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at rubys in rubisn dot com. Latest Bracketology before we
get into this Cougar beat and bring in a Cougar
sports inside of latest bracketology coming out from Joe Lunardi.
I just put out my poll, what what seeding with
three regular season remaining? Three regular season games remaining because
twenty and eight, six and six and Quad one, six
and two in Quad twos, with the remaining schedule in
the Big twelve tournament on the docket, what seating do
you think BYU bast ball Earns in the NC DOUBLEA Tournament?
Chime in on it want to hear from you at
Krital Benjamin Poll of the day is what we're talking
about here, latest bracketology. I think most have BYU at
that six line for now. For now, anything is possible
with his Jekylin Hyde basketball team. We've seen the peaks,
we've seen the valleys in such a short span of time.
We've seen the good, we've seen the bad, we've seen
the beautiful, we've seen the ugly.
Speaker 3: As in all things in.
Speaker 2: This life, there must be opposition in all things, and
you've felt that opposition. You've glorified and you've also vilified
this basketball team to the point where you booed them.
Speaker 3: You booed them at the Marriott Center when they were.
Speaker 2: Down thirty six points and not putting forth the effort
that do you think they should be putting forth?
Speaker 3: And that's okay, I understand it.
Speaker 2: I was chatting with a number of donors, high profile
fans and wondering, you know how often they've seen this,
the Utah Valley loss where they gave up like one
hundred points at the marriage that.
Speaker 3: Was not good.
Speaker 2: The mid to late nineties were a time when booze
would rain down on the team.
Speaker 3: The staff, et cetera.
Speaker 2: And I don't know if we've ever heard that loud
of booze though from what I've been able to gather.
Speaker 3: They were pretty aggressive.
Speaker 2: Unfortunately, you don't have much leadership outside of Aj Debonsa
right now. I don't know if you feel that way, Cougarnation,
But who do you look for? Who do you look
towards as a leader? Aj is a young man full
of potential, full of talent, that has never really had
to like lead any team to a championship, lead any
team through this, you know, traversing it through a championship
type of tournament run and and so, and his personality
is ky pointed out. You know, he has to maybe
get in get into it a little bit more, and
maybe he's to activate something in his inner soul to
lead that way. I also don't don't think it helped
that Richie Ronnie. Where was Richie at? Why was it
Richie on the bench in this UCF game? Do you
know did we get well?
Speaker 4: Remember we heard from Spencer Linton that Richie was causing
the surgery for this week, so that so he was
so he promised said something around that.
Speaker 3: I assume, so he already had the surgery, and so yeah.
Speaker 4: Maybe he I don't know if he definitely did, but
Spencer in the three thirty segment yesterday had said he
was preparing for that. Whether that means he.
Speaker 2: Had he should have scheduled it Richie for Friday or I.
Speaker 4: Mean been if they want to trick him on this
road trip to the big tal Turnam, which I think
they do in March Madness, then he kind of had
to get in now. So that's my thoughts.
Speaker 3: We gonna need as our.
Speaker 4: Great guest too. You know, I know he's a he's
a cougar sports ins atitude.
Speaker 3: All right, let's go with it.
Speaker 2: My guy, Sean Walker d Shatwalker KSL dot com. Sean, Uh,
do you think having Richie on the bench would have helped?
Having him in the locker room would have helped a
little bit here finding some leadership after being at such
a high after the Iowa State game.
Speaker 5: I mean, I think it definitely would have helped against UCF,
just morale wise, mentality wise, but ultimately, I mean, I
think the Oye defense just kind of let them down,
and it wasn't for a lack of of scheme Necessarily,
I don't think it was for a lack of game plan.
It looked like there were things that the YU was
maybe could have done to slow down UCF. It's just
and Kevin Young brought this up afterwards. It was almost
like a lack of trying. Uh, it just it just
they weren't putting that game plan together. There were short
runs on defense, going underscreens, just little things you know,
you're todd in fifth grade Banton basket ball, not to
do BYU is doing. I don't know if Reggie Saunders
would have helped with that, Like maybe it would have
helped him lock in, Like, well, we'll never fully know,
so like I'll get some great And to your point, Ben,
I do think that Richie Saunders has a significant role
to this play, even being out for the season with
an ACL injury. Like this is the heart and soul
of BYU basketball, whether he's playing or not. But I
definitely think it could have helped, although TBB how much
it would have helped, maybe against UCF in particular, so
a little bit. To your point, Ron, I think BYU
kind of need to be able to have Richie around
for the rest of the season. Again, he's obviously not
going to play. You know toward that acl really just
kind of rip things up in his knee. But they
need to figure out a way to get him to
be able to travel with the team. That's going to
require having surgery probably that that's going to require just
keeping him in the building, you know, even sitting on
the sideline. Just because of that spirit, that heart, that
sold that energy. I think it's still necessary for this
Blu basketball roster.
Speaker 2: BYU fans, what were they booing? Do you think do
you think they're booing the coaches? Do you think they're
booing the players? Like where does the accountability lie after
a tough loss like that deep being down thirty six,
that's not a place where you.
Speaker 3: Want to be.
Speaker 5: Yes, yes, yes, and yes I think all of the above.
I think by fans were booing just the entire performance,
particularly in that first half against UCF. They weren't very
happy and Ky to his credit, Kevin Young, to his credit,
said yeah, they shouldn't have been happy. You know, this
is a great fan base. They have a lot of expectations.
They brought in a lot of expectations, and what they
put on the floor, particularly in that verse half against
the night, I think he used the word unacceptable. That
was at least the tone I got from him. It
was pretty unacceptable what they put out there. Now, you
can't take any credit away from UCF. I think Johnny
Dawkins had a heck of a game plan. UCF very
clearly needed this game Tuesday more than BYU. BYU also
showed what they can do, or maybe more appropriately, can't
do in order to not do anything when it comes
to the Big Twelve Tournament and the NCAA Tournament. This
team is going to they're going to the postseason. They're
going to be a part of March Madness. But it's
the same issues that they had Tuesday night against UCF
show up in March. It could be a much shorter
stay than anybody ever expected. And the booth I have
a feeling that day will be significantly louder. Yes, it's
the players, but also against the coaches, against the administration,
against pretty much everybody involved because of what this season
was allegedly supposed to be set up for.
Speaker 2: Sean Walker Kaseekasale dot Com here on your Utai ESPN
Radio network. With three regular season games remaining bus twenty
eight and eight, their top twenty five team in the
eight people. They are six in six in Quad one,
six and two in Quad twos. What's what's the seeding
do you think they get knowing that they got these
three regular season games left, Big twelve tournament that's right
around the corner as well.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, it depends on how they finish, right
I think the ceilings for this team right now is
probably a six seat. They're kind of covering right around
a six seed line. I think the selection committee sent
a pretty clear message during that mock selection show where
they unbuild the unveilp the top sixteen that this BYU
team is not really in the conversation for a top
four seed. So you can maybe quibble over a five
or six seed. They're probably a six seed right now,
but if they struggle here down the stretch, they could
find they could very easily find themselves falling to a
seven or maybe even playing in that eight to nine game.
And I think that's probably the worst case scenario for
his BYU team, But it's also not numerically impossible. If
this team's in an A nine game, then you're talking
about a tough game and then going on the road
to a potential second round matchup against one of those
numbers one seeds like it is, it's not a good situation.
So whatever they do, they need to do enough to
be able to stay above that A nine, whether it's six,
whether it's seven. I think that's probably where they wind
up if they stay on that sixth line. By the way,
there is a region. It's a it's a Thursday Saturday
region will be what you can play in it in
Portland that has a spot for a six seed as well,
So maybe you get a little bit of kind of
geographic relevancy and and a little bit of kind of
some regional HOMERSM if you will, if you will, If
they can stay on that sixth, that six line. In
order to do that, I think they probably got to
go and they got to win on this road trip
at West Virginia, at Cincinnati, Uh, you know, a home
win over Texas Tech I think would be a big deal.
Although TVD how much that will help BYU with this
Tech team, I won't say sputtering without JT topping, but
they're definitely not the same team that they've been post
JT Top and injury. Right, So how this team finished
I think kind of determines if they're if they're sitting
in that sixth still sitting in that six range, or
maybe they fall into that eight nine game.
Speaker 2: You mentioned that, and I'm like, look, when BAU has
made runs, it seems like they have had fortuitous locations
on their side.
Speaker 3: Denver this last year, right, that was nice to have Denver,
was it not?
Speaker 5: Yep? Yeah, I mean I mean the crowd, the crowd
at ball Arena in Denver was absolutely incredible. There were
probably the second best fan base there maybe was from Montana,
and they were taken out of their first round game
pretty early. No offense to the Grizzlies. I thought they
had a great season as well. BYU fans absolutely overtook
that arena. Now, granted that's only I mean, what three
four hundred miles away, less than five hundred miles away,
I'm pretty sure from from Provo, and so that's one
of those best case scenarios. I'm not sure a place
like Portland would be better than that. But I think
being out west definitely helps a team like BYU that
travels very well, particularly in the Western United States, that
has a big fan base in the Western United States.
If they can keep you outside of say like Greenville,
South Carolina. I think I think that could help this
team potentially make it to the second weekend even Sean.
Speaker 2: This basketball team has shown us the jackal, It showed
us its hide. What do you think it will shows
in the next three games?
Speaker 5: Sorry you cut out there for a second.
Speaker 3: The Jeckyll the hide.
Speaker 2: Right, We've seen the best of the best of them,
their best win, their best game, their best defense, seemingly
their best offense, and then we saw their worst offense,
their worst defense the following game.
Speaker 3: What will we see in the next three games? Do
you think? Yeah?
Speaker 5: And I think the one consistency through all of that
has been a JD. Bonsa. I mean, he has been
at advertised, He's in the conversation for best player in
the country, He's going to be in the conversation for
number one pick in the NBA draft, next to Jewe.
And he has been about as can system as you
can possibly ask or has he had some ups and
some downs? Sure, everybody has. I don't think everybody's been perfect,
but he's been pretty consistent. The inconsistencies would be why
you has been that supporting cast. And it's not just
the big two or the big three. Whatever it is,
it's it's everybody not named aj Dubonsa has maybe had
some issues with some consistencies, Like even Richie Sanders had
some consistency issues before he went down, and he was
probably the only second most available, second most consistent player.
Rob Wright has had plenty of issues. You know, we
could go down a long list with the other guys,
whether it's Cannar Davis, Kbaketa. I feel like Alexi Kostitch
got into a really nice rhythm even in that loss
to UCF. He's been playing much better during the last week.
Maybe that can help BO. You need to find some
sort of consistency from this supporting cast, or their stay
in March could be significantly shorter, again than I think
anybody expected or anybody imagine at the start of year.
Speaker 2: Sean Walker here on your Utah ESPN ready network in
a cougar beat, and it's been brought to you by
rubies In brubies in dot Com. Camp Koalani is kicking
off tomorrow, Sean, And I know we're still we're still
in basketball season, but key storylines that you're most intrigued
by during Camp kloone twenty twenty six and why uh.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean I mentioned it here last week. I
think the number one three line for me was going
to be that run game. And who is going to
back up LJ. Maron next year? Can somebody emerge from
a significant list of candidates. But all eyes are on
the wide receiver position right now because of the situation
involving Parker Kingson and his carter from the program, the
legal issues aside and all of that, that's a big
hole that BYU needs to replace. In the past game
that was already trying to replace Chase Roberts and Carson
Ryan by the way, So I think the pass game
has question marks. Not in the guy who's throwing the ball.
Beare Meyer obviously back for another year, one of the best,
arguably the best true freshman quarterback in college football last year.
I think a lot of the numbers back that up
from PSF and other sources. But who's catching that ball,
I think is going to be the number one question
this spring. Who's going to emerge with a lot of touches,
a lot of reps that can be big as that
can go around in the throw game. Will it be
a guy will a little jojo step up like I
think a lot of people have kind of been waiting
on for two years. Maybe you've got a couple of
transfers that are coming in. Kobe Hagen, I think has
shown some nice moments in spots, but consistency has sort
of been his game. Like, I think there are options.
Will they start, will they use a guy like Walker?
Lions a lot more in the throw game at tight end.
I think they unlocked something in Carson Bryan Walker seems
like he could be a guy that could slide into
that spot as well. So just overall, I think it's
it's the receivers, It's the pass catchers, it's how BYU
moves on not only from losing Parker King in the offseason,
but also their top two other pass catchers and touchdown
catchers who were who one of whom was at the
NFL Combine this week.
Speaker 2: Indeed, Chase Roberts, Jack Kelly. How do you think they're
going to perform? Who do you think maybe improves their
draft stock from their combine performance?
Speaker 3: Jack and Chase? Jack or Chase?
Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean there's already been some great stuff out
of Jack Kelly. I think on the field, he's pretty
pretty proven. He just needs to be able to show
it to people. But he's also been great in interviews
some media opportunities that he's had interviews with GMS and
scouts executives. He's been articulate, He's explained himself very well.
I think he's done a really good job with the
camera in front of your face. Which in moments like these,
whether it's at the NFL Combine or Pro Days or
leading up to the pre draft process, every single thing
is evaluate, evaluated and dissected by NFL programs. They're investing
a ton of money in these players, uh, not just
their established veterans, but even their rookies coming in and
potentially multi multiple millions of dollars. They want to make
sure every single thing, even the minute, the most minute detail,
is right. And I think Chuck Kelly has already proven.
He's already showed that he can be a solid occasional
player for an NFL franchise. UH, that he can come
in and just work up, put his head down, work hard,
get into a system very well, uh, and and contribute
pretty early that I think somebody is going to be
very lucky when they select Jack. Comment next day for on.
Speaker 3: The NFL Draft Sean and Walker.
Speaker 2: Best way to support to what you do, how you
do it for all of our listeners.
Speaker 5: Yeah, Kasel dot com as always is the place I'm
stuck up in the New Territory right now in Tallighibi
at the Huntsman Center. So if you're interested in some
state basketball, yeah, we got that going on.
Speaker 3: We'll give us an update, give us an update on that,
give us an update on that.
Speaker 5: Well, the boys turned a bit, just the boys, the
five basically boys semifinals just very tipped off. Not really
an update there. The girls tournament was all through the
morning and up until now. Lone Peak came back and
knocked off top seed at Westlake in the six A
girls tournament for all of your Utaih County listeners. So
sunner a heartbreaker and also an emotional one for Utah
County folks there, I think, depending on what side of
Utah Lake you live on. But we'll have all of
that over at kiz dot com, ks dot com, slash
sports if you want to bookmarket, we'll love everything available
from the prep side.
Speaker 2: Nice work, Sean Walker, thanks so much, brother, appreciate you
hopping on for Cougar Beat.
Speaker 5: Appreciate you guys as always.
Speaker 3: Yes, indeed that segment was brought to you by Game
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Please don't go anywhere. It's a Thursday edition February twenty
sixth edition of Cougar Sports. Here on one of three
nine ninety eight point three EESPN the Fan.
Speaker 1: This is a one oh three nine at ninety eight
three ESPN SportsCenter updates.
Speaker 6: The Cardiac Cougars are back. They've struck again, this time
with women's basketball. Early in the third quarter against Arizona
State last night, BYU is down fifteen points in a
crucial game between two NCAA tournament bubble team, but that
deficit didn't last. Behind twenty four points from Delaney Gibbs,
sixteen from Olivia Hamlin, a double double from Vlada rocl
and a strong Native American fans support for Sydney Benali,
the Coups clawed their way back for a sixty six
to sixty one victory. You sure to keep an eye
out on Friday for where BYU lands and the latest
bracketology if they currently sit as eighth team out. Next
up for BYU is Senior Night on Saturday against another
bubble team in Colorado.
Speaker 3: Six ring.
Speaker 6: BYU men's volleyball took a late night loss yesterday against
number three Hawaii three sets to once, was the first
time this year the Cougars didn't have a sweep or
a five set match. These two teams square off again
tomorrow on the Diamond. BYU baseball continued their California road trip,
and while in Long Beach this week, they took a
loss in a ten to seven game against Long Beach State.
The Air back at it again today and are currently
underway in a game against the Cougars of Washington State
and the Pool. The men's swiming dive team held strong,
sitting in fifth place in the Big Twelve Championships this
week behind a fourth place finish in the five hundred
meter freestyle by Tanner Nelson. The women's team dropped one
spot to eight, and both teams will compete until the event.
Speaker 3: End on Saturday.
Speaker 6: As far as the rest of the events today, though,
BYU softball has a doubleheader against CAL State Fullerton and
CAL Berkeley that has already underway as the Coups look
for their fourth.
Speaker 3: And fifth wins of the season.
Speaker 6: Women's tennis is in Orlando to compete against UCS, and
Chase Roberts and Jack Kelly will start the NFL Combine today.
Speaker 3: Good luck to the both of them.
Speaker 6: I'm Kemeron Clark and this has been your ESPN the
Fan Cougar Sports Center update brought to you by Royal
Army Brand dot Com.
Speaker 7: With Royal Army Brand, you can part in Utah's ESPN
radio network on the go by tapping that app. Download
the ESPN the Fan app from the Apple App Store
or Google Play today. Get to know the Cougar's opponents
and rivals right now. You know the faux segment on
Cougar Sports with Ben Kretele.
Speaker 2: Welcome back Cougar Sports one oh three nine ninety point
three ESPN the Fan. I've been prtal broadcasting from our
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Bau managed basketball.
Speaker 3: Trying to find who they are? What are they?
Speaker 2: The team that showed up versus UCF at the Merriy
Center down thirty for most of the game. Or are
they the team that knocked off the potential number one
seed Iowa State Cyclones. We're we've had the peak, We've
had the valley. Now who are they going to be
as they faced West Virginia. We're gonna get to know
the fall a little bit better. What challenges this West
Virginia team poses here on your Utah ESPN Radio network.
This segment's going to be brought to you by Central
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the VIP products, VPP service, VPU discounts. Let's get out
to the hotline, Welcome in and insider for all things
West Virginia. He's West Virginia Radio Basketball Alndlests. We got
Brad how on the line. Brad how you living?
Speaker 8: Ah Ben, Good to talk to you again. I appreciate
you having me on and looking forward to talking a
little ball here with you.
Speaker 2: Yes, indeed, excited to talk some bolved with you. Let's
first start off with West Virginia. Who is West Virginia
this year? How would you describe their maybe their culture,
their mantras, their style of play?
Speaker 3: Who are they? Yeah?
Speaker 8: What's interesting is you could almost rewind the tape from
when we talked last year and have the same conversation.
Although it's a different coach. West Virginia on its fourth
coach in four seasons, it's on his third complete roster
flip over the last three years. So I think when
you're telling West Virginia's basketball story, you have to start
with that. It's really been an unbelievable and unprecedented run
of four years with all of these different coaches coming in.
You thought the thing was back on track with Darren
Debries last year. We only had him for a year
and he's off to Indiana. Enter Ross Hodge, who coached
under Grant mccasly and the successful Texas Tech coach at
North Texas and then took over that North Texas program
when mccaslym left for Texas Tech. Ross comes in here
in year one with the Mountaineers, and then I'll be
honest with you, it's been a really surprisingly good year.
Given all of that turmoil and roster turnover that I
just talked about, this West Virginia team was right in
the hunt for a potential NCAA bid up until this
last week, and we'll get into that here in just
a minute. It's been a rough last three games for
this team. But it's a very defensive minded team. It's
a team that controls pace when things are going well
and makes it really difficult for teams to score. I
believe we're still in the top five nationally and scoring defense.
So that's where Ross Hodge hangs it's at. That's where
this teammates. It's at is on the defensive end. On
the offensive side, you'll see one of the best shooters
in the country and Honor Huff who just on Saturday
moved into third place all time in West Virginia single
season made three pointer list, past the guy by the
name Kevin Pitts, novel that your fans may remember back
from West Virginia's Good Attorney runs back in the mid
two thousand. So that's the main offensive threat. There's some others,
and we'll get down in the weeds here a little
bit if you want. That's a quick overview of what
West Virginia is going to bring to the BYU Cougar's
on Saturday.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 2: Why has there been so much turmoil ross a coaching?
Attrition coaching?
Speaker 3: I guess it's just chaos.
Speaker 8: Yeah, it has been chaos, and some of it the
move from Darren Debrees being here just one year, that's
the one that's a little more difficult to explain. I mean, again,
it is Indiana. Darren was from the Midwest. That's a
crown jewel job of the Midwest, and given what they
have in nil funds, I guess you can understand that
a little bit, but it certainly didn't endear him to
Mountaineer fans after what was a really successful first season
last year. The other two years are a little easier
to explain. You went seventeen years with no turnover. Was
Hall of Fame coach Bob Huggins was here, led the
Mountaineers to the Final Four in twenty ten and had
a ton of high level success. He got himself into
some trouble by his own doing their late in his career.
It precipitated his retirement from WVU. That led to an
interim coach for one season. And you guys know our
interim coach, well, that was Josh Eilert, who had been
with Huggs for a long time in various capacities. So
Josh stepped in and had what was a really difficult
year in trying to hold that program together because huggs
resignation came to late. It happened in the summer. And
I'll always have a lot of respect and give a
lot of credit to Josh Eilert for what he was
able to do and how he was able to lead
a program having never been in that position for that
one season. And of course I mentioned that you all
know him as he took over as the weirdest thing
in college coaching I've seen. Ben a guy was an
interim head coach in back to back seasons at two
different schools. As he took over for the Utes last
year when they got rid of their coach, So that
was the second year. Then you entered Darren for a year,
he's gone after one season, and then incomes Ross Hodge
is the fourth coach in four years. And it was
a complete roster sweep, no rebounds, no points returned from
last year. So I give this group a lot of
credit for West Virginia guys for staying together. They're still
battling hard, they're still playing hard. They don't take any
possessions off and like I said, up until last week,
had positioned themselves in the conversation for an NCAA tournament bid,
which was pretty remarkable at the time.
Speaker 2: No one thought that UCF could come into the Marriott
Center as twelve and a half point dogs and destroy
this BAYU Cougar basketball team that had just beaten Iowa
State and beaten the Iowa State not handily, but they
weren't control the entire night. So I don't think it's
too far fetched that West Virginia can knock off the
Cougs as well. What's the messaging to this team as
the Cougars are on the docket for the Mountaineers.
Speaker 8: Yeah, it's a it's a good point. It's a good question,
and we were just getting on the plane from the
Oklahoma State game and slipped on the BYU UCF game,
and we were we were shocked as well, maybe not
necessarily even that that UCF could pull off a win,
because I think all of us that follow this league
know just how difficult it is, and the old cliche
of there's no nights off, I think that's never been
more true in this league. But the manner in which
UCF did that was a bit of a surprise. So
I think if you're West Virginia, you know you're going
to get a laser focus BYU team coming into the
coliseum on Saturday, and this is one of those if
I'm looking at it from a West Virginia perspective and
building the case for them against what we know is
a super talented BYU team, even without Richie Saunders. I mean,
we were certainly well aware of AJ and Robert Wright
and company coming in here. But I think if you're
building a case for West Virginia, it's first and foremost
that you're back home in front of what will be
a sold out crowd in the coliseum, and we know
that's one of the more difficult places to play in
the league, So that's first and foremost. I think West
Virginia it rocked a little bit because it's lost three
straight for the first time all season, and it only
had one two game losing streak all season. That was
early back in the Charleston Classic down and Charleston South
Carolina when West Virginia lost a couple close ones to
Clemson and Xavier, and back to back days after that.
They had not lost two in a row up until
this stretch against Utah, TCU and Oklahoma State. So I
just think from a confidence standpoint, West Virginia has to
find that first and foremost, and it knows this defense
is going to get tested mightily against that offensive firepower.
Speaker 2: For BYU talking BYU versus West Virginia here on your
Utah ESPN Radio Network with Brad Howe, West Virginia Radio
Basketball and Loose and getting into it. It's brought to
you by Central Garage Utah Central Garage Utah dot Com.
So I'm looking at at the Quad one opportunities with
West Virginia four and seven and Quad one games two
and four Quad two. I'd actually say like the Quad
one games aren't the concerning portion of it. It's the
the Quad two games two and four. What happened in
these Quad two games that they fell short with.
Speaker 8: Yeah, And I think again that when you look at
Utah and TCU and Oklahoma State in particular, to take
these last three games that have popped up here, I
think all three of those are surprises, quite frankly, if
you're looking at it from a West Virginia perspective. And
I think it was two things that we got West
Virginia in trouble over these last three games that had
been strengths all season and that just switched here over
the last week. So coming into the Utah game, which
took place on February eighteenth, West Virginia was number one
in the Big twelve and two different categories. One was
free throw at temph rate for its opponents, and one
was defensive rebounding. And so West Virginia was very good
at controlling the glass and it was guarding without battling. Well, suddenly,
Ben that has switched over the last three games. All
three of those teams, Utah, TCU, and Oklahoma State have
had success on the offensive glass and they've got to
the free throw line on West Virginia over those three games,
West Virginia is minus twenty nine points at the free
throw line. So for a team that wants to control
possessions and keep the pace down, you're, in essence, starting
in a ten to nothing hole at the free throw line.
It's just that's too difficult for West Virginia to overcome.
So if I was looking for two things moving into
this game, West Virginia has to get back to controlling
the glass and they have to get back to guarding
without fouling is one of Ross Hodge's favorite sayings, and
for whatever reason, over the last three games, the whistle
has been different and that has really hindered West Virginia,
taking two of its strength and turning them into two weaknesses.
Speaker 2: If West Virginia beats the Coupes, how do you think
they do it? Here in the you know, just right
around the corner. This game is about to tip off soon.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 8: I think it's a couple of things, and one of
them is what I just mentioned. It it's you get
a cold shooting night from BYU, and then you corral
the rebound and don't allow them to have a second opportunity.
When West Virginia is playing well, that's the formula. This
is a really good defective team. In fact, it's number
eleven nationally an opponent two point field goal percentage, So
they do a great job of loading up the lane
and keeping teams out of there, making them shoot from outside.
If West Virginia can get a cold BYU team or
a team that is struggling to make some shots and
corral the rebound, that's the first level of this and
when West Virginia has won, that has been a formula.
And then number two, they've got to make some shots.
And they had been in a mired and a slump
from distance for a number of games. They finally broke
out of that against Oklahoma State when they made twelve
threes on her Huff had six himself, Trey Eagle Staff
had four. So that's another component. West Virginia's two point
offense or offense inside the arc has been very serviceable
at times and been very good at other times. But
when it's making threes, that's when it's difficult to handle
because it controls the pace so well that once West
Virginia gets a lead midway through the second half, they
can kind of squeeze it out because they're so good
at protecting the clock and working the clock. So if
I were given you two, it would be West Virginia's
got to be making shots from distance, and it's got
to limit BYU shots if in fact it's missing from
the field.
Speaker 2: Players that B WAYU fans should know. And I get
a scattering report on give us a little person, I'll breakdown.
Speaker 8: Yeah, anor Hoff's the first and foremost guy. And again,
if you can watch it as an unbiased basketball observer,
which I know MOSTYU fans won't be able to on Saturday,
he's a lot of fun to watch. It's a minutive guy,
but man, he is outstanding. Led the nation in three
pointers made last year while at Chattanooga, and he's having
another fantastic year this year, closing in on one hundred
may threes this season. And he's a lot of fun
to watch. Very Steph Curry esque from this standpoint, unlimited
range and doesn't stop moving if you watch him off
the ball, he is in constant motion off picks and running,
so really fun offensive player. Another guy to know would
be Tracing Eagle Staff. He transferred in from North Dakota.
He had a game last year where he put forty
plus points on Alabama and then scored fifty two in
a conference tournament game, so he can light it up
at times as well. Those are two guys to really know.
If you're looking for one inside, it would be number zero,
Brennan Laurent, a transfer that came with Ross Odds from
North Texas. He was all caught difference for him last
year and is a really talented six' nine. Defender he's
the guy that will match up On devonsa most of the,
day so that will be a critical matchup For West.
VIRGINIA i know nobody has STOPPED aj just, yet but
can you limit him or at least make him make
difficult shots if You're West, Virginia so keep an eye
On Brendan laurent as.
Speaker 3: Well from your.
Speaker 2: PERCH i don't know how much you've SCOUTED. Byu sure
you keep tabs on all the big twelve teams. Obviously
well what's the scouting report On brigham right? Now from
the coaching staff from your perch and from those that
you interact with there At West.
Speaker 8: Virginia, yeah just a lot of respect from both me
and this coaching staff on what they can. Do and,
again you look AT aj And i'm not telling you
anything you don't. Know i'm just blown away by his
skill set and his abilities each night WHEN i watch.
Him so you obviously start, there and what can you
do with?
Speaker 3: Him is this a?
Speaker 8: Guy can you hold him to twenty two and be
excited about? That it's certainly a guy you don't want
to get up near his average and above in the
thirty point. Range and THEN i have a ton of
respect For Robert. Wright we watched him last year when
he was At baylor run up and down the, floor
AND i think he's just a fantastic point. Guard and
if he's not the best point guard in this, league
he's certainly right in that. Conversation so we've seen THIS
byu team a. Bunch i'd much prefer to get them
at home in the coliseum rather than be at your
place like we were last. YEAR i thought your home
environment out there In provo was one of the best
in this. League so glad The cougars are coming here To,
morgantown which generally gives a better effort From West. Virginia
BUT i think THIS byu team is tremendous even Without,
saunders AND i know that was a massive loss and
certainly they're not the same team without. Him but, again
you got a guy LIKE, aj you just give him
the ball and get out of the. Way at, TIMES
i think he's. Tremendous So West virginia knows it's got
a tands full coming up On.
Speaker 2: Saturday indeed it could it could have a change full
depending on WHICH byu basketball team shows. Up The Jackelin
hyde is WHAT byu fans are concerned, about as they
they kind of insworts the regular season finish line and
no game is, Given no dubs are easy in The Big.
Speaker 3: Twelve how would you describe The Big twelve thus far this?
Speaker 8: SEASON i just think it's. FANTASTIC i think you, know
every year That West virginia has been in this, league
it's been one of the best, leagues if not the
best league In, america AND i think that's that's absolutely
true this. YEAR i think the influx of freshman talent
is just off the charts when you talk about each,
night when you go into these, games the talent is
so incredibly, good And West virginia has seen that all
throughout the. Season so this will be our first look AT,
aj BUT i think this is as good a league
as there is In, america AND i think this is
one of the best years that The Big twelve has
had talent wise over the last few.
Speaker 2: Years, yeah it's a it's been fun to watch a
lot of stars in this in this. League As Brett
yormark likes to stay the celebritization of The Big, TWELVE i,
mean it's a it's player and the entertainment that he's
bringing in to The Big twelve for The Big twelve, tournament.
Speaker 8: Right, YEAH i can't wait for that. Tournament can you
imagine how good that's going to be with all these
teams up and down the. LIST i, mean you just
talked about A ucf comes on the road and gets
that win over OVER. Byu you look at the last three.
Games West virginia's just had last Place utah roles in
here and Beat West virginia at. Home SO i think
those are there's a lot of coin flip games and
then there's a lot of heavyweights going at. It SO
i think the Tournament Kansas city is going to be
awesome as.
Speaker 2: Usual give me a little a breakdown of what you
think THIS Byu West virginia game will look like coming
up here On.
Speaker 8: Saturday, Well i'm hopeful it's, Close. BEN i hope we
get to see a good college basketball, game and if we,
DO i think you can tell. EARLY i think it's
one of those we saw this Against Oklahoma state And West.
Virginia if it comes out and there's a lot of
points being, SCORED i think that's ADVANTAGE. Byu if it
comes out and it's clunky and it's ugly and it
looks junkie and there's some turnovers and it's a slow paced,
GAME i think that bodes well For West. Virginia ross
often tells this team that it's okay if it's in the,
mud that we're comfortable playing in the. Mud AND i
think that's that's part of Why West virginia or How
West virginia has to. Win SO i think you'll be
able to see early what the pace looks. Like we
Know BYU's going to want to get out and get
up and down the. Floor West virginia is going to
want to be the exact. Opposite so whichever team can
control that pace and impose its will on the, other
that's who's ultimately going to win this. Game so if
You're West, virginia if you're A West virginia, fan you're
looking for an ugly. Game believe it or, not.
Speaker 2: Then, hey beautifully ugly can still win you basketball. Games
it can still win a lot of sporting events for
a respective, Team so hopefully it's a good. One we
appreciate you hopping on to let us get to know the.
Speaker 3: Foe. Brad what's the best way to support? You what you?
Do how you do it for all of our? Listeners?
Speaker 8: Yeah, THANKS i appreciate you. Asking probably the easiest way
you can keep up with me on x At brad
How howe zero Seven and we put all our stuff
there podcast nightly show all the informations THERE byu fans
ever want to learn more About West virginia and we
do the basketball, stuff we do the. Footballtuff we cover it,
all so would welcome them.
Speaker 2: ANYTIME a couple last things before we let you. Go
who's the big twelve player the? Year do you think
who you put your money on right?
Speaker 8: Now that's a great, question ask me After saturday AFTER
i take a look AT aj BUT i don't know
how it's not going to be him in that. Discussion
and you, know super unfortunate THAT jt topping went down
like he. Did But i'm going into. IT i look
at those numbers every week AND i just don't know
how it can be anybody But Aj. Debounca right, NOW
i think he's had a fantastic.
Speaker 3: Season, yeah we'll see how it plays.
Speaker 5: Out.
Speaker 3: Brad we salute, You we appreciate, you. Man thanks for
hopping on. Today, okay.
Speaker 8: Anytime thanks for having.
Speaker 2: Me that's a notther folks segment brought to you By
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Speaker 3: In uh hey