah. You tried to talk to me
before a game, You're probably gonnaget crickets. You'll get us, You'll
get a long stare. Or that'sabout the little attitude, A little attitude,
maybe not ever response, that's right. The problem was Don was given
an attitude when the game was overas well, Jonah. So that was
(27:07):
part part of the issue that Donhad when he was still playing. But
Jona, before I let you getgoing. You know what's interesting about this
because in Don's era, Don youweren't listening to the music and the headphones,
and it's it's evolved over time.I can't get over and Jonah,
I haven't off the top of myhead, I don't remember seeing you with
headphones, and you're telling me youdo. They gotta be wireless. Can
you imagine sitting out there and warmup with wired headphones nowadays? Yeah?
(27:30):
Oh, I don't think I coulduse headphones at that point. I don't
listening to Irena music because it's jumpingaround the headphone string he's pulled on,
new phone, falling out. Idon't know. Yeah, I could do
it, but the wireless has definitelychanged the game, and especially with beats,
they're like noise canceling, so youreally can't hear anything but your headphones
or the music in the headphones.I'm totally with you, you know,
ten years ago people five years agolooking like savages out in a pregame.
(27:52):
Come up kidding Jesus, Hey,Jonah, can't thank you enough man for
hanging out with us for about janwishing nothing but success. Pumped to see
you in person. I can't waitto get your report um on any given
Sunday and Willie Beaman and how JamieFox's character evolved as the as the movie
went on. You come on thepodcast, and you can come on the
(28:15):
podcast, Jooni, and you gethomework from Mike Yam. Yeah the movie.
I'll take that homework any day,because Jonny, you know, if
you have a big game in thetournament, I am making sure that you
come to our set and you're ourguest and we're not even talking the game,
we're only talking that movie. SoI'm telling you I'm serious here.
Just be prepared, Just be Iwould make sure I have a big game.
(28:36):
Just I could talk to you guysfor sure about that movie. Yeah,
one hundred percent. Hey Jonah,seriously, man, thank you so
much and looking forward to seeing mein Vegas. Good luck against you.
What a nice kid, Jonah Matthews. Glad we got to see uh to
spend some time with him. Yeah. I kind of had my on him
all year. I've talked to himbefore games at USC and I've always thought,
you know what, he'd be reallygood if we got him on the
(28:56):
podcast, and it turns out hewas Yeah, you you said he was
on your all Interview team. Yes, he is the Mike, Please you
have to say it correctly, theJordan McLoughlin all the other team, right.
The award is named after him inall his interviewing greatness. So two
things from the time we just spentwith Jonah Matthews that resonate. One the
(29:18):
references to still Jordan McLoughlin. Iknow you just brought him up. I
don't know if this team has beenable to replace him just yet. His
leadership on the floor clearly still resonateswith a guy like Jonah Matthews. But
even his play, he was alwayswilling to take that big shot. I
feel like they've they've done well asthe season has progressed here. But that
(29:41):
was one thing don that struck mefrom from that interview. Yeah, and
I think Ethan Anderson's done a goodjob. And nobody in a million years
thought that he would be the startingpoint guard for most of the year like
he has been. And so you'regonna get some ups and downs with a
freshman point guard. But I thinkit's up to all the other guys Rakosovich
and Jonah and the guy that havebeen there and even their grad transfers.
You know, you Tony has beencoming on here in the second half of
(30:04):
the season, Quinton Atlas like it'sgot to be by committee. You know,
there's you know, I said acouple of times during that pod during
the podcast that you know, I'vebeen around a while and there hasn't been
a lot of Jordan McLoughlin's that thatare that good of a kid, that
are that good of a leader,They're that good of a player that stick
around for that long, Mike,And so that was kind of a luxury
(30:26):
for Andy Endfield. And but Ithink they're doing a good job of of
of trying their best to to togive themselves what Jordan did give them.
And they're they're back in position,They're they're in great position not only to
make a run in the Pactful Tournament, but in the NCAA tournament too.
Yeah. No, I'm with youon that front. And then the other
(30:47):
thing, how about him knowing whatMick did at Cincinnati and I mean down
tournament appearance. Deal to me,that's and Donne and I've talked to enough
student athletes the last however many years. When you hear stuff like that,
to me, that's directly from coach, Well that's a good thing. Well
you know what it points to too, yeam. And we I feel like
(31:08):
we covered everything, but one thingwe didn't cover is that he's the son
of a coach. You know,his dad has been a coach for a
long time and Phil Matthews at thejunior college level, at Division one level,
he's so the IQ part is there. When you live in a house
where your dad's been a college basketballcoach for as long as he has,
(31:29):
you understand stuff a little bit betterand you're probably more a student of the
game than most and I think Jonahis that. And again that's part of
the reason why I thought we shouldhave him on. In the conversations I've
had, there's intelligent conversation with himabout the game and what he sees and
that kind of thing. So notsurprised there either. Yeah. Well,
once again, we do appreciate USCfor giving us Jonah and obviously him for
(31:53):
spending some time with us. Donalways a pleasure working with you. I
know. We got a huge weekin the conference, a massive game between
USC and UCLA, which will goa long way for the Bruins potentially to
go and get a top seed andbe maybe regular season Pack twelve champs.
There's certainly still in the think ofthings. In that conversation speaking, I
(32:14):
feel like you am more at theend, but there's so much more to
do here, Like you know whatI mean. We're one week away from
the regular season being done, butlike nothing is decided, no nothing.
We went through a bunch of thosescenarios on yesterday's podcast, and for everyone
who's been checking in with us throughoutthe course of the year, can't thank
(32:34):
you enough. Remember all the guestspodcasts that we do pretty Evergreens, she
can always go back if there's afavorite coach or a favorite player, or
you know that you want to goand listen to. You can always go
back to some of those episodes.You don't necessarily just talk about the upcoming
matchup. So highly encourage everyone togo and do that. If you see
the podcast on social media, giveit a share as well. Always appreciate
you guys listening, and we willtalk to you next week.
Ah, Hell, rap the ball, baby, let's go. This is
Inside the Pack twelve podcast. Puton a pair of your headphones and fall
back. Listen to some ballcasts justhaving the ball chat about the best conference
in the nation, all facts.This is truly for the hoop bluffers who
(00:24):
running and then gunn and then getin buggers. How about we discussing while
the Shroljan's Husky ducks to Carlo,then the Claver Bears, Beaver's Son,
Devil's Cats influence the Buffalos and youSo I won't ever forget got insight,
opinions, and plenty of special guests, coaches and players. Be right as
an Inside is Cold and young Packtwelve legends. In the Lums book Death
(00:44):
Analysis, we go farther on thestores to take you from conference play all
the way to the final four withsome hook kind of swords, just walking
you through the game. I hityour host, Mike gamming the board,
dumb McClain. Hey, oh,yesterday we said that we were gonna talk
to the one and only Jonah Matthewsfrom USC and don we never lie USC's
guards. We do. We doas does Jonah on the basketball floor because
(01:08):
he's coming off for performance where hedropped twenty three against Asu. Jonah.
Can't thank you enough for spending sometime with us on the podcast. Oh,
I appreciate you guys. You guyswere having me on to today,
Jonah. You know, there's somany different places to go. We could
talk about the NC doable A tournament, how the season has gone. There
was a story though, and thisis probably not the the way that I
(01:29):
think most thought I was going tostart the podcast. Heck, I didn't
know I was going to start itthis way. But you guys had those
losses against the Mountain Schools and Ikept seeing these reports on Twitter that there
was like this flu bug that wasemanating through the locker room. I know
you were a little sick. Canyou just put into perspective for people,
because the timing wasn't great because peoplewere talking about you guys as a bubble
(01:49):
team, and then you beat theArizonas and now you listen to the bracketologists
and they all seem to have youin the field, which is outstanding news.
But how sick were you specifically onthat road? Um? Well,
we lost a Colorado and then wethe ministure of the Utah and Nick my
roommate Nick Kosvick got sick. Iremember for like three years now, and
he like he's never gotten sick likethat. So out of nowhere we had
(02:13):
like lunch, we didn't have lunch, and then out of nowhere, he
just felt sick and started throwing up. And I was like, I was
asking I get a new room becauseI don't want to get sick. I
want to catch it, and everyonewas like, no, you won't catch
this, not contagious. But beforethe game Sunday, I just felt queasy
and like lightheaded, and during thewarm ups, I was like just not
feeling like myself, and I startedthrowing up right before the game, and
(02:36):
in my mind I was like,Okay, maybe it's done. I threw
up, but the game came ongoing down. I couldn't even like breathe
or run so like I've never beensickly that before. It just came over
me so fast, and then Icouldn't even play at the end of the
game. So what was last week? Why? Like then John and Mike
mentioned how bad of timing that wasfor you guys to get sick. Was
it more last week about recovering andmaking sure you're ready to play or guys
(03:00):
are like mad that you lost boththose games. How was last week in
practice getting ready for their arizonas?I mean a little bit of both.
Um. I didn't go to practicefrom until Wednesday until before the game Thursday.
They wanted me to recover. Ihad to go get ivs. I
got two ivs the next day.I got back, but there was a
whole bunch of its hydrating and mate, you're making sure you're ready to play
on Thursday. Um. I didn'treally get the practice or run like that.
(03:22):
But they's all focused on us whenthese next two games, which you
need to do. Jonah. Ialways getting nervous when I ask references like
this to movies or even players whoplayed in the NBA for a really long
time. When I'm talking to currentcollege kids, Um, don I know
you've seen the movie at any givenSunday, Jonah, have you seen that
movie? Yeah? Have you?Have you seen that? Even though I'm
(03:43):
a big movie guy, that's themoment we have not seen. Can you
be a big movie guy, Jonah? And you haven't seen that? Is
that like a big Is that apopular movie? Jamie Fox is in it?
And it transcends generations? Jones.Oh really, Okay, I'm out
to look into it. Yeah,it's it's an easy thing. And you'll
if you watch the movie. Well, I'll just tell you why I'm referencing
(04:04):
it because you mentioned not feeling wellbefore the game, a little queasy.
So Jamie Fox's character Willie beam Inin the movie, he would throw up
literally on the football field before thegames. It was like his way of
getting the nerves out. So Ididn't know if that was like something that
clearly that wasn't something that is undergo. Yeah, you just you're ready to
(04:26):
play when you're out there, whichis a win. Please go and see
any given Sunday before Vegas, becausewhen Don and I see you, and
hopefully we'll see you on a Saturdayplaying in the pactwelve championship game, I'm
going to ask you if you've seenany given Sunday. So I got a
brush over my skills then and makesure I'm ready. You got a little
homework there, all right, Soyou guys rebound off of those losses you
(04:46):
take out the arizonas you mentioned notbeing able to practice for a couple of
days there, and the recovery processfor you specifically can you just big picture
the team vibe coming off of thoselosses and then going back home, like
are you away air of the bubbletalk? Does coach infield bring that up?
And the pressure of winning games againstboth Arizona and asu UM. Yeah.
(05:09):
Well, as a seniors, Quentinme, Quinn, Daniel Nick,
I've all looked into the brackets becausethe start last year, we want to
make a chreament obviously, so Quinn'sall about knows all about the bubble talk,
all about the standings, and wejust came together after losing to the
Mountain Schools and I just had ateam meeting with the team is just like,
guys, this is it, Likewe have no we have no room
for air. We have to getthese two wins. We want to if
(05:29):
you want to go to the postseason, and the whole team of mentality,
which is all money in everybody,get it full effort, and we happen
to come out with those two winsand the vibe of the team right now
just we're going to keep on rollingwith the mentality to be We're not done
yet. We have to play YouthSlam on Saturday, get that win and
move to the tournament. And tryas many wins as we can. Jonah.
Every year it seems like, andI've been doing this for a while,
(05:49):
and especially in this conference, youknow, I inevitably start talking about
seniors. And you just mentioned thatyour senior group got together to talk about
the NCAA tournament, that there's athere's a senior or seniors in our league
that you can tell see the lightat the end of the tunnel, meaning
that, oh, I'm a senior, this is almost over. I'm gonna
(06:11):
go on a run. Has thatkind of crossed your minors? It more
just about the team because we seeit seemingly every year has definitely crossed my
mind. Um, every game thisyear I felt like it's my last because
every it could be. Um,I have no more I have known next
year, there's no oh, nextyear, media day, next year,
pack towel, there's none of that. So for as a senior, you
just look to every game, getto give us your all, and when
(06:33):
you walk up the court, youcan say I do my best and I
gave him all because there's no there'sno coming back from that. So as
the seniors, and it seems around the pack towel, I feel like
they feel the same thing. Um, it's the last go around and try
to make the most of it,Joannah, have you do you in your
mind? Have you made the mostof the opportunities this season? When you
reflect and I know the season's obviouslynot over yet, but when you think
back to the way the year isgone, are you happy and content with
(06:56):
how you've played and how the teamis played? Um, I would say
I'm pretty happy, but not content. I could always play better, just
some games I wish that we didn'tdrop or I could have played better in
one, But um, for thefor the moment right now, it's like
I'm a pretty good spot right now. Playing pretty good team is playing well,
a team is happy. So asa captain and as a leader,
just if the team's happy, we'rewinning that I'm happy. I'm just proud
(07:18):
of make these adjustments as a senior. Right now, I'm in a really
good spot. How much has yourrole changed this year, Joanna? Being
a senior and being a captain.You know you guys are relying on some
young guys, especially you know yourpoint guards, of your starting point guards
a freshmen. How much more responsibilityif you had this year? Um?
(07:39):
I would say a lot more um. Last year we had Benny I was
still captain. We had Benny whotook most of the scoring load. We
had other guards who were older,We had Dick. So the past three
years I've been the kind of backsea we had George McLoughlin. Loger threw
all those kids on as a freshmanand sophomore. But this year we have
young guys and new guys, soand I know the system like the back
of my hands. So it's beenon me to teach, to incur young
(08:00):
guys and tell the old guys someof the new stuff we do. And
there's a lot of weight on ourshoulders, but that's what they prepared me
to do, and I've think I'vehandled it pretty well. You know,
Jonah, last week we had mccronin as our guest on the podcast,
and he had mentioned something about histime at Cincinnati with his upperclassman who are
doing or did what you're doing whatyou're current guys and that show younger players
(08:20):
what's expected of them. And itwas probably a little bit harder when he
got to UCLA because he didn't reallyhave upperclassman who knew what it was expected
of them, you guys match upagainst them around the corner. But circling
back to what you had said,you've been around this program now for a
while, what does that actually meanwhen you're showing guys, can you give
me some examples of what that actuallymeans when you're with some of the younger
(08:43):
players and showing them what's expected thisUM practice in and out, even like
the little stuff beyond time to filmautolo, being the weight room, just
showing the ropes like Jordan mclough andall the other guys did me UM just
paying super close details of the gamesa scout, everything goes into that and
just on the court shown that oneterm doesn't mean you can't just hang your
(09:05):
head because as a freshman you're gonnawhen you do some value things, the
world is gonna end. And that'show I felt. But as a senior,
you're supposed to be there and showingthat, keep your poise, keep
on playing through the next play,next play, And I feel like our
freshman had really grown in that aspectof moving on to the next play and
playing hard and giving it there allthat's a That's what I'm there to do,
Jonah, I'm gonna go back tothe beginning of the year, before
(09:26):
the season even started, and youdon't need to speak to last year,
but I could tell last year thatthe things weren't great, that you guys
weren't connected. It didn't seem likeit just seemed like it was a little
disjointed. And then I showed upfor practice before the season started, and
there was life. Man, therewas this new life, and it seemed
like you guys were communicating more,there was more energy and practice, you
(09:50):
guys were having fun and talking tothe coaching staff, they pointed to the
young guys kind of bringing that joltof life with an Yuka and Ethan and
Isaiah to a certain degree, howmuch of those guys when you think back
to the start of the year,how much how much energy did those guys
bring to the program and how doesit come together with those guys us a
(10:11):
tremendous amount. As a freshman,they came in ready to play, ready
to compete. And when that happens, you have a whole team ready to
compete and can fight every day inpractice. It creates a lively environment.
But Ethaneka, Isaiah, even Maxat the beginning of the year was They're
super competitive each each day and outpractice didn't matter if you're a junior senior.
They're going up against you, goingat you day in and day out,
(10:33):
and that could creates a competitive firein nature. And then it's brought
us a long way. Without thoseguys being that competitive fire to preseason,
I don't think we would be rautright now. So no, what's the
you mentioned Benny Boat right like aseason ago, you know, or taking
up the bulk of the scoring,and Rakosovic comes back the season you're obviously
(10:54):
back. Did you guys anticipate andYeka having as much of an offense is
um piece of the pie as ashe has had. Well, to be
honest, we recruited him. Iknew he was good because I've seen him
playing high school, but I didn'tknow he was this good. I didn't
know he would have draw this muchattention. Um, I didn't know he's
as skewed as he was. Ihad never seen him play. I don't
(11:16):
see something like one time. Butum, we didn't anticipate that at all.
But at the same time we werewe appreciate it because teams really keen
on him. Um, how leshe get opened and um, he just
creates a big force in the paintand that we need. So coming into
the season, I didn't know whatit was gonna be like. But now
that I know, he's top tenthe boards now, so um, it's
(11:37):
just amazing to see how much he'sgrown and how really how good he really
is. It's interesting. Jonah,and I've been, like I mentioned,
I've been around this league for awhile, I've never seen three freshman bigs
come into the league that are thisgood. O'congo was Steward up at Washington
and then Naji at Arizona, andthen going around the league this year and
watching you guys play a bunch andwatching all the teams play a bunch,
(11:58):
it seems like because you have Nickand on Yucka, you guys are able
to handle defenses better than like Stewartis by himself or Naji by themselves.
Not taking any anything away from thosetwo because they both had great years,
but it just seems like because Anyukahas Nick with him, it's been a
little bit easier for him right.Um. Also coming Nick I was a
(12:22):
double double last year, so Nickwas a high He's high on the scout.
Everybody knows what he could do,and Nick's super skills. So having
two footers down there, and thenif Nick scoring really good, they can't
double Nick. They can't double bothof them, so and they pass really
well to each other. So havingthem both down there, it really helps
I think on Yeka and both Nickat the same time because they both ken
and on Nick, Onyeka is gonnabe up and if I mean Yucky getting
(12:43):
doubled, Nick's gonna be up.And so they play really well together and
it's just tough for other teams tohandle too big that that's skilled. Was
there a wow moment that stands outwatching a congo? I don't know if
it came in practice before the seasonor in the game. I know yours
down because his first game year eightblocks. You had it. You were
you were calling the game against FloridaA and M. What for you,
(13:05):
Jannah is Was it game one foryou? Was it those eight blocks in
that matchup? No? I thinkit was first practice when we first started.
He was just super dominant and itwas just like, Wow, I've
never seen a freshman coming and bethat dominant. He was just dunking everything,
blocking everything, he was moving.It was just crazy to see.
I didn't know he could move likethat, um, and so I saw
it. So it started really earlyfor me day when day were on first
(13:26):
practice in September, so I wasjust like wow, Um. But ever
since then he's had a couple morewhile moments, Like at Oregon State he
had like seven monster dunks that game, three blocks. It was, it
was It's crazy to see how manytimes has he dunked on you in practice?
Joanna be on zero. I'm notgetting the way of that. There
would be no charge taking on that, all right, without naming names?
(13:50):
Who has he dunked on? Then? All right? How many guys has
he dunked on in practice? Toomany tomes, I'll say about three to
four. Well, what freaks meout about him? Or I shouldn't say
freaks me out, But what standsout about him is his second jump is
he hits the floor and he's backup there faster than everybody. I don't
know how many times this year I'veseen him. You'll miss a shot,
(14:13):
but then he's the first one there, like by a mile to get it
finish. Watch the game at Oregonwe played at Oregon, he had a
one that was insane, like hemissed a floater and he gathered so he
got the ubone so quick and gatheredit and dunked it like so quick.
Everybody was shocked. I've never I'venever seen that quick of a jump,
(14:33):
like a second jump before either,especially the big man. Yeah, that's
the thing that's really stands out tome is just his second jump is elite,
elite more than and it'll be aleade at the next level, and
in a league full of elite levelathletes, that'll still stick out. How
do Nick and Yeka get along offthe floor like I would imagine when you
(14:56):
are you mentioned he's your roommate,He's been your roommate Rokosovich that is the
last couple of years on the road, I would imagine. It's it's two
big how dominant they are. Donnaand I talked about this all the time.
Your team's front court is probably thebest in the entire conference. What's
the dynamic between the two of them? Well, Nick as a person who
is just super lively and friendly,so and you know, Yeka is very
(15:18):
shy until you get to know him. So at first he wasn't They weren't
really talking like that. But whenthey started playing together more sending more time
together. Now A're like really closefriends. They talk all the time.
But Nick as the person just friendseverybody. So like Niko would bring out
your inner shell and make you talkeven though you don't want to. And
I think that's happened to Yeka andhim he's man, you have to come
out of his shell. And they'vebecome really close and playing those games together
(15:41):
and being down there together. Ithink it's really helped them a long way.
We touched on it earlier, Johan, I want to go back to
it about you know where you guysare at in terms of the NC tournament.
I loved what you said after theArizona State game. Somebody asked you
if you thought you'd done enough,and you said, no, that we
still have work to do, thatwe still have to beat UCLA, and
that we want to go to Vegasand win the PAC twelve tournament. Is
(16:04):
that where you guys are out interms of like your team's more determined?
Is it is there more pressure knowingthat you feel like you still have to
win these games? Kind of wheredo you think it's out for you guys?
I feel like with our team.Um, we r a city occasion.
Um we were down to the dumpsside that we lost to the to
the Mountain schools. But with thesetwo wins, he just picked up.
(16:26):
It shows us the resilience of theteam and just how if we come together
and play hard what could happen.And I feel like when people ask me
that you have do you feel goodabout it? I'm like, no,
we still have. We have thegames to win. We can't just assume
that we're in. We want tomake sure and validate that we're in with
these next wins. You want towin, want to beat East till they
We want to get a couple ofwins in the tournament, possibly a championship.
We want to solidify that we're inand not just be a bubble team.
(16:47):
So I've had the bubble. I'vehad the bubble with them before my
sophomore year, we didn't get inand I just don't want have that feeling
again. I want to make surethat we're in, and I think everybody
else does too. Mentioned that sophomorecampaign, I mean, heck, canny
Field still talks about that season andwhat you guys accomplished and how disappointed he
was that you guys weren't in thebig Dance. Speaking of Andy, you
(17:08):
know we watch all the coaches inthis conference and what they do with their
basketball teams. When he took thisjob, it was let's just get athletes
in Southern California and these guys arejust gonna out jump. It was,
you know, all the dunks andall that stuff. How much freedom,
John, do you guys have inthis offense? Uh? He gets we
have a lot of freedom. Actuallygives us all freedom. He never told
(17:30):
anybody not to shoot, not tomake plays. He wants to be aggressive,
it'd be smart. Um. Sowe have a lot of freedom of
the offense to make plays with thebigs driving kick and he sets it's up
for the person that we have tobe successful at it. So um,
he isn't putting the reins on anybody. So I don't think anybody can say
my coach coach infield holds me back. He does this, isn't that Now?
He gets everybody equal opportunity. Andin this offensive we have with these
(17:52):
shooters and big it creates a lotof opportunities for everybody to show the skill
set. But what people don't getfrom the outside Jonah is that where he
doesn't give you freedom is on thedefensive end. That you can't be a
fast breaking style team if you're notgetting stopped right right. Um, he
hangs. He hangs his hat ondefense, as as do I. So
as a team, I think thisyear we've really keyed in on defense and
(18:17):
one of the whole teams under theiraverage. And on defense, he doesn't
allow you to make multiple mistakes ina row or you're coming out for sure.
I mean, I think that's likeany coach. But on defense he
really hangs his hat and not alot of freedom there, not a lot
of wiggle rooms. So we practicein preach defense every day and drill it
so um. On defensive end,you have to be right and sharp,
and I don't think there's a lotof freedom there. Jonny, you're kind
(18:40):
of an og in this conference rightnow, considering the amount of time you've
been now in Southern California wearing thatUSC uniform. I had started this podcast
and actually yesterday Don and I we'retalking about it on the podcast. The
amount of teams, you know,the bracketologist right now, I have seven
teams in from this league, includingyours. Can you just come pair this
season how difficult and competitive the leagueis compared to the other years that you've
(19:06):
been um playing in the Pac twelveum, I would say it's definitely top
two for sure. My sophomore year, our freshman year is really good too.
We did a lot of players inthe league. But this year,
for sure, every team can geta win anywhere because cow does beat Colorado
and we didn't beat Colorado, sothat any team can get beat at any
time, and that's what makes theleague fun. There's no team you can
(19:27):
really count out of the league andyou did go into play every game or
you will get beat, and that'swhat makes it so fun. But I
think this is for sure with thelevel of talent on each team, the
level of players that compete at ahigh level, this is for sure top
two talented year in the pack.And this has really been really fun.
Each road game, each home gameis a test and teater coming in to
(19:47):
beat you. So I mean,if you gotta if you don't bring it,
then you'll get beat. So that'swhy we love about this league.
What are you guys better at thisyear, Jonah than you've been? Then?
What are you better at this year? Than you then you've been in
the past as a team. Forgetpersonnel, Just what are you guys better
at team wise? This year?I would say defense. Defense. This
(20:07):
year has been I think one ofthe best years we've helped. We've held
teams under their average, We've heldteams, We've locked down team in the
second half more than I've ever experiencedhere. But I think defense, and
probably I would say defense. Iwould say this defense. To be honest,
everybody on a team really takes pridein defense and just stopping your man,
and in the past year has beenlike that. But this year,
(20:30):
I think everybody's really keyed in onthat and it's really helped us in the
long run. I think it's agreat point because I know you guys had
that win against a su you know, Jonah, I remember actually doing this
podcast with Don a couple weeks agowhen you guys were down in Temping.
You lost that game, but man, you guys were so damn active on
the road. It was almost likea surprise to me considering how good the
(20:51):
defensive effort was, especially in thefirst half and for stretches in the second
half, that you guys even lostthat basketball game. And now you match
up and you close out the seasonwith a UCLA team that's also kind of
on this resurgent path right now,got an opportunity to win the conference.
What strikes you about what mccronan andthis team is doing that's given them some
success to win seventh straight heading intoyour guys's game, Well, even at
(21:15):
Cincinnati, they're a tough, grittyteam. They went to the tournament six
times, so the formula for himdidn't change. He just brought over to
Westwood, and I think it tookhim a while to buy in at first.
But now they're really keaty and theygot a couple. They got a
humans at Colorado at Arizona and theybeat Colorado Arizona twice. So I think
that the DNA of Nick cronin herough from Cincinnati is for sure and stood
(21:36):
on them and they guarded a highlevel and they started to play at a
high level. So this game onSaturday is going to be a game for
the ages. I think some justpopped into my head. Yeah, I
don't think we've ever asked a playerof this. You and I have discussed
this. I think we've even askedcoaches this, But I'm curious to Jonah,
I'm sure you guys want a topfour seed in Vegas, Okay,
because you don't have to play onWednesday, of course, But in what
(21:59):
I've always said is if you knowthat you you have a game that you
can win on Wednesday, wouldn't itbe better to get almost like a warm
up game on Wednesday? Or howhow are you? How do you view
Vegas in terms of getting a topfour seed or not. I've done both
ways. I've had to buy beforeand I like it. But also the
warm up game is true too.We played Arizona last year to warm up,
but uh, and it's it's likethe same thing. But I feel
(22:22):
like the buy buy the BUYE gamereally set you up because you don't have
to play. You don't have toplay three games out of that. So
if you get the buye game,you win the next game, you're two
more that you're in there, oryou did my sophomorere we played we didn't
have to play the first game andplay organ State Oregon and we were in
So I feel like I like itboth ways. I don't have an issue
with it, but I prefer tobuy um easier route UM I just I
(22:42):
just like it that way, tobe honest. You're Jonah another thing on
Vegas because you have done it andyou've had some success in the tournament.
Don comes from a player's background,right, You score more points than anyone
in the history of the conference.And here it is. I can just
go by what you guys tell meon my end. But in the back
to back you know, the seasonobviously doesn't work that way, right,
(23:03):
you got some days in between gameswhen you're playing back to back to back
or even four straight games depending onthe year. Obviously, you guys want
to win, you know, geta top four seed. But what's it
like in terms of the stamina outthere? Do you guys feel it on
day two or day three in thetournament in those situations, Oh, you
for sure feel it day two becausein the fact of the tournament, every
game is greedy, it's hard,it's tough. Everything is tough. Everybody's
(23:26):
trying to win. So if yougave it, sure all, you're definitely
gonna feel the next day. Butthat's a treatments for you know what I'm
saying. You got to get thehotel. We have all day off,
so you play it like one,you have the whole day to rest up
and watch film and tape. SoI mean, by the second game,
third game, we're definitely gonna feelit. But if you do the treatment
right and you get your legs right, it's not as bad as it seems.
Joana, you're a shooter. AndI'm sure you guys you know once
(23:48):
or twice in the non con playinga big arena. But does the big
arena change anything for you versus youknow the small You know not that our
our school's gyms are small, butthey're not as big as t mobile either.
I like it the arena morton thegyms, to be honest, really,
um yeah, this is more lively. Um. Jason Hart always told
(24:10):
me to think of this as yourhigh school gym, like you're not.
You're just playing in the bigger highschool gym. So every time I played
in a big arena, I justthink it was Santa Marca High School and
at a shoe like I've been there. And then that helped me a long
way, to be honest with you, ever since I was a freshman who
told me that. But I likethe big arena is way more in the
gyms because I don't know. Somethingabout the arena feeling, the crowd and
(24:30):
the people there just makes you playbetter than rise to the occasion. Jonah,
You guys got the best music rightin the conference at home. No
chance, no no, no,no, no, no, I wish.
I mean we had the best DJ. For sure. He played.
Yeah, Mosque is really good.He gets the crowd going. But um,
as a player, like, wewant to hear our own playlist,
not the people like people. Soit's like it's a different type of it's
(24:53):
a different type of thing. Areyou any producing Jonah? Oh, I
can't. Derek Thorton actually last yearhe like makes beats and he taught me
how to do it, so likeI've been doing it ever since. Then,
No kidding, you want you wantto redo our show open? Yeah?
I was just gonna say, yeah, maybe you and I could I
could show cooking some up for youguys. Well, what did you think
of our show open? Oh?It was not I like it. Yeah
(25:15):
it was good, but you knowI could probably make something a little better
a demo Jonah, for sure.You know it's interesting because I gotta be
honest with you, Jonah, Iwas surprised that you were gonna say no
on the music because every time I'mwatching your guys game when we're at Pat
twelve Networks, you know, wehave all we got these eight monitors up,
so we got all the games up. But a lot of times we
don't watch the TV feed. Sometimeswe're watching like the in house feed.
(25:37):
So as soon as it goes toa time out, we are monitors don't
go to commercial all the time.They'll just stick with a shot of the
arena. But you can hear themusic, and I'm like, man,
they're killing it down there in termsof the music, but here it is.
I I didn't realize that you guyswould just prefer your own playlist,
which I guess does kind of makesome sense. There's some throwbacks I mean,
I mean during the game. Imean during the game doesn't really matter
to us because we're not we're notreally focused on music. That's probe of
(26:00):
the fans, like the pre warmup warm up like that sixty minutes before
the game. We want to hearthe stuff that we know we like and
it's not random. We just weall know we're gonna like it and it's
gonna get us going. So ifyou never you never went up to Mollsky
and said, hey, dude,here's here's the playlist. We need you
to play this or that multiple times. But you have Yeah. But I
(26:22):
think he's had a set place thathe's that he's done and it's been proven
for him, So I think thathe's gonna stick with that, which is
which is fair. By the way, Joan, are you a headphones guy?
In the warm up listen like,oh yeah, what's on your playlist?
Um? A lot of Travis Scott, that's my favorite artist. Um,
there's a bunch of different things.I have soft, I have hard
music. I have in between,just like stuff to get your emotions and
(26:45):
blood flaming. But I'm for surea big headphones guy. I don't like
to hear anybody talk to me forthe game. I like to get my
own zone. I didn't either,Jonah. You tried to talk to me
before a game, You're probably gonnaget crickets. You'll get us, You'll
get a long stare. Or that'sabout the little attitude, A little attitude,
maybe not ever response, that's right. The problem was Don was given
an attitude when the game was overas well, Jonah. So that was
(27:07):
part part of the issue that Donhad when he was still playing. But
Jona, before I let you getgoing. You know what's interesting about this
because in Don's era, Don youweren't listening to the music and the headphones,
and it's it's evolved over time.I can't get over and Jonah,
I haven't off the top of myhead, I don't remember seeing you with
headphones, and you're telling me youdo. They gotta be wireless. Can
you imagine sitting out there and warmup with wired headphones nowadays? Yeah?
(27:30):
Oh, I don't think I coulduse headphones at that point. I don't
listening to Irena music because it's jumpingaround the headphone string he's pulled on,
new phone, falling out. Idon't know. Yeah, I could do
it, but the wireless has definitelychanged the game, and especially with beats,
they're like noise canceling, so youreally can't hear anything but your headphones
or the music in the headphones.I'm totally with you, you know,
ten years ago people five years agolooking like savages out in a pregame.
(27:52):
Come up kidding Jesus, Hey,Jonah, can't thank you enough man for
hanging out with us for about janwishing nothing but success. Pumped to see
you in person. I can't waitto get your report um on any given
Sunday and Willie Beaman and how JamieFox's character evolved as the as the movie
went on. You come on thepodcast, and you can come on the
(28:15):
podcast, Jooni, and you gethomework from Mike Yam. Yeah the movie.
I'll take that homework any day,because Jonny, you know, if
you have a big game in thetournament, I am making sure that you
come to our set and you're ourguest and we're not even talking the game,
we're only talking that movie. SoI'm telling you I'm serious here.
Just be prepared, Just be Iwould make sure I have a big game.
(28:36):
Just I could talk to you guysfor sure about that movie. Yeah,
one hundred percent. Hey Jonah,seriously, man, thank you so
much and looking forward to seeing mein Vegas. Good luck against you.
What a nice kid, Jonah Matthews. Glad we got to see uh to
spend some time with him. Yeah. I kind of had my on him
all year. I've talked to himbefore games at USC and I've always thought,
you know what, he'd be reallygood if we got him on the
(28:56):
podcast, and it turns out hewas Yeah, you you said he was
on your all Interview team. Yes, he is the Mike, Please you
have to say it correctly, theJordan McLoughlin all the other team, right.
The award is named after him inall his interviewing greatness. So two
things from the time we just spentwith Jonah Matthews that resonate. One the
(29:18):
references to still Jordan McLoughlin. Iknow you just brought him up. I
don't know if this team has beenable to replace him just yet. His
leadership on the floor clearly still resonateswith a guy like Jonah Matthews. But
even his play, he was alwayswilling to take that big shot. I
feel like they've they've done well asthe season has progressed here. But that
(29:41):
was one thing don that struck mefrom from that interview. Yeah, and
I think Ethan Anderson's done a goodjob. And nobody in a million years
thought that he would be the startingpoint guard for most of the year like
he has been. And so you'regonna get some ups and downs with a
freshman point guard. But I thinkit's up to all the other guys Rakosovich
and Jonah and the guy that havebeen there and even their grad transfers.
You know, you Tony has beencoming on here in the second half of
(30:04):
the season, Quinton Atlas like it'sgot to be by committee. You know,
there's you know, I said acouple of times during that pod during
the podcast that you know, I'vebeen around a while and there hasn't been
a lot of Jordan McLoughlin's that thatare that good of a kid, that
are that good of a leader,They're that good of a player that stick
around for that long, Mike,And so that was kind of a luxury
(30:26):
for Andy Endfield. And but Ithink they're doing a good job of of
of trying their best to to togive themselves what Jordan did give them.
And they're they're back in position,They're they're in great position not only to
make a run in the Pactful Tournament, but in the NCAA tournament too.
Yeah. No, I'm with youon that front. And then the other
(30:47):
thing, how about him knowing whatMick did at Cincinnati and I mean down
tournament appearance. Deal to me,that's and Donne and I've talked to enough
student athletes the last however many years. When you hear stuff like that,
to me, that's directly from coach, Well that's a good thing. Well
you know what it points to too, yeam. And we I feel like
(31:08):
we covered everything, but one thingwe didn't cover is that he's the son
of a coach. You know,his dad has been a coach for a
long time and Phil Matthews at thejunior college level, at Division one level,
he's so the IQ part is there. When you live in a house
where your dad's been a college basketballcoach for as long as he has,
(31:29):
you understand stuff a little bit betterand you're probably more a student of the
game than most and I think Jonahis that. And again that's part of
the reason why I thought we shouldhave him on. In the conversations I've
had, there's intelligent conversation with himabout the game and what he sees and
that kind of thing. So notsurprised there either. Yeah. Well,
once again, we do appreciate USCfor giving us Jonah and obviously him for
(31:53):
spending some time with us. Donalways a pleasure working with you. I
know. We got a huge weekin the conference, a massive game between
USC and UCLA, which will goa long way for the Bruins potentially to
go and get a top seed andbe maybe regular season Pack twelve champs.
There's certainly still in the think ofthings. In that conversation speaking, I
(32:14):
feel like you am more at theend, but there's so much more to
do here, Like you know whatI mean. We're one week away from
the regular season being done, butlike nothing is decided, no nothing.
We went through a bunch of thosescenarios on yesterday's podcast, and for everyone
who's been checking in with us throughoutthe course of the year, can't thank
(32:34):
you enough. Remember all the guestspodcasts that we do pretty Evergreens, she
can always go back if there's afavorite coach or a favorite player, or
you know that you want to goand listen to. You can always go
back to some of those episodes.You don't necessarily just talk about the upcoming
matchup. So highly encourage everyone togo and do that. If you see
the podcast on social media, giveit a share as well. Always appreciate
you guys listening, and we willtalk to you next week.
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