1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: Eat part in Utah's ESPN Radio Network on the go 2 00:00:03,720 --> 00:00:07,639 by tapping that app. Download the ESPN the Ban app 3 00:00:07,719 --> 00:00:10,800 from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Today. This 4 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:13,880 is Cougar Sports with Ben kretl At. It's time for 5 00:00:13,919 --> 00:00:16,960 the Cougar Beat. Getting the dish from the local reporters 6 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:18,679 that cover Cougar athletics. 7 00:00:20,920 --> 00:00:22,839 Speaker 2: Welcome back Cougar Sports. One of three nine ninety eight 8 00:00:22,839 --> 00:00:25,280 point three ESPN the Fan. I'm then cridal broadcasting from 9 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:27,519 our Vanderwilth Studios. Banderwillth dot com get on that free 10 00:00:27,559 --> 00:00:30,079 Q and A no obligation to invest Q and A 11 00:00:30,160 --> 00:00:33,079 with our tax more wealth Advisors, certified financial planners. Nobody 12 00:00:33,079 --> 00:00:35,320 does it better than band rw Wealth Banterwealth dot Comedies. 13 00:00:35,359 --> 00:00:37,520 Time for little Cougar Beat gonna be brought to you 14 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:39,560 by rubies In. Rubies In dot Com'm gonna delve into 15 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:41,079 all the knicks and crannies, all the news and notes 16 00:00:41,079 --> 00:00:43,280 coming out of Brigham with our Cougar Sports insiders. They 17 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:46,039 cover the team on the daily, on the weekly. As 18 00:00:46,039 --> 00:00:47,640 I mentioned, it's brought to you by rubies Inn and 19 00:00:47,679 --> 00:00:50,439 our guest loves rubies In and loves Bryce Canyon National 20 00:00:50,439 --> 00:00:52,479 Park We're gonna discuss it with him here on your 21 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,039 utah usping ready to network, Double D The Daily Eraldy 22 00:00:55,079 --> 00:00:56,600 and Darnel Dixon on the line, Double D. 23 00:00:56,679 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 3: Hey, you live in Living Well. You know I had 24 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:03,000 to cancel my reservations that rubys in because I hadn't 25 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:04,959 snowed down there yet. You got to get some snow 26 00:01:05,359 --> 00:01:07,640 before me and missus have a chance to hang out 27 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:08,079 down there. 28 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:10,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, you got. You need the snow capped hoodoos when 29 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:12,480 you go down there and you get I got nice 30 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:16,159 and toasty warm by the fire after the the undulating 31 00:01:16,599 --> 00:01:19,120 snowshoeing hikes. You love going down there with the snow 32 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:20,879 capped hoodos, don't you. 33 00:01:21,159 --> 00:01:23,719 Speaker 3: Those are some words that I probably wouldn't have used, 34 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:24,640 but I guess they work. 35 00:01:24,719 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, Hey, I'm sorry. Look these are these are my words, 36 00:01:29,079 --> 00:01:32,519 not Darnell's worlds words, no doubt about it. But uh, 37 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:34,640 you know you love Ruby's Inn and you love staying 38 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:37,200 at Bryce there at Bryce Candonational Park. Why do you 39 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:37,879 love it so much? 40 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:40,239 Speaker 3: Wellre are a lot of reasons. I mean, you and 41 00:01:40,239 --> 00:01:42,719 I have talked about the breakfast there are really really 42 00:01:42,760 --> 00:01:45,480 good and an over awesome to start the day, and 43 00:01:45,879 --> 00:01:50,040 I love the non light noise there is there well 44 00:01:50,079 --> 00:01:52,799 little light noisier the night. It's just so dark and 45 00:01:52,799 --> 00:01:55,920 you see stars and it just feels wonderful to be 46 00:01:55,920 --> 00:01:58,200 out in nature like that, No doubt about it. 47 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 2: Hike bike razor of horseback ride to that hoodoos of 48 00:02:00,840 --> 00:02:03,959 Bryce Kandon National Park. He will not be disappointed in 49 00:02:04,719 --> 00:02:08,319 the experience. No answer butts about it. Darnell Dixon, let's 50 00:02:08,319 --> 00:02:10,520 talk some bau hoops by the skin of their teeth. 51 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:13,120 The bo You Cougar basketball team got away with one 52 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:16,479 got the dub versus the buffs. Your thoughts, your comments 53 00:02:16,479 --> 00:02:17,919 are what did you see, what did you like? What 54 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:18,599 did you dislike? 55 00:02:20,319 --> 00:02:22,039 Speaker 3: Well, they had to make an adjustment on the fly, 56 00:02:22,159 --> 00:02:25,879 and that is losing Richie Saunders in the first offensive series, 57 00:02:26,879 --> 00:02:29,159 and then you're down to the big two, and those 58 00:02:29,319 --> 00:02:32,240 both of those guys came through with big games. A 59 00:02:32,479 --> 00:02:35,039 didn't shoot particularly well, but he had thirteen rebounds and 60 00:02:35,199 --> 00:02:38,479 six assists and Rob had thirty nine points. And that's 61 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:41,439 probably what we're gonna have to see in the last 62 00:02:41,479 --> 00:02:44,120 six games of the season. And if there's anything beyond 63 00:02:44,159 --> 00:02:46,919 that in the Big Twelve Tournament or the NCAA tournament 64 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:48,879 is those guys are gonna have to play forty minutes 65 00:02:49,319 --> 00:02:51,919 and put up twenty five to thirty points every single game. 66 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:54,360 They can take a night off, not without Richie out there. 67 00:02:56,240 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 2: How does this impact that Richie Saunders loss impact there 68 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:04,199 were expectations of this BLAYU basketball team. 69 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,439 Speaker 3: Well, you know, Ben, what's interesting is when I started 70 00:03:07,479 --> 00:03:10,800 thinking about this and I saw Richie's post on Sunday 71 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,280 that he had suffered in acy elling drews out for 72 00:03:13,319 --> 00:03:14,840 the year and all the thanks again. And then people 73 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:18,800 got online and you know, former players and family and 74 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,199 friends and fans about how much they love Richie and 75 00:03:22,199 --> 00:03:24,759 how much he represents the program and what it means 76 00:03:24,759 --> 00:03:27,400 to be a Cougart, And I started thinking, who does 77 00:03:27,479 --> 00:03:31,639 that now? And how important is that today? In the 78 00:03:31,759 --> 00:03:35,319 NIL transferport? Do you still need those kind of guys? 79 00:03:36,199 --> 00:03:38,759 And I even asked Kevin Young that today and his 80 00:03:38,879 --> 00:03:41,280 answer was kind of like, well, it's great if you 81 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:43,199 can get him. But this is kind of how I've 82 00:03:43,360 --> 00:03:47,000 understood college basketball in my experience the last two years 83 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:50,280 with what's been going on. So you know, I don't know, 84 00:03:50,439 --> 00:03:53,759 and in terms of this season, it's a huge loss, 85 00:03:53,919 --> 00:03:57,319 and I feel like the team was kind of struggling 86 00:03:57,319 --> 00:03:59,520 a little bit defensively, a lot of defensively. Let's just 87 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:02,159 go go there and say it, even with Richie in 88 00:04:02,159 --> 00:04:04,960 the lineup. Now, without him, they've got one less perimitive defender, 89 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:10,520 one less experienced defender. And Richie was not a lockdown defender, 90 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:14,319 but he certainly was willing and was able to guard 91 00:04:14,360 --> 00:04:16,560 well and cause turnovers and get out on the break 92 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,199 and do some things like that. So there's just a 93 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:21,879 lot of opportunities. And Kevin Young addressed us today for 94 00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:24,240 players to step up and take those roles and do 95 00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:26,519 some of those things. You know, if they felt like 96 00:04:26,519 --> 00:04:28,519 they should have been getting more playing time, well, here 97 00:04:28,519 --> 00:04:31,560 it is and see what you can do with it. 98 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:34,199 I feel like they went you know, beginning of the season, 99 00:04:34,199 --> 00:04:36,360 we talked about them being possibly a Final four team. 100 00:04:36,639 --> 00:04:40,560 I don't think they were that even when Richard was playing. 101 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:43,600 At this point the season. They had that four game 102 00:04:43,639 --> 00:04:47,240 losing streak, but I still had confidence that Kevin Young 103 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:49,079 would find a way to get these guys playing their 104 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:51,480 best ball at the end of the season and give 105 00:04:51,519 --> 00:04:54,600 themselves an opportunity maybe to make it another run in 106 00:04:54,639 --> 00:04:57,240 the NCAA tournament. Now without Richie, that makes it even 107 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:02,199 more difficult. They've got six games left in the regular season. 108 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:05,600 Looking at that list of teams, yeah, I have a 109 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:07,600 hard time finding any more than two or three wins 110 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:10,959 in there. And then they might win a game in 111 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:13,160 the Big twelve and get themselves up to twenty two 112 00:05:13,279 --> 00:05:16,560 or twenty three wins. You know, I think that's probably 113 00:05:16,560 --> 00:05:19,560 gonna put them in the six to nine, maybe even 114 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:23,040 ten range, depending on what games they lose as an 115 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:25,480 NCAA tournament. See, and that's definitely a lot less than 116 00:05:25,519 --> 00:05:27,639 what we thought this team had the capabilities to do. 117 00:05:28,879 --> 00:05:32,040 Speaker 2: Darnald Dixon the Daily guaralden here on your Utah ESPN 118 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,160 Radio network and a cougar be brought to you by 119 00:05:34,199 --> 00:05:38,040 rubisn rubies in dot com. Darnell, Uh, who's the most 120 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:41,920 likely to step up? And uh uh finally, uh you 121 00:05:41,959 --> 00:05:44,600 know make an impact? That's uh, you know, that's a 122 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:48,759 role player right now. With Richie, gon more opportunities, more, 123 00:05:49,319 --> 00:05:52,800 more minutes will be bestowed upon a few. We'll see 124 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:56,759 who is found worthy of those minutes and who produces. 125 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:00,759 But who's your who's your likely person may be bet 126 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:01,399 on right now? 127 00:06:03,399 --> 00:06:07,839 Speaker 3: Well, they don't have a ton of really amazing options. 128 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:10,560 You know, they obviously have some season ending injuries previous 129 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:15,759 to Richie, I feel like Cannard Davis Junior and even 130 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:18,240 Kevin Young mentioned him today as somebody that you know, 131 00:06:18,319 --> 00:06:21,480 he's kind of turned into us just kind of a 132 00:06:21,519 --> 00:06:24,800 standstill shooter, and he's really got more skills than that. 133 00:06:24,879 --> 00:06:26,319 He can take the ball to the basket and have 134 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,120 some moves that way. So I expect to see Cannaron 135 00:06:29,199 --> 00:06:32,680 Davis give a few more opportunities to create from his spot. 136 00:06:33,399 --> 00:06:36,120 I think they need to give Kadem Boup as many 137 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:39,879 minutes as they can spare because of his energy and defense. 138 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:43,319 I think Alexi Coast had showed that he's not afraid 139 00:06:43,399 --> 00:06:45,160 of taking a big shot, and that was a huge 140 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,920 shot he made in overtime against Colorado and just taking it, 141 00:06:48,959 --> 00:06:50,879 I mean he was going to shoot it as soon 142 00:06:50,879 --> 00:06:53,079 as he kind of you could tell a very quick release. 143 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:55,639 He didn't hesitate, and that's good to see. So I 144 00:06:55,639 --> 00:06:59,959 think there's some some bright spots, maybe not super bright, 145 00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:02,639 but at least you see the potential there for some 146 00:07:02,680 --> 00:07:05,240 of these guys to step up. Tyler Russ, have you 147 00:07:05,279 --> 00:07:06,879 played at a bunch of games and even the first 148 00:07:06,879 --> 00:07:09,920 guy off the bench when Richie got hurt. So you know, 149 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,000 Tyler hit a couple of threes and he plays hard defensively. 150 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,759 So there are some of those are the players that 151 00:07:15,800 --> 00:07:18,279 I look at as guys that have an opportunity to 152 00:07:18,439 --> 00:07:21,360 get more minutes, get more opportunities to show what they 153 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,759 can do and make themselves a big part of whatever 154 00:07:24,120 --> 00:07:25,480 finished this is for BYU. 155 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:31,519 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm leaning. Look, I'm leaning a Lexigostick. I'm an 156 00:07:31,519 --> 00:07:35,800 Alexi Costick fan. Okay, and not everyone's h not everyone's 157 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,519 on board with me here. And uh, you know, I've 158 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:42,079 heard from a number of different people like, hey, he's 159 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:45,439 just he's just not good. He's not consistent, he doesn't 160 00:07:45,439 --> 00:07:48,000 look good enough in practice, and obviously there's a reason 161 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:50,920 why he doesn't get minutes in games. But I think 162 00:07:51,639 --> 00:07:53,439 I think he's my guy right now. That's who I'm 163 00:07:53,519 --> 00:07:55,959 riding with. Tyler Maruss has been a favorite. You know, 164 00:07:56,079 --> 00:07:58,759 some people are are still bought in. They think Mahilo 165 00:07:58,759 --> 00:08:02,360 could come around, are like, hey, Cannar Davis, he's the 166 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:04,319 one that's getting almost forty minutes a game, Like he's 167 00:08:04,319 --> 00:08:08,000 going to figure it out. Offensively, he's already a good defender, 168 00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:10,920 he can be a good rebounder. They feel like he's 169 00:08:10,959 --> 00:08:13,879 going to step up in a big way. And maybe 170 00:08:13,879 --> 00:08:16,680 it's a it's a conglomerate of all of these guys 171 00:08:16,480 --> 00:08:20,959 that step up and lift where they stand. But right now, man, 172 00:08:21,199 --> 00:08:23,199 I hope it's a Lexi. I guess I'm rooting for 173 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:26,120 Alexi because I just think he's got the purest shot 174 00:08:26,199 --> 00:08:27,720 out of all of them. I think he's got he's 175 00:08:27,720 --> 00:08:29,879 got a quick release, he's got good size, he's got 176 00:08:29,879 --> 00:08:33,480 good athleticism, in my opinion, and we need guys that 177 00:08:33,480 --> 00:08:35,440 can actually hit a shot a standing three and I 178 00:08:35,519 --> 00:08:38,080 love his pure stroke right now, I think he can 179 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:38,559 be a guy. 180 00:08:39,279 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 3: Yeah. And one of the problems that Alessi's had this 181 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,039 year when he's gotten in is that he picks up 182 00:08:43,039 --> 00:08:45,879 fouls pretty quickly and on the defensive. You know, he 183 00:08:45,919 --> 00:08:47,519 comes in off the bench and he's got two fouls 184 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:49,720 in the first five minutes of the game. That puts 185 00:08:49,759 --> 00:08:51,360 himself in a bad spot because then they got to 186 00:08:51,399 --> 00:08:53,919 take him out and try somebody else Offensively, for sure, 187 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:57,399 he's got a great stroke, he's quick off the floor, 188 00:08:58,399 --> 00:09:01,440 and he's confident. I think in a shot, But where 189 00:09:01,480 --> 00:09:04,679 he needs to improve is to play defense well with 190 00:09:04,759 --> 00:09:08,120 his feet, not pick up fouls, and not have to 191 00:09:08,120 --> 00:09:10,799 exit the game so quickly. I also think it's important 192 00:09:11,120 --> 00:09:13,320 that we kind of follow and this has been really 193 00:09:13,399 --> 00:09:16,399 interesting to me too, is Kip Kata. His production has 194 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:18,639 fallen way off on both ends of the floor, and 195 00:09:18,759 --> 00:09:21,240 Kevin Young told us he has a hand injury. You see, 196 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:25,519 he's got a couple of fingers taped together. And you 197 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:28,919 know there were games earlier this season in the non 198 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:31,799 conference where after the game, I was like, man, kid 199 00:09:31,879 --> 00:09:33,480 was like the best player of the floor of that game. 200 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:37,399 I mean, he was impacting it defensively, rebounding, blocking shots, 201 00:09:37,399 --> 00:09:41,240 he was getting Ali dunks, he was rebounding, just a 202 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:44,320 really impactful player. I mean, just haven't seen that for 203 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:46,600 the past couple of weeks, and we're seeing a lot 204 00:09:46,639 --> 00:09:49,960 more Abdullah Med in the game playing that center position 205 00:09:50,039 --> 00:09:53,000 back down the stretch against Colorado, it was all of 206 00:09:53,120 --> 00:09:55,679 du I mean camp it didn't even play the last 207 00:09:55,879 --> 00:09:58,799 probably twenty minutes of the game. So I would like 208 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:00,879 to see him get back in that's form because I 209 00:10:00,879 --> 00:10:03,440 would really help BYU if they could get a defensive 210 00:10:03,519 --> 00:10:06,879 presence and a rebounding presence that Cave is capable of. 211 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:10,120 But if his injury is such they can't, then that's 212 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,840 going to fall on Abdullah and it's going to fall 213 00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:16,399 on other guys to, you know, come in and play 214 00:10:16,519 --> 00:10:18,519 hard and get those rebounds. 215 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 2: Darnell Dixon from The Daily Herald talking some Cougar basketball 216 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,879 here on your Utah ESPN Radio network. Uh, if you're 217 00:10:26,879 --> 00:10:28,919 looking at the schedule here, I just got a text 218 00:10:28,960 --> 00:10:33,039 from a friend and he says, what if Ben, What 219 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:38,039 if BYU only wins one game down the stretch? That's 220 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:39,799 kind of how he's feelings like b Yu what FM 221 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:42,720 is if they only win one game between now and 222 00:10:43,159 --> 00:10:47,720 the tournament. Some people are believing that this is not 223 00:10:47,759 --> 00:10:50,600 a this is not an NCAA tournament team. Where do 224 00:10:50,639 --> 00:10:51,840 you stand, double D. 225 00:10:52,960 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 3: I think they're an NCAA tournament team. And even if 226 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:58,480 they that'd be what one and five down the stretch, 227 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:02,600 their net ranking is still going to be pretty high. 228 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:04,679 They're still going to be probably even if they lose 229 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:09,120 some of those games against Iowa State against Arizona, that's 230 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:12,240 not going to hurt their net ranking. They're going to 231 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:14,559 need to try to pick up wins against teams like 232 00:11:14,759 --> 00:11:17,960 UCF and Cincinnati. Losses to those teams would cause them 233 00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:19,679 a lock, a little bit of trouble. But I still 234 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:24,440 think they can finish somewhere between maybe twenty five or 235 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,320 twenty eight, somewhere in that range. That's going to get 236 00:11:27,360 --> 00:11:29,440 them in the NCAA tournament. They're not going to ignore 237 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,000 a team that's that high in the neck. And that's 238 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,080 the big difference between BYU in the Big twelve and 239 00:11:35,279 --> 00:11:39,480 BYU in the West Coast Conference is BYU at twenty 240 00:11:39,519 --> 00:11:42,240 two and twelve or twenty one eleven or whatever in 241 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,840 the WCC does not get them into the tournament. You know, 242 00:11:45,879 --> 00:11:48,279 they might, they probably don't make it, But because they 243 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,600 play in a Big twelve, even when they struggle a 244 00:11:50,639 --> 00:11:53,039 little bit to pick up those wins, they're still playing 245 00:11:53,559 --> 00:11:56,120 quad one on quad two teams. So I still think 246 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:58,480 they're in a tournament team. And this is going to 247 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:00,639 give I mean, Kevin Young said, and this is this 248 00:12:00,679 --> 00:12:02,240 is what I you know, I've been doing all my 249 00:12:02,279 --> 00:12:05,559 life as a coach, is teams writing and people writing 250 00:12:05,639 --> 00:12:08,080 us off and having to deal with all these things. 251 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:10,960 And he says he's energized to try to make this 252 00:12:11,080 --> 00:12:13,399 work and So the players are going to feel that, 253 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:15,279 and they're gonna get an opportunity in the last six 254 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:18,320 games to put something together where they can maybe put 255 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,200 themselves in a position to win a game or two 256 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:22,120 in the NCAA tournament. Who knows what might happen. 257 00:12:24,799 --> 00:12:29,960 Speaker 2: Is this basketball team cursed? Darnell? Have you thought those 258 00:12:30,039 --> 00:12:33,000 words in your head after looking at the injuries? Nate 259 00:12:33,039 --> 00:12:35,960 Pickens out for the season. Uh Dawson Baker after the season, 260 00:12:35,960 --> 00:12:37,879 Burg has last game for the season. Richie Sounders out 261 00:12:37,879 --> 00:12:40,039 for the season. Campekeetda has a hand issue. He had 262 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:42,799 a concussion. Is yearly save in stating out, is this 263 00:12:42,919 --> 00:12:44,440 is this Billy basketball team cursed? 264 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:47,559 Speaker 3: I don't know if curse is what I'd say, that's 265 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:49,919 what the fans would say, because you know they're they're 266 00:12:49,919 --> 00:12:53,600 really emotionally fight into this. I think it's just, you know, 267 00:12:53,600 --> 00:12:56,799 you get bad breaks, and you know Richie has made 268 00:12:56,879 --> 00:13:00,720 that move on the baseline a thousand times in his career. 269 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,120 You know where he drives hard down the lane, jumps 270 00:13:03,200 --> 00:13:05,519 back to pass it back out and he just came 271 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:08,639 down on the rung and that happens, and you hope 272 00:13:08,639 --> 00:13:10,679 it wouldn't happen the richie, you hope it wouldn't happen 273 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,440 this year, and you just have to deal with And 274 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:15,679 that's that's how Kevin Young approaches it, and you know, 275 00:13:15,679 --> 00:13:17,120 as a member of the media, that's kind of how 276 00:13:17,120 --> 00:13:18,759 I have to approach it. And I've been around long 277 00:13:18,879 --> 00:13:21,600 enough to have seen teams that were good that got 278 00:13:21,600 --> 00:13:24,919 a bad break. I mean, twenty twenty, you know, with 279 00:13:26,039 --> 00:13:28,600 COVID nineteen, you know, that was definitely a bad break 280 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:30,440 for a team that looked like it could make some noise. 281 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,639 And then the team with Jimmer, you know, with with 282 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,679 Brandon Davies and what happened there, that team looked like 283 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,519 they could maybe make a long run. So I don't 284 00:13:39,519 --> 00:13:41,159 know if bad luck's the bad thing. It's just we 285 00:13:41,279 --> 00:13:43,159 really have to be good and you have to get 286 00:13:43,159 --> 00:13:46,320 some good breaks in order to get to a championship 287 00:13:46,360 --> 00:13:48,159 and you get to a final four and he just 288 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:49,720 hasn't happened for this program yet. 289 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:55,720 Speaker 2: So is this team finally going to get that Final 290 00:13:55,759 --> 00:13:57,879 four monkey off their bat this this year? 291 00:13:58,159 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 3: Darnell would shock me if that happened. I think they're 292 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:04,639 gonna give a good effort. I think Kevin Young and 293 00:14:04,639 --> 00:14:07,639 as coaching staff are going to put these guys you know, 294 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,960 through the rates and make them step up, and they're 295 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:13,399 gonna give some teams some troubles. They're going to play 296 00:14:13,399 --> 00:14:16,159 that are that are ranked per high. I mean they definitely. 297 00:14:16,399 --> 00:14:18,559 I think I read that by U has the seventh 298 00:14:18,600 --> 00:14:22,200 hardest schedule in the country. In the next six games. 299 00:14:22,480 --> 00:14:28,279 You know who's number one, Arizona. So it's it's just 300 00:14:28,320 --> 00:14:30,759 this Big twelve is just a gauntlet and they're going 301 00:14:30,799 --> 00:14:33,240 to be tested and they're going to be their best 302 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:37,159 version of themselves. If they get to the NCAA tournament 303 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,120 and then everything starts over and you have a have 304 00:14:39,159 --> 00:14:41,799 a shot, that's all you can hop for. Are they 305 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:44,559 final four team? I wasn't. I don't think they were 306 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:47,080 at this point in the season, even with Richie in 307 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,399 the pro in the program. I think they were just 308 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,120 struggling out way too much defensively to try to stop 309 00:14:53,159 --> 00:14:56,720 the guards. That's the challenge tomorrow night when they play 310 00:14:56,759 --> 00:14:59,639 at Arizona. By the way, we're sending Brandon Gurney to 311 00:14:59,759 --> 00:15:04,279 two fun cover the Cougars, so we'll see if we'll 312 00:15:04,279 --> 00:15:05,200 see if we get him back. 313 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:09,720 Speaker 2: But a man going out to touch that's right. 314 00:15:09,559 --> 00:15:13,279 Speaker 3: And so uh trying to stop that guard line Berry's 315 00:15:13,360 --> 00:15:16,720 and Jalen bradley Man. Those guys ate BYU for dinner 316 00:15:16,759 --> 00:15:19,039 and lunch and breakfast last time they played, So there 317 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:20,840 was a big challenge and there's a big challenge every 318 00:15:20,879 --> 00:15:23,080 night in the Big Twelve. But that, like I said, 319 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:27,279 they're just trying to be when the NCAA tournament opportunities come, 320 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:29,279 the best version of themselves and then you just play 321 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:29,639 a game. 322 00:15:31,639 --> 00:15:34,759 Speaker 2: Darnell, any other things that have been keeping up at 323 00:15:34,840 --> 00:15:36,960 night regarding this BYU basketball team. What have you been 324 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:39,320 writing about? What can you tease for us? 325 00:15:39,639 --> 00:15:41,799 Speaker 3: Well? Like I did, I said, I did write a 326 00:15:41,799 --> 00:15:46,240 column for tomorrow about Richie and the fact that you 327 00:15:46,279 --> 00:15:48,639 know his his kind of player. A guy's four years 328 00:15:48,679 --> 00:15:51,360 in your program and grew up watching the team and 329 00:15:51,440 --> 00:15:55,159 wants to be a Cougar, and not just in BYU's program, 330 00:15:55,159 --> 00:15:58,120 but all over college sports. Those guys are hard to 331 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:02,720 find anymore, and because of ni Ellen's, because of the 332 00:16:02,759 --> 00:16:06,840 transfer portal, And I don't have anything against those ideas 333 00:16:07,360 --> 00:16:09,519 for the individual. I think that it benefits a lot 334 00:16:09,519 --> 00:16:11,360 of guys and it's good that they have the ability 335 00:16:11,399 --> 00:16:14,240 to find the right place for themselves. But there are 336 00:16:14,279 --> 00:16:17,679 some ancillary impacts, and this is one of them. That 337 00:16:17,919 --> 00:16:21,480 guys like Richie really hard even a BYU are going 338 00:16:21,519 --> 00:16:23,600 to be hard to find. Like who, like I said earlier, 339 00:16:23,600 --> 00:16:26,559 who won on our team right now can provide that 340 00:16:26,679 --> 00:16:30,360 kind of perspective that hey, it means something to go 341 00:16:30,440 --> 00:16:32,759 out and play in front of rocket, means something to 342 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:36,039 wear this jersey. Who in that program can say that, Well, 343 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:39,279 nobody on the roster really those are all one or 344 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:41,600 two year guys that are in the program. Now we've 345 00:16:41,639 --> 00:16:44,440 got a couple of guys Berti Koslowski, who his mom 346 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:46,559 played at BYU and he grew up in Salt Lake. 347 00:16:47,200 --> 00:16:49,360 But he's injured, he's not playing and not really part 348 00:16:49,399 --> 00:16:51,799 of that process. And they're bringing in a couple of 349 00:16:51,799 --> 00:16:55,799 guys from TIMP you next next year that have some 350 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:58,480 good ties to the program. Maybe they'll stay four years, 351 00:16:58,480 --> 00:17:00,919 who knows. But I just I just really lament the 352 00:17:00,919 --> 00:17:03,799 fact that guys like Richie are just hard to find, 353 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:07,279 not just the b YU but anywhere in college sports anymore. 354 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:09,319 I mean, you then when you came to b YU, 355 00:17:09,799 --> 00:17:12,000 you had Cameron Jensen tell you this is how we 356 00:17:12,039 --> 00:17:13,920 do things. Follow me right. 357 00:17:15,119 --> 00:17:17,200 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, we had we had great examples of what 358 00:17:17,240 --> 00:17:18,920 it not just a champion. 359 00:17:19,079 --> 00:17:22,319 Speaker 3: Yeah, not just camera but lots of different guys. Yeah yeah, 360 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:25,079 But but those kind of guys are hard to find anywhere, 361 00:17:25,079 --> 00:17:27,319 and Richie was one of those guys. And I know 362 00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:29,160 b Yu will miss that. I mean they were going 363 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:31,960 to miss anyway, because he's graduating at some point. But 364 00:17:32,279 --> 00:17:34,160 I just I just see the future of the sport 365 00:17:34,279 --> 00:17:37,400 being very different when it comes to guys that are 366 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:41,400 willing to buy their time and and get better each year. 367 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:44,160 That's what That's what Kevin Young said today about Richie 368 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:46,799 is he just paid his dues and got better each 369 00:17:46,839 --> 00:17:49,079 year and now, you know, even an All League player 370 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:53,160 last year. But that kind of guy maybe doesn't stay 371 00:17:53,200 --> 00:17:56,400 four years anymore. Maybe that guy that that you know 372 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:58,680 puts in the effort and starts to get better decides 373 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,200 to go wandering somewhere else because it's so easy to 374 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,039 do anymore. So I I wrote about that a little bit. 375 00:18:04,039 --> 00:18:06,359 Hopefully it won't bump you out too much, Ben to 376 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:08,960 read it, because I know you you call me an 377 00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:11,799 little kage sword or fart guy that right, well. 378 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,880 Speaker 2: Whoa whoa, whoa whoa now that's not that's not true. 379 00:18:16,119 --> 00:18:18,720 You are get off my lawn type of guy. Though, 380 00:18:18,799 --> 00:18:19,279 yes I am. 381 00:18:19,319 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 3: Storytime, that's true. 382 00:18:20,839 --> 00:18:24,799 Speaker 2: Ill that you got admit that. So uh, sometimes you 383 00:18:24,839 --> 00:18:27,000 are ready to get off my lawn guy. What does 384 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:29,920 Richie Saunders breakout all the time amongst the best NBA 385 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:31,319 basketball history? Do you think. 386 00:18:34,599 --> 00:18:34,799 Speaker 1: You know? 387 00:18:34,799 --> 00:18:37,920 Speaker 3: I haven't. I haven't thought about that that much yet. 388 00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:40,319 I'm still kind of been processing the fact that he's 389 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:44,000 not going to play for bu Yu anymore. I just 390 00:18:44,039 --> 00:18:49,119 think his story is really cool because everything seems to 391 00:18:49,119 --> 00:18:52,480 be in college sports now immediate satisfaction. I want to 392 00:18:52,519 --> 00:18:54,319 play now, I want scoring points now. I want to 393 00:18:54,319 --> 00:18:56,960 get to the NBA now. And and Richie when he 394 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:00,000 came to buy U, he had played at Wassatch academ 395 00:19:00,519 --> 00:19:02,599 had a good stroke, he played a few minutes here 396 00:19:02,599 --> 00:19:05,759 and there, showed some good energy, and you know, you 397 00:19:05,799 --> 00:19:08,680 looked at him and thought, Okay, he's got some capabilities, 398 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:11,480 he's got some potential. We'll see how he goes. And 399 00:19:11,519 --> 00:19:13,319 then he got to the point where as I said, 400 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:15,880 he was a first team All League in the Big twelve, 401 00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:18,559 which is impressive. He had his moment last year in 402 00:19:18,599 --> 00:19:21,359 the NCAA tournament during the run when you know, he 403 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:24,599 let people know and people found out that his grandfather 404 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:28,960 invented theator thoughts that was fantastic, and bau fans loved that. 405 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:31,960 They're like, yeah, he's one of us. Man be loving him. 406 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:35,759 So I think if you if you look at him 407 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:40,079 and if you want a number, I'm willing to start 408 00:19:40,119 --> 00:19:47,200 with man top thirty maybe, and then down from there, 409 00:19:47,480 --> 00:19:49,160 work my way down from there and see where I go. 410 00:19:49,200 --> 00:19:52,079 I mean, like I said, I haven't really started comparing 411 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:56,319 things in that process, but I would say, for sure 412 00:19:57,119 --> 00:19:59,119 top thirty and you could make an argument for top 413 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,599 twenty maybe if you look at all that stuff. But 414 00:20:02,039 --> 00:20:05,079 I just know as a as a as a players, 415 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:08,039 fans love him almost as much as anybody that's ever 416 00:20:08,079 --> 00:20:09,200 played the game. And you. 417 00:20:10,759 --> 00:20:14,079 Speaker 2: Yeah, so I'm right there with you. So I don't. 418 00:20:14,599 --> 00:20:18,599 In my son's room, I'm very judicious about what I 419 00:20:18,640 --> 00:20:22,039 put up in that room. And he has a poster 420 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:25,640 of Richie Saunders up in his room, right, and he's young. 421 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:27,759 I mean, he's watched Boa basketball with me and things 422 00:20:27,799 --> 00:20:30,400 of that nature, and I've always gone out of my 423 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:32,200 way to say, hey, that's how you play basketball. To 424 00:20:32,200 --> 00:20:34,200 see how hard he works, see how you see how 425 00:20:34,519 --> 00:20:37,880 high energy. I want my kids to follow Richie's example. 426 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:39,880 That's why it hurts me. Man. I'm a fan of 427 00:20:39,960 --> 00:20:41,759 Richie as a human and the way he goes about 428 00:20:41,759 --> 00:20:44,240 his craft, how he goes about his work, what he 429 00:20:44,240 --> 00:20:47,160 does on and off the court. I've always been impressed 430 00:20:47,160 --> 00:20:50,200 by him in all the interviews. Uh, and you know 431 00:20:50,279 --> 00:20:52,799 he's he's the guy that does the lonely work. And 432 00:20:52,839 --> 00:20:55,920 even Rob Wright in the post game said, hey, nobody 433 00:20:55,920 --> 00:20:58,359 works harder. He's the hardest worker on our team. So 434 00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:03,079 that to me is what uh you know, I I 435 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:06,039 I hope that he's he's been an inspiration enough to 436 00:21:06,720 --> 00:21:09,799 get guys to put in the lonely work when it 437 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:13,799 matters most, which is right now, really refine their skill set, 438 00:21:13,880 --> 00:21:18,000 really refined their their work ethic, really put in the 439 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:21,920 late the late hours, the late night hours, being the 440 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:25,559 gym rat, as Richie would, in these moments that matter most. 441 00:21:25,680 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 3: So I would you there, yeah, And I also would 442 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:33,279 add that, you know, we'd all love to be a 443 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:37,559 j Devons and be six' nine and super uber talented and, 444 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,079 athletic but most of us have to scrape and work 445 00:21:41,119 --> 00:21:42,640 hard to get you. KNOW i, Mean i'm not Saying 446 00:21:42,680 --> 00:21:45,000 aga doesn't work, hard but there's a lot of material 447 00:21:45,079 --> 00:21:47,960 for him to start, with right and and he's maybe 448 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:49,960 gonna be the number one pick in THE nba. Draft 449 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:51,799 richie wasn't going to be the number one pick in 450 00:21:51,799 --> 00:21:53,839 THE nba, draft but he was going to show SOME 451 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:57,160 nba guys and he still. WILL i can be valuable 452 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:59,359 to you and your team and we can, win and 453 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,720 you're gonna love having me on your. Team and that's 454 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,039 where most of us comes, from is we just want 455 00:22:04,079 --> 00:22:06,400 to be a part of something big and something, cool 456 00:22:06,839 --> 00:22:08,599 and we're willing to put the effort. In and that's 457 00:22:08,599 --> 00:22:09,440 Why richie issue. 458 00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:13,880 Speaker 2: On, Yes, indeed my Guy Darnod dixon double ed always 459 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:15,720 appreciate her. Time we fought everyone to follow you ON 460 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:19,720 x At Darnell. RIGHTS i love having the hot Takes. 461 00:22:19,759 --> 00:22:22,240 Darnell you, know tweet out some hot takes for me 462 00:22:22,559 --> 00:22:25,480 and then make sure you're Reading darnell at The Daily. 463 00:22:25,519 --> 00:22:28,279 Herald subscribe. Today thanks so much to DOUBLE d All, 464 00:22:28,359 --> 00:22:32,279 right Thanks, ben appreciate. You we'll call that a. Segment Appreciate. 465 00:22:32,359 --> 00:22:33,680 Darnell just want to guess it was brought to you 466 00:22:33,759 --> 00:22:36,240 by Rubies, in rubies in Dot. 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