WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.639 --> 00:00:06.360 Welcome into Behind Kentucky Basketball. I'm Curtis Birch. We are in Pittsburgh covering 2 00:00:06.400 --> 00:00:11.640 the Cats in the NCAA Tournament, and yesterday the Cats had their media availability, 3 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:15.839 including their open locker rooms before they face off against Oakland, and I 4 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:20.199 got a chance to catch up with a bunch of Kentucky assistant coaches. We're 5 00:00:20.199 --> 00:00:24.160 gonna hear from Tyler Ulis, John Wells, Chuck Martin, and Chen Coleman. 6 00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:27.160 But before we hear from them, I do want to ask you guys 7 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:31.559 to please subscribe to Behind Kentucky Basketball. We're gonna be sharing some of these 8 00:00:31.559 --> 00:00:35.240 locker room interviews as we make our run through the tournament, and you won't 9 00:00:35.240 --> 00:00:38.079 want to miss it. All you got to do is hit the follow button 10 00:00:38.119 --> 00:00:41.359 on your favorite podcast player and boom, it's coming right to your phone every 11 00:00:41.399 --> 00:00:46.000 day. Let's start out hearing from coach John Wells about the matchup against Oakland. 12 00:00:46.119 --> 00:00:50.200 One of the big topic is conversation is Oakland's matchup zone? What problems 13 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:53.880 does that present? Facing the zone when you're not facing them often in the 14 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:56.479 season for enough, Yeah, it's you know, we haven't want to get 15 00:00:56.560 --> 00:01:02.079 solved very much this year but I think we've effective we have and uh, 16 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:07.680 you know, we're fortunate that you we we have multiple high percentage three point 17 00:01:07.719 --> 00:01:10.959 shooters, so you know, we feel if we move the basketball, you 18 00:01:10.959 --> 00:01:15.079 know it too. Just attack and play our almost style which finds on the 19 00:01:15.400 --> 00:01:19.319 on your defensive end. They're outside oriented kind of going to ourn. How 20 00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:23.359 do you slow their three point garage down? They have two guys that you 21 00:01:23.400 --> 00:01:25.519 know, we know they're gonna put up, you know, a lot of 22 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:27.159 threes, and we just have to be aware of I'm gonna be close to 23 00:01:27.200 --> 00:01:30.000 them and you know, do what we can to you know, they're gonna 24 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:34.599 get them off. We just have to make them to be tough child shots. 25 00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:38.040 It's been the message of the coaching stamp to the players going into this 26 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:40.599 tournament. A lot of guys there first first go around in it, just 27 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:42.159 be loose and free, wanton and just you know, we don't need to 28 00:01:42.239 --> 00:01:48.519 change anything. Just be who we are. Just play cow mentioned you know, 29 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:51.760 the team bonding the bowling, how have you guys seen have you seen 30 00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:55.799 the team kind of come together after the SEC tournament. I think they're they're 31 00:01:55.840 --> 00:02:00.200 all excited about the NCAA tournament and you know, it's like y'all is the 32 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:04.000 same, we want to play well. And then finally the lot of Pittsburgh 33 00:02:04.000 --> 00:02:08.639 connections with a do Trey coach Cal coach Orlando Antigua. How cool was it 34 00:02:08.680 --> 00:02:12.080 to watch those guys kind of come home. Yeah, that's nice. I 35 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:15.479 think it's it's great for them and a little bit of a comfort level, 36 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:17.800 so you know, hopefully a little bit a little bit of time to enjoy. 37 00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:22.159 We're gonna hear from Tyler Eulis in just a second, but before that, 38 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:24.439 I do want to remind you guys to please subscribe to the Big Blue 39 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:29.080 Brew. It's the best, an official way to get all your UK athletic 40 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:34.159 news right into your email box every morning, Monday through Friday. And the 41 00:02:34.199 --> 00:02:37.879 best part is it is completely for free. All you gotta do is go 42 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:42.639 to Ukathletics dot com, slash Big Blue Brew, type in your email, 43 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:46.400 hit submit and you're all done. You're getting the Big Blue Brew every day 44 00:02:46.439 --> 00:02:50.719 and that's presented by Commonwealth Credit Union. All right, let's hear from coach 45 00:02:50.879 --> 00:02:55.080 Tyler Eulis. How do you get these young guys to kind of understand what 46 00:02:55.159 --> 00:02:59.120 the NCAA Tournament's going to be like? I know that's a tough thing to 47 00:02:59.159 --> 00:03:01.560 explain for somebody never been there. You know, I think they understand. 48 00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:05.360 I think they've been won this all their lives, like this is a dream 49 00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:08.159 come true. So I don't believe they take it likely. They understand the 50 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:10.639 team we have, they understand what we're trying to accomplish. So you know, 51 00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:14.439 I think they're ready. It's just about you know, getting their first 52 00:03:14.439 --> 00:03:17.960 game and jitters out and you know, going from there. Everybody always says 53 00:03:19.039 --> 00:03:23.360 that this tournament is guard driven, with a lot of talents and guards. 54 00:03:23.360 --> 00:03:25.080 How do you think some of these guys are gonna thrive in this environment? 55 00:03:25.560 --> 00:03:29.439 I think this is a perfect environment for these guys. We have big time 56 00:03:29.439 --> 00:03:31.919 players who like big time games, Like you said, guard driven, Kima 57 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:36.280 Walker's his fast Napers, you know, Brandon Knights, John Wallas, you 58 00:03:36.280 --> 00:03:38.719 know, those are guys who show up in these type of games. And 59 00:03:38.840 --> 00:03:42.240 I feel like we have three, four five guys who you know can rise 60 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:45.680 up to that level. One of them is obviously Read and he was named 61 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:47.759 Freshman's Freshman of the Year. How have you seen him progress this season? 62 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:52.960 You know, Red's been really good all year and just his confidence and you 63 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:55.000 know, learning to pick his spots has been great for us. He's being 64 00:03:55.000 --> 00:03:59.639 better as a leader and not just him, you know Rob and DJ those 65 00:03:59.639 --> 00:04:01.560 are two other guys who are some of the top freshmen in the country. 66 00:04:01.639 --> 00:04:03.759 So you know, we have a pick of guys that you know, we 67 00:04:03.800 --> 00:04:05.840 can go to, you know, whenever we need to get things going. 68 00:04:06.400 --> 00:04:11.039 You had any kind of like old wow moments from like watching Rob out on 69 00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:14.879 the court or even in practice, because I mean it's just actually I tell 70 00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:17.120 him all the day, like you know, watching you every day, Like 71 00:04:17.240 --> 00:04:20.279 you know, at times I'm amazed to what things he does. You know, 72 00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:24.879 it's mooring twenty one points ten minutes, the shots he's makes, and 73 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:28.800 you know he's a great shot maker, a difficult shot maker. You know, 74 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:33.759 it's a lot of fun to watch his finishing inside at his side of 75 00:04:33.879 --> 00:04:36.600 the guard. I mean, how do you practice that? I know you 76 00:04:36.639 --> 00:04:41.480 have experience as well from your playing days, but is that something Is that 77 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:43.839 just instinct? Is it just work? How do you work on that? 78 00:04:44.079 --> 00:04:46.240 Uh? You know, something you just try to get better at every day 79 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:48.040 and a lot of it's a gifts from God obviously. You know, he's 80 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:51.920 a small guy, who's really confident, so he's not scared to, you 81 00:04:51.959 --> 00:04:55.560 know, go in there with the trees and you know, finish over big 82 00:04:55.560 --> 00:04:58.560 guys. He feels like he can get in there and you know, getting 83 00:04:58.600 --> 00:05:00.399 these shots he wants, and you know that's he does. As I said, 84 00:05:00.439 --> 00:05:04.920 I am Pittsburgh for the Kentucky Basketball NCAA tournament run and we are doing 85 00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:10.000 a bunch of updates on our social media. We're on x, Instagram and 86 00:05:10.040 --> 00:05:14.240 Facebook. Just search UK Sports Network to check out all the videos, all 87 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:16.199 the interviews, all the stuff. A lot of fun features that we got 88 00:05:16.199 --> 00:05:19.920 in the works that you will not want to meet miss. So go to 89 00:05:20.040 --> 00:05:25.240 UK Sports Network on all social platforms. Now, now let's hear from coach 90 00:05:25.319 --> 00:05:29.160 Chuck Martin. What do you see in this matchup against Oakland? What do 91 00:05:29.160 --> 00:05:33.199 they do well? They run a unique matchup zone and that's given people problems 92 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:38.199 and obviously won twenty three games. They did a great job, but a 93 00:05:38.279 --> 00:05:42.399 perimeter taking away the three point line and then they rotate with these centers out 94 00:05:42.439 --> 00:05:45.680 to the corners to take away the corner three. So it's it's unique that 95 00:05:45.720 --> 00:05:47.560 way. But we've been working on it for the past few days. So 96 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:53.639 we're feeling comfortable. So is it just schemed up with the scout team to 97 00:05:53.959 --> 00:05:56.040 run ahead? Do you guys show them on video? Yeah, we try 98 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:58.199 to show them on video. We try to teach them as best we can 99 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:01.639 try to simulate it on our defense. So that makes it a little bit 100 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:05.319 challenging in terms of, uh, the intensity in which they dealing with. 101 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:10.199 But uh, but we're starting to get a better feel for the rotations in 102 00:06:10.279 --> 00:06:14.319 their zone and how to counter it. Because a lot of people say, 103 00:06:14.839 --> 00:06:17.120 with the zone, shooting is the is the antidote too? Is it that 104 00:06:17.240 --> 00:06:20.160 simple? With this one deserves a little bit different, you know. I 105 00:06:20.160 --> 00:06:25.199 think they try to make it difficult, playing the zone really high and aggressive, 106 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:30.319 really attacking a three point line. They send their center out to the 107 00:06:30.360 --> 00:06:32.800 corner, which allows their forward to stay high with the with the shooters. 108 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:38.480 That's unique. So that's completely different from some of the other zones we've seen 109 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:41.680 throughout the year. But but like I said, we've we've been watching film 110 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:44.680 and we've been working on it in practice, so we're starting to feel more 111 00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:48.639 uncomfortable every day. What's it been like watching a do Trey coach and Tigua 112 00:06:48.639 --> 00:06:53.240 and even coach Cal come back kind of to one of their home it's tremendous. 113 00:06:53.279 --> 00:06:56.079 Yeah, you know it's Coach Cal went out to dinner last nights of 114 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:59.480 staff and a local place at Coach Cal. I guess it's one of his 115 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:03.160 places. And it's great to see how people approach him and greet him. 116 00:07:03.519 --> 00:07:08.720 He's he's the favorite son coming back home. Same thing with Oh, Trey 117 00:07:08.839 --> 00:07:11.319 and a do you know they've got family here, they grew up here. 118 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:15.160 There's a connection to Pittsburgh. It's a it's a neat it's a neat thing 119 00:07:15.160 --> 00:07:18.480 to watch those guys go through. It is that Kyle often talks about guys 120 00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:23.000 coming home sometimes have tough games. How do you guard against that? With 121 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:26.240 Trey and to do you know? I think for for Trey's a little bit 122 00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:30.480 older, a little bit more seasoned. I think Adu has been really really 123 00:07:30.519 --> 00:07:33.360 good at big games. This is obviously a big game, so they and 124 00:07:33.399 --> 00:07:35.920 they had and they've had a good week. They've had a really good week 125 00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:41.000 of practice, so so I think they're ready to think they're prepared. And 126 00:07:41.040 --> 00:07:45.240 then finally, what's your favorite March Madness memory be when you were on the 127 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:48.759 staff or all right, just watching them you know, I think UH for 128 00:07:48.920 --> 00:07:53.759 US was maybe two thousand and eight with coach Calhen we beat U C l 129 00:07:53.800 --> 00:07:57.240 A at the final flourid to go play in the national championship game. That's 130 00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:01.439 the that's the closest I've got into a national championship. So I just I 131 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:07.800 remember I remember playing UCLA big game on National TV, Russell Westbrook, Kevin 132 00:08:07.879 --> 00:08:11.319 Love and those guys, and we had a pretty good team ourselves and beating 133 00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:15.319 them going to going to the finals. So that's my favorite one. We're 134 00:08:15.319 --> 00:08:18.120 gonna wrap up here from coach Chen Coleman, but I did want to tell 135 00:08:18.160 --> 00:08:22.680 you guys about a new podcast we just started called UK Sports Network Today. 136 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:26.800 Andrew CAPPIs is the host and he does an overview of all of UK athletics 137 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:31.759 and it's a great way to get your UK news in a podcast form about 138 00:08:31.759 --> 00:08:37.720 twenty thirty minutes and they'll be dropping very frequently so you'll stay up to up 139 00:08:37.720 --> 00:08:41.399 to date on everything that's happening around the athletic department. He just had a 140 00:08:41.440 --> 00:08:45.799 great interview with Cameron Mills about the NCAA tournament. Just go search UK Sports 141 00:08:45.840 --> 00:08:48.919 Network Today, give it a follower, subscribe and you'll be caught up on 142 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:52.440 all things UK athletics. Now here's chen Coleman. What do you think about 143 00:08:52.440 --> 00:08:58.679 the matchup against Oakland? Good matchup. I mean they're a good team and 144 00:08:58.759 --> 00:09:01.679 won twenty three games. They got Player of the Year and towels End. 145 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:07.720 Uh, he's a he's gonna be a load on the inside. You know, 146 00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:09.240 at this point in the time of this season, everybody's good. You 147 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:15.720 know, you can't take anything for granted. Respect them, right and understand 148 00:09:15.759 --> 00:09:18.240 that. Uh, we just have to be us and be our best version 149 00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:22.240 of us one game at a time. And if we can do that, 150 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:26.799 we should we should be fine. But if they really shoot it. They 151 00:09:26.840 --> 00:09:31.360 got two guys that almost combine shoot twenty threes amongst the both of'em, 152 00:09:31.480 --> 00:09:33.879 number eleven and number thir three, goky, So we gotta defend the three 153 00:09:33.919 --> 00:09:37.279 point line and then we gotta also fend inside. So they're good. They're 154 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:41.799 they got a good balance, right, good mid major team that has outside 155 00:09:41.840 --> 00:09:45.440 shooting and a inside presence that they can throw the ball inside and score it. 156 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:50.480 So good challenge for us. Good challenge foras last game is obviously a 157 00:09:50.480 --> 00:09:52.440 tough one against A and M. How have the guys bounced back after that, 158 00:09:54.799 --> 00:10:01.519 We've bounced back five. Our guys are excited for this opportunity. Everything 159 00:10:01.639 --> 00:10:07.120 that has happened throughout the season has been a step to success for this part 160 00:10:07.159 --> 00:10:11.559 of this season. So that was another step for us to get better. 161 00:10:11.799 --> 00:10:16.840 Although we lost the game, didn't probably wanna lose in that fashion, but 162 00:10:18.159 --> 00:10:22.240 everything that has happened so far has been a step to success for this season. 163 00:10:22.279 --> 00:10:26.639 There's no failures, there's no fearures. Every step back is a step 164 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:30.480 to success. So we're taking that as a step to success. And then 165 00:10:30.840 --> 00:10:33.919 coming back home for a couple of guys, coach coach Joe played here, 166 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:37.679 Cals from here, Trey I do. How are those guys? A love 167 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:41.399 storylines? Right? A lot of reminiscing about this restaurant, that restaurant, 168 00:10:41.720 --> 00:10:46.399 a lot of uh reminiscing about this used to be here, these it's all 169 00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:50.279 different than new and so it's it's it's fun to see these guys connect back 170 00:10:50.320 --> 00:10:54.480 to a place where they spent a lot of time. That and for coach 171 00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:56.960 Coyl, he's from here, so for him to see a lot of his 172 00:10:58.039 --> 00:11:01.879 old friends and the whole high school coach, college coach so he's been able 173 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:05.840 to tap back into uh his past. But at the same time, we 174 00:11:05.879 --> 00:11:09.559 gotta keep the man clean the main thing, and that's uh been our best 175 00:11:09.919 --> 00:11:13.759 basketball team. We can be you tomorrow. And von l Antonio's name to 176 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:16.720 a couple of All American teams. Uh, what's that mean? I know 177 00:11:16.759 --> 00:11:20.679 you guys shared that Chicago connection. It means a lot to me. I've 178 00:11:20.720 --> 00:11:24.720 known Antonio since he was a little kid, so I'm really really really happy 179 00:11:24.759 --> 00:11:28.919 to him. I told him if he came back here, he would be 180 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:31.360 one of the best guards, if not the best guard, in my opinion, 181 00:11:31.720 --> 00:11:35.120 in the country. And to see it happening, uh and coming to 182 00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:39.759 Fruition is is is It's such a blessing. I'm so happy for the young 183 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:41.840 man cause I understand how much work he puts in. I know how how 184 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:45.759 much work he put in when he was a little skinny kid years ago, 185 00:11:45.799 --> 00:11:48.799 when he didn't have a high major offer right for him to come to this 186 00:11:48.919 --> 00:11:52.120 point, I'm so happy for him. But we he and I talked about 187 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:54.960 it, and one of the things I told him was, you didn't come 188 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:58.600 this far just to come this far. So we're gonna see a lot way 189 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:03.799 he's in this tournament, so this is the best time of the season. 190 00:12:03.240 --> 00:12:07.879 He's prepared and he understands what he hass or whatever to help us continue or 191 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:11.840 to win game at a time. Thanks to all the assistant coaches for their 192 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:15.480 time. Like I said, it's top. If you aren't already, please 193 00:12:15.480 --> 00:12:18.919 subscribe to this podcast and follow us on all social media platforms. Just search 194 00:12:20.360 --> 00:12:24.840 UK Sports Network. Thank you so much for listening to Behind Kentucky Basketball.