Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yont Welcome to the Shawn Miller Radio Show on the
Xavier Sports Network from lear Field, presented by Try Help.
Try Health provides surprisingly human care that drives the best
health outcomes. Be seen, be heard, be healed. Visit tryhealth
dot com. But late, easy to drink, Easy to enjoy,
(00:22):
and by Dilly Bistro, presenting sponsor of the Sean Miller
Radio Show. Now Here are Joe Sunderman and Byron Larkin.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Welcome to the Sean Miller Show live from Dilly Pistro,
a Merriman. I'm Joe Sunderman along with Byron Larkin and
the head coach of the Xavier Musketeers, Sean Miller Xavier.
They're now a thirteen to nine on the season five
and six and the big East of last game was
on Wednesday in Omaha, Nebraska. The lost to the Creton
Blue Jays eighty six to seventy seven. Thanks for the
great crowd again the night you know, we got snowed
(00:55):
out about three weeks ago. Now Cincinnati weather's seventy one
degrees today, so it's a great place live and nice
to have the Blue Skies Sean three thousand bibbleheads tomorrow
and Sean nor bibbleheads first three thousand, right.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Hopefully it doesn't scare everybody away. The purpose of it
is to get everybody in the building at an earlier time,
and obviously tomorrow is a huge game for US, only
five home games left, and I think just the way
that the home crowd works, it's such a significant advantage
for us, and it's one we've had for decades, and
(01:28):
it's something that you can't take for granted. It's not
just as students, they're second to none. It's everybody in
the building. And I think a late start on a
weekday is all it's challenging. Unfortunately, that's the way of
the world. It happens to everybody. But hopefully we'll have
that great crowd and we can feed off of that energy. Certainly,
(01:50):
Georgetown and US very similar in terms of our record.
They beat us in DC several weeks ago, and you know,
we have to be at our best here tomorrow night
to beat them.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
Coach, you talk out the home crowd a lot and
in your in your post game press conferences, and you
know you've been at other places, you've been coaching a
long time, and and it's it's definitely a thing to
not only have home court advantage, but to have the
live the activeness the It makes a difference to players,
(02:21):
no doubt about it. And so it's important for the
fans to not only show up, but be loud and crazy,
because I tell you what, that Yukon atmosphere was just electric.
I don't know if I've ever heard it louder in
the Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
No, And look, it was a big reason that we
were able to win. It was a tough game. Obviously,
the quality of plays number one, but you know the
the impact that it affects both the opponent and it all,
and it also really affects your own team. They know
they're at it a special place. They know they're at
a place where people value and care about winning and
(02:56):
care about them, and it allows players to be at
their best. It brings out the best in them. And
we've seen that so many times over over the years,
and the Yukon game was a big reminder of the
huge advantage it can become. And down the stretch in February,
as you play for March Madness and you enter that month,
(03:18):
these last five games all games that will be incredibly
important towards towards our final record and our goals, and
now it sets the tone for the Big East Tournament.
We hope we can have that type of crowd and
we want to be at our best and that crowd
helps us be at our best.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
As you look at the Big East standings, of course
you have Saint John's on top ten to one, Marquettes
at nine to two, Great and eight and two, ukont
eight and three. Then you have Georgetown, Xavier, Villanova and
Providence all at five and six. So these games are
valuable for the NC Double A and also for the
seeding for the Big East Tournament.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Yes, and look, Joe, those schedules aren't even There are
some teams who've played a more difficult schedule. As you know,
the eleven games that we played it was the most
challenging schedule of any team in the Big East. We
played Yukon twice. The first time we played them, we
played them without Zach. We played them a long long
time ago in and around our Christmas break. We played
(04:16):
Marquette at home with no students in and around our
Christmas break, and then we went to Marquette, so Yukon twice,
Marquette twice, We played Saint John's twice played them obviously
in the Garden, one of our toughest games, a game
that we weren't able to finish. But those right now
are the top three teams, and if they're not in
the top three, the other team that I think is
really good is the team that we just recently played, Creighton,
(04:38):
and to play at Creighton, that's the game that we've
played them. We have one more left, but you look
at those seven, you know, those are the seven most
difficult games in our league. And to play all those
not just before February first, but really before the end
of January, that was a tough task. And really, I
(04:59):
think in some ways, you know, Byron, I think it
brought out the best in us. You know, when you
think about that stretch, you can make the argument that
it's the best stretch we've played all season, regardless of
what the final score was. And now it gave us,
I think a confidence and a growth that with our
remaining schedule that we can come out of this with
these opportunities and be at our best. And if that's
(05:22):
the case, we should be able to finish strong. And
I think that's what we're setting out to do. We
have nine Big East games left, five at home, four
on the road, and can we maintain our level of play?
Can we increase our level of play? Can we truly
hit our stride in this month with these remaining games?
And that's why, you know, when you talk about the
(05:42):
five home games, how our crowd is, how we are
number one, but how our crowd is and working together
to see if we can really create a great final stretch.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Coach, is there any rhyme or reason to the schedule?
Because it's it's pretty kind of crazy to me. You
played eleven games in the Big East, and there are
four teams you play twice already, but there are two
teams you haven't even played at all, and there are
nine games left to the season. Is there any rhyme
or reason when the schedule comes out or is it
(06:15):
just boom? Here it is? And is there any reasoning
behind the way they schedule? Yeah, that you know of.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
You know, I've talked to Greg Christopher and him and
I have had numerous talks about it. I think what
the Big East will tell you is there's this computer.
Computer likes to give us the tough games early. I
truly know that about the computer, like to find out
where it's located, what it looks like, a little bit
more about plugging those numbers in et cetera, and it just,
(06:43):
you know, spits it out because at the end, the
one thing about the Big East we play everybody at home,
and we play everybody on the road. Everybody does we
play twenty games, So that being said, there's really not
any favoritism when it comes to that, there can't be
the order of games. Look, I can flip the argument
and say, these teams that haven't played each other yet,
(07:03):
their February is going to be much more difficult, you know,
and you take a look. I think it's Saint John's
this week they play at Yukon and Marquette at home.
Tough week. You know, it's the week we just went
through a couple weeks back. But you know that's going
to hit them a little bit later at the end
of the day when we head to the Big East tournament,
all of us have played each other. I guess the
(07:25):
only point that I would make is when they come
in bunches early, you just have to make sure that
you're not wobbly, you're still standing. When you get on
the other side of it. So that you can be
at your best in this month ahead. Because it's not
like our schedule becomes easy. It's just when you look
at the standings in our league, we really played the heavyweights,
the top tier of those teams that have won the
(07:46):
most games all in a row and all in a
row twice, really in about a three or four week
period of time. But at the end, we want to
hit our stride in February, and in some ways this
schedule may favor us here more down the stretch.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Coach, as you look at your ball club, you know,
I have four players that are everaging in double figures.
Have Zach Freeman at sixteen and a half, Ryan Conwell
sixteen point three, Davean McKnight at ten, Dalen Swain at ten.
Any team that has four players everything in double figures
are usually a pretty dog gone good basketball team. And
that's just as of say today or the last couple
(08:22):
of weeks that you can say that, how do you
figure your teams improved and and what are you looking
for as you move forward? I feel they're getting better
every time they play, including the Crayton game. I mean,
Creighton hit what five out of five threes in the
ball game.
Speaker 5 (08:32):
Take your hat off to no no doubt.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
And look when Creighton, you know you have two things working.
They're elite shooting across the board. And then you know
a player that I think is one of the best
in the country in Ryan Kalkbrenner, And you know, you
hope that just maybe one of those two factors are
in place. God, they made a ton of frees. They
shot a great percentage, but we did a great job
(08:55):
on Kalkbrenner vice versa. You know, Kalkbrenner had a great day.
But you know what like it kind of was at
halftime where I think at halftime they were three for
fifteen from three, so although one wasn't working very well,
you were able to turn the water off from behind
the line. Second half became the problem because they went
eight for ten from three. So I forgot what you
(09:20):
asked me.
Speaker 5 (09:20):
Joe, that's all right. We have four players in double figures.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Okay, So anyway back to that, the four players in
double figures. You know, the one you know comment I
would make about that is Dylan Swayin is really improving.
I think that everybody that I talked to that watches us,
even some of the opposing coaches and people you really
just respect because they're watching us very closely. You know,
(09:43):
they point out, you know, Dylan's remarkable improvement from a
year ago, and I think his ascent from November until now.
He's stronger, he's more physical, he's more confident, he's impacting
the game and all these ways we've seen him do it,
except he's doing it more regularly, and it's fun to watch,
you know. As a reminder, I know I say this
(10:05):
all the time. He's nineteen. He's the youngest player on
our team. A year ago he played at eighteen in
the Big East, and I think that one of the
things about him is time is on his side. You know,
that ceiling is much higher for Daylan simply getting bigger,
stronger and older.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
I mean he's doing.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
That, you know, the last three six months. I mean
he may be taller, you know, he's certainly heavier, so
he's still growing into his body. Dylan is very smart,
he is very talented, and it's fun to watch him play.
You know, Joe, You've pointed this out to me. His
free throw shooting accuracy is terrific. Usually somebody who shoots
(10:44):
that well from the line can shoot shoots that well
from the field or.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
From the three point line.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
The last part of Dalen's development will be his three
point shooting. But I think it's a great sign for
his future when you look at his consistent free throw shooting.
He was solid last year, he's even better this year.
And the other part about it is he's getting to
the free throw line at a very high rate. So
when you make free throws and you're getting to the
free throw line at the rate he is, I mean,
(11:12):
that is something that I think is very impactful to
our winning and you've seen him do it against the
best teams in our league. And my hope is down
the stretch that that part of his game really really stays,
stays with us because that's an important aspect of our team.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Certainly, it's really fun to see him realize his potential
because we seem to be talking about it all the time,
and to see a player that's the one great thing
about college basketball, and I don't know we're going to
see it anymore with the transfer portal, but you see
a player's freshman year come back ad to different parts
of the game, and you see them getting incrementally better
(11:53):
and he's definitely there. The one thing you told me
about him is he does a lot of things well,
he's got a lot of versatility. But a guy who
is versatile and can do so many things well needs
to play with great energy. And that's what you've been
telling me that you've been telling him, and was certainly
like something he's figured out something in his head, because
(12:16):
he looks like not totally different, but it is. It
is very different from the what we saw before to
what he's doing now.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Yeah, and you know, you Scottie Pippin is the example.
Everybody at least knows who Scottie Pippen was as a
player for the Chicago Bulls. And you know what made
him such an amazing player is he just seemed to
be able to do everything. And maybe in a game
he would only score twelve points, but man, he'd have
five assists, four steals, guard the other team's best player,
(12:46):
and have ten rebounds. And you know, he played virtually
every position, point guard, in and around the post. And
it was like wow, I mean, just you look at
how all the different things that he did game in,
game out. It was his versatil that made him a
Hall of Fame player. But you know, byron to do
all those things, you have to play with amazing energy
(13:07):
and effort. James Posey's a version of that as a
player at Xavier for many years. It's everybody you talk
to loved his style. Why because he in a game
he could do virtually everything. He wasn't just a scorer
or a playmaker. I mean defense, offense, rebounding, get both ends,
scoring from the perimeter, driving, playing inside.
Speaker 5 (13:29):
You know, and but.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
What's the trait that came with that? He just seemed
to always be ready playing with an amazing amount of
energy or certainly as he got older, that's what he did, right.
So when you think of Daylan, the number one starting
point for him is you always got to play with
amazing energy and effort level. You can't pick and choose.
You got to do it for the whole game. And
I think as he's gotten more comfortable and older and stronger,
(13:52):
he's able to do that part of things better. And
that really translates to all the different things that he
can do in practice.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
Today.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
You know, we're really trying to give him the ball
more so, you know, having him with the basketball out
front where he can be a decision maker, maybe take
some pressure off Davey on some And it's interesting watching
him do that because he can.
Speaker 5 (14:13):
Now do that. He's easy.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
It's easy for him to do. He knows what to
do and how to do it, and I think his
future is really bright.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
This is a Sean Miller's Coaches Show from Dili Pistro
and Marymont on fifty five KRC and the Varsity Network
to the Dilli Bistrol in Marymont and the Sean Miller
Show National Girls and Women in Sports Days coming up
on Wednesday, February fifth. To celebrate, we're inviting kids eighth
grade and under to participate in a pregame clinic in
(14:41):
Duff's with student athletes from Xavier's women's teams from six
pm until seven pm. To purchase tickets, visit Gozavier dot com.
Hey Joe's on the phone. Hey Joe, how you doing.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
I'm doing okay. How are you guys doing good?
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Thanks for calling it a second week in a row.
Good to hear from you again.
Speaker 6 (14:59):
It's good to do you guys. I want to say that.
Wish you good luck the rest of the way against
George Down tomorrow night. The way I look at it.
If you go on the feed it during the regular
season and and win the tournament in New York, they
can't say your first the first buy out, you know
you're in. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
If we win the Big East Tournament, in every game
we have from this point on, we'll probably be about
a five seed.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Yeah, there there you go outside.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
That'd be great if we could make that run.
Speaker 5 (15:33):
Let's do it. Uh, no doubt.
Speaker 6 (15:36):
I don't to ask you about the plate that I
used to use. Uh, say, you got fremantle on the
right block inside, he's got you like the defensive guys
in front of him trying to denying the ball instead
of trying to lob it to him. Throw it up
about three floors away on the bank board, and it's
getting led in. What do you think.
Speaker 5 (15:59):
It's a good idea feeling? Yep?
Speaker 3 (16:03):
I would just say it's all relative to who's guarding him.
If Kulkbrenner's on him, we may have to go about
it differently.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
Yeah, but I just thought you all he had to
do is catch it.
Speaker 5 (16:16):
Yep.
Speaker 6 (16:16):
Well, I want to ask you about number eleven. What
did the word he jump from? And how's he looking lately?
Speaker 5 (16:22):
Is that Cam? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Cam, Fletcher cam does a great job every day. You know,
he transferred in from Florida State. You know, he's had
a history of knee problems. He's healthy right now. He's
really worked hard to get his body in great shape,
and you know he's he's really a guy that that
works at it and he's right there to help us
(16:44):
if called upon.
Speaker 5 (16:47):
Hey, Joe, thanks for your phone call.
Speaker 6 (16:48):
Okay, okay, good luck.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
Coach.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
You were talking about Ryan or Ryan Kolchbrenner and the
the Creighton game, and yeah, he certainly had a great game.
But I thought John Hugley probably played his best nineteen
minutes of basketball for Xavier. I mean he I mean
he scored the ball. He had thirteen points, he had
six rebounds, only one turnover, he only had one foul.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
Yeap.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
So, coach, talk about his development and you had we
have asked you about it all year, and you said, hey,
it's going to take some time for John first part
of the year. He really worked really hard to get
the weight off, and that you predicted that, Hey, his
best basketball is going to happen late in January February,
(17:38):
and that's exactly what we're seeing.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
I mean, yeah, you know Byron, I probably thought it
was going to come a little bit sooner, to be
honest with.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
You, you were thinking of hoping.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
But but it does make sense based on what you've
talked about the path that John has been on, that
it takes a little bit of time.
Speaker 5 (17:57):
And look, all we can go on is what we
saw in Omaha.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
And I think if you can do it with that
level of game, level of competition away from home, I
think everybody knows that that particular player, regardless of his name,
he might he can do it against anybody, right And
and John, I think the thing that we liked about
him when we were recruiting him and he came here
(18:22):
is he's got really good hands, and he has shown
over his days and time that he's a capable scorer.
At one point in ACC pre maybe pre injury pre
weight game a while back, you know, he was an
all Big All ACC performer and a reliable double figure score.
And to have somebody come in off the bench where
(18:42):
he is in his respective career, you know how experienced
he is, how seasoned the different experiences that he's gone through,
that you thought that on a given night he would
be able to do a version of what he just
did against and you know, my hope is that the
confidence maybe that he has that game and a little
bit is the confidence that he gave us as a
(19:04):
coaching staff, me as the head coach, that we can
we can get that version of him moving forward for
the rest of the month. When you talk about our
team finishing strong, there are a number of factors that
I think have to be in play, and one of
which is that just overall numbers six, seven and eight,
that's who we play about eight guys that they can
(19:27):
play at their best here over this next month, that
maybe that they can be the most consistent that they've
been where gaming game out, we're getting good play from
one of the three, two of the three, maybe in
one game all three of them really came in the
game and helped us. Because you know, I think when
you look at our starting group, we have a lot
of good things. But there's going to be other starting
(19:49):
fives that you can point to that might be overall
more talented or deeper, or more scoring whatever. But through six,
seven and eight, you know, on a given night, for
example against Yukon, when you looked at what is it
that made us really good on that particular night, we
got good quality playoff of our bench, not that the
starters didn't do a good job, but you want to
(20:11):
in the month of February and March be able to
have those guys that don't start the game come in
the game and help us. It's a good play on defense,
it's a block shot, it's made three point shot. Sometimes
at the end of the game, it's a double figure
night from a guy like Dante or John or Jerome.
But being able to call on them and be consistent,
I think that's something that we're really trying to promote
(20:34):
working towards. We've seen versions of it, but we really
haven't had that consistency from the month of November until
now where gaming game out. Those guys are really coming
in and impacting in a consistent way. So that's something
we're talking to them about. I think they've done a
good job practicing here recently, and I'm anxious to see John, though,
(20:54):
build on that performance. We're going to give him the
opportunity and it'd be great the next radio show. If
that's one of the questions.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
You ask, it'll be the first if he does it again.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
That's that's exactly that's exactly right, John.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
Usually you're easier on big guys. I appreciate your honesty.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
Yeah, who is that over there?
Speaker 5 (21:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:15):
He was?
Speaker 5 (21:15):
You know what? I like this. He hit a couple
of threes and he had he pumped big too by
the guy he didn't.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
It was interesting that. Of course, the crowd of Creton,
wonderful crowd. It was right a capacity, I think seventeen
thousand people. They were two hundred short of a sellout.
But he got the crowd. They were reacting to John himself.
He was that much of a worry form. Whatever he did,
they reacted to him. And like we were talking, if
Creton would happened to miss their last two three pointers,
he helped put Zaver in a position to take that
(21:41):
things of the wire.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
No, no doubt about it. He was a look.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
He was a huge factor in that game. He played
at a high level. He looked like a terrific inside
player and older veteran and knew what he was doing.
He was very confident and you know, he did not
turn the ball over a foul and those are two
things right there that we talked to him a lot
about being able to play without fouling, being able to
play offense without turning it over. Big guys, you know,
(22:07):
they don't need to turn it over. The guards have
enough problems with that dribbling and passing like you want
big guys to be able to catch it and play,
you know, really air free when you talk about the turnover.
So he'll have a test tomorrow against Thomas Sorber, one
of the best big guys in the game, and somebody
who's having a terrific freshman season for Georgetown, and being
(22:28):
able to get his defense and offense would be a
big moment for us.
Speaker 5 (22:32):
I know this.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
That's the last thing that Ed Cooley would want to
see is John playing very similar to how he played
against Creighton. No coach really wants him to be able
to come in off the bench for our team and
have a double figure night. That's not the Xavier team
that they want to play.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
This is a Sean Miller's Coaches Show from Dilly Bistro
and Marriymount on fifty five KARC and the Varsity Network.
Welcome back to the Sean Miller's Coaches Show here at
Dilly Bistro and Barrymont.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Your fans. For a limited time, you could take advantage
of the men's basketball Flash Sale. It's purchase of a
twenty dollars upper level tickets with no additional fees for
upcoming games. For tickets are still available for the game
tomorrow against Georgetown, February eighteenth, against Butler and Providence March
the eighth. Remember the sales only for a limited time
(23:22):
and tickets can be purchased at golsavery dot com.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Coach, you have a player that's being renshirted, Riddy Anderson,
and every time I go to practice, I leave away impressed.
He's there working before practice to afric practice and then
watching them during practice and I you know, just watching
a player you feel he can have a huge impact
for you next year.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Yeah, I mean, we made a decision, you know, recruiting
Roddy and Roddy's family and him, We together ahead of time,
wanted to use this year to develop.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
So we're clear.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Last year he would have been the starting point guard
at Boise State. They made the NCAA Tournament. They were
a terrific team a year ago. He had a lot
to do with that, and you know, he wanted to
add to his game, get bigger and stronger. Knowing that
he was jumping up a level and looking at our guards.
You know, especially with Daveon returning for his last year,
(24:12):
you know, he looked at it as maybe a better
opportunity to red shirt and then play when Daveyon leaves
and then that and that's you know a version of
what's going to happen. However, what I would tell you is,
you know, everybody sets out that red shirts to use
that year to develop. And although we have all of
the systems in place to help him develop, you know,
(24:33):
you practice like you're on the team, You lift in
the weight room like you're on the team, You learn
the terminology. We're gonna treat you no differently and then
than if you were our starting point guard in terms
of teaching you.
Speaker 5 (24:45):
So you get all that value.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
And then on game days when you don't play, you're
gonna go through a workout, and you're gonna work out
outside of practice. You can actually work out more, not less,
simply because you don't ever have to worry about playing
in a game. You're gonna travel with us, You're going
to be on the scout team, and when you're on
the scout team, you know you'll be the focal guard
on the other team and our team will guard you.
And that's another way for you to develop. And when
(25:10):
you set that out that always sounds good. But usually
somewhere in and around January, you have to give that
player a pep talk. Hey, look, we made the decision
to red show you have to finish and et cetera,
et cetera. We've not had to do that at all
with Roni. He has really embraced the development. I believe
this that he has pushed davey On, He's pushed Ryan Conwell,
(25:34):
He's pushed all of our guards. His defense is his strength,
picks up full court. We use him every day in
a really productive way. We do treat him as if
he's you know, almost like he could play on Tuesday
against Georgetown. So he's involved in everything we do. But
he has developed, Joe and we look for him to
be a significant factor on our team a year from now.
(25:56):
Ow tall is he's probably about six foot one. He's
a little he's taller than Daveyon.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
He's around really fast.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
You know his background. His dad, whose name is Roddy
Anderson as well, was an iconic player at Utah State,
arguably one of the greatest players to ever play at
Utah State. Utah State has a very strong tradition, as
you guys know, and he's one of their all time greats,
a Hall of Fame player for them. Roddy's sister is
(26:24):
a soccer player at USC Southern cal and she's an
All American type Team USA type of athlete. His mom
was a softball player in college, so you know, Roddy
comes from a very athletic family. His ability to run,
his quickness really jumps out. But we really love him
for our future. But to his credit, he has really
(26:46):
helped our team. And look, we're going to need him
to be great these next six weeks to continue to
help our team.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
So we're the most ready we can be.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Down the stretch.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
Coach he what kind of conversations did you have with
him to to agree to red shirt because you don't
see that in college basketball very much. I mean, guys
want to play immediately and they don't want to have
that delayed. I would think that that most of them
wouldn't be willing to take the route that Roddy has decided.
(27:17):
I would think that that would have to take a
lot of like maturity to be willing to do that.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Well, you know, every family is different, as you know Byron,
and really every player is a little bit different, you know,
they're wired differently. It's hard to compare. But in Roddy's situation,
one of the things that went out is just what
I said about his dad. You know, his dad played
in college four years, was a great player, understands like
the process, the work ethic, what it takes, and you know,
(27:46):
leaving one conference and going to the next, especially when
that next is the Big East. You know, I think
some people really value development still today. That hasn't changed
in their mind. You know, the process of getting bigger
and stronger, working on your shot, adding to your game
so that when your time comes, you're the most ready
you can be. And I would give Roddy's family a
(28:06):
lot of credit for that.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Coaches, you look forward the next year, how all the
rehabs coming along with some of your injured players and
so forth.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Yeah, Lasina trey Or is the one I'm sure you're
thinking of Joe, you know, torn Aco. There's a silver
lining in it. You know, it happened such a long
time ago, in the late fall, days before we ever
played a game, that he'll really be on point to
make a full and total recovery. And we look at
him being able to join our team early summer, probably
(28:35):
get cleared five on five midsummer to late summer, and
then you know, as we approach next year in the
school year, I think that he would have, you know,
not only a full year to recover, but he will
he will have the repetitions of basketball and team play
through the summer and through the fall.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Yeah, Marcus Foster coaches shooting forty three percent from three
point range, and we talked about this. Actually last week,
he's averaging eight points in five rebounds, and it's almost
every game he has spurts where he lights it up
for a moment or two, but he didn't get that
many shots. Yeah, how does he actually find his way
to maybe more open looks or maybe that's not really
(29:15):
how the offense is set up or send the cards
for him to get that many shots, But what's the
thought process behind that?
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Yeah, No, we have to help Marcus. I think that's
you know, the final lesson maybe we learned at Creighton
where he wasn't as involved as we would like him
to be. You know, he knows his role. I think
he knows what makes him a good player. But I
think the thing that stands out the most is his
shooting percentage from three. If you've played twenty two games
and you're above forty percent, you know you're constantly in
(29:43):
search of potentially getting that player one more, two more
good looks per game. We have to help him with
that set plays, calling his number and then really making
his teammates aware that you know, in transition and when
you're driving the ball, you know, it's it's good to
be able to find Marcus. It's good to be able
to sometimes make that extra one more pass to him
(30:05):
because his percentage has been off the charts and he's
been really consistent from the three point line.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
All Right, This is a Sean Miller Coaches Show or
Dilty b. Stroll and marymont On fifty five KRC and
the Varsify Network Jean Miller Coaches Show from Delly b.
Speaker 5 (30:21):
Strill and Mary Matt Knew.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
This season Behind the Mic presented by deer Park Roofing
allows fans to watch every Sean Miller Coaches Show live
here from Dilley Bistro. Check out the Men's the Xavier
Men's Basketball Facebook page to receive notifications on upcoming shows
and check out the shows you may have missed.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
Of course, it's Biblehead night tomorrow. For Sean Miller.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
I got my first look at the Biblehead during the
break here. I think it's pretty good. I don't know
what the consensus at home is, but.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
But you think about that, Sean, I know it.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
The thing about a babblehead is, you know, it always
makes you look it always makes you look skinny. And
then if you're faith like it because it's a babohead,
you can't look fat because every babohead has a big head.
So from that it's a it's a win, you know.
Then the all black is a slimming effect. So there's
(31:15):
another good thing there. But I think they did a
good job. Yeah, hopefully there's three thousand people there walking
in the door to grab them. I mean, I think
it's a it's a really a timely concept for sure.
For the Georgetown game tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Coach, I always wondering about people using the backboard. I
know I'm a throwback and watch basketball. Dan Essel Kentucky
played in the sixth season. He talked about always used
the backboard and maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to
be a lost art. Well, whatever come back. You're so right,
whatever come back. I mean, do you preach, you do
you talk about it?
Speaker 5 (31:48):
You know what I mean? I think what would bring
it back.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Joe is a player, an NBA player who really does
that very well, because you know, it's it's such a
copy you know. One of the reasons that people are
shooting the ball from behind the arc and shooting the
way they are is because of the impact that Steph
Curry has had on the game. It's you know, just
watching his shot, making his skill level, and so many
(32:12):
young people have copied him that I think back to
your point, you know, being able to use the glass
that was that was a thing that back Larry Bird,
I mean, you think about Bill Walton might have been
as good. Bill Walton would tell you that the reason
that he used the glass was the rules of no dunking,
and once dunking, you know, became the thing that you're
(32:33):
allowed to do and the cool thing to do. Players
didn't use the glass nearly nearly as much. And I
will say that's probably point well taken. Sometimes they probably
don't need to use it as much because they're doing
the you know, they're above the rim and they're finishing
in a different way. But Bill Walton he believed in
hitting that box and talked about it a lot. Developing
a touch.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Yeah, Steph Curry, he talks about shooting the ball quickly
and on the way up he shoots it. I'm not
something a little bit differs emulating that. Also his delivery
the best they can. I mean, that would be tough
to do in my opinion, but easily unique howach delivery goes.
Speaker 5 (33:07):
And it's.
Speaker 3 (33:08):
I don't think there's ever been anybody that's played basketball
that shoots the ball like him. You know, certainly there's
people in his category, and there's a technique of the
way he shoots it quick You're right, yep, and it
allows him to shoot further away as well.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
Coach, you talked about only five more home games at
the sentas. I mean, do you I remember my senior year,
coach would come in and he had like a calendar
and he would like start marking off days and say, hey,
you got to countdown, seniors. You only have x amount
of games left, X amount of practices left. Do you
(33:45):
do that with your guys? Do you talk a lot
about it? Because next year, you're gonna have a big turnover.
I mean, Zach Fremantle, Marcus Foster, Daveon McKnight or Rome Hunter.
These guys are not going to be back in the
Aver uniform. So is that something that you talk about
out as a team or individually with those guys.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
We do to a certain degree, you know, I think
sometimes it can work against the player, you know. I
think the last thing is you don't want them to
be tight. I think you want them to play the
game like they're free, the game they love to play.
They're playing to win. They know what's expected, they know
their role, and they're eager and anxious to compete.
Speaker 5 (34:20):
You know.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
I think that's what we're trying to create. But I
think after the creating game, especially because we had our
first buy, we played eleven games in a row without
one and this came at a great time for us that,
you know, I think being realistic in saying, look, these
next nine games, five at home and four in a
row will determine our fate and we have to win
(34:42):
and we have to get on a roll and we
have to be at our best if we can keep
the level of play that we've established over these last
three weeks intact, during these nine games, we're gonna have
a great chance to win several of them, but we're
also going to be in a situation where we're gonna
come down to the end, like a lot of our
games have this year, we're gonna have to punch a
couple of these out if truly at the end of
(35:04):
the day, we want to be in March madness, have
the season that we all set out to have. So,
you know, I think cultivating that at this point, there's
really not a choice in my mind. They're aware of
it anyway, And usually the most desperate players, the hardest
playing players, are those that quite frankly, have a lot
of skin in the game, and that's those guys that
(35:25):
will never come back this way again. And those are
the guys that you mentioned, and you know, calling on
them to be at their best, knowing that we're counting
on them and allow them to just kind of guide
that ship every day, that's what you hope will happen.
And I think we have a good group there that
wants to be wants to be in that role down
(35:46):
the home stretch.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
You listen to the Sean Miller's Coaches Show, from Billy
Bistrill and marymont on fifty five KRC and the Varsity Network.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
Welcome back to.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
Dilly Bistroll and Mary Mott and the Sean Miller Show.
But light drafts, bons Rose Athletic's easy to drink, It
easy to enjoy.
Speaker 4 (36:03):
Coach Tomorrow, you got a chance at retribution against Georgetown.
You played them about thirty days ago. What do you see.
What do you need to do to get the victory
this time around?
Speaker 3 (36:16):
Well, I thought Georgetown, you know, they exposed us in
a way that set a precedent for a couple of
our toughest losses, and that they did a great job
offensive rebounding against us. I mean, their first shot they missed,
but they got too many second shots. If you look
at it Byron, they had eleven, they had eleven offensive rebounds,
(36:36):
and when you look at second chance points, they scored
fourteen points on second chance points, and that opened the
floodgates up just too much.
Speaker 5 (36:45):
I think, you know, the biggest point is right there.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
We can't let them do that again. We have to
take control of that. When we make a miss, we've
got to block out. Our guards got to do a
better job rebounding you know, we've really challenged Davon McKnight
and Ryan Conwell to get more to get more defensive rebounds.
I think both of those guys are capable of doing it,
and I think if they do do it, they're gonna
(37:07):
take away some of these second shots the teams have
gotten against us. That's one of our weaknesses, and we
have to do a great job against Georgetown there. You know,
I think they have a number of dangerous players. Malik Mack.
I mean, he had over twenty points in the second
half against US. He averages fourteen a game. They have
a freshman big guy, Thomas Sorber that's one of the
(37:29):
best freshmen in the country. He's six foot nine again
on the heels of Ryan Kulkbrenner, our five men, John Huglee,
Zach Freeman. On Jerome Hunter, they have to rise to
the challenge and be physical and guard him and keep
him off the glass and meet that challenge head on,
and us as a team we have to do a
good job not allowing him to have that big night
(37:49):
as a five man, right. And then I think maybe
their best player is Micah Peevey, who's really like a
do it all. He's probably the biggast all Big East
player on their team on defense, really good on offense,
does a lot of different things. So you know, Georgetown's
a dangerous team capable of beating anybody. Certainly being at
the games at home, it's our next one would be
(38:12):
just a great game for us to be able to
get in and look start the beginning of our February March.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
When you watch and scout for the second time you
play at Georgetown, do you watch their current games more?
Do you watch the game you played against them many
times more than the games they've just played both both.
Speaker 5 (38:31):
Yeah, just keep watching everything you know, and.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
In some of our games because of how our schedule unfolded,
you know, we play one team on Tuesday and then
we play them on Saturday, you don't have to really
worry about the games in between.
Speaker 5 (38:43):
You just watch your last game.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
So inside joke, Joe, you didn't get it.
Speaker 5 (38:49):
I gotta go coach. We can explain we're off there.
Speaker 2 (38:51):
Thanks for joining us for the Sean Miller Show from
Billy Bistro and Marymount on fifty five KRC and the
Varsity Network.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
Live from the Dilly Bistro in Merrimont. This has been
the Sean Miller Radio Show on the Xavier Sports Network
from Learfield, presented by Try Health. Try Health provides surprisingly
human care that drives the best health outcomes.
Speaker 5 (39:23):
Be seen, be.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
Heard, be healed. Visit tryhealth dot com. Bud Light Easy
to Drink, Easy to Enjoy and buy Dilly Bistro, presenting
sponsor of the Sean Miller Radio Show. The preceding has
been a Learfield presentation on the Xavier Sports Network.
Yont Welcome to the Shawn Miller Radio Show on the
Xavier Sports Network from lear Field, presented by Try Help.
Try Health provides surprisingly human care that drives the best
health outcomes. Be seen, be heard, be healed. Visit tryhealth
dot com. But late, easy to drink, Easy to enjoy,
(00:22):
and by Dilly Bistro, presenting sponsor of the Sean Miller
Radio Show. Now Here are Joe Sunderman and Byron Larkin.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Welcome to the Sean Miller Show live from Dilly Pistro,
a Merriman. I'm Joe Sunderman along with Byron Larkin and
the head coach of the Xavier Musketeers, Sean Miller Xavier.
They're now a thirteen to nine on the season five
and six and the big East of last game was
on Wednesday in Omaha, Nebraska. The lost to the Creton
Blue Jays eighty six to seventy seven. Thanks for the
great crowd again the night you know, we got snowed
(00:55):
out about three weeks ago. Now Cincinnati weather's seventy one
degrees today, so it's a great place live and nice
to have the Blue Skies Sean three thousand bibbleheads tomorrow
and Sean nor bibbleheads first three thousand, right.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
Hopefully it doesn't scare everybody away. The purpose of it
is to get everybody in the building at an earlier time,
and obviously tomorrow is a huge game for US, only
five home games left, and I think just the way
that the home crowd works, it's such a significant advantage
for us, and it's one we've had for decades, and
(01:28):
it's something that you can't take for granted. It's not
just as students, they're second to none. It's everybody in
the building. And I think a late start on a
weekday is all it's challenging. Unfortunately, that's the way of
the world. It happens to everybody. But hopefully we'll have
that great crowd and we can feed off of that energy. Certainly,
(01:50):
Georgetown and US very similar in terms of our record.
They beat us in DC several weeks ago, and you know,
we have to be at our best here tomorrow night
to beat them.
Speaker 4 (01:59):
Coach, you talk out the home crowd a lot and
in your in your post game press conferences, and you
know you've been at other places, you've been coaching a
long time, and and it's it's definitely a thing to
not only have home court advantage, but to have the
live the activeness the It makes a difference to players,
(02:21):
no doubt about it. And so it's important for the
fans to not only show up, but be loud and crazy,
because I tell you what, that Yukon atmosphere was just electric.
I don't know if I've ever heard it louder in
the Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
No, And look, it was a big reason that we
were able to win. It was a tough game. Obviously,
the quality of plays number one, but you know the
the impact that it affects both the opponent and it all,
and it also really affects your own team. They know
they're at it a special place. They know they're at
a place where people value and care about winning and
(02:56):
care about them, and it allows players to be at
their best. It brings out the best in them. And
we've seen that so many times over over the years,
and the Yukon game was a big reminder of the
huge advantage it can become. And down the stretch in February,
as you play for March Madness and you enter that month,
(03:18):
these last five games all games that will be incredibly
important towards towards our final record and our goals, and
now it sets the tone for the Big East Tournament.
We hope we can have that type of crowd and
we want to be at our best and that crowd
helps us be at our best.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
As you look at the Big East standings, of course
you have Saint John's on top ten to one, Marquettes
at nine to two, Great and eight and two, ukont
eight and three. Then you have Georgetown, Xavier, Villanova and
Providence all at five and six. So these games are
valuable for the NC Double A and also for the
seeding for the Big East Tournament.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Yes, and look, Joe, those schedules aren't even There are
some teams who've played a more difficult schedule. As you know,
the eleven games that we played it was the most
challenging schedule of any team in the Big East. We
played Yukon twice. The first time we played them, we
played them without Zach. We played them a long long
time ago in and around our Christmas break. We played
(04:16):
Marquette at home with no students in and around our
Christmas break, and then we went to Marquette, so Yukon twice,
Marquette twice, We played Saint John's twice played them obviously
in the Garden, one of our toughest games, a game
that we weren't able to finish. But those right now
are the top three teams, and if they're not in
the top three, the other team that I think is
really good is the team that we just recently played, Creighton,
(04:38):
and to play at Creighton, that's the game that we've
played them. We have one more left, but you look
at those seven, you know, those are the seven most
difficult games in our league. And to play all those
not just before February first, but really before the end
of January, that was a tough task. And really, I
(04:59):
think in some ways, you know, Byron, I think it
brought out the best in us. You know, when you
think about that stretch, you can make the argument that
it's the best stretch we've played all season, regardless of
what the final score was. And now it gave us,
I think a confidence and a growth that with our
remaining schedule that we can come out of this with
these opportunities and be at our best. And if that's
(05:22):
the case, we should be able to finish strong. And
I think that's what we're setting out to do. We
have nine Big East games left, five at home, four
on the road, and can we maintain our level of play?
Can we increase our level of play? Can we truly
hit our stride in this month with these remaining games?
And that's why, you know, when you talk about the
(05:42):
five home games, how our crowd is, how we are
number one, but how our crowd is and working together
to see if we can really create a great final stretch.
Speaker 4 (05:53):
Coach, is there any rhyme or reason to the schedule?
Because it's it's pretty kind of crazy to me. You
played eleven games in the Big East, and there are
four teams you play twice already, but there are two
teams you haven't even played at all, and there are
nine games left to the season. Is there any rhyme
or reason when the schedule comes out or is it
(06:15):
just boom? Here it is? And is there any reasoning
behind the way they schedule? Yeah, that you know of.
Speaker 3 (06:21):
You know, I've talked to Greg Christopher and him and
I have had numerous talks about it. I think what
the Big East will tell you is there's this computer.
Computer likes to give us the tough games early. I
truly know that about the computer, like to find out
where it's located, what it looks like, a little bit
more about plugging those numbers in et cetera, and it just,
(06:43):
you know, spits it out because at the end, the
one thing about the Big East we play everybody at home,
and we play everybody on the road. Everybody does we
play twenty games, So that being said, there's really not
any favoritism when it comes to that, there can't be
the order of games. Look, I can flip the argument
and say, these teams that haven't played each other yet,
(07:03):
their February is going to be much more difficult, you know,
and you take a look. I think it's Saint John's
this week they play at Yukon and Marquette at home.
Tough week. You know, it's the week we just went
through a couple weeks back. But you know that's going
to hit them a little bit later at the end
of the day when we head to the Big East tournament,
all of us have played each other. I guess the
(07:25):
only point that I would make is when they come
in bunches early, you just have to make sure that
you're not wobbly, you're still standing. When you get on
the other side of it. So that you can be
at your best in this month ahead. Because it's not
like our schedule becomes easy. It's just when you look
at the standings in our league, we really played the heavyweights,
the top tier of those teams that have won the
(07:46):
most games all in a row and all in a
row twice, really in about a three or four week
period of time. But at the end, we want to
hit our stride in February, and in some ways this
schedule may favor us here more down the stretch.
Speaker 2 (08:01):
Coach, as you look at your ball club, you know,
I have four players that are everaging in double figures.
Have Zach Freeman at sixteen and a half, Ryan Conwell
sixteen point three, Davean McKnight at ten, Dalen Swain at ten.
Any team that has four players everything in double figures
are usually a pretty dog gone good basketball team. And
that's just as of say today or the last couple
(08:22):
of weeks that you can say that, how do you
figure your teams improved and and what are you looking
for as you move forward? I feel they're getting better
every time they play, including the Crayton game. I mean,
Creighton hit what five out of five threes in the
ball game.
Speaker 5 (08:32):
Take your hat off to no no doubt.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
And look when Creighton, you know you have two things working.
They're elite shooting across the board. And then you know
a player that I think is one of the best
in the country in Ryan Kalkbrenner, And you know, you
hope that just maybe one of those two factors are
in place. God, they made a ton of frees. They
shot a great percentage, but we did a great job
(08:55):
on Kalkbrenner vice versa. You know, Kalkbrenner had a great day.
But you know what like it kind of was at
halftime where I think at halftime they were three for
fifteen from three, so although one wasn't working very well,
you were able to turn the water off from behind
the line. Second half became the problem because they went
eight for ten from three. So I forgot what you
(09:20):
asked me.
Speaker 5 (09:20):
Joe, that's all right. We have four players in double figures.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Okay, So anyway back to that, the four players in
double figures. You know, the one you know comment I
would make about that is Dylan Swayin is really improving.
I think that everybody that I talked to that watches us,
even some of the opposing coaches and people you really
just respect because they're watching us very closely. You know,
(09:43):
they point out, you know, Dylan's remarkable improvement from a
year ago, and I think his ascent from November until now.
He's stronger, he's more physical, he's more confident, he's impacting
the game and all these ways we've seen him do it,
except he's doing it more regularly, and it's fun to watch,
you know. As a reminder, I know I say this
(10:05):
all the time. He's nineteen. He's the youngest player on
our team. A year ago he played at eighteen in
the Big East, and I think that one of the
things about him is time is on his side. You know,
that ceiling is much higher for Daylan simply getting bigger,
stronger and older.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
I mean he's doing.
Speaker 3 (10:22):
That, you know, the last three six months. I mean
he may be taller, you know, he's certainly heavier, so
he's still growing into his body. Dylan is very smart,
he is very talented, and it's fun to watch him play.
You know, Joe, You've pointed this out to me. His
free throw shooting accuracy is terrific. Usually somebody who shoots
(10:44):
that well from the line can shoot shoots that well
from the field or.
Speaker 5 (10:49):
From the three point line.
Speaker 3 (10:50):
The last part of Dalen's development will be his three
point shooting. But I think it's a great sign for
his future when you look at his consistent free throw shooting.
He was solid last year, he's even better this year.
And the other part about it is he's getting to
the free throw line at a very high rate. So
when you make free throws and you're getting to the
free throw line at the rate he is, I mean,
(11:12):
that is something that I think is very impactful to
our winning and you've seen him do it against the
best teams in our league. And my hope is down
the stretch that that part of his game really really stays,
stays with us because that's an important aspect of our team.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
Certainly, it's really fun to see him realize his potential
because we seem to be talking about it all the time,
and to see a player that's the one great thing
about college basketball, and I don't know we're going to
see it anymore with the transfer portal, but you see
a player's freshman year come back ad to different parts
of the game, and you see them getting incrementally better
(11:53):
and he's definitely there. The one thing you told me
about him is he does a lot of things well,
he's got a lot of versatility. But a guy who
is versatile and can do so many things well needs
to play with great energy. And that's what you've been
telling me that you've been telling him, and was certainly
like something he's figured out something in his head, because
(12:16):
he looks like not totally different, but it is. It
is very different from the what we saw before to
what he's doing now.
Speaker 3 (12:24):
Yeah, and you know, you Scottie Pippin is the example.
Everybody at least knows who Scottie Pippen was as a
player for the Chicago Bulls. And you know what made
him such an amazing player is he just seemed to
be able to do everything. And maybe in a game
he would only score twelve points, but man, he'd have
five assists, four steals, guard the other team's best player,
(12:46):
and have ten rebounds. And you know, he played virtually
every position, point guard, in and around the post. And
it was like wow, I mean, just you look at
how all the different things that he did game in,
game out. It was his versatil that made him a
Hall of Fame player. But you know, byron to do
all those things, you have to play with amazing energy
(13:07):
and effort. James Posey's a version of that as a
player at Xavier for many years. It's everybody you talk
to loved his style. Why because he in a game
he could do virtually everything. He wasn't just a scorer
or a playmaker. I mean defense, offense, rebounding, get both ends,
scoring from the perimeter, driving, playing inside.
Speaker 5 (13:29):
You know, and but.
Speaker 3 (13:30):
What's the trait that came with that? He just seemed
to always be ready playing with an amazing amount of
energy or certainly as he got older, that's what he did, right.
So when you think of Daylan, the number one starting
point for him is you always got to play with
amazing energy and effort level. You can't pick and choose.
You got to do it for the whole game. And
I think as he's gotten more comfortable and older and stronger,
(13:52):
he's able to do that part of things better. And
that really translates to all the different things that he
can do in practice.
Speaker 5 (13:59):
Today.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
You know, we're really trying to give him the ball
more so, you know, having him with the basketball out
front where he can be a decision maker, maybe take
some pressure off Davey on some And it's interesting watching
him do that because he can.
Speaker 5 (14:13):
Now do that. He's easy.
Speaker 3 (14:15):
It's easy for him to do. He knows what to
do and how to do it, and I think his
future is really bright.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
This is a Sean Miller's Coaches Show from Dili Pistro
and Marymont on fifty five KRC and the Varsity Network
to the Dilli Bistrol in Marymont and the Sean Miller
Show National Girls and Women in Sports Days coming up
on Wednesday, February fifth. To celebrate, we're inviting kids eighth
grade and under to participate in a pregame clinic in
(14:41):
Duff's with student athletes from Xavier's women's teams from six
pm until seven pm. To purchase tickets, visit Gozavier dot com.
Hey Joe's on the phone. Hey Joe, how you doing.
Speaker 6 (14:53):
I'm doing okay. How are you guys doing good?
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Thanks for calling it a second week in a row.
Good to hear from you again.
Speaker 6 (14:59):
It's good to do you guys. I want to say that.
Wish you good luck the rest of the way against
George Down tomorrow night. The way I look at it.
If you go on the feed it during the regular
season and and win the tournament in New York, they
can't say your first the first buy out, you know
you're in. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
If we win the Big East Tournament, in every game
we have from this point on, we'll probably be about
a five seed.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Yeah, there there you go outside.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
That'd be great if we could make that run.
Speaker 5 (15:33):
Let's do it. Uh, no doubt.
Speaker 6 (15:36):
I don't to ask you about the plate that I
used to use. Uh, say, you got fremantle on the
right block inside, he's got you like the defensive guys
in front of him trying to denying the ball instead
of trying to lob it to him. Throw it up
about three floors away on the bank board, and it's
getting led in. What do you think.
Speaker 5 (15:59):
It's a good idea feeling? Yep?
Speaker 3 (16:03):
I would just say it's all relative to who's guarding him.
If Kulkbrenner's on him, we may have to go about
it differently.
Speaker 6 (16:12):
Yeah, but I just thought you all he had to
do is catch it.
Speaker 5 (16:16):
Yep.
Speaker 6 (16:16):
Well, I want to ask you about number eleven. What
did the word he jump from? And how's he looking lately?
Speaker 5 (16:22):
Is that Cam? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (16:24):
Cam, Fletcher cam does a great job every day. You know,
he transferred in from Florida State. You know, he's had
a history of knee problems. He's healthy right now. He's
really worked hard to get his body in great shape,
and you know he's he's really a guy that that
works at it and he's right there to help us
(16:44):
if called upon.
Speaker 5 (16:47):
Hey, Joe, thanks for your phone call.
Speaker 6 (16:48):
Okay, okay, good luck.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
Coach.
Speaker 4 (16:52):
You were talking about Ryan or Ryan Kolchbrenner and the
the Creighton game, and yeah, he certainly had a great game.
But I thought John Hugley probably played his best nineteen
minutes of basketball for Xavier. I mean he I mean
he scored the ball. He had thirteen points, he had
six rebounds, only one turnover, he only had one foul.
Speaker 5 (17:17):
Yeap.
Speaker 4 (17:18):
So, coach, talk about his development and you had we
have asked you about it all year, and you said, hey,
it's going to take some time for John first part
of the year. He really worked really hard to get
the weight off, and that you predicted that, Hey, his
best basketball is going to happen late in January February,
(17:38):
and that's exactly what we're seeing.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
I mean, yeah, you know Byron, I probably thought it
was going to come a little bit sooner, to be
honest with.
Speaker 4 (17:47):
You, you were thinking of hoping.
Speaker 3 (17:49):
But but it does make sense based on what you've
talked about the path that John has been on, that
it takes a little bit of time.
Speaker 5 (17:57):
And look, all we can go on is what we
saw in Omaha.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
And I think if you can do it with that
level of game, level of competition away from home, I
think everybody knows that that particular player, regardless of his name,
he might he can do it against anybody, right And
and John, I think the thing that we liked about
him when we were recruiting him and he came here
(18:22):
is he's got really good hands, and he has shown
over his days and time that he's a capable scorer.
At one point in ACC pre maybe pre injury pre
weight game a while back, you know, he was an
all Big All ACC performer and a reliable double figure score.
And to have somebody come in off the bench where
(18:42):
he is in his respective career, you know how experienced
he is, how seasoned the different experiences that he's gone through,
that you thought that on a given night he would
be able to do a version of what he just
did against and you know, my hope is that the
confidence maybe that he has that game and a little
bit is the confidence that he gave us as a
(19:04):
coaching staff, me as the head coach, that we can
we can get that version of him moving forward for
the rest of the month. When you talk about our
team finishing strong, there are a number of factors that
I think have to be in play, and one of
which is that just overall numbers six, seven and eight,
that's who we play about eight guys that they can
(19:27):
play at their best here over this next month, that
maybe that they can be the most consistent that they've
been where gaming game out, we're getting good play from
one of the three, two of the three, maybe in
one game all three of them really came in the
game and helped us. Because you know, I think when
you look at our starting group, we have a lot
of good things. But there's going to be other starting
(19:49):
fives that you can point to that might be overall
more talented or deeper, or more scoring whatever. But through six,
seven and eight, you know, on a given night, for
example against Yukon, when you looked at what is it
that made us really good on that particular night, we
got good quality playoff of our bench, not that the
starters didn't do a good job, but you want to
(20:11):
in the month of February and March be able to
have those guys that don't start the game come in
the game and help us. It's a good play on defense,
it's a block shot, it's made three point shot. Sometimes
at the end of the game, it's a double figure
night from a guy like Dante or John or Jerome.
But being able to call on them and be consistent,
I think that's something that we're really trying to promote
(20:34):
working towards. We've seen versions of it, but we really
haven't had that consistency from the month of November until
now where gaming game out. Those guys are really coming
in and impacting in a consistent way. So that's something
we're talking to them about. I think they've done a
good job practicing here recently, and I'm anxious to see John, though,
(20:54):
build on that performance. We're going to give him the
opportunity and it'd be great the next radio show. If
that's one of the questions.
Speaker 5 (21:01):
You ask, it'll be the first if he does it again.
Speaker 3 (21:03):
That's that's exactly that's exactly right, John.
Speaker 5 (21:08):
Usually you're easier on big guys. I appreciate your honesty.
Speaker 4 (21:13):
Yeah, who is that over there?
Speaker 5 (21:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (21:15):
He was?
Speaker 5 (21:15):
You know what? I like this. He hit a couple
of threes and he had he pumped big too by
the guy he didn't.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
It was interesting that. Of course, the crowd of Creton,
wonderful crowd. It was right a capacity, I think seventeen
thousand people. They were two hundred short of a sellout.
But he got the crowd. They were reacting to John himself.
He was that much of a worry form. Whatever he did,
they reacted to him. And like we were talking, if
Creton would happened to miss their last two three pointers,
he helped put Zaver in a position to take that
(21:41):
things of the wire.
Speaker 5 (21:42):
No, no doubt about it. He was a look.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
He was a huge factor in that game. He played
at a high level. He looked like a terrific inside
player and older veteran and knew what he was doing.
He was very confident and you know, he did not
turn the ball over a foul and those are two
things right there that we talked to him a lot
about being able to play without fouling, being able to
play offense without turning it over. Big guys, you know,
(22:07):
they don't need to turn it over. The guards have
enough problems with that dribbling and passing like you want
big guys to be able to catch it and play,
you know, really air free when you talk about the turnover.
So he'll have a test tomorrow against Thomas Sorber, one
of the best big guys in the game, and somebody
who's having a terrific freshman season for Georgetown, and being
(22:28):
able to get his defense and offense would be a
big moment for us.
Speaker 5 (22:32):
I know this.
Speaker 3 (22:33):
That's the last thing that Ed Cooley would want to
see is John playing very similar to how he played
against Creighton. No coach really wants him to be able
to come in off the bench for our team and
have a double figure night. That's not the Xavier team
that they want to play.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
This is a Sean Miller's Coaches Show from Dilly Bistro
and Marriymount on fifty five KARC and the Varsity Network.
Welcome back to the Sean Miller's Coaches Show here at
Dilly Bistro and Barrymont.
Speaker 4 (23:00):
Your fans. For a limited time, you could take advantage
of the men's basketball Flash Sale. It's purchase of a
twenty dollars upper level tickets with no additional fees for
upcoming games. For tickets are still available for the game
tomorrow against Georgetown, February eighteenth, against Butler and Providence March
the eighth. Remember the sales only for a limited time
(23:22):
and tickets can be purchased at golsavery dot com.
Speaker 2 (23:25):
Coach, you have a player that's being renshirted, Riddy Anderson,
and every time I go to practice, I leave away impressed.
He's there working before practice to afric practice and then
watching them during practice and I you know, just watching
a player you feel he can have a huge impact
for you next year.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Yeah, I mean, we made a decision, you know, recruiting
Roddy and Roddy's family and him, We together ahead of time,
wanted to use this year to develop.
Speaker 5 (23:50):
So we're clear.
Speaker 3 (23:51):
Last year he would have been the starting point guard
at Boise State. They made the NCAA Tournament. They were
a terrific team a year ago. He had a lot
to do with that, and you know, he wanted to
add to his game, get bigger and stronger. Knowing that
he was jumping up a level and looking at our guards.
You know, especially with Daveon returning for his last year,
(24:12):
you know, he looked at it as maybe a better
opportunity to red shirt and then play when Daveyon leaves
and then that and that's you know a version of
what's going to happen. However, what I would tell you is,
you know, everybody sets out that red shirts to use
that year to develop. And although we have all of
the systems in place to help him develop, you know,
(24:33):
you practice like you're on the team, You lift in
the weight room like you're on the team, You learn
the terminology. We're gonna treat you no differently and then
than if you were our starting point guard in terms
of teaching you.
Speaker 5 (24:45):
So you get all that value.
Speaker 3 (24:47):
And then on game days when you don't play, you're
gonna go through a workout, and you're gonna work out
outside of practice. You can actually work out more, not less,
simply because you don't ever have to worry about playing
in a game. You're gonna travel with us, You're going
to be on the scout team, and when you're on
the scout team, you know you'll be the focal guard
on the other team and our team will guard you.
And that's another way for you to develop. And when
(25:10):
you set that out that always sounds good. But usually
somewhere in and around January, you have to give that
player a pep talk. Hey, look, we made the decision
to red show you have to finish and et cetera,
et cetera. We've not had to do that at all
with Roni. He has really embraced the development. I believe
this that he has pushed davey On, He's pushed Ryan Conwell,
(25:34):
He's pushed all of our guards. His defense is his strength,
picks up full court. We use him every day in
a really productive way. We do treat him as if
he's you know, almost like he could play on Tuesday
against Georgetown. So he's involved in everything we do. But
he has developed, Joe and we look for him to
be a significant factor on our team a year from now.
(25:56):
Ow tall is he's probably about six foot one. He's
a little he's taller than Daveyon.
Speaker 5 (26:02):
He's around really fast.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
You know his background. His dad, whose name is Roddy
Anderson as well, was an iconic player at Utah State,
arguably one of the greatest players to ever play at
Utah State. Utah State has a very strong tradition, as
you guys know, and he's one of their all time greats,
a Hall of Fame player for them. Roddy's sister is
(26:24):
a soccer player at USC Southern cal and she's an
All American type Team USA type of athlete. His mom
was a softball player in college, so you know, Roddy
comes from a very athletic family. His ability to run,
his quickness really jumps out. But we really love him
for our future. But to his credit, he has really
(26:46):
helped our team. And look, we're going to need him
to be great these next six weeks to continue to
help our team.
Speaker 5 (26:51):
So we're the most ready we can be.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Down the stretch.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
Coach he what kind of conversations did you have with
him to to agree to red shirt because you don't
see that in college basketball very much. I mean, guys
want to play immediately and they don't want to have
that delayed. I would think that that most of them
wouldn't be willing to take the route that Roddy has decided.
(27:17):
I would think that that would have to take a
lot of like maturity to be willing to do that.
Speaker 3 (27:24):
Well, you know, every family is different, as you know Byron,
and really every player is a little bit different, you know,
they're wired differently. It's hard to compare. But in Roddy's situation,
one of the things that went out is just what
I said about his dad. You know, his dad played
in college four years, was a great player, understands like
the process, the work ethic, what it takes, and you know,
(27:46):
leaving one conference and going to the next, especially when
that next is the Big East. You know, I think
some people really value development still today. That hasn't changed
in their mind. You know, the process of getting bigger
and stronger, working on your shot, adding to your game
so that when your time comes, you're the most ready
you can be. And I would give Roddy's family a
(28:06):
lot of credit for that.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
Coaches, you look forward the next year, how all the
rehabs coming along with some of your injured players and
so forth.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Yeah, Lasina trey Or is the one I'm sure you're
thinking of Joe, you know, torn Aco. There's a silver
lining in it. You know, it happened such a long
time ago, in the late fall, days before we ever
played a game, that he'll really be on point to
make a full and total recovery. And we look at
him being able to join our team early summer, probably
(28:35):
get cleared five on five midsummer to late summer, and
then you know, as we approach next year in the
school year, I think that he would have, you know,
not only a full year to recover, but he will
he will have the repetitions of basketball and team play
through the summer and through the fall.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Yeah, Marcus Foster coaches shooting forty three percent from three
point range, and we talked about this. Actually last week,
he's averaging eight points in five rebounds, and it's almost
every game he has spurts where he lights it up
for a moment or two, but he didn't get that
many shots. Yeah, how does he actually find his way
to maybe more open looks or maybe that's not really
(29:15):
how the offense is set up or send the cards
for him to get that many shots, But what's the
thought process behind that?
Speaker 3 (29:20):
Yeah, No, we have to help Marcus. I think that's
you know, the final lesson maybe we learned at Creighton
where he wasn't as involved as we would like him
to be. You know, he knows his role. I think
he knows what makes him a good player. But I
think the thing that stands out the most is his
shooting percentage from three. If you've played twenty two games
and you're above forty percent, you know you're constantly in
(29:43):
search of potentially getting that player one more, two more
good looks per game. We have to help him with
that set plays, calling his number and then really making
his teammates aware that you know, in transition and when
you're driving the ball, you know, it's it's good to
be able to find Marcus. It's good to be able
to sometimes make that extra one more pass to him
(30:05):
because his percentage has been off the charts and he's
been really consistent from the three point line.
Speaker 2 (30:11):
All Right, This is a Sean Miller Coaches Show or
Dilty b. Stroll and marymont On fifty five KRC and
the Varsify Network Jean Miller Coaches Show from Delly b.
Speaker 5 (30:21):
Strill and Mary Matt Knew.
Speaker 4 (30:23):
This season Behind the Mic presented by deer Park Roofing
allows fans to watch every Sean Miller Coaches Show live
here from Dilley Bistro. Check out the Men's the Xavier
Men's Basketball Facebook page to receive notifications on upcoming shows
and check out the shows you may have missed.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
Of course, it's Biblehead night tomorrow. For Sean Miller.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
I got my first look at the Biblehead during the
break here. I think it's pretty good. I don't know
what the consensus at home is, but.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
But you think about that, Sean, I know it.
Speaker 3 (30:53):
The thing about a babblehead is, you know, it always
makes you look it always makes you look skinny. And
then if you're faith like it because it's a babohead,
you can't look fat because every babohead has a big head.
So from that it's a it's a win, you know.
Then the all black is a slimming effect. So there's
(31:15):
another good thing there. But I think they did a
good job. Yeah, hopefully there's three thousand people there walking
in the door to grab them. I mean, I think
it's a it's a really a timely concept for sure.
For the Georgetown game tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Coach, I always wondering about people using the backboard. I
know I'm a throwback and watch basketball. Dan Essel Kentucky
played in the sixth season. He talked about always used
the backboard and maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to
be a lost art. Well, whatever come back. You're so right,
whatever come back. I mean, do you preach, you do
you talk about it?
Speaker 5 (31:48):
You know what I mean? I think what would bring
it back.
Speaker 3 (31:51):
Joe is a player, an NBA player who really does
that very well, because you know, it's it's such a
copy you know. One of the reasons that people are
shooting the ball from behind the arc and shooting the
way they are is because of the impact that Steph
Curry has had on the game. It's you know, just
watching his shot, making his skill level, and so many
(32:12):
young people have copied him that I think back to
your point, you know, being able to use the glass
that was that was a thing that back Larry Bird,
I mean, you think about Bill Walton might have been
as good. Bill Walton would tell you that the reason
that he used the glass was the rules of no dunking,
and once dunking, you know, became the thing that you're
(32:33):
allowed to do and the cool thing to do. Players
didn't use the glass nearly nearly as much. And I
will say that's probably point well taken. Sometimes they probably
don't need to use it as much because they're doing
the you know, they're above the rim and they're finishing
in a different way. But Bill Walton he believed in
hitting that box and talked about it a lot. Developing
a touch.
Speaker 2 (32:54):
Yeah, Steph Curry, he talks about shooting the ball quickly
and on the way up he shoots it. I'm not
something a little bit differs emulating that. Also his delivery
the best they can. I mean, that would be tough
to do in my opinion, but easily unique howach delivery goes.
Speaker 5 (33:07):
And it's.
Speaker 3 (33:08):
I don't think there's ever been anybody that's played basketball
that shoots the ball like him. You know, certainly there's
people in his category, and there's a technique of the
way he shoots it quick You're right, yep, and it
allows him to shoot further away as well.
Speaker 4 (33:23):
Coach, you talked about only five more home games at
the sentas. I mean, do you I remember my senior year,
coach would come in and he had like a calendar
and he would like start marking off days and say, hey,
you got to countdown, seniors. You only have x amount
of games left, X amount of practices left. Do you
(33:45):
do that with your guys? Do you talk a lot
about it? Because next year, you're gonna have a big turnover.
I mean, Zach Fremantle, Marcus Foster, Daveon McKnight or Rome Hunter.
These guys are not going to be back in the
Aver uniform. So is that something that you talk about
out as a team or individually with those guys.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
We do to a certain degree, you know, I think
sometimes it can work against the player, you know. I
think the last thing is you don't want them to
be tight. I think you want them to play the
game like they're free, the game they love to play.
They're playing to win. They know what's expected, they know
their role, and they're eager and anxious to compete.
Speaker 5 (34:20):
You know.
Speaker 3 (34:20):
I think that's what we're trying to create. But I
think after the creating game, especially because we had our
first buy, we played eleven games in a row without
one and this came at a great time for us that,
you know, I think being realistic in saying, look, these
next nine games, five at home and four in a
row will determine our fate and we have to win
(34:42):
and we have to get on a roll and we
have to be at our best if we can keep
the level of play that we've established over these last
three weeks intact, during these nine games, we're gonna have
a great chance to win several of them, but we're
also going to be in a situation where we're gonna
come down to the end, like a lot of our
games have this year, we're gonna have to punch a
couple of these out if truly at the end of
(35:04):
the day, we want to be in March madness, have
the season that we all set out to have. So,
you know, I think cultivating that at this point, there's
really not a choice in my mind. They're aware of
it anyway, And usually the most desperate players, the hardest
playing players, are those that quite frankly, have a lot
of skin in the game, and that's those guys that
(35:25):
will never come back this way again. And those are
the guys that you mentioned, and you know, calling on
them to be at their best, knowing that we're counting
on them and allow them to just kind of guide
that ship every day, that's what you hope will happen.
And I think we have a good group there that
wants to be wants to be in that role down
(35:46):
the home stretch.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
You listen to the Sean Miller's Coaches Show, from Billy
Bistrill and marymont on fifty five KRC and the Varsity Network.
Speaker 5 (35:55):
Welcome back to.
Speaker 2 (35:55):
Dilly Bistroll and Mary Mott and the Sean Miller Show.
But light drafts, bons Rose Athletic's easy to drink, It
easy to enjoy.
Speaker 4 (36:03):
Coach Tomorrow, you got a chance at retribution against Georgetown.
You played them about thirty days ago. What do you see.
What do you need to do to get the victory
this time around?
Speaker 3 (36:16):
Well, I thought Georgetown, you know, they exposed us in
a way that set a precedent for a couple of
our toughest losses, and that they did a great job
offensive rebounding against us. I mean, their first shot they missed,
but they got too many second shots. If you look
at it Byron, they had eleven, they had eleven offensive rebounds,
(36:36):
and when you look at second chance points, they scored
fourteen points on second chance points, and that opened the
floodgates up just too much.
Speaker 5 (36:45):
I think, you know, the biggest point is right there.
Speaker 3 (36:47):
We can't let them do that again. We have to
take control of that. When we make a miss, we've
got to block out. Our guards got to do a
better job rebounding you know, we've really challenged Davon McKnight
and Ryan Conwell to get more to get more defensive rebounds.
I think both of those guys are capable of doing it,
and I think if they do do it, they're gonna
(37:07):
take away some of these second shots the teams have
gotten against us. That's one of our weaknesses, and we
have to do a great job against Georgetown there. You know,
I think they have a number of dangerous players. Malik Mack.
I mean, he had over twenty points in the second
half against US. He averages fourteen a game. They have
a freshman big guy, Thomas Sorber that's one of the
(37:29):
best freshmen in the country. He's six foot nine again
on the heels of Ryan Kulkbrenner, our five men, John Huglee,
Zach Freeman. On Jerome Hunter, they have to rise to
the challenge and be physical and guard him and keep
him off the glass and meet that challenge head on,
and us as a team we have to do a
good job not allowing him to have that big night
(37:49):
as a five man, right. And then I think maybe
their best player is Micah Peevey, who's really like a
do it all. He's probably the biggast all Big East
player on their team on defense, really good on offense,
does a lot of different things. So you know, Georgetown's
a dangerous team capable of beating anybody. Certainly being at
the games at home, it's our next one would be
(38:12):
just a great game for us to be able to
get in and look start the beginning of our February March.
Speaker 2 (38:20):
When you watch and scout for the second time you
play at Georgetown, do you watch their current games more?
Do you watch the game you played against them many
times more than the games they've just played both both.
Speaker 5 (38:31):
Yeah, just keep watching everything you know, and.
Speaker 3 (38:33):
In some of our games because of how our schedule unfolded,
you know, we play one team on Tuesday and then
we play them on Saturday, you don't have to really
worry about the games in between.
Speaker 5 (38:43):
You just watch your last game.
Speaker 3 (38:45):
So inside joke, Joe, you didn't get it.
Speaker 5 (38:49):
I gotta go coach. We can explain we're off there.
Speaker 2 (38:51):
Thanks for joining us for the Sean Miller Show from
Billy Bistro and Marymount on fifty five KRC and the
Varsity Network.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
Live from the Dilly Bistro in Merrimont. This has been
the Sean Miller Radio Show on the Xavier Sports Network
from Learfield, presented by Try Health. Try Health provides surprisingly
human care that drives the best health outcomes.
Speaker 5 (39:23):
Be seen, be.
Speaker 1 (39:24):
Heard, be healed. Visit tryhealth dot com. Bud Light Easy
to Drink, Easy to Enjoy and buy Dilly Bistro, presenting
sponsor of the Sean Miller Radio Show. The preceding has
been a Learfield presentation on the Xavier Sports Network.
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