Speaker 1: What's the incentive now?
Speaker 2: There is no incentive, And yet I would counter argue, one,
you'll only get so much time at college, and you
only get to play college athletics for such a short
period of time.
Speaker 1: So I think a lot of these guys are gonna end.
Speaker 2: Up regretting it because they could have played two, three,
four or five more games. And then from a program perspective,
this is where it really doesn't make sense to me.
Speaker 1: If you have guys returning, if you have young players that.
Speaker 2: Need development, is this not a great opportunity to give
some guys some some extra game experience. We talked so
much about young guys needing experience, Going to the NIT
is a great way to maybe give some younger players
a bigger stage and a bigger opportunity one to see
if they can show some value in terms of, hey,
this is a guy that we can work with and
build with, Let's bring him back. Because that's honestly, the
state of college athletics now is young guys have to
show that they're worth bringing back the next year.
Speaker 1: It's not This isn't.
Speaker 2: College sports of ten to fifteen years ago, where you
sign a scholarship and your guaranteed spot.
Speaker 1: The rest of the way.
Speaker 2: We just don't live in that world now with repshare
and NIL, and so I think from a program perspective,
the benefit is, let's give some of these younger guys
a run and a good look to see is this
someone that we can retain and want to retain in
the long term.
Speaker 3: I agree with you bring up a good point. I mean,
I hate to go there with BYU, and I hopefully
the listeners and I don't offend you know, BYU or
anybody or employers, but you kind of feel that way
in a sense of BYU, like there were guys that
probably weren't supposed to play this year, and Richie Saunders
goes down due to injury and perk Kevin Young they're
on their third iteration. And I love what I've seen
from Alexi coachch Dominie Diomande's given him a good minutes
a Dean boop. You see his red shirt year and
how was effective. I feel like because of that and
BYU playing and not saying, all right, well, Richie's gone,
let's fight for Richie. Let's play. You see guys actually
stepping up the challenge.
Speaker 1: Exactly.
Speaker 2: And I love that you bring all those guys up,
because that's you know, early in the season, you wouldn't
know what you had with these guys. But Kostitch, Diomande Boot,
those are all dudes that have flashed potential, but you definitely.
Speaker 1: Want to bring back.
Speaker 2: And I think there's opportunity for teams in the n
I t Bou is not going to the n I
t They're going to the NCAA Tournament. But if you
look at a Cincy as an example, ron they just
said thanks, but no thanks, We're not gonna We're not
gonna play.
Speaker 1: You can't tell me that they don't have some.
Speaker 2: Young dudes that maybe want to flash something for the
potential next head coach, and they don't.
Speaker 1: Get that opportunity.
Speaker 2: And I do think it is a shame, more so
for the players than it is for the fans.
Speaker 1: Definitely.
Speaker 3: Look, I mean I played rugby at b YU and
I couldn't play my last year because injury. I would
have loved to play in a lower division, to a
Division three league, to play one final game, so one
final tournament. So sometimes it's baffling. I look, but you're right,
that's the world of n I L So that's transition
to the Big Twelve tournament. Matt, what is it like
about this team? The two wins that they had. I
felt like they could have got Houston, but maybe in
already it's good that they're at home resting now getting
healthy for this March Madness run.
Speaker 1: I think they found themselves.
Speaker 3: Ron.
Speaker 2: I think obviously you would prefer to have Richie and
to be one hundred percent healthy. But considering those aren't
the cards that bou has dealt. To use a term
that Ky likes to use, these are these are the
cards we've been given. I think this is the best
case scenario where you go on a little bit of
a run. You had a three game winning streak with
wins over Iowa not Iowa State, you got to win
over Texas Tech to finish the year, and then you
get those two wins in the Big twelve tournament, and
it felt like there was an identity. They're they're athletic,
they're gonna defend uh, you're gonna use a JA high usage.
And I also at a very underrated part to that
three game winning streak and finding themselves is I thought
this was the best that we saw of rob Right
all year.
Speaker 4: Now he's got.
Speaker 1: Higher scoring games.
Speaker 2: Don't get me wrong, but I thought he did a
great job at distributing. He had a couple of lob
attempts to cable they didn't connect, but I liked it
he's looking for others when he gets.
Speaker 1: Into the lane.
Speaker 2: Really really encouraged with the way this team looked now.
Because they're missing Richie and they don't have a lot
of depth, there could be a five to ten minute
spell in a tournament game and that costs them, and
that's that's possible. But I think this team has a
lot of positive momentum from this tournament. That makes me
feel a lot more optimistic that they can get to
the second weekend.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 3: That you bring up a good point about Rob. Look,
I wonder, right, you never want a player to get hurt,
but that lip last serration. You wonder if that and
maybe should not not be so aggressive to maybe hurt myself?
Have the stitches come open, or could I break my nose?
And you wonder if if that him just being more
cautious helped him be like, you know, maybe my court vision,
maybe I need to look for this. Maybe that help. Look,
I always say there are things that are a blessing
in disguise, and I think for Rob that was and
not just stat like, let's let's talk about this amount
of give your observation. Can we talk about it? Like
his defense, He's been talked about and criticized constructively rightfully
so at times for and the entire team for effort
on defense. I feel like this is the best defensive
stretch I've seen him play thus far.
Speaker 1: And it was Will Boyd.
Speaker 2: I talked with Will Boyd, or u's associate head coach,
ahead of the first round win against Kansas State, and
he told me on the pregame show that I do
for men's basketball. He told me that Rob Wright went
to the coaches ahead of the Texas Tech game and said,
I want to guard Christian Anderson. And I thought that
was some really good, some some good insight from Will
Boyd that not only is he putting forth a better
effort defensively that's such thirst day on the screen, but
the fact that he's wanting these harder assignments shows me
that he is bought in to what Byu is doing
right now, and then he wants to win with Byu,
and sometimes that's that's have the battle is just buying
in and having a conviction that I need to play
a certain way. I need to listen to the coaches.
Not to say that Rob wasn't doing that before. That's
that's not what I'm saying. But it's clear as day
in the way that he's playing right now that he
is one hundred percent bought into.
Speaker 1: What they're trying to do.
Speaker 2: He's playing great basketball right now, and that's a That's
one of the reasons I'm so optimistic about BYU is
if you have a Rob right who is who is
engaged on both ends.
Speaker 1: We know he can score. Scoring is not the problem.
Speaker 2: But if he can be engaged in his role as
a playmaker for others and on the defensive side of
the ball, that's dangerous for other teams in the tournament.
Speaker 3: Definitely dangerous. I mean, look, when you got a guy
like that and then all walking thirty five. Yeah, I'm
gonna say it's not hyperble. AJ is a walking thirty five. Look,
if you're a three seed, you gotta be gotta be
fear Now, let's get it to the predictions, right Poja
per Lenardi's bracket by you can't go obviously to the
excuse me, the they can't go to the Midwest region
or they can't go to the East. They have to
be in the Thursday Saturday, So that means either the
West or the South projector right now to be in
the West. The San Jose region six seed plan against
Gonzaga matt for BYU fans. I remember covering it with
you at your old employer. We remember the WCC days
with that. Just what BYU fans want to get that
opportunity to bounce Gonzaga and then go to the sweet sixteen.
I have to feel like I'm not saying that's the
matchup you want, but if that's the draw and the
most favorable three seeded matchups, I think. I think if
you were a knockoff Gonzaga BYU fans, it would just
validate to move to the Big twelve, the nightmares of
the WCC and everything else.
Speaker 1: That would be a phenomenal draw. Not only because I
think BYU matches up well against Gonzaga.
Speaker 2: I'm not sure the Zags. Their talent is not as
peak as it was when BYU is competing with them
in the WCC. But the West Region talked about major
fans support you'd get in the Bay Area and just
up along the West coast. That would be borderline a
home court advantage for BOU in the West, which is why.
Speaker 1: I don't think they're gonna get the West.
Speaker 2: The committee has nothing kind to be you in terms
of not only seating but region placements. From our last year,
we were thinking, oh sweet sixteen, they could be close
to home, and where do they go ron they go
to New Jersey, New Jersey. Yeah, so I'm not optimistic
that they're going to be in the West, but hey,
if they get if there are six eleven with Gonzaga,
I think that's.
Speaker 1: A great draw for BYU in a great location.
Speaker 3: Look, the only thing about the East that I liked
was that Mark Spears was an All American all around
the state of New Jersey and New York. And I
saw Aaron Judge on opening Day or something hit like
four home runs. I think that was the only good
thing about that because what you got the story by Alabama.
But then you know Cooper Flagg the number one pick,
showed why Duke was a Final four team. So we'll see.
I agree with you if they got regional preference, though,
Matt like in Zaga. Look, I'm not trying to speak
hyperbole into existing and talk to us. But if Michigan
State gets out of that side and you're in San
Jose and they have to travel all the way from
the East coast two time zones, I know BYU's down
a guy. But like, if you can rebound well against
the Tom Mizzo team and they don't have a league
guard played that, man, you just you never know. March
is magical. But you bring up a good point, they
probably are gonna be in the South taking on And
that's the thing I'm upset by this, right. I hope
they don't get to draw Miami of Ohio in Greenville
because I don't know about you, you know, as a
college basketball fan, but I would love to see Miami
knockoff of six seed. I don't want to see them.
Speaker 1: Get with me too. I'm rooting for Miami of Ohio.
Speaker 4: I am.
Speaker 1: I want them in. They should squarely be in the tournament.
Speaker 2: And I do not want them to play BYU in
the opening line exactly.
Speaker 3: Oh man, the committee man, they like to do a
do weird things.
Speaker 2: That's good, but like they're a sweet sixteen capable team,
no doubt about it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, don't put them against BYU. Oh, that would just
be the making to have that matchup and then not
go the right way. But look, hey, look pay you're
eleven percent tithing. As I always saying, maybe things will
work out. That's my joke that I say. That's that's
my choke. Glad I made Matt laugh. No, let's talk
about this, right, It's clear Jeff Goodman Field of sixty
eight the national media matter is changing the narrative right
because AJ's played over the last two months, Darren has
tried to his numbers have gone down now all of
a sudden today per y'all, who sports hetails the Kansas
City Star cramping has been traumatic. You know, I hate
the kids gone through that those things. Right, I have
had full body cramps. But you wonder, like, why didn't
he just come out in six earlier?
Speaker 4: Matt?
Speaker 3: It feels like Granny, right, I know all about PR.
It feels like this is a PR move. And to
say this because the narrative has changed with AJ to
get him, Oh, well, I was hurt. That's why I
couldn't play or while I'm not playing well right now.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't believe anything that comes out of the
Kansas camp or the Darren Peterson camp in regard to
what's happened this season. And I just think if you
compare DP versus a J, I don't even think there's
a comparison in terms of upside. I know that Darren
Peterson might be a slightly better offensive score, but if
you I mean a lead or leading the country and scoring,
so even a ballot, yeah, maybe maybe that's not even
a valid argument that that Darren Peterson's a better score
because AJ has proven that he can lead.
Speaker 1: His sport in scoring.
Speaker 2: And then AJ, I just think his his attitude and
his buy in and his pure joy to play the game,
which is obvious to me, that that to me sets
them apart. There's no concerns with AJ in terms of
does he love the game? Does he want to play? Absolutely?
He loves the game, And to me, there's there's no comparison.
I wouldn't even think twice. If I had the number
one pick, I'm taking AJ.
Speaker 1: The time.
Speaker 3: The best ability is availability one hundred percent. He's had that,
and not only that, he's performed every single step of
the way, and I think he's outperformed them. I think
it will happen and look, whatever's going on with Darren
when they go to the combine in a month. I
don't care what these quotes are. That's all gonna be exposed.
So we can wait. I guess a couple of a
couple of weeks and it will come out. Surely we
buy Matte on the line, We'll get you out of
here on this a two parter. The first I'm really intrigued,
you know, to know your thoughts on the Bruce Branch commitment.
Obviously h b yu with that. And and then the
last thing, I just can this, what do you have
this team as a Sweet sixteen team? Would you say
that even though you don't know what the draw is
gonna be.
Speaker 2: I think that es they are a Sweet sixteen team
because they found an identity.
Speaker 1: Even at the start of.
Speaker 2: The year when they were healthy. I think they were
still trying to figure out who were we gonna.
Speaker 4: Be, what are we gonna do, Who's.
Speaker 2: Gonna fill each role? And now that is just that's
clearly defined Age as your number one, Rob Wright number two.
And then it even feels like the role guys are
a little more settled in.
Speaker 1: You know, Boop and Diamonde.
Speaker 4: You're gonna come in, You're gonna be.
Speaker 2: Disruptive defensively A let's say you're gonna start you're a
three point sharpshooter, k but you keep doing what you're doing.
I love teams that have a clear identity, not in
terms of the way they play, but also who's gonna play.
Speaker 1: And what role they're gonna fill.
Speaker 2: You know this, Ron Others might know this, but I'm
a massive Lakers fan.
Speaker 1: Go up a Lakers fan, Okay. And you know something
I like to do a couple of times a.
Speaker 2: Year is relive the Kobe glory days and so I
have the Championship DVD BS. The reason I bring it
up is there is a scene, a behind the scenes
scene in their last championship year with Kobe, where Phil
Jackson comes into the locker room and he looks at
Jordan Farmar, who is a backup point guard at during
that championship run, and he said, Jordan, don't anticipate what.
Speaker 1: Your role is going to be.
Speaker 2: Just do what we're asking you to do. Just come
in and run the show with the second unit, and
that's your role. And I think that's so important for
so many players, where you just know what's expected. Hey, Alexey,
you're going to start when you're open, shoot the three dom,
You're going to come in, You're going to give us
fifteen minutes a game, and you're just going to be
crazy active defensively, get out.
Speaker 4: In transition, get to the rim.
Speaker 2: It takes the thinking out of it, and I think,
especially for the role players, you want to make it
as simple as possible. And I think that's happened and
why I have belief that this team is a Sweet
sixteen team. And then to answer your other question with Bruce,
I think him committing just shows that what Kevin Young
envisioned in his introductory press conference has come to pass,
that this is becoming a premier place to prepare people
for the NBA, and that is that's fantastic. This wasn't
just a one year special exception where you get in
AJ and then are we going to be able to
bring in more five stars?
Speaker 1: Well that's answered. It's three years in a row.
Speaker 2: Now Ron jegor Aj and now Bruce like ajor k
why excuse me? Is recruiting at a high level and
he is fulfilling what he set out to do from
his first day on the job. And it's it's a
beautiful thing. We should be thankful as Bou fans. It's
something we dreamed of for decades and it's come to
pass with Bou basketball.
Speaker 3: Fans should be grateful. They should three years in a row,
five stars as committee. He has to sign first, but
that will I believe happened. And there you go with
that matter. I have to ask Golf forging about your
thoughts on the court and all of that, because we've
run out of time. But before I let you go,
what's the best way we can support you? What to
do and how you do it?
Speaker 2: Hey, just follow me on on the socials Bijamante Mattz
and then you know, listen, listen on in when I'm
doing I'll be doing play by play for Bou Baseball
next week on the road in Morgantown.
Speaker 4: So give it a listen and give me.
Speaker 1: A follow on the socials. Appreciate it on.
Speaker 3: Hey, he'll be doing play by play on the road
for Bou Baseball. Tune and thanks for your time today.
Enjoy the rest of your Saturday.
Speaker 1: And selection Sunday you too. Take care of you, guys.
Speaker 3: That's our show, guys, sticking to a download everything that
we had today. All the interviews on the podcast iTunes
speak of Google Play, from cam Clark, from Andrew Peterson,
from BANKRU to all of myself. Appreciate power