March 2, 2026 • 19 mins
Mike DeCourcy of Fox Sports and The Sporting News joins Dick Fain to explain how poor shooting and injuries have hurt UW basketball this year, the massive amount of national championship contenders, Duke’s variety of ways to score including Boozer and his impact, why Kansas is not succeeding in the NIL era, and Arizona’s situation.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Duke of Duke Seafood.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Lady, you know that this hour of Softy and Dick
on your home for the Huskies and Kraken is probably
brought to you by Duke Seafood. Why not make it
at Duke's night tonight. Reserve your table today at Dukeseafood
dot com. On Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM, it's.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Time for the latest on the madness of March. Here's
Hall of Fame college basketball writer for The Sporting News
and Fox Sports lead brecketelogist Mike Decorsi. Brought to you
by Northwest Handling Systems. From forklifts to pellet racks, conveyors,
diloading dock equipment. We sell, rent and service all your
warehouse he needs. Request a quote today at NWHS dot
(00:41):
com or give us the call at four two five
two five five zero five hundred. Now with Mike Decorsi,
here's Softie and Dick.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Well the fax forts Radio ninety three point three kjr
FM rolling into the five o'clock hour and five o'clock
on a Monday when we turn the calendar to March,
one of my favorite sports months of the year is
to talk to our friend, hall of fame college basketball
writer for The Sporting News and lead Fox Sports bracketologist
Mike de Coursi And Mike, I know your favorite month
(01:10):
of the year is March as well.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
How are you?
Speaker 4 (01:12):
Man?
Speaker 1 (01:14):
It is great.
Speaker 5 (01:15):
I tell you a funny story. I told this on
Big ten Network on Saturday morning. Friday night, I was
getting ready for bed.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
I was up and it was like eleven to fifty eight.
I was getting ready to go to bed, and house like, oh.
Speaker 5 (01:26):
I might as well stay up the extra two minutes
to see March come in. And so I stayed up
till midnight and then hit the pillow. And then I
woke up the next day it was still February.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
That's how eager I was to get here.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Oh man, it's it's great and we've got so much
to look forward to. We kind of finished our conversation
last week on the briefly on the Huskies, and you know,
I just want to open it up here before we
go to the teams that actually will be competing for
a national championship. We had a great day on Saturday,
honoring Debt left Shrimp. But yes, the performance by the
(01:57):
Dogs was one of the worst of the season. Now
Wesley Yates goes one of seventeen in the game, they
still continue to struggle to get Hanna steinbacher requisite amount
of shots despite him shooting like seventy percent every.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Time he steps on the floor.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
How much of an excuse should we give Danny Sprinkle
because he was down to seven scholarship players in that
game as the injuries just continued to mount.
Speaker 5 (02:25):
Yeah, I mean, I think that that has a lot
to do with it, a lot to do with where
they are, and I think that one of I think
that Wesley should have self governed there, Like you just
don't go one to seventeen.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
If you go one to eight, you start to think, okay,
this is not my day. That I got to figure
out another way to help the team.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
And the problem that you get into if you continue
on all the way to one to seventeen. Everybody gets told,
don't remember the last shot. So it is understandable to
an extent, but when you start to accumulate those kinds
of misses, you do have to remember the last shots.
Something's wrong on this day may be the way you're
being defended, It may be the opportunities that are coming
(03:07):
to you, but you shouldn't push it all the way
to one of seventeen, And especially when you look.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
At the number of.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
Different players whose percentages were solid, if you take Wesley's
numbers out of it, it's a pretty proficient offensive performance.
I think you probably still lose the game, But Hannas
shouldn't get eleven shots when he makes eleven. When Wesley
gets seventeen and makes only one, that just can't happen.
(03:34):
And I don't know how many options Danny Sprinkle had
relative to who he could put in there given the
limitations on the depth at that point, you just don't
have that many healthy guys to go into the game.
But it really isn't useful for a player to go
(03:54):
one to seventeen from the field. And I think that's
something that is as much at this point as much
player driven as it is coach driven.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Mike de course, you join us, Mike, we go from
the Huskies all the way up to the tippy top
of the national championship tier. How deep is that national
championship tier for you? How many teams in the country
here on the first day of March would or the
second day of March, actually would you see in that
first week of April winning the national Championship, and it
wouldn't surprise you in the least.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Yeah, it was a lot.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
More maybe on February one or February two, than it
was than it is on March two. Part of some
of that's injury. I don't look at Texas Tech as
a serious National Championship contender. A lot of teams can
make the final four. You look at NC State two
years ago and you realize, I mean, NC State's not
(04:48):
even in the tournament if they don't win five in
a row in the ACC tournament, right, so.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
They're not even in it.
Speaker 5 (04:54):
And yet they went on and won another four in
a row and made it to the Phoenix and the
NC and CAA Final four. So it is plausible for
a lot of teams to get there. So I don't
rule Texas Tech out as a final full contender because JD.
Toppins out and injured, but I don't think they can
win it. And I say the same thing about by You.
(05:15):
Another team that I thought could be a dark horse
champion because of aj Devance's unbelievable ability. He had at
one point two other thirty point scorers around her around him,
meaning that they've gotten thirty, not that they could, but
they've gotten thirty at this point the year.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
But one of them, Richie Saunders, is out injured as well.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
So it's the field is thinning from that standpoint, and
I think it's also thinning from a performance standpoint.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
You look at a team like Purdue.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
I never bought them as a champion because I didn't
think they had the pro level talent to do it.
But they can't even at this point, playing the way
they are, I can't see them even tricking that they're
well away from being a national championship contender. I think
it probably goes a five for sure. The four number
(06:05):
one seed, the four current number one seeds, Duke Michigan,
and Arizona Connecticut, and Then's Florida for sure are in
this Houston if they could get their offense fixed, and
that mostly means veterans Emmanuel Sharp and Milo's Uzon starting
to score again. They're really struggling. They've got the nice
freshman Kristian ak has played much better the big guy,
(06:28):
and then Kingston Flemings has been great all year, but
they can't get to they can't get to the final
four or win it. If Sharp is putting up the
numbers he's putting up, Uzon's putting up the numbers he's
putting up. Neither one of them has been as effective
as necessary. So the number of teams is a lot
leaner than I thought it would be at this point.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
You mentioned Texas Tech there, and they have yet to
lose since Toppen has been out. But does the top
and injury affect their seeding and should it affect their seedings?
Most of their resume was built with him in there,
and he was one of the best players in college basketball.
Speaker 5 (07:06):
The committee made their decision on the bracket preview knowing
that JT.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Toppin was out.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
They knew he had an ACL and they knew he
was he was not going to play the rest of
the year, and they still installed them as a four seat.
So they're hanging with them and allowing them to play
their way down or play their way up. And since,
like you said, since it's happened, they've been more up
and down, right, So I think that they could they
(07:34):
could play their way up to the three line. They
were a four, that's where they I believe. I had
them as a four prior to the injury knocked them
down to a five because I figured that that's what
the committee would do, But then then they didn't.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
And since that, since that day, they have been not
just beating teams, but drilling teams.
Speaker 5 (07:54):
That's the amazing part that some quality opposition that they've
been taking a part.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
How about LJ.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Cason at Michigan. I mean you look at his numbers
and say, ah, well, losing a guy that averages eight
points a game and nineteen minutes a game for the
season with an injury, Yeah, it probably doesn't matter a lot,
but he's a pretty big component to what they do,
particularly from behind the arc.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Yeah he was.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
That's a heartbreaker too, because LJ is a terrific young
man and a great player. And the problem that they
have as a national championship contender Michigan is Elliott Cadeau
a championship point guards good player, not saying that, but.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Does he have that gear.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
He did not make Carolina better in March the last
couple of years, and so I always was a little
bit skeptical of that, and I always loved LJS as
a freshman as a backup, and then this year as
Elliott's backup he's been spectacular at times. So when they
played at Northwestern a couple of weeks back, they were
really poor the first twenty to twenty five minutes and
(09:00):
at a certain point Dusty May said, that's it. Elliott
enjoyed the bench, LJ take us home, and they end
up winning by a dozen points.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
It came from twelve down or so to win by
a dozen.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
That was mostly LJ either scoring himself and he did
a bunch of that, or running the show. And so
they always had that as Okay, if this doesn't work,
we know, like we can go in a moment's notice
to the other direction. And that was always going to
be an ace for them that they had, and now.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
They can't play it. It's a shame for the Wolverines,
the rest of the team, and especially for.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
LJ staying there up the talk with Duke, I mean
this duke team. It's hard to argue that this duke
team would be more talented than last year's duke team.
I mean two of the best rookies in the NBA
or from that from that duke team. But is this
duke team got as much potential as that one does
to win a national championship.
Speaker 5 (09:56):
What is interesting about this duke team is that it
is not built to be as good defensively as last
year's team. Last year's team had Kaman Walla watch guarding
the middle. Come on, remember he didn't do a too
bad a job guarding the middle in Olympic games, you know,
with the with dream teamers and all the rest of
(10:17):
it out there, and and did he went and played
college and did fine and and really made them made
an impact at the rim. And now they exchanged that
for a terrific sophomore named Patrick Gangba. And Patrick is
a much more offensive oriented player, catches better, has more
(10:39):
moves than come on, did uh?
Speaker 1 (10:41):
And so?
Speaker 5 (10:42):
And then you look at the power forward spot, where
you had Cooper Flag who could block shots and defensive
rebound and move and guard three positions. And now you've
got Cameron Boozer who's not super mobile, not super electric
getting off the floor. And so somehow they went from
being a really terrific defensive team a year ago that
(11:06):
ranked on defense fifth in the nation outstanding, Right, they're
better now they're number one in the country in defense.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
How does that happen?
Speaker 5 (11:15):
I can't explain it, but I will say, Cameron Boozer
is always in the right place. He is such a
smart player, and he just chews up so much space.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Yeah that it's.
Speaker 5 (11:26):
Even with when Gongbo was down, it was hard for
teams to move against them.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Gongo gives them.
Speaker 5 (11:33):
Although not a great defensive player, he's a six' eleven
center who can take a shot down every now and.
Then but they just couldn't move Against boozer out there
pretty much. Alone it's he's an amazing player and an
underrated defender because he doesn't look like you, know he
doesn't move like a. Defender you, know he's Not Dennis
rodman out. There but he really makes a, difference and.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
He's done a great job getting the line. Recently And
i've been impressed With Boozer's he's a good passer for.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
A oh yeah forward.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
Man, yeah that's what makes them go offensively because they
don't really play a true point. Guard their circumstances is
similar to a year. Ago they didn't have a true point,
guard so they had to move the guys. Around Caleb
foster is a really terrific college basketball, player and he
makes a difference on. Defense he's six to, five he's,
(12:24):
strong and he's great against the. Ball Caden boozer is
a point, guard but.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
They haven't gone to. Him they haven't decided that they
want to go in that.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
Direction they decided that they're going to go with the
more veteran group Plus, cameron and it's really works for, them.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
No question about. IT i, mean they have been incredibly,
impressive winning the last six games in a. Row maybe
the hottest team in college. Basketball mike De coursey joining
us brought to you By Northwest Handling systems on a weekly. Basis,
mike This kansas team for the last three years is
gonna be three years in a row where they didn't
come close to winning The Big twelve. Championship prior to,
That Bill self had, won won or shared sixteen of
(13:02):
the last Seventeen Big twelve. Championships so is it the
Revamped Big twelve the additions of teams Like arizona that's
more affecting, that or is the NIL era not Treating
Bill self And kansas as well as it's treating the
rest of the.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Conference, well the competition has definitely gotten.
Speaker 5 (13:22):
Better houston And arizona coming in the league has made
it much more challenging to win there's no doubt about.
That but it's also a function Of bill trying to
navigate this. Era he made some decisions in terms of
nil acquisitions the previous couple of years that were definitely
not in the right interests Of. Kansas the one thing
(13:46):
That bill has always done better than any.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Coach is developed.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
Guys every coach, Has every great, Coach hall Of fame
coach has their superpower And skryshevsky it was getting guys
to play as a. Team In calaperi's, case it was
getting guys to play without who are draft, picks to
play without, Ego not to worry about my, stats you'll
get to the. League just go out and. Win and With,
(14:11):
calhoun it was. Scouting nobody ever scouted better Than. Calhoun
he'd go out and sign somebody that was seventy fifth
in the country and the next thing you, know they're
the first round or first round.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Pick he did that a.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
Lot that was his great, strength and For bill it
was developing. Players Frank mason comes in one hundred and
fifty in.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
His class or.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
Whatever over four years he becomes A National player of The.
Year Devonte graham offered by App state and basically no
one else decides to get out of that, commitment goes
To kansas and becomes a first Team All american in three.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Years that happened a lot for.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
Him and when it became about nil and the transfer
portal and all, that he started getting more guys for
the fast, fix and it hasn't. Worked you add in
much as trouble As peterson has, been adding him To
Florie badunga at center has really made them more, talented
but still with the, youth still with the opportunity to.
(15:10):
Develop and then he's brought in some transfers who are
much better fits For kansas basketball than some of the
guys he had in the. Past Trey white's done a nice.
Job Melbourne council has been, fantastic coming in From Saint
bonaventure and being there the starting point guard that they
didn't think they'd.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Need they thought that the ball would be In peterson's
hands all the, time but because he wasn't, there they
couldn't play like.
Speaker 5 (15:34):
That so they gave it To council and he took
it and started passing it along and his averaging five.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Assists SO i think he's done better with with this this.
Speaker 5 (15:44):
Year but The peterson thing as strange as it, is
missed eleven, games burying, injuries some things that we kind
of haven't seen before have definitely been disruptive to The kansas.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
Progress final couple of minutes with our Friend mike of,
course The hall Of Fame College Basketball, rider brought to
you By Northwest Handling. Systems the big one to night
starting at six o'clock our time sixth Ranked Iowa state
at number Two arizona And. Mike Tommy lloyd will tie
with his next win over a ranked, team which could come,
tonight he will tie Tom izzo's record for the most
(16:22):
ranked wins in his first five years as a head.
COACH i, mean that is just. Unbelievable With Tommy, LYMAN
i figured he was gonna be great down In. ARIZONA
i know he'd tye Tom izzo's. Record is this just
gonna be a pass of a game For arizona Because
Iowa state just hasn't looked Like Iowa state the last
couple of.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Weeks, yeah but you never.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
KNOW i still think that they're, terrific AND i Think
arizona is better definitely Than Iowa.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
State BUT i also would have said that About, houston
and they.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
Were for thirty five, minutes and in the, End Iowa
state found a. Way the fact that it's In arizona
very interesting to see whether I Always state can manage
a great effort on the.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Road that that's something that case.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
States excuse, Me Iowa state has had a terrific, year
but most of what they've done that's really been a
plus level has been At Hilton. Coliseum they haven't had
that great road win. Yet they've had, some but they
haven't had that defining road win yet that that would
really separate. Them so this is that this is a
big shot for them to see if they can get.
(17:27):
It BUT i just love This arizona. TEAM i love
the fact that you can go out on the floor
with pro prospects and have and have five, guys four
guys that are averaging double five guys excuse, me that
are averaging double figure.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Scoring that you can have.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
A team that that has three freshmen that are, starting
that has two freshmen among the top three, scorers and
no apparent concern about.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
That they just. Play they don't worry about who's doing the.
Scoring they just play to.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
Win one of the really interesting THINGS i discovered about
them a week ago that THAT i talked about on
THE fs one Program Big Time. Hoops they Are the
last TIME i, looked they were three hundred and ninety.
Second excuse, me three hundred and sixty. Second there's only
three hundred and there's only three hundred and sixty, five
(18:23):
so no one can be three hundred and ninety. Second
they were three hundred and sixty second in the percentage
of their shots that were three.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
Pointers they just almost never do.
Speaker 5 (18:35):
It and most teams that do that that, like, No
i'm not shooting from out.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
There it's because they're bad at. It you don't want
to do what you don't. Do but they're good at.
It they RANK i think eighty fifth.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
In accuracy out of three hundred and sixty, something so
it's not the best.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
At, it but really. Good, Yeah and they just almost
never do.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
It and SO i talked to them about like why is,
That why do you take so few? Threes and they, said,
well our offense is predicated gone getting the ball to the,
paint controlling the, paint dominating the, paint get it, inside
drive it to the.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Paint and they're so good at those things that.
Speaker 5 (19:09):
They kind of a lot don't get to option too
as much as some.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
Others they don't need to kick it out because they're
getting good shots in.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
There, exactly you.
Speaker 5 (19:17):
GET i ALWAYS i put it down To coopete's. SHOULDERS i,
Mean i've never seen a set of shoulders like. That,
Yeah AND i figure he.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Just takes up the whole.
Speaker 5 (19:24):
Lane and it's always is always either finishing something or
is in somebody's way and somebody else can.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
Finish, mike always a. Pressure my. Friend will talk to
you next.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Week thank you so. Much you Bet.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
Mike the course he brought to you on a weekly
basis By Northwest Handling, systems forklift pallet, racks loading doc
equipment at. More get your quote at nwhs dot. Com
be back With Jackson bevans coming up next on ninety
three point THREE kjrfm
This is Duke of Duke Seafood.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Lady, you know that this hour of Softy and Dick
on your home for the Huskies and Kraken is probably
brought to you by Duke Seafood. Why not make it
at Duke's night tonight. Reserve your table today at Dukeseafood
dot com. On Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM, it's.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Time for the latest on the madness of March. Here's
Hall of Fame college basketball writer for The Sporting News
and Fox Sports lead brecketelogist Mike Decorsi. Brought to you
by Northwest Handling Systems. From forklifts to pellet racks, conveyors,
diloading dock equipment. We sell, rent and service all your
warehouse he needs. Request a quote today at NWHS dot
(00:41):
com or give us the call at four two five
two five five zero five hundred. Now with Mike Decorsi,
here's Softie and Dick.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (00:50):
Well the fax forts Radio ninety three point three kjr
FM rolling into the five o'clock hour and five o'clock
on a Monday when we turn the calendar to March,
one of my favorite sports months of the year is
to talk to our friend, hall of fame college basketball
writer for The Sporting News and lead Fox Sports bracketologist
Mike de Coursi And Mike, I know your favorite month
(01:10):
of the year is March as well.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
How are you?
Speaker 4 (01:12):
Man?
Speaker 1 (01:14):
It is great.
Speaker 5 (01:15):
I tell you a funny story. I told this on
Big ten Network on Saturday morning. Friday night, I was
getting ready for bed.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
I was up and it was like eleven to fifty eight.
I was getting ready to go to bed, and house like, oh.
Speaker 5 (01:26):
I might as well stay up the extra two minutes
to see March come in. And so I stayed up
till midnight and then hit the pillow. And then I
woke up the next day it was still February.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
That's how eager I was to get here.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Oh man, it's it's great and we've got so much
to look forward to. We kind of finished our conversation
last week on the briefly on the Huskies, and you know,
I just want to open it up here before we
go to the teams that actually will be competing for
a national championship. We had a great day on Saturday,
honoring Debt left Shrimp. But yes, the performance by the
(01:57):
Dogs was one of the worst of the season. Now
Wesley Yates goes one of seventeen in the game, they
still continue to struggle to get Hanna steinbacher requisite amount
of shots despite him shooting like seventy percent every.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
Time he steps on the floor.
Speaker 4 (02:14):
How much of an excuse should we give Danny Sprinkle
because he was down to seven scholarship players in that
game as the injuries just continued to mount.
Speaker 5 (02:25):
Yeah, I mean, I think that that has a lot
to do with it, a lot to do with where
they are, and I think that one of I think
that Wesley should have self governed there, Like you just
don't go one to seventeen.
Speaker 1 (02:38):
If you go one to eight, you start to think, okay,
this is not my day. That I got to figure
out another way to help the team.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
And the problem that you get into if you continue
on all the way to one to seventeen. Everybody gets told,
don't remember the last shot. So it is understandable to
an extent, but when you start to accumulate those kinds
of misses, you do have to remember the last shots.
Something's wrong on this day may be the way you're
being defended, It may be the opportunities that are coming
(03:07):
to you, but you shouldn't push it all the way
to one of seventeen, And especially when you look.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
At the number of.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
Different players whose percentages were solid, if you take Wesley's
numbers out of it, it's a pretty proficient offensive performance.
I think you probably still lose the game, But Hannas
shouldn't get eleven shots when he makes eleven. When Wesley
gets seventeen and makes only one, that just can't happen.
(03:34):
And I don't know how many options Danny Sprinkle had
relative to who he could put in there given the
limitations on the depth at that point, you just don't
have that many healthy guys to go into the game.
But it really isn't useful for a player to go
(03:54):
one to seventeen from the field. And I think that's
something that is as much at this point as much
player driven as it is coach driven.
Speaker 4 (04:04):
Mike de course, you join us, Mike, we go from
the Huskies all the way up to the tippy top
of the national championship tier. How deep is that national
championship tier for you? How many teams in the country
here on the first day of March would or the
second day of March, actually would you see in that
first week of April winning the national Championship, and it
wouldn't surprise you in the least.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
Yeah, it was a lot.
Speaker 5 (04:28):
More maybe on February one or February two, than it
was than it is on March two. Part of some
of that's injury. I don't look at Texas Tech as
a serious National Championship contender. A lot of teams can
make the final four. You look at NC State two
years ago and you realize, I mean, NC State's not
(04:48):
even in the tournament if they don't win five in
a row in the ACC tournament, right, so.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
They're not even in it.
Speaker 5 (04:54):
And yet they went on and won another four in
a row and made it to the Phoenix and the
NC and CAA Final four. So it is plausible for
a lot of teams to get there. So I don't
rule Texas Tech out as a final full contender because JD.
Toppins out and injured, but I don't think they can
win it. And I say the same thing about by You.
(05:15):
Another team that I thought could be a dark horse
champion because of aj Devance's unbelievable ability. He had at
one point two other thirty point scorers around her around him,
meaning that they've gotten thirty, not that they could, but
they've gotten thirty at this point the year.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
But one of them, Richie Saunders, is out injured as well.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
So it's the field is thinning from that standpoint, and
I think it's also thinning from a performance standpoint.
Speaker 1 (05:40):
You look at a team like Purdue.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
I never bought them as a champion because I didn't
think they had the pro level talent to do it.
But they can't even at this point, playing the way
they are, I can't see them even tricking that they're
well away from being a national championship contender. I think
it probably goes a five for sure. The four number
(06:05):
one seed, the four current number one seeds, Duke Michigan,
and Arizona Connecticut, and Then's Florida for sure are in
this Houston if they could get their offense fixed, and
that mostly means veterans Emmanuel Sharp and Milo's Uzon starting
to score again. They're really struggling. They've got the nice
freshman Kristian ak has played much better the big guy,
(06:28):
and then Kingston Flemings has been great all year, but
they can't get to they can't get to the final
four or win it. If Sharp is putting up the
numbers he's putting up, Uzon's putting up the numbers he's
putting up. Neither one of them has been as effective
as necessary. So the number of teams is a lot
leaner than I thought it would be at this point.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
You mentioned Texas Tech there, and they have yet to
lose since Toppen has been out. But does the top
and injury affect their seeding and should it affect their seedings?
Most of their resume was built with him in there,
and he was one of the best players in college basketball.
Speaker 5 (07:06):
The committee made their decision on the bracket preview knowing
that JT.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
Toppin was out.
Speaker 5 (07:14):
They knew he had an ACL and they knew he
was he was not going to play the rest of
the year, and they still installed them as a four seat.
So they're hanging with them and allowing them to play
their way down or play their way up. And since,
like you said, since it's happened, they've been more up
and down, right, So I think that they could they
(07:34):
could play their way up to the three line. They
were a four, that's where they I believe. I had
them as a four prior to the injury knocked them
down to a five because I figured that that's what
the committee would do, But then then they didn't.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
And since that, since that day, they have been not
just beating teams, but drilling teams.
Speaker 5 (07:54):
That's the amazing part that some quality opposition that they've
been taking a part.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
How about LJ.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
Cason at Michigan. I mean you look at his numbers
and say, ah, well, losing a guy that averages eight
points a game and nineteen minutes a game for the
season with an injury, Yeah, it probably doesn't matter a lot,
but he's a pretty big component to what they do,
particularly from behind the arc.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Yeah he was.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
That's a heartbreaker too, because LJ is a terrific young
man and a great player. And the problem that they
have as a national championship contender Michigan is Elliott Cadeau
a championship point guards good player, not saying that, but.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Does he have that gear.
Speaker 5 (08:37):
He did not make Carolina better in March the last
couple of years, and so I always was a little
bit skeptical of that, and I always loved LJS as
a freshman as a backup, and then this year as
Elliott's backup he's been spectacular at times. So when they
played at Northwestern a couple of weeks back, they were
really poor the first twenty to twenty five minutes and
(09:00):
at a certain point Dusty May said, that's it. Elliott
enjoyed the bench, LJ take us home, and they end
up winning by a dozen points.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
It came from twelve down or so to win by
a dozen.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
That was mostly LJ either scoring himself and he did
a bunch of that, or running the show. And so
they always had that as Okay, if this doesn't work,
we know, like we can go in a moment's notice
to the other direction. And that was always going to
be an ace for them that they had, and now.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
They can't play it. It's a shame for the Wolverines,
the rest of the team, and especially for.
Speaker 4 (09:35):
LJ staying there up the talk with Duke, I mean
this duke team. It's hard to argue that this duke
team would be more talented than last year's duke team.
I mean two of the best rookies in the NBA
or from that from that duke team. But is this
duke team got as much potential as that one does
to win a national championship.
Speaker 5 (09:56):
What is interesting about this duke team is that it
is not built to be as good defensively as last
year's team. Last year's team had Kaman Walla watch guarding
the middle. Come on, remember he didn't do a too
bad a job guarding the middle in Olympic games, you know,
with the with dream teamers and all the rest of
(10:17):
it out there, and and did he went and played
college and did fine and and really made them made
an impact at the rim. And now they exchanged that
for a terrific sophomore named Patrick Gangba. And Patrick is
a much more offensive oriented player, catches better, has more
(10:39):
moves than come on, did uh?
Speaker 1 (10:41):
And so?
Speaker 5 (10:42):
And then you look at the power forward spot, where
you had Cooper Flag who could block shots and defensive
rebound and move and guard three positions. And now you've
got Cameron Boozer who's not super mobile, not super electric
getting off the floor. And so somehow they went from
being a really terrific defensive team a year ago that
(11:06):
ranked on defense fifth in the nation outstanding, Right, they're
better now they're number one in the country in defense.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
How does that happen?
Speaker 5 (11:15):
I can't explain it, but I will say, Cameron Boozer
is always in the right place. He is such a
smart player, and he just chews up so much space.
Speaker 1 (11:25):
Yeah that it's.
Speaker 5 (11:26):
Even with when Gongbo was down, it was hard for
teams to move against them.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
Gongo gives them.
Speaker 5 (11:33):
Although not a great defensive player, he's a six' eleven
center who can take a shot down every now and.
Then but they just couldn't move Against boozer out there
pretty much. Alone it's he's an amazing player and an
underrated defender because he doesn't look like you, know he
doesn't move like a. Defender you, know he's Not Dennis
rodman out. There but he really makes a, difference and.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
He's done a great job getting the line. Recently And
i've been impressed With Boozer's he's a good passer for.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
A oh yeah forward.
Speaker 5 (12:03):
Man, yeah that's what makes them go offensively because they
don't really play a true point. Guard their circumstances is
similar to a year. Ago they didn't have a true point,
guard so they had to move the guys. Around Caleb
foster is a really terrific college basketball, player and he
makes a difference on. Defense he's six to, five he's,
(12:24):
strong and he's great against the. Ball Caden boozer is
a point, guard but.
Speaker 1 (12:28):
They haven't gone to. Him they haven't decided that they
want to go in that.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
Direction they decided that they're going to go with the
more veteran group Plus, cameron and it's really works for, them.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
No question about. IT i, mean they have been incredibly,
impressive winning the last six games in a. Row maybe
the hottest team in college. Basketball mike De coursey joining
us brought to you By Northwest Handling systems on a weekly. Basis,
mike This kansas team for the last three years is
gonna be three years in a row where they didn't
come close to winning The Big twelve. Championship prior to,
That Bill self had, won won or shared sixteen of
(13:02):
the last Seventeen Big twelve. Championships so is it the
Revamped Big twelve the additions of teams Like arizona that's
more affecting, that or is the NIL era not Treating
Bill self And kansas as well as it's treating the
rest of the.
Speaker 1 (13:19):
Conference, well the competition has definitely gotten.
Speaker 5 (13:22):
Better houston And arizona coming in the league has made
it much more challenging to win there's no doubt about.
That but it's also a function Of bill trying to
navigate this. Era he made some decisions in terms of
nil acquisitions the previous couple of years that were definitely
not in the right interests Of. Kansas the one thing
(13:46):
That bill has always done better than any.
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Coach is developed.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
Guys every coach, Has every great, Coach hall Of fame
coach has their superpower And skryshevsky it was getting guys
to play as a. Team In calaperi's, case it was
getting guys to play without who are draft, picks to
play without, Ego not to worry about my, stats you'll
get to the. League just go out and. Win and With,
(14:11):
calhoun it was. Scouting nobody ever scouted better Than. Calhoun
he'd go out and sign somebody that was seventy fifth
in the country and the next thing you, know they're
the first round or first round.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Pick he did that a.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
Lot that was his great, strength and For bill it
was developing. Players Frank mason comes in one hundred and
fifty in.
Speaker 1 (14:30):
His class or.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
Whatever over four years he becomes A National player of The.
Year Devonte graham offered by App state and basically no
one else decides to get out of that, commitment goes
To kansas and becomes a first Team All american in three.
Speaker 1 (14:45):
Years that happened a lot for.
Speaker 5 (14:48):
Him and when it became about nil and the transfer
portal and all, that he started getting more guys for
the fast, fix and it hasn't. Worked you add in
much as trouble As peterson has, been adding him To
Florie badunga at center has really made them more, talented
but still with the, youth still with the opportunity to.
(15:10):
Develop and then he's brought in some transfers who are
much better fits For kansas basketball than some of the
guys he had in the. Past Trey white's done a nice.
Job Melbourne council has been, fantastic coming in From Saint
bonaventure and being there the starting point guard that they
didn't think they'd.
Speaker 1 (15:28):
Need they thought that the ball would be In peterson's
hands all the, time but because he wasn't, there they
couldn't play like.
Speaker 5 (15:34):
That so they gave it To council and he took
it and started passing it along and his averaging five.
Speaker 1 (15:40):
Assists SO i think he's done better with with this this.
Speaker 5 (15:44):
Year but The peterson thing as strange as it, is
missed eleven, games burying, injuries some things that we kind
of haven't seen before have definitely been disruptive to The kansas.
Speaker 4 (15:59):
Progress final couple of minutes with our Friend mike of,
course The hall Of Fame College Basketball, rider brought to
you By Northwest Handling. Systems the big one to night
starting at six o'clock our time sixth Ranked Iowa state
at number Two arizona And. Mike Tommy lloyd will tie
with his next win over a ranked, team which could come,
tonight he will tie Tom izzo's record for the most
(16:22):
ranked wins in his first five years as a head.
COACH i, mean that is just. Unbelievable With Tommy, LYMAN
i figured he was gonna be great down In. ARIZONA
i know he'd tye Tom izzo's. Record is this just
gonna be a pass of a game For arizona Because
Iowa state just hasn't looked Like Iowa state the last
couple of.
Speaker 1 (16:39):
Weeks, yeah but you never.
Speaker 5 (16:41):
KNOW i still think that they're, terrific AND i Think
arizona is better definitely Than Iowa.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
State BUT i also would have said that About, houston
and they.
Speaker 5 (16:53):
Were for thirty five, minutes and in the, End Iowa
state found a. Way the fact that it's In arizona
very interesting to see whether I Always state can manage
a great effort on the.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Road that that's something that case.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
States excuse, Me Iowa state has had a terrific, year
but most of what they've done that's really been a
plus level has been At Hilton. Coliseum they haven't had
that great road win. Yet they've had, some but they
haven't had that defining road win yet that that would
really separate. Them so this is that this is a
big shot for them to see if they can get.
(17:27):
It BUT i just love This arizona. TEAM i love
the fact that you can go out on the floor
with pro prospects and have and have five, guys four
guys that are averaging double five guys excuse, me that
are averaging double figure.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Scoring that you can have.
Speaker 5 (17:46):
A team that that has three freshmen that are, starting
that has two freshmen among the top three, scorers and
no apparent concern about.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
That they just. Play they don't worry about who's doing the.
Scoring they just play to.
Speaker 5 (18:02):
Win one of the really interesting THINGS i discovered about
them a week ago that THAT i talked about on
THE fs one Program Big Time. Hoops they Are the
last TIME i, looked they were three hundred and ninety.
Second excuse, me three hundred and sixty. Second there's only
three hundred and there's only three hundred and sixty, five
(18:23):
so no one can be three hundred and ninety. Second
they were three hundred and sixty second in the percentage
of their shots that were three.
Speaker 1 (18:33):
Pointers they just almost never do.
Speaker 5 (18:35):
It and most teams that do that that, like, No
i'm not shooting from out.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
There it's because they're bad at. It you don't want
to do what you don't. Do but they're good at.
It they RANK i think eighty fifth.
Speaker 5 (18:45):
In accuracy out of three hundred and sixty, something so
it's not the best.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
At, it but really. Good, Yeah and they just almost
never do.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
It and SO i talked to them about like why is,
That why do you take so few? Threes and they, said,
well our offense is predicated gone getting the ball to the,
paint controlling the, paint dominating the, paint get it, inside
drive it to the.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Paint and they're so good at those things that.
Speaker 5 (19:09):
They kind of a lot don't get to option too
as much as some.
Speaker 4 (19:12):
Others they don't need to kick it out because they're
getting good shots in.
Speaker 1 (19:15):
There, exactly you.
Speaker 5 (19:17):
GET i ALWAYS i put it down To coopete's. SHOULDERS i,
Mean i've never seen a set of shoulders like. That,
Yeah AND i figure he.
Speaker 1 (19:24):
Just takes up the whole.
Speaker 5 (19:24):
Lane and it's always is always either finishing something or
is in somebody's way and somebody else can.
Speaker 4 (19:29):
Finish, mike always a. Pressure my. Friend will talk to
you next.
Speaker 1 (19:33):
Week thank you so. Much you Bet.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
Mike the course he brought to you on a weekly
basis By Northwest Handling, systems forklift pallet, racks loading doc
equipment at. More get your quote at nwhs dot. Com
be back With Jackson bevans coming up next on ninety
three point THREE kjrfm
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