February 7, 2025 • 8 mins
Head Coach of the Norse Darrin Horn talks Homecoming
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Minutes away from four o'clock. This is the ESPN fifteen
thirty on Moleger.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Tomorrow. It's nku's homecoming.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Game, the Norse taking on Robert Morris in a rematch
of a game that went three overtimes the first time
these two teams played. MKU is coming off a really
good win the other night against a Cleveland State team
that came to Highland Heights riding a thirteen game winning streak.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Norse have won their last two.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
They have scored eighty four and eighty five points, so
the next progression is eighty six Tomorrow afternoon two o'clock
tip off at Truest Arena. It should be a lot
of fun, all sorts of stuff happening for homecoming and
the Norse starting to turn the corner. The head coach,
Darren Horn always kind enough to give us a few minutes.
It is always awesome to have you, coach. How are you?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
I'm doing great well, Thanks for having me man.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
You and I were texting this morning and he said,
I got time after a practice from noon to three?
Is are you doing a three hour practice this late
in the season, the day before a game?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
No, that that that includes you know individual film meetings
and group film. Our guys give with our strength.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Coach.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Every day we're about an hour to an hour and
fifteen on the floor. I do think one thing we
do a little different is Tommy years that we we
continue to go pretty hard, play live, and then really
compete and practice every day.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
All right.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
I was gonna say, man, if you're doing you're the
ultimate throwback. If you're doing three hours the day before
a game, especially in February, so good for you. Do
you feel the last the last two games you pulled
out wins and I you know, I well, we'll we'll
talk about maybe some of the things that that led
to the the losing streak you dealt with, but let's
start with a positive note. The two consecutive wins. You
(01:43):
haven't turned the corner, But do you feel like it
is starting to turn in the right direction?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
You know, I think it is and and and simply putmo,
I mean, you know, we felt like this was a
team that could play the way it's played the last
two games heading into the year. But you know, you
got to get guys playing well, right, and that's that
that's our responsibility to to to put them intose spots
and get them there to do it. But we just
hadn't had guys collectively playing well, you know, be one
(02:10):
or two guys and then three or four not so great.
And these last couple of games, it just really feels
like everybody has played up to their capability and you
know end roles, which we say is determined by you know,
your experience, your ability and and you know what's being
asked of you, and guys are doing that now collective.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
No coach wants to deal with a losing streak, but
you do it long enough, they're they're gonna happen. I've
I've seen teams where, you know, you start to see
guys in the middle of it hit the ejec button
a little bit. And so the hard part is losing.
But beyond that, what's the biggest challenge during a stretch
like the one year team just went through.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Well, I think it's a little different for us. Uh
you know then then that it might be for some
other team, except for two reasons. One, Uh, you know,
we're still ultimately about three days in March, right, As
long as you don't let it get completely away from
you can continue to improve and play your best when
it matters most, because if you're undefeated going into the tournament,
we're not playing in the NA Tournament with that winning
(03:12):
three games. And I think the other part is that,
you know, I mean, we've got champions in our locker room.
Bole I mean Sam Benson and Trey Robinson and some
of those guys. I mean, you know what, they've been
at their best when it matters most. They've not endured
in a losing streak that's six games, but they've been
a part of the ups and downs and having to
right the ship and finished strong. And I mean all
(03:34):
Saint Vincent's done his play at conference championships. You know,
he miss missed last year's tournament because of his knee injury.
And so, you know, I think we've got a high
character locker room that understands what it's about here when
you get to February and March.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
You and I talked before the season about players making
the lead to this level.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Dan Garezger is one of them.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
You've relied on him the last two from a scoring perspective,
is has it taken a little bit long for some
of those guys to kind of figure out like this
is what competition is like, at this level, is this
about when you thought it would start to unfold the
way you would like walk me through that.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Yeah, you know, I think it does take some time
for certain guys, and definitely for Dan, and he was
a guy that kind of had to scale back a
little bit. You know. The issue early on is he's
he's a guy that's a scoring point guard. But you know,
at one point he had three assistant twenty turnovers on
the season and the stats and so we kind of
had to get him to scale back and say, hey, man,
(04:33):
just just take care of the ball, get shots for teammates,
be solid defensively. You're so talented. If you'll do those things,
the scoring and the playmaking and all that other stuff
will come. And it was just a process, I think
for him to go through. And I think where it's
impacted our team the most is not that he's been
fantastic scoring the ball in the last two games, but
it's taking the ball out of Sam Vincent's hands and
(04:56):
Josh Dillon's hand in terms of ball handling responsibility and
allowed them to get back to what they do best,
which is kind of just be complete players. In Sam's case,
impacting the game offensively in a lot of ways that
Josh's case, spacing the floor and being a ball mover
and making chocks.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
You think back to that Robert Morris game, which feels
like forever ago, and it goes three overtime, so it's
a marathon.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
What went wrong that day that has to go right tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Well, one, we've got to play some defense. We were
didn't look anything like ourselves in terms of how we
have to play defensively. And I think the second thing is,
you know, we've got to be a much physically tougher
team on the class and finishing around the rim and
driving the basketball against them, and we did not do that.
They had two bigs and are having great seasons that
(05:47):
are really good players, but just absolutely dominated us in
a way that we think is unacceptable. And so we've
got to be the most physically aggressive team tomorrow. I think.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
You've got a homecoming game tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Homecoming obviously is something you typically associate with football. Northern
Kentucky University, for all of its qualities, does not have
a football program. What does homecoming mean at NKU with
a men's basketball game tomorrow?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
The centerpiece, Well.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I mean it's it's you know, like you said, no football.
So this this is our time to to bring alumni
back and former players and and then kind of rally
around m k U and the Norse station and get
everybody out because you know, this is uh, this is
the opportunity that we have to do it. And so uh,
you know, I'll be the first admit we we haven't
given our fans much to cheerbout in some of these
(06:38):
home games, and uh, I could see why they didn't
want to come out. But this group is playing really
well now in is homecoming. Uh hope we have a
great turnout for at two o'clock tip tomorrow against Robert Morris.
Calgating hasn't been moving inside mode. Doors opening at noon,
come in, have a good time, get properly uh juiced
for the game, and let's go out and have a
(06:59):
great home.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Atmosphere properly Jews for the game. I like it.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Two o'clock is absolutely perfect, the Norse hosting Robert Morris.
They have two more home games after this left so
at a golden opportunity to see NKU and again coming
off consecutive wins, A very good win against a really
strong Cleveland State team, the other night and hopefully the
Norse can make it three straight.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
It's always good to have you coach. I appreciate the time.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
I appreciate you having me on MO.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
You the best, Thanks.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Man anytime, Darren Horn, head coach, NKU Norse versus Robert
Morris tomorrow, two o'clock homecoming at Truest Arena. A phenomenal
place to go see a game, and that's a program. Look,
they've had a tough year relative to I think what
a lot of us have come to expect from NKU.
The Carrott is still being dangled of an NCAA tournament
(07:49):
appearance with the Horizon League Tournament. See if this team
can go into that with a measure of momentum. They
have eight seven games to go, I'm sorry, seven games
to go, including obviously the one tomorrow, two o'clock tomorrow
at the Truest. NKU versus Robert Morris. Darren Horn's fun
to talk to. It is five minutes away from four o'clock.
(08:11):
We're broadcasting today from Twin Peaks in Westchester. We are
here until six o'clock tonight. We're guests free until our
buddy Paul Frishner are coming up at four twenty on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station
Minutes away from four o'clock. This is the ESPN fifteen
thirty on Moleger.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Tomorrow. It's nku's homecoming.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
Game, the Norse taking on Robert Morris in a rematch
of a game that went three overtimes the first time
these two teams played. MKU is coming off a really
good win the other night against a Cleveland State team
that came to Highland Heights riding a thirteen game winning streak.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Norse have won their last two.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
They have scored eighty four and eighty five points, so
the next progression is eighty six Tomorrow afternoon two o'clock
tip off at Truest Arena. It should be a lot
of fun, all sorts of stuff happening for homecoming and
the Norse starting to turn the corner. The head coach,
Darren Horn always kind enough to give us a few minutes.
It is always awesome to have you, coach. How are you?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
I'm doing great well, Thanks for having me man.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
You and I were texting this morning and he said,
I got time after a practice from noon to three?
Is are you doing a three hour practice this late
in the season, the day before a game?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
No, that that that includes you know individual film meetings
and group film. Our guys give with our strength.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Coach.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Every day we're about an hour to an hour and
fifteen on the floor. I do think one thing we
do a little different is Tommy years that we we
continue to go pretty hard, play live, and then really
compete and practice every day.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
All right.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
I was gonna say, man, if you're doing you're the
ultimate throwback. If you're doing three hours the day before
a game, especially in February, so good for you. Do
you feel the last the last two games you pulled
out wins and I you know, I well, we'll we'll
talk about maybe some of the things that that led
to the the losing streak you dealt with, but let's
start with a positive note. The two consecutive wins. You
(01:43):
haven't turned the corner, But do you feel like it
is starting to turn in the right direction?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
You know, I think it is and and and simply putmo,
I mean, you know, we felt like this was a
team that could play the way it's played the last
two games heading into the year. But you know, you
got to get guys playing well, right, and that's that
that's our responsibility to to to put them intose spots
and get them there to do it. But we just
hadn't had guys collectively playing well, you know, be one
(02:10):
or two guys and then three or four not so great.
And these last couple of games, it just really feels
like everybody has played up to their capability and you
know end roles, which we say is determined by you know,
your experience, your ability and and you know what's being
asked of you, and guys are doing that now collective.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
No coach wants to deal with a losing streak, but
you do it long enough, they're they're gonna happen. I've
I've seen teams where, you know, you start to see
guys in the middle of it hit the ejec button
a little bit. And so the hard part is losing.
But beyond that, what's the biggest challenge during a stretch
like the one year team just went through.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Well, I think it's a little different for us. Uh
you know then then that it might be for some
other team, except for two reasons. One, Uh, you know,
we're still ultimately about three days in March, right, As
long as you don't let it get completely away from
you can continue to improve and play your best when
it matters most, because if you're undefeated going into the tournament,
we're not playing in the NA Tournament with that winning
(03:12):
three games. And I think the other part is that,
you know, I mean, we've got champions in our locker room.
Bole I mean Sam Benson and Trey Robinson and some
of those guys. I mean, you know what, they've been
at their best when it matters most. They've not endured
in a losing streak that's six games, but they've been
a part of the ups and downs and having to
right the ship and finished strong. And I mean all
(03:34):
Saint Vincent's done his play at conference championships. You know,
he miss missed last year's tournament because of his knee injury.
And so, you know, I think we've got a high
character locker room that understands what it's about here when
you get to February and March.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
You and I talked before the season about players making
the lead to this level.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Dan Garezger is one of them.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
You've relied on him the last two from a scoring perspective,
is has it taken a little bit long for some
of those guys to kind of figure out like this
is what competition is like, at this level, is this
about when you thought it would start to unfold the
way you would like walk me through that.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Yeah, you know, I think it does take some time
for certain guys, and definitely for Dan, and he was
a guy that kind of had to scale back a
little bit. You know. The issue early on is he's
he's a guy that's a scoring point guard. But you know,
at one point he had three assistant twenty turnovers on
the season and the stats and so we kind of
had to get him to scale back and say, hey, man,
(04:33):
just just take care of the ball, get shots for teammates,
be solid defensively. You're so talented. If you'll do those things,
the scoring and the playmaking and all that other stuff
will come. And it was just a process, I think
for him to go through. And I think where it's
impacted our team the most is not that he's been
fantastic scoring the ball in the last two games, but
it's taking the ball out of Sam Vincent's hands and
(04:56):
Josh Dillon's hand in terms of ball handling responsibility and
allowed them to get back to what they do best,
which is kind of just be complete players. In Sam's case,
impacting the game offensively in a lot of ways that
Josh's case, spacing the floor and being a ball mover
and making chocks.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
You think back to that Robert Morris game, which feels
like forever ago, and it goes three overtime, so it's
a marathon.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
What went wrong that day that has to go right tomorrow.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Well, one, we've got to play some defense. We were
didn't look anything like ourselves in terms of how we
have to play defensively. And I think the second thing is,
you know, we've got to be a much physically tougher
team on the class and finishing around the rim and
driving the basketball against them, and we did not do that.
They had two bigs and are having great seasons that
(05:47):
are really good players, but just absolutely dominated us in
a way that we think is unacceptable. And so we've
got to be the most physically aggressive team tomorrow. I think.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
You've got a homecoming game tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Homecoming obviously is something you typically associate with football. Northern
Kentucky University, for all of its qualities, does not have
a football program. What does homecoming mean at NKU with
a men's basketball game tomorrow?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
The centerpiece, Well.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
I mean it's it's you know, like you said, no football.
So this this is our time to to bring alumni
back and former players and and then kind of rally
around m k U and the Norse station and get
everybody out because you know, this is uh, this is
the opportunity that we have to do it. And so uh,
you know, I'll be the first admit we we haven't
given our fans much to cheerbout in some of these
(06:38):
home games, and uh, I could see why they didn't
want to come out. But this group is playing really
well now in is homecoming. Uh hope we have a
great turnout for at two o'clock tip tomorrow against Robert Morris.
Calgating hasn't been moving inside mode. Doors opening at noon,
come in, have a good time, get properly uh juiced
for the game, and let's go out and have a
(06:59):
great home.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Atmosphere properly Jews for the game. I like it.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Two o'clock is absolutely perfect, the Norse hosting Robert Morris.
They have two more home games after this left so
at a golden opportunity to see NKU and again coming
off consecutive wins, A very good win against a really
strong Cleveland State team, the other night and hopefully the
Norse can make it three straight.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
It's always good to have you coach. I appreciate the time.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
I appreciate you having me on MO.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
You the best, Thanks.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Man anytime, Darren Horn, head coach, NKU Norse versus Robert
Morris tomorrow, two o'clock homecoming at Truest Arena. A phenomenal
place to go see a game, and that's a program. Look,
they've had a tough year relative to I think what
a lot of us have come to expect from NKU.
The Carrott is still being dangled of an NCAA tournament
(07:49):
appearance with the Horizon League Tournament. See if this team
can go into that with a measure of momentum. They
have eight seven games to go, I'm sorry, seven games
to go, including obviously the one tomorrow, two o'clock tomorrow
at the Truest. NKU versus Robert Morris. Darren Horn's fun
to talk to. It is five minutes away from four o'clock.
(08:11):
We're broadcasting today from Twin Peaks in Westchester. We are
here until six o'clock tonight. We're guests free until our
buddy Paul Frishner are coming up at four twenty on
ESPN fifteen thirty Cincinnati Sports station
Mo Egger News
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