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Speaker 3: You're listening to Cougar Sports with Ben Kretel and it's
time for a crusing the Cougars and inside look at
the latest news on the recruiting trails surrounding Cougar Athletics.
Speaker 4: Welcome back Ruger Sports one of three nine ninety point
in ESPN the Fan. I've been thorital broadcasting from our
Banderwealth Studios Vanderwealth dot com. Get on that pre Q
and a no obnigation to invest Q and a with
our tax more Wealth Advisors certify financial planners. Nobody does
it better than Vanderwealth and Blaine Anderson. And to stop
a little recruiting the Kruegers. What is b what you're
trying to find in the twenty twenty seven class.
Speaker 2: Who are they recruiting them? Why are they're recruiting them?
Speaker 4: B Way, you just received their first commitment of the
twenty twenty seven class tightened to young. We caught up
with them yesterday. It was a great conversation two way
player six with three two hudred and fifteen pounder at
a mountain Ridge High School in harrim And, Utah. So
I intrigued to see what else they got cooking up.
This segment's going to be brought to you by Odion
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Criddle fifteen coupon code. That's Criddle fifteen coupon code to
get fifteen percent off your order. Let's welcome in college
football recruiting analysts of two four to seven Sports just
got a nice renewal shout out to Blair and Goulo
hopping on with was Blair?
Speaker 2: How you living man? Thanks for joining us?
Speaker 1: Doing well?
Speaker 5: Ben? How are you?
Speaker 2: How's everything I'm doing great?
Speaker 4: Man, appreciate you hopping on for a little recruiting talk
some cruit and the Cougar's Talk Number one. Congratulations on
your contract anew with two four seven sports locking you up.
Speaker 2: That was a great move by.
Speaker 5: Them, Thank you. Yeah, it's been about ten years already
since I've been in this current role, and yeah, excited
to continue to bring all the fans across the West coast.
You know all the latest recruiting news which includes BYU. Right,
they've been recruiting the West Coast harder than any Big
twelve program in recent years. And you know, I'm excited
to continue following along.
Speaker 2: No doubt about it.
Speaker 4: Can't wait to see what coverage you provide for all
of those that subscribe, and we INVI had everyone to
subscribe to two four to seven sports. Blair the most
recent guy. Let's start off with tightened young. We got
to know him a little bit better yesterday. But nice
recruit for BYU to start off the twenty twenty seven clash.
Is it odd to get a recruitment, a commitment from
a recruit this early on in the process.
Speaker 5: No, they're actually a little bit late.
Speaker 6: Ben.
Speaker 5: You know, this was the first commitment for twenty seven
and when you kind of look up and down the board,
there's a lot of programs that already have fifteen twelve.
You know, double digit commitments. So BYU has kind of
played things a little bit slow here in this twenty
seventh cycle. And I know they're setting up for a
big official visit weekend during the month of June, and
you know, for the most part, I think BYU is
always going to be a little bit more methodical, and
they're going to be a little bit more careful with
the types of offers that they send out and the types
of commitments that they try to push for. You know,
I think they've reversed their strategy. I think a few
years ago I was on this very show talking about
how tough it was going to be for them to
hang on to so many early commitments, right, and they
were expending a lot of energy and a lot of
resources early on in the recruitment, only to see you know,
the SEC schools, big ten schools, a bunch of programs
from across the country jump in with late offers and
flipping players that they thought they had locked up. So
I think BYU has been a little bit different now,
a little bit more strategic. I love the addition of
Titan because he's so versatile, he can do a lot
of different things. It's kind of odd to think of
him as a linebacker because he had over one thousand
receiving yards last year. You know, like that's a marquee number.
That's a number that you look at. It's kind of
a barometer. It's a gauge, right, whether or not a
player in his twelve to fourteen games during a high
school season can reach the one thousand yard mark. And
Titan did that. But that two wave production obviously speaks volumes.
And you know, his savvy, his feel for the game,
his physicality, He plays at a different tempo and I
think he's going to be a terrific, terrific off ball
linebacker when he does arrive on campus.
Speaker 4: Yeah, you break down his skill set and you see
a lot. There's a lot to get excited about. And
I was very impressed with him as a in the interview.
Speaker 2: He's a high football IQ kid.
Speaker 4: I mean, I don't know what position, which linebacker position
he's going to play, but man, he sounds like a
Mike linebacker, sounds like a leader of a defense.
Speaker 5: Ben. I just saw him a couple of weeks ago
at the at the Powerhouse five on five tournament, Right,
and you're thinking about a receiver tight end who plays
linebacker and he's out here getting one on one reps
in a pass rush tournament, and we all kind of
looked at each other. We're like, dude, like what are
you doing here? Right?
Speaker 6: And you know, he just.
Speaker 5: Wanted to match up and he wanted to compete. And
that's I think that's the type of player that they're getting.
You know, he he's he's a terrific athlete. I think
that's that's first and foremost. You know, his versatility, he's
he's kind of a Swiss army knife with with what
he's gonna be able to do. He can play a
little h back if you need him to, can line
him up inside and the why, can go out wide
and match up against corners and in kind of those
red zone situations on offense and then on defense. You know,
really physical, has a nose for the football, loves to
get after it, you know. And I think when you
when you project and when you look at the long
term upside, there is a lot to dream on there.
And I wouldn't be surprised if we see a C
stitch on his jersey at some point, because he does
have that personality, has the leadership skills and it seems
like he's a big hit with a lot of different players.
Speaker 4: We got Blair and Gulo twenty four to seven Sports
talking some cruiting the Cougars here on your Utah ESPN
Radio network, and this is Cougar Sports. Let's talk a
little bit on some of these other offers that boil
us to hold out. I think for two four seven
confirmed offers, I think there's around like eighty four offers
around that time. Like, how does that compare to like
other universities used to be BOI used to be used
to be like very strategic, like they didn't go volume
with their their offers. They'd be a little bit more
judicious and not dolling them out. But what does that
compare to other P four institutions right now? The offersheet
of eighty four across all position groups.
Speaker 5: I would think that just based on the quantity, I
would think that BYU is kind of on the lower
end of what some of these power for teams are
are shelling out. You know, there's some schools that have
over two hundred offers out there right They'll offer everyone
in the top twenty four to seven. They'll offer every
four star that's on the list they'll offer, you know,
all the three stars in their own state, and you know,
when you you know, before you kind of think about it,
they're already up to two hundred, three hundred offers. So, yeah,
BUYU plays it a little bit differently. They played a
little bit slower. I don't think they really send out
more offers until they know they have an answer on
a certain prospect, right, Like they're not going to offer
more than they can want, or that they can take,
or players that they would want.
Speaker 6: And so I think.
Speaker 5: They're a little bit slower. They're a little bit more methodical.
You know, even some of the players that they landed
in this twenty six class, you know, like Glasger, you know,
the legend Glaska from Lehigh I think he had to
wait for his offer, you know, a little bit, even
though he had other Power four and they were just
in you know, he was just in their backyard as well. So, yeah,
the eighty four numbers a little low, But I think
that's how they want it. I think that's by design.
I think that when they do that, it creates a
little bit more value for the offer. It makes it
mean more, right, it has a little bit more significance.
When BYU doesn't send out a lot of offers, but
they are targeting you as a recruit, I think it
sends a clear message that you're going to be a
priority for them.
Speaker 4: Yeah, when you look at the offer sheet for that
they've doled out eighty four of these. I know you've
done some nice features on some of these prospects that
have have maybe you know, scheduled out official visits, et cetera.
But who stands out to you on this list of
offerrees for Buyu.
Speaker 5: I mean it has to start with Body Sparrow. Right,
he is the number one player in the state of Utah,
another two way talent, can play safety, can play receiver.
I think could play at the powerfoard level at any spot. Also,
so an elite basketball player. I mean he's on the
Nike youth circuit in the summer, you know, and he's
won a state championship over at Davis in hoops. I
think a terrific all around prospect, a top one hundred
national guy too, So you know, he he kind of
has to start and he has to be the headliner.
I know they're kind of in a heavyweight fight right
now for him. Oklahoma has a lot of smoke. Michigan
and Utah are involved. He likes Oregon, he likes Tennessee.
You know, there's a number of other programs still trying
to stay in the picture. You know, from the sound
of it, sounds like Buyu will be getting an official
visit this summer, right before he makes the decision. Now,
you know, it kind of remains to be seen whether
or not he'll even make it to that official visit,
because it does sound like he's open to making a commitment,
you know, whenever he feels like that that might be.
So you kind of wonder, right like June nineteenth, if
that's the weekend that he makes it down to Provo,
you know, will he all re be committed or will
he even take that official visit? You know, So that's
something I think the coaching staff has to figure out,
you know, whether or not they're going to be able
to in a way accelerate that process. You know, he's
he's he's unquestionably the number one guy in the state
for this twenty seven class.
Speaker 6: Another one that.
Speaker 5: We really like is edge rusher Uhila Wolfbrahm. We just
saw him at the Adidas Polynesian Bull National combine in showcase,
and he just picked up offers from Oklahoma and Michigan
this week. Also Colorado offered him today. He's a national
recruit with dozens of offers, and I think that's one
player that BYU fans should get plenty of familiar with
because it does sound like the Cougars are doing a
really good job there. They were on him first. He's
kind of in their backyard there in Spanish Fork. And
so another player that I think they're doing really really
well with that I wouldn't be surprised if you know,
when it's all said and done, he ends up being
one of the marquee signature for BYU. And then the
other one that I that I really like that I
think b YU is doing well with is Jeremiah Williams.
He's a defensive lineman from Tustin out in southern California.
He was just on campus this week and really really
hit it off with the coaching staff, coach coach Popinga,
coach Sataki. They all got rave reviews from Jeremiah Williams,
who I think right now is trying to decide whether
he's going to play at b YU. He's gonna play
at ASU, or he's going to stay close to home
and play at UCLA. I think those are the three
schools out in front for him and his recruitment.
Speaker 6: But I mean, from.
Speaker 5: Everything that we've heard and all the indications that we've gotten,
b YU is firmly in that race and could even
be potentially considered the front runner.
Speaker 2: Wow, that's awesome. Yeah, he's got an official visit setup,
doesn't he. Yeah.
Speaker 5: Yeah, he's supposed to a head out there for the
June nineteenth weeekend, right, So, I think when you look
when you look at those weekends and when you look
at the official visits, it becomes kind of clear what
a program feels is going to be the right call, right, Like,
there are some programs that schedule an official visit early
and those kick off this weekend. By the way, Ben,
So I know BYU doesn't have any schedule for this weekend,
but there's gonna be some programs like bringing in official
visitors this weekend and then it goes on until the
end of June, right before commitment season. But you know,
there's some programs that are either chasing or they're fighting enough,
facing enough fill battle to get to get a player
to commit, and you know, they have to schedule an
early official visit just so that they have a eight
puncher's chance, you know. And then there's other situations like
BYU does a really good job of making sure that
they lock in all their top targets for the same weekend.
It looks like June nineteenth it's going to be the
one where they'll bring in a lot of players that
they feel really good about, not only with you know,
where they are as prospects, but also how they maybe
sit in the in the prospects list. And so he'll
be among those visitors that makes it down to campus
on June nineteenth.
Speaker 4: Yeah, but body scoone over, I want to go back. Sorry,
Body Sparrow, I want to go back to him. What
position do you think he projects at? What position do
you think he'll play at the next level.
Speaker 5: I think he's going to be an incredible safety. Like,
like it's tough, right because we're talking about another one
thousand yard receiver who can go up and high point
the football and he can play above the rim, and
he's so dynamic as an offensive prospect and kind of
reminds you a little bit of you know, Chase Roberts
and Puka Nakua and you know some of these other
big time pass catchers. So Lesie moa right that we've
seen in the state of Utah in recent years. But
then you look at his awareness and just the way
he tracks the football and his closing speed, and you know,
I saw him at the season opener Life last year
and he returned an interception seventy five yards and it
was it was just instinctive. He broke on the football,
caught it in stride and then he was gone and
no one was going to stop him, you know. And
that's the type of impact that I think he can
make at the college level, you know. And that's right now,
one of those positions that is super sexy in terms
of like being able to match up against tight ends,
being able to match up against slot receivers. If you
need to cover as a nickel, you can drop down,
if you go into the box, you can track and
tackle and chase the ball in the flats. And then
he's got, like I said, the awareness to play kind
of a center fielder Rover roll as well. So he's very,
very versatile and instinctual as a safety, and I think
from an upside standpoint. That's that's probably where he's going
to make a lot of money.
Speaker 4: Blair Angulo two four to seven Sports Dock and recruiting
here on your Youth Die ESPN Radio Network.
Speaker 2: A couple of other guys.
Speaker 4: I'm intrigued by Peyton Higginson, Manase Brown and Jaglone. Peyton's
right down the street from by. You think he plays
at Salem Hills And uh, you know, Jag and Manasi
are both really good prospects.
Speaker 2: Break down those guys.
Speaker 5: Yeah, Peyton is another player, another kind of in that
Titan Deyong mold where he can play a little bit
of everything. Just had three interceptions in a in a
single seven on seven on seven game down in Dallas
this past weekend, So you know, it's kind of showing
his ball skills as a defender. Could also play some
some receiver and and and uh, you know, I think
the multifacetedness of his game really makes them attractive as
a as a next next level prospect. He's supposed to
be at UCLA later this week for a visit as
they kind of try to figure out where he might
fit in their recruiting class. I know he's really high
on Michigan and Utah obviously, with the long standing connections
to coaches on both staffs and just the familiarity and
and you know how how long some of those coaches
have been recruiting him, you know when you think about
Jay Hill and Morgan Scallee and you know, Kyle Whittingham
and all the guys that have those ties to the
beehiveh State. So you know, by is kind of a
in a in a battle there. But but I think
they're in a really good spot with him, and they
will continue to be in a really good spot with him.
Speaker 2: You know.
Speaker 5: Jag yawn A is another one that that I think
has all the tools to be a really really good
edge rusher and and kind of a pass rush specialist
at the next level. He's supposed to visit on the
June twelfth weekend, so they would be the weekend right
before that big one on June nineteenth. Washington's also involved.
Utah is going to get kind of that final official visit.
It does sound like this is going to be a
b y U versus versus Utah battle for one of
the best players and one of the best defensive prospects
out west. You know and and so I think for
for those two, you know, it's it's kind of looking good.
You have to feel good about their chances to land him.
And then Manase Brown, a big, raw offensive lineman who
can kind of play some tight end, has also you know,
dabbled on a defensive line at at Corner Canyon down
in Provo. You know, a player that that really didn't
get a lot of run. You know when you think
about how deep Corner Canyon has been at the high
school level the last couple of years. But I think
has really started to entrench himself as one of those
big intriguing prospects. He's about six six sixty seven two
thirty and kind of a ball of clay that you're
going to be able to mold. I don't think he
truly has gotten a grasp of like how good he
might be able to be or how good he's going
to turn into. But that's another player that right now
has has scheduled an official visit with Bhyu. I think
it's the only trip he has scheduled, and that would
be for that June nineteenth weekend. So you know, when
you when you follow the visits, then you kind of
think okay like Uyu either likes him, he likes them
a lot, and it's very mutual. And you know that's
that's a prospect to watch for sure.
Speaker 4: Everyone follow Blair and Gulo on Twitter. Everybody subscribe to
two four seventh Sports so you can stay up to
date on the latest and greatest would be what you
recruiting dos. Nobody else it better than Blair and Gouloh,
ladies and gentlemen, colleor football recruiting analysts for two four
seven Sports. And I always appreciate your time, Blair. Great
content is always we always appreciate talking ball with you.
Speaker 5: Thanks man. I'll see you around here in the next
few months. I'll be making making the rounds for Sphinx showcases,
so I anticipate you.
Speaker 4: I missed you at the Powerhouse, Bro. I missed you
at the Powerhouse. I was there. I did.
Speaker 5: I did see the radio set up over there in
the corner. Uh you know, I think I had a
flight to cat So I did miss you.
Speaker 4: All right, mag come and hit me up next time
you see the tent and the RV rolling around.
Speaker 5: All right, yup, all right, Ben, take care, all.
Speaker 4: Right, appreciate you They you go that's Blair Angoulo and
that's Crewton the Cougars brought to you by Odeon Men'swear.
Odeon Menswear dot Com utilize the Cridal fifteen coupon code
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Speaker 2: So you can serve the hard, serve the Lord with
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is here. Guys, It's upon us.
Speaker 4: Check out your Espnfan dot Com bracket at ESPN the
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It's brought to you by inter Mountain Bobcat, utah r
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Speaker 2: We'll go to break Coming up next, we'll welcome in Jenber.
Speaker 7: What was said last week and when your favorite team
screws it up, we don't spin it?
Speaker 1: Can we explain it to on? One O three nine
at ninety eight three DSPN No fan, This is a
one oh three nine at ninety eight three ESPN Sports
Center Updatesley.
Speaker 8: What event took place yesterday and it was a blowout
at the VYU baseball team the non conference midweek match
between Kansas State and the Cougars. KANUS Hue jumped out
early and stayed ahead the remainder of the game. Highlights
of the game for BYU in the sixteen to three
loss included a four hundred and fifty two foot bomb
from Ezra McNaughton, Easton Jones's tenth homer of the year,
and a diving catch and center by Keoni Bainter. The
coops that road this weekend as they take on the
Bears of Baylor in Waco, Texas. The two events today
we first highlight the women's basketball team, who's in Wichitak,
Kansas for the championship game with the WBIT. Top seeded
BYU will take on one of the four seeds, Colombia,
for a chance to win its first postings and tournament
in school history. A win would put Lee Kamard at
twenty seven wins, which would not only extend his program
best for a first year head coach, if he would
also surpass Kevin Young's win total of the men's team
last year. The only other event today is the Texas Reglays,
which will see the men's and women's track and field
team compete. Finally, aj De Bonso was in the news
once again, this time as the Wooden Award All American.
Along with that honor, he was named a finalist for
the Wooden Award and as the first Cougar to receive
such honors since Jimmerferdet won the award in twenty eleven.
I'm Cameron Clark. This has been your ESPN the Fan
Cougar Sports Center update, brought to you by Royal Armybrand
dot Com the Royal Army Brand.
Speaker 7: You can luce Cougar's weekdays on one oh three nine
and ninety eight three ESPN The Fans. You are listening
to one oh three, nine and ninety eight three the Band,
part of Utah's ESPN Radio Network. The madness of marches
right around the corner, and the Cougars.
Speaker 1: Are in the middle of it.
Speaker 7: It's time to talk some college basketball on Cougar Sports
with Ben Crittle.
Speaker 4: Welcome back Cougar Sports. One O three nine ninety eight
point three e SPN the Fan. I've been fortal broadcasting
from our Vanderwelt studio.
Speaker 2: Banterwealth dot Com.
Speaker 4: Get on a pree Q and a no obdgates to
advest Q and A with our tax more wealth advisors
serve by financial planners. Nobody does it better than vanderwalth It.
He's start to talk to some college basketball on Cougar Sports.
The only team that's still playing in this great state
of Utah in the postseason is the Lady Coops led
by Lee Kamard, and they are balling shot. Call it
into the Chainchampionship game up the WB I T and
we're gonna break that game down for you. We're gonna
get a little Cougar Insider report here on your Utah
ESPN Radio ne We're gonna be brought to you by
Central Garage Utah. Central Garage Utah dot com. If you
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Speaker 2: All right, let's welcome in the voice for.
Speaker 4: The women's basketball team, Cougar Sports Insider representing BYU TV
and the BYU Sports Network. We got Jason Shepherd on
the lie. Jason, how you living, brother.
Speaker 6: I'm feeling good man. I'm ready for a championship game tonight.
Speaker 2: Dude.
Speaker 4: What a season, right, the ups and downs, the undulations,
the trials and airs, the trials and tribulations, and now
a lot of success on the back end. How would
you describe the season for Lee Kamard his rookie year
and this squad that has found a way to win
in the back end of this schedule.
Speaker 6: Yeah, it's pretty remarkable. And when you consider that they
were without Delaney Gibb for eight games this year and
had different injury I mean towards the towards the end
of the season. Mariah Hudgens has not played since the
Cincinnati game, so they've they've dealt with injuries. Cambry Barber
had missed the entire start of the season, ended up
playing her first game was a non conference game at Portland.
And so, I mean, they've not only had to deal
with the rigors of just a normal season, but they've
had to deal with injuries to a couple of different players.
Wanted their best player who missed eight straight games, and
and BYU during that stretch only lost one game, and
that was to a ranked team. And look, you mentioned
what Lee Kamart has done, it's been it's been unbelievable.
And anytime you talk about BYU women's basketball, you know
one of the best and the best to do it
has been Jeff Judkins. And for Lee Kamart in his
first season to have the most wins by a first
year head coach and program history speaks volumes about what
coach Kamard has been able to do with this roster
and to now get to the championship game of the
WB I T I mean, my hats are off to
all of these players in this coaching staff for for
locking down at the end of the season when they
needed it most and now they're in line for a
possible championship.
Speaker 4: Give me a scouting report on Columbia. What challenges do
they pose?
Speaker 3: And uh?
Speaker 4: How how uh how built? How ready use this boy
women's basketball team?
Speaker 6: Yeah, Colombia is interesting because I'm going to assume. And
the reason I say this is because to a certain
degree I was this way. I'm not paying attention to
what IVY League basketball is doing. I don't know much
about the Columbia Lions, and so you know, as they
started to make their way down the line and the WB,
I t like, oh, well, that could be interesting if
it's BYU and Colombia. And obviously that's the matchup we
have now. But you know, this is a team that
win eleven and three in IVY League play. They have
two IVY League First team players. They also have the
IVY League Player of the Year, and that's Riley Weiss.
She leads his team in scoring at about twenty points
per game, a couple of IVY League first teamers. They've
got the defensive player of the Year in the IVY
League in Perry Page. So you know, they've got good players.
What's really interesting about this team is they are really
top heavy in terms of They've only got two players
that average double figures in scoring, and you know I
mentioned that that wife is their leading scorer at twenty
page averages fourteen point seven and nobody else on the
roster averages ten points per game, So they kind of
do it a little differently. One of the things really
two things that really stand out about them to me
two words energy and hustle. That's how they do it.
They're a really good rebounding team, but they are that
team that's scrappy that they are going NonStop all the
time and if you don't dive on the floor for
a loose ball, they're going to get it because that's
kind of their mo So BYU's got to be very
very aware that that Columbia is going to be that
team that's always going to have energy. They're going to
always be going for the loose balls, They're going to
be going to the glass. BYU is going to have
to to take care of that because that's kind of
how Columbia does. Has been able to get this far. Uh,
they've had some big performances, but they're just a hustling team.
Speaker 7: Uh.
Speaker 6: And that's something why I just gonna have to pay
attention to tonight.
Speaker 4: Yeah, Columbia, I mean they went on a bit of
a tear in the IVY League late in the season,
and they were winning at a high rate. Obviously a
twenty four and eight team, they were second in the
IVY League, didn't get into the NCAA tournament.
Speaker 2: It is what it is, highly competitive.
Speaker 4: Games with UH with Harvard UH to end the season.
But UH, it's a it's a team that has some
good talent and scoring ability. You mentioned a few of
the elements. Where where's BYU at right now? Health wise?
Where they at as far as UH, Are they playing
their best ball right now of the season.
Speaker 6: Oh, there's no question about it. Yeah, you know, the
the only the only player that's that's not going to
be available as Maria Hudgens, and like I said, she
she has not been able to play for you know,
for a little over a month. But BYU is healthy,
they're gonna, you know, have the same lineup that they've
had during this stretch where they've won nine out of
ten games and everything changed. The the turning point in
this season for BYU was was the two game stretch
where they they lost by thirty at Colorado. Then they
came home against Cincinnati and we all thought, okay, well,
here's here's a get right game. This is this can
be a game that BYU can get and then see
what happens down the stretch. And then the Cougar's lost
to the Bearcats at home. And from that point on,
BYU has been a completely different team because you look
at what they've done. You know, that's the stretch where
they go to Utah and Delaney Gibb has her second
career high against the University of Utah, just goes off
and plays on another level in the third quarter and
BYU wins that game. Then they go on the road
at Arizona State and they're down fifteen in the third
quarter and they rally to make a run. That two
those two games where they lost. I always and it's
sort of cliche and like, would you have been able
to do what you've done now if you didn't have
that low point? Is that what sort of spurred this
team on? And I tend to believe it was. I
just feel like that the team has been different since then,
and to be able to go on the road, Like
I said, you beat Utah on the road, you beat
Arizona State on the road, and then you come back
home and the team that beat you by thirty, then
you come back and beat them at home by twelve.
So I mean, this is this is a team that
had kind of got into a really good rhythm at
the end of the regular season and then took that
into the Big twelve tournament. The only loss of Eyu's
had is to rank TCU, and we obviously know how
good this TCU team was. So that's the only law
that the Cougars have had since the end of February. So,
I mean, that's that's pretty remarkable. And you know they're
a team that's playing with a lot of confidence. When
you've got Delaney Gibb on your roster, why wouldn't you
be confident. I mean, she's averaging eighteen points a game
that leads the team, five rebounds a game, four almost
five assists, which leads the game, leads the team. So
Delaney Gibb, even though she only had the twelve points,
she always makes winning plays for her team, even if
the shots not falling. I believe it was. I think
it was seven rebounds and six assists or six rebounds
and seven assists. I may have it it flipped backwards,
but she was still an impact in the game and
then the game against Kansas was kind of the freshman
you had a career high of twenty three year old
tied her career high for Olivia, Hamlin, Sydney Bonali four
made threes, Bola had huge points, had six points, a
couple putbacks. So it was a great team win against
Kansas and by the way, the first win they'd ever
had against the Kansas Jayhawks. So to be very long
winded to answer your question, this is a team that
feels really, really good about their chances of going into
this game tonight and coming away with the WBIT title.
Speaker 4: Jason Sheppard played by playvoys for the women's basketball team
of BYU, talking some Cougar basketball, getting prep, getting ready
for that wb it T championship game.
Speaker 2: I believe BYU is a favorite in this game. Are
they not? Are they? They got to be the favorite
in this game. I don't know. I haven't checked the
lines yet, the Vegas lines.
Speaker 6: I have actually not seen a line on this game.
It would be my guess that they are favored. I
will tell you on the ESPN.
Speaker 4: Analytics app algorith Yeah, you know it's Colombia's actually a favorite.
Speaker 6: Harby is favored with that but I have not seen
a line on this game. I would be shocked if
BYU's not by us the number one overall seed in
this tournament, and Colombia is a four seed, So I
would I would certainly believe that b YU would be
the favorite in this game. To me, they're the favorite.
And that's not even blue goggled. I mean, to me,
they're the the far more, you know, team that we
know more about that that has sort of proven itself.
And I guess maybe that's maybe that's a little short sided.
I think anybody it gets to this point when you've
when you've won five games in this tournament, you know
you've you've proven yourself. But I would I would be
I would be shocked if the actual Vegas line has
b YU as an underdog in this.
Speaker 4: So I'm looking at that matchup predictor sixty eight point
five chance according to espnist Why use that? Why do
you think the uh the analytics per ESPN are in
favor of Colombia? Is it because of their scoring ability?
I mean, Weiss is pretty nice. I mean she shoots
what forty three point five percent for the field and
eight eighty three percent almost from the charity stripe.
Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean, I think I think a lot of
it has to do with what they do. I mean,
and some of it is also what they do defensively,
because you look at as a team, they're scoring about
seventy two points per game, BYUS at seventy one, So that's,
you know, pretty pretty much the same. But BYU gives
up sixty four Columbia gives up fifty eight. Now, I
would also tell you that BYU has played far better
competition along the way than what Columbia has when you
look at the entirety of the schedule. So I mean,
I don't know that they are putting quite a bit
of stock maybe in what they do defensively. But both
teams shoot the ball at right around thirty one thirty
two percent from three. Columbia does shoot the ball about
three percentage points better from the field than what BYU does.
But yeah, I'm not one hundred percent sure why that
ESPN predictor has Colombia as such a favorite the way
they do. I've seen that the last couple of days,
and I kept waiting for it to sort of update itself,
and it never did, so I'm like, I guess I
don't know, maybe it's the typical BYU doesn't get any respect.
Speaker 4: Right, Well, give me your keys to the game here.
What do you want to see from this women's team
tonight in order to get that championship, that chip in
that ring.
Speaker 6: Essentially, Yeah, to me, there are three things. Number one,
cannot turn the ball over. Both teams are averaging around
sixteen turnovers per game. But BYU has done a really
nice job during this winning streak of significantly cutting down
on the turnovers. The days where you know, they went
through a stretch where in three consecutive games they had
twenty one tw andovers, twenty six turnovers, twenty seven turnovers.
During this stretch, BYU has not come close to that.
The turnover numbers have come way down. So to me,
not turning the ball over and giving Colombia easy opportunities
to score off turnovers is one big key. Second big
key for me is rebounding Columbia. Because of their hustle,
they do get to a lot of rebounds. If the
Cougars can win the rebounding battle, especially on the offensive glass,
I think that also bodes well. And then really it's
been when BYUS three point shot is falling. They're really
tough to be and it's not so much just hitting threes,
but it feels like BYU's threes come at just huge moments.
There's always this stretch in a game, and it's most
times it's in the third quarter. I don't know why
it's always been the third, but most of the time
it's been in the third. The last couple of games,
including the Kansas win, it actually happened in the fourth quarter,
but BYU will go on this run. Against Kansas, it
was a nine to nothing run in the fourth quarter,
and a lot of that was due to hitting a
couple of threes, and it's it's it's these runs of
you know, nine to oh, twelve oh fifteen oh something
or maybe a seventeen to three runs something like that
that will flip the game and bring BYU all the
momentum and sort of carry them to the win. That's
kind of what I expect and what and what BYU.
The recipe for the Cougars to win has been so rebounding.
Make sure you win the rebounding battle, especially on the glass.
Don't turn the ball over, certainly, don't turn the ball
over leading directly to points and then if BYU's feeling
it from three, if the three point shot has fallen down,
I love the Cougar chances tonight.
Speaker 4: Well, I love Lee Kamard, and I think the future
is bright under Lee. Even if they don't win this
championship game. I want to see it happen. I need
to see it happen, of course, But I'm just excited
about the future of BA women's basketball right now.
Speaker 2: With Lee Adhelm.
Speaker 4: Are we seeing the second coming of Juddy here? With
Lee Kamar's coaching ability recruiting ability.
Speaker 6: Well, I mean, look just look at what he was
able to do in terms of player retention when the
when the announcement was made that the Cougars were going
to go with a new head coach, and Byu moved
fairly quickly to be able to get Lee in because
they knew they couldn't they couldn't risk losing some players,
and so they were able to get Lee locked in.
And that brought back you know, the Lady Gibbs. She's
mentioned multiple times in interviews that you know, there was
a lot of stuff up in the air. You don't
know who the coach is, you don't know what the
situation's going to look like But as soon as she
found out it was Lee, it was like, okay, done,
I'm in I'm coming back, you know. And it brought
you Kaylee Wolf's who is a return missionary who's red
shirting this year. You know, she she immediately was able
to she made the decision that she was going to
be coming back. So you had all these players that
that he was able to retain that have all been
huge parts of the success of the team this year.
And I can tell you whether it's whether it's you know,
in in team meetings or during team activities, these players
absolutely love Lee. And the best part about it is
Lee can be a coach and get on them sometimes,
but he he also can laugh with them and joke
with them, and it's it's really fun to see the
relationship that he has with these players and how they
respond to him because he asks a lot of them,
but yet they they they still know that that he
cares for them and that they can win with him.
They've all bought in, which is which is fantastic and
I'm so happy that he has been rewarded. He doesn't
like to talk about it. Anytime I asked him about
you know, passing Jeff Judkins on the you know, the
the first year win list. You know, he doesn't really
want to talk about himself, but I'm so happy that
he has been able to get this type of recognition
because he deserves every bit of it.
Speaker 4: Jason Sheppard, the voice of the Boa women's basketball team Hyperness,
prepping us for this b YU Women's Basketball Championship game
in the w b I T and i'd, like I said,
I'm excited for the future of this team from a
recruiting standpoint, a returning talent standpoint.
Speaker 2: I know, in the transfer.
Speaker 4: Portal nil era, we never really know, but like what's
returning next year, Jason after a great run in the postseason.
Speaker 6: Yeah, we obviously we know that the three seniors Hattie Ogden,
Heather Hampson and a lot of rocal they will be graduating.
So so those three we'll be moving on. There are
there are three freshmen that will be coming in to
take those places, to take those spots. But I mentioned
Kaylie Woolston back from her mission. She's been back with
the team since I believe December, kind of late December,
right after the very first game of Big Twelve play
against UCF. I believe is when she was back kind
of ramping things up. So bringing her back for those
that remember, you know, a couple of seasons ago her
she is an unbelievable shooter. So to be able to
add another shooter of her level to the guard line
is pretty big. Speaking of bigs, I think that's probably
where BYU will look, uh to see what they can
do in terms of bigs. You know, you do have
Bola who was a freshman this year that will be
will be coming back and so right now Bolus kind
of you're only big on the roster right now, So
I would expect that to be an area where the
team looks to to see what they can do from
a from an acquisition standpoint. But getting year two of
Olivia Hamlin will be big. Sydney Binali as a true
freshman now the all time freshman leader in a SIS
started every game for freshman year, will be back and
I think she'll be better. So there's a lot coming
back and they're gonna be infused with some some more
really good young guard talent. To me, I think the
question will be is just what else can they do
in terms of bringing in some some size onto the roster,
and that's kind of what I think. I think what
I'm looking to see what they do.
Speaker 4: Jason, good luck on your call, not that you need it,
hopefully it's a fantastic event. Well what type of uh
of uh A like amount, what's the the maybe the
attendant of BYU fans going to be denied?
Speaker 2: We're gonna get a sold out crowd there in Wichita.
Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean, I don't know. It was a good
showing of BYU fans. I would say there was probably
I don't know, one hundred two hundred BYU fans would
be my guest. And I'm horrible at judging crowds, so
that may be way off, but that's kind of what
it felt like it was. It was interesting because in
the last game, you know, obviously we're two and a
half hours from Kansas's campus. Plus you're gonna have a
ton of KU fans here in Wichita anyway, So it
was definitely a predominantly Jayhawk crowd. And and and so
the lower the lower area was I mean, there was
a lot of people there. Columbia's coming from from New York,
so I didn't see a ton of Columbia Lions fans
during their game against Wisconsin. I am curious to know
what the crowd looks like today. I do know that there.
I've heard from a lot of BYU fans that maybe
weren't able to make it to the game against Kansas
that are in the area regionally, you know, say, within
two three hours. I have heard that they are planning
on making the drive to try and come and support
the Cougars. So I would expect there to be I
don't know, at least a couple hundred BYU fans and
certainly outnumber the Columbia fans that'll be there. So I'm
assuming it'll be a predominantly go Koog's crowd tonight.
Speaker 2: Need the loyal, strong and true repping.
Speaker 4: The Royal Blue to show up, show out out there
in Wichita. Jason, We solution, We appreciate you, We love you.
Did you skip leg day to day? How's the upper
body looking? You gotta swollen in order to get the dub.
Speaker 6: You know that I skipped leg day number one, number two.
You know I got a good workout of this morning
at Hotel gym and yes, yeah, no, no, no legs
outside of outside of peddling the exercise bike for some cardio.
The legs only took me from one upper body exercise
to the next.
Speaker 4: Well, I want to see you like a video stream
team of you calling this game, and I want to
see like just a massive bicep pump in deltoid pump
throughout it all as you call it. Game winning performance. Ronald,
You got a question for JS and Shep.
Speaker 9: Yes, I do Shep? What you guys doing over to
given b au fans a heart attack this morning with
the April Fool's joke? Could you could you shed something
on that?
Speaker 4: Are you talking about Are you talking about the exports joke?
Speaker 5: Yeah?
Speaker 6: Hey, I am in Wichita. I have nothing to do
with okay, I saw just like everybody else. I have
nothing to I had nothing to do with it.
Speaker 9: I had to just make sure Shep cleared his name.
My phone blew up this morning about those guys. That's
that's not happening. AJN coming back.
Speaker 2: Aj ain't coming. I love I love the April Fools jokes.
Speaker 6: I love him though, because we need him on the
Utah Jazz this upcoming season.
Speaker 2: So see, he believes in it. He believes in the conspiracy.
Are you ready for that?
Speaker 4: Ten and a half percent you feel we're lucky, Jason,
you're filling luck.
Speaker 6: Gottlie talking about geez stop it.
Speaker 4: Hey, I like our opportunity. I like our probability ten
a half percent. That seems like a good chance to me.
Speaker 6: Hey, you know what we do well with ten percent?
Speaker 2: Hey, I love it. Yes, we do it. Nob about it, Jason.
We appreciate you. We love you man. Thanks for hopping on.
Thanks guys, that's our segment.
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