WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:04.919 But on this radio show, the rem brands are saved 2 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:07.599 for one person, and one person only. 3 00:00:07.719 --> 00:00:09.039 Of course, I'll be there for you. 4 00:00:09.080 --> 00:00:13.039 The theme song of the Horrible, Horrible television show back 5 00:00:13.080 --> 00:00:16.000 in the nineties called Friends, it means it's time for 6 00:00:16.120 --> 00:00:18.480 Roxy Bernstein. You guys know that by now Roxy. On 7 00:00:18.519 --> 00:00:19.640 a Tuesday, sir, how are you? 8 00:00:21.239 --> 00:00:23.280 I will be there for you, sence. I can't say 9 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:24.920 that i'd be there for Courtney Cox, that I would 10 00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:25.679 be there for you now. 11 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:26.239 We don't need to. 12 00:00:26.600 --> 00:00:28.440 We don't need to make it weird on a Tuesday. 13 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:31.480 I know when you hear the name Courtney Cox, it 14 00:00:31.679 --> 00:00:35.039 just your your ears get red, you start feeling Yeah, 15 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:38.560 I know. Well, let's be honest. I mean, enough time 16 00:00:38.600 --> 00:00:40.719 has passed. That was a That was a dumb That 17 00:00:40.799 --> 00:00:42.880 was a dumb show. It was a bad TV show 18 00:00:42.880 --> 00:00:44.880 that co opted the thoughts of people that just are 19 00:00:45.320 --> 00:00:50.000 simpletons that didn't like a intellectual television show like Seinfelder. 20 00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:53.840 For honest, the show was pretty good. I could get 21 00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:55.920 past the personal issues. 22 00:00:56.240 --> 00:00:58.439 Fine, well, I was trying to have your back, never mind, 23 00:00:58.439 --> 00:01:00.479 awesome show, how you man? 24 00:01:00.520 --> 00:01:02.079 Thank you for the time as always good. 25 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:05.920 I'm good. You know I was in Town. Over the weekend, 26 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:09.760 I had that overtime thriller at the Huntsman Center, and 27 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:14.359 I'm on my Utah week with that game. Saturday, I 28 00:01:14.359 --> 00:01:18.640 have BYU Tonight, I'm in Boulder for the game against 29 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:22.840 the Buffaloes. Thursday, i have the Hockey Club for ESPN 30 00:01:22.879 --> 00:01:27.959 against Minnesota, and then I'm back in your great state 31 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:30.200 on Saturday. I'm double dipping. I have the Utah Women 32 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:33.840 against BYU women down in Provo, and then the nightcap. 33 00:01:33.879 --> 00:01:36.560 I'm double dipping on Saturday with Cincinnati against BYU. 34 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:37.239 Wow. 35 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:40.760 Well, never a dull moment, and Roxie Bernstein, the unofficial 36 00:01:40.840 --> 00:01:42.519 voice of Utah sports, I love it. 37 00:01:42.599 --> 00:01:42.799 Well. 38 00:01:43.319 --> 00:01:46.000 I was actually I was at the Huntsman Center on 39 00:01:46.040 --> 00:01:48.519 Saturday night and I looked down. I looked down. I 40 00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:50.560 had some pretty good seats. I was about five rows 41 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:52.640 behind you. But I did not have my credential. And 42 00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:54.280 I'm not going to be the dude that says, don't 43 00:01:54.280 --> 00:01:56.200 you know who I am? So I could not come 44 00:01:56.239 --> 00:01:57.959 down and say hello. But when I saw that you 45 00:01:58.000 --> 00:02:00.040 were on the call, say again, sorry. 46 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:03.879 You could have been Yeah, but I don't I know yeah, 47 00:02:03.959 --> 00:02:04.560 I know him. 48 00:02:05.319 --> 00:02:08.560 Yeah, but Roxy, I'm already unlikable enough on paper. Like 49 00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:12.039 you know, I'm well aware of how unlikeable I'm on paper, 50 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:13.520 So I don't want to, you know, I don't want 51 00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:16.879 to further the narrative. So I simply texted Porter. I said, 52 00:02:16.919 --> 00:02:19.319 let's get our guy. And I wanted to start with 53 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:21.639 Saturday Night. And as you know, I was a student 54 00:02:21.680 --> 00:02:23.919 at Utah in the late nineties when their head coach 55 00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:27.520 was named Rick Majaris, and our weeks were playing around 56 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:29.319 Utah basketball. 57 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:30.039 Games when I was a student there. 58 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:34.639 And I'll say, and look, Larry Chriscoviaka had a couple 59 00:02:34.680 --> 00:02:37.240 of good teams, you know, Jim Boyling had an NCAA team. 60 00:02:37.319 --> 00:02:41.159 I'm not saying the building hasn't had one night like 61 00:02:41.240 --> 00:02:44.680 that in twenty seven years or whatever, but it really 62 00:02:44.680 --> 00:02:48.479 did feel like an atmosphere that reminded me of when 63 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:50.719 I was watching Andre Miller and Keith van Horn and 64 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:52.319 Mike Tholeiak and Britton Johnson. 65 00:02:53.319 --> 00:02:54.879 So let's start with the environment. 66 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:58.080 You travel all over the place for a college basketball 67 00:02:58.080 --> 00:02:59.560 game to kind of feel and sound like that of 68 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:02.080 the Hunts kind of warm in my heart. 69 00:03:02.120 --> 00:03:03.520 What did you make of that crowd? 70 00:03:04.719 --> 00:03:07.120 Well, as you know, over the years, I have done 71 00:03:07.400 --> 00:03:11.120 a ton of games at the Huntson Center, and I 72 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:16.719 think I've had a more energetic, boisterous crowd that was 73 00:03:16.840 --> 00:03:19.680 into it from even before the game started, like we 74 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:22.840 had Saturday night. That was an electric atmosphere. And I've 75 00:03:22.840 --> 00:03:26.479 done BYU Utah games there in Salt Lake City before 76 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:32.080 and that was just a tremendous atmosphere for college basketball 77 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:35.199 and it was great to see. And the Utah fans 78 00:03:35.240 --> 00:03:37.719 got rewarded with that overtime win, a huge w for 79 00:03:37.800 --> 00:03:40.759 Craig Smith in his program. But it was great to 80 00:03:40.759 --> 00:03:44.879 see that again. I've seen good crowds and full houses 81 00:03:44.919 --> 00:03:47.439 at the Huntsman Center before, but if all the games 82 00:03:47.439 --> 00:03:50.759 I've been to they're up at the Huntson Center, that 83 00:03:50.919 --> 00:03:55.039 was probably the best in terms of atmosphere and fan 84 00:03:55.120 --> 00:03:58.280 engagement that I've seen, probably in all the years I've 85 00:03:58.319 --> 00:03:59.960 been going to games at the University of Utah. 86 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:02.280 I agree, And it was a lot of fun and 87 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:04.400 there were a good number of BYU fans, but not 88 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:06.800 as many as I thought. Because the rumors prior to 89 00:04:06.840 --> 00:04:10.280 the game was BYU fans, we're gonna grab all the 90 00:04:10.319 --> 00:04:13.439 secondary market tickets in the upper Bowl, and because Utah 91 00:04:13.479 --> 00:04:15.360 fans at times don't fill that lower Bowl. 92 00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:16.560 There was gonna be a lot of blue. 93 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:19.959 There was some, not a ton, But let's get into 94 00:04:20.079 --> 00:04:22.279 the game and I'll tell you what roxy you like 95 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:24.360 to start the season. When we're doing kind of a 96 00:04:24.360 --> 00:04:28.720 little preseason stuff to preview the Big twelve schedule, I 97 00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:31.319 looked at January eighteenth BYU here in Salt Lake and 98 00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:33.399 I'm like, well, that's probably going to be an ass kicking. 99 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:37.000 And I don't know if anybody would argue that Craig 100 00:04:37.079 --> 00:04:40.439 has near the talent that Kevin does. I mean, reports 101 00:04:40.439 --> 00:04:43.920 are Jegor demon is a seven figure nil kid, and 102 00:04:44.120 --> 00:04:46.519 last Jonathan Cavoni Matt Mack I looked at he was 103 00:04:46.600 --> 00:04:49.240 number seven off the board. Canon Catching's is all supposed 104 00:04:49.240 --> 00:04:51.759 to supposed to be a first round prospect, although I 105 00:04:51.800 --> 00:04:54.639 don't really see it with him just yet. But I 106 00:04:54.680 --> 00:04:57.240 don't feel like Craig has near the talent Kevin did. 107 00:04:57.240 --> 00:05:00.920 And certainly home court advantage helps. And you know, had 108 00:05:00.920 --> 00:05:05.160 a couple of performances from some players that were quite frankly, 109 00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:07.759 things we hadn't seen before. But what stood out most 110 00:05:07.800 --> 00:05:09.600 to you about the way the game played out that 111 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:11.439 allowed Utah to get that win on overtime. 112 00:05:12.480 --> 00:05:14.879 Well, first off, I explained a little bit more for 113 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:19.480 free flowing offense, and it didn't really come to fruition 114 00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:22.120 Saturday night. With the way Utah have been playing this year, 115 00:05:22.680 --> 00:05:24.879 second in the country and assists spence, the ball has 116 00:05:24.920 --> 00:05:27.000 been whipping and moving around for the youths this year, 117 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:30.680 and it didn't really happen, probably because BYU, I think 118 00:05:30.720 --> 00:05:33.680 had it well scouted and they do for things, so 119 00:05:34.319 --> 00:05:37.160 I think they took that aspect away and tried to 120 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:42.519 limit the movement and they were with the physical battle 121 00:05:42.519 --> 00:05:45.360 between the two, which I did anticipate just because of 122 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:48.319 the rivalry, and that was the one thing I thought 123 00:05:48.360 --> 00:05:50.319 we'd get a score in the eighties. We did, it 124 00:05:50.360 --> 00:05:53.680 was overtime in the low seventies. But it was a 125 00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:57.360 fierce competitive battle from the outset, and I was really 126 00:05:57.399 --> 00:06:01.839 impressed with the toughness that really team showed and Utah 127 00:06:01.959 --> 00:06:05.240 trying to defend. The home floor crowd certainly was into 128 00:06:05.319 --> 00:06:09.959 it with Kavakada playing on the other side at starting 129 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:16.759 for Utah, and it was really just an intense game 130 00:06:16.839 --> 00:06:19.399 from the outset. That's the one thing that really stood 131 00:06:19.399 --> 00:06:22.560 out to me is just how locked in both teams 132 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:25.759 were and how physically intense this game was. 133 00:06:26.600 --> 00:06:28.839 I imagine you had a chance to catch up with 134 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:29.879 Craig before the game. 135 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:33.240 Yeah, yes, oh yeah, I saw. I was there shoot around. 136 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:36.199 In fact, I was talking to him for about five minutes, 137 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:39.000 about twenty minutes of four tip over the hallway. So yeah, 138 00:06:39.160 --> 00:06:41.279 I have had a great relationship with Craig going back 139 00:06:41.279 --> 00:06:42.439 to his days in Utah State. 140 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:44.959 So he's like the best dude, as you know, and 141 00:06:45.040 --> 00:06:49.040 I'm pulling hard for him. His son Bountiful lum Roxy 142 00:06:49.160 --> 00:06:51.519 don't I know you don't have time, but when you 143 00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:53.720 have time later, you can look up the nineteen ninety 144 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:56.839 seven Bountiful Braize basketball team, the one state. People around 145 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:59.399 here believe it's the best high school team in the history. 146 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:01.639 I don't say that, even though I mean I may 147 00:07:01.639 --> 00:07:03.360 have been on the team, but I don't say that. 148 00:07:03.399 --> 00:07:03.879 It's not me. 149 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:07.279 And so his son played for the same high school 150 00:07:07.319 --> 00:07:08.959 coach I did, so I used to run into him 151 00:07:09.240 --> 00:07:11.519 at some of those games, and I pull for him, 152 00:07:11.600 --> 00:07:15.519 and I felt so happy for him with this win. 153 00:07:15.639 --> 00:07:17.560 And he's had good wins in the past out of 154 00:07:17.560 --> 00:07:20.240 win over Oregon, and so we're hoping ultimately this is 155 00:07:20.279 --> 00:07:22.720 not only a moment in time, but can you shed 156 00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:25.439 a little light on some of the portions of your 157 00:07:25.480 --> 00:07:28.120 conversations with him and his thoughts on this group and 158 00:07:28.160 --> 00:07:29.800 what they could potentially do this year. 159 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:34.000 First off, as you know when you talk to his fence, 160 00:07:34.040 --> 00:07:37.079 he's always upbeat, he's always positive, and the way he 161 00:07:37.160 --> 00:07:40.000 looks at things got so much energy and it's infectious, 162 00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:44.519 and I think his team feels that every time that 163 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:46.800 they're on the practice floor, they're on this floor for 164 00:07:46.839 --> 00:07:49.000 shoot round, get ready for games in locker room, he 165 00:07:49.040 --> 00:07:52.560 gets them going and they feed off it. And you're right, 166 00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:55.959 they don't have the talent at BYU does, but Craig 167 00:07:56.079 --> 00:07:57.680 finds a way to get the most out of his 168 00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:01.480 talent utilize the pieces. The other thing about Craig is 169 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:04.439 he recruits that style that he wants to play with 170 00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:07.639 the ball movement. Yes, Gabe Madsen is a great shooter 171 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:09.279 from the outside is going through a little bit of 172 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:12.120 a funk right now, but he's also a willing passer, 173 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:16.040 laws and lovering at center is a center that's averaging 174 00:08:16.040 --> 00:08:18.560 two and a half assists a game. It's a style 175 00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:21.360 that he recruits to and he wants to play, and 176 00:08:21.879 --> 00:08:25.120 to me, it's an aesthetically pleasing style a watch because 177 00:08:25.160 --> 00:08:27.160 of the ball movement and how free flowing they go, 178 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:31.519 and they shoot threes and he's excited. Look, they know 179 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:34.759 this transition is not going to be easy the last 180 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:37.519 ten years. I don't think anybody will give you the 181 00:08:37.600 --> 00:08:40.480 argument that the Big Twelve has been the best league 182 00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:43.519 in the country this year. It's not. The SEC has 183 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:47.120 shown that they are the best basketball league so far here, 184 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:49.000 but I think the Big Twelve is right behind it. 185 00:08:49.240 --> 00:08:51.679 To be honest with you, I with the way this 186 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:56.360 league is balanced. You look at teams like Iowa State, Kansas, Baylor, 187 00:08:56.440 --> 00:08:58.960 after a rough opening to the season has come on. 188 00:08:59.639 --> 00:09:02.840 There's a lot of really good basketball. Arizona's figured things 189 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:06.039 out and it makes it challenging when you're in this league. 190 00:09:06.080 --> 00:09:10.000 And Houston's looked to me legitimate Final fourteen and that's 191 00:09:10.120 --> 00:09:12.879 now the competition level with Utah needs to embrace and 192 00:09:12.919 --> 00:09:15.960 I think they have and they stack up physically when 193 00:09:15.960 --> 00:09:18.559 you look at him, they look the part. And on 194 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:22.240 Saturday night, it was a challenge to go up against BYU. 195 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:24.960 They're on the whole floor and it seen. The emphasis 196 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:27.679 in the second half was be physical, go inside, and 197 00:09:27.720 --> 00:09:31.240 that's where they took this game from BYU with the 198 00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:35.440 physicality that Ezrasore played with and lost and lover and 199 00:09:35.480 --> 00:09:38.000 the way they were able to attack BYU on the interior. 200 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:42.559 So I saw Craig on the sidelines of the Utah 201 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:45.159 BYU football game, and he was there to kind of 202 00:09:45.159 --> 00:09:47.519 do the basketball coach thing. It's like, hey, well you're 203 00:09:47.559 --> 00:09:49.639 all here, come see us play. And he told me 204 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:53.279 about ezra at the game and he said, you know, 205 00:09:53.559 --> 00:09:57.159 they were really excited about him East Carolina transfer, and 206 00:09:57.240 --> 00:09:59.440 he's had some personal stuff. Craig alluded to it after 207 00:09:59.440 --> 00:10:01.679 the game. He went home after the death of his grandmother. 208 00:10:02.360 --> 00:10:04.480 And I got to say, Roxy, you're old enough to 209 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:06.679 remember because I made this reference. And I think most 210 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:08.879 young listeners are probably looking at me with eight heads. 211 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:11.279 There's like a little Adrian Danley to this kid's game 212 00:10:11.320 --> 00:10:14.559 because he's not six ' eight, Roxy, He's not okay, 213 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:16.320 he's listed at six ' eight, he's like six ' 214 00:10:16.360 --> 00:10:20.360 five sixty six, but his the myriad of pump fix, 215 00:10:20.440 --> 00:10:22.480 the ability to finish with both hands. 216 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:23.919 He's a better athlete than ad was. 217 00:10:23.960 --> 00:10:25.759 Because the knock on your head, but finishes with the 218 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:28.440 right hand, finishes with the left hand. And Kevin threw 219 00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:31.039 everybody at him. He threw for foose tray or at him. 220 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:33.639 He threw ke bacade at him. And it didn't matter 221 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:36.720 who was guarding Ezra Sar. He just got whatever he wanted. 222 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:38.559 And I didn't know he had that in him, and 223 00:10:38.600 --> 00:10:40.759 I know he had a nice game against TCU, but 224 00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:41.799 that was next level. 225 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:43.720 What are your thoughts on what you saw from Ezra? 226 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:47.159 It seemed like he was a different player in the 227 00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:50.039 second half Saturday night, maybe because the emphasis to get 228 00:10:50.120 --> 00:10:54.320 him the basketball, but he was unstoppable and he went 229 00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:56.919 to town b what you knew what he was going 230 00:10:56.960 --> 00:10:59.440 to do, and they couldn't stop him. And every shot 231 00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:01.639 was either right at the rim or within five ft. 232 00:11:01.799 --> 00:11:03.279 And it's not like he's yep it do on the 233 00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:06.039 perimeter and nailing threes or even hitting the mid rage jumper. 234 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:11.360 It was all attack, attack, attack, And he's got that 235 00:11:11.480 --> 00:11:15.320 to his game, that toughness, strength and a nice compliment 236 00:11:15.360 --> 00:11:18.240 to loss and lovering. Who isn't really your low post 237 00:11:18.360 --> 00:11:21.480 big man. He's more of a face up and looking 238 00:11:21.519 --> 00:11:26.320 to pass and facilitate where Ezra just completely just game 239 00:11:26.360 --> 00:11:28.440 over in the second half, a few points at halftime, 240 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:30.960 with a non factor for the most part in the 241 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:33.519 first half, but certainly in the second half. In in overtime 242 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:36.039 it was a point of emphasis. Then they had to 243 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:37.759 sweat it out with all the free throws they missed 244 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:40.200 down the stretch. And that's one thing that concerns me 245 00:11:40.279 --> 00:11:43.200 going forward then, is their struggles at the sul line 246 00:11:43.240 --> 00:11:47.919 and guys like Leering Ezra, who have the ball a 247 00:11:47.919 --> 00:11:49.960 lot and are attacking, gets to the line a lot, 248 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:52.279 but they miss a lot of free throws and it 249 00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:54.600 became shaking down the stretch for Utah. 250 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:57.279 So before we get over to BYU, because I do 251 00:11:57.360 --> 00:12:00.879 have some questions about Kevin's team, I was really happy 252 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:04.200 for Hunter Erickson, who is a BYU transfer, and it's fun. 253 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:06.519 You know, you mentioned Gabe and his shooting struggles. I 254 00:12:06.600 --> 00:12:09.320 will say this, I thought BYU did a remarkable job 255 00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:11.759 on Gabe. You know, they started with Mowatt mag on him. 256 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:14.639 Richie Saunders chased him around for a while, Dawson Baker 257 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:17.000 chased him around for a while, but every single screen 258 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:17.720 he came off. 259 00:12:17.600 --> 00:12:19.759 Of BYU was ready. They blitzed him this and two, 260 00:12:20.440 --> 00:12:20.720 so he. 261 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:22.879 Just didn't have a lot of space, and he's the 262 00:12:22.919 --> 00:12:26.200 type of shooter like Steve Kerr and I Before people 263 00:12:26.200 --> 00:12:28.279 get crazy, I'm not saying Gabe matts and Steph Curry 264 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:30.840 everybody calmed down. But Steve Kerr always talks about I 265 00:12:30.840 --> 00:12:33.200 want Steph to take five or six horrible shots a 266 00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:36.720 game because when he gets going, you know it's unstoppable. 267 00:12:36.840 --> 00:12:38.720 And when Gabe gets going, he's one of the elite 268 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:41.559 shooters in this conference. So I'm fine at times with 269 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:44.159 a fadeaway three to get the feel. But I thought 270 00:12:44.200 --> 00:12:47.600 Gabe was really mature with his ability to handle the 271 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:50.799 space and the gravity effect allowed some open shots, but 272 00:12:51.080 --> 00:12:54.399 nobody could really capitalize until Hunter came in and knocked 273 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:57.279 down a couple of massive threes. He did airball free throw, 274 00:12:57.320 --> 00:12:59.279 but he stepped up and hit three free throws and 275 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:02.720 his nine points during the final portion of the game, 276 00:13:02.759 --> 00:13:05.840 both in regulation on and overtime. Utah doesn't win that 277 00:13:05.879 --> 00:13:08.279 game without Hunter Erickson, so I was really happy for him. 278 00:13:08.840 --> 00:13:11.879 Yeah, no question, and the clutch plays you alluded to, 279 00:13:12.519 --> 00:13:15.720 and with mattson, he needs to be a volume shooter 280 00:13:15.840 --> 00:13:19.000 on this team and he is their best shooter. Okay, 281 00:13:19.360 --> 00:13:23.759 maybe not percentage wise, but he's got to be the 282 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:26.399 guy that they look to to take the big shot. 283 00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:29.440 And that's what Craig's getting at with him being a 284 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:33.639 volume shooter and those tough, challenging shots, those fadeaway threes 285 00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:36.080 end of a shot clock, when he's got a fire 286 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:38.799 and he's off balance and falling out of bounce, those 287 00:13:38.840 --> 00:13:40.559 are the type of things that Gabe needs to do 288 00:13:40.759 --> 00:13:43.240 for that team. And when you look around this group, 289 00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:46.480 he's the one that's capable of doing that. Shark Jompson 290 00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:50.279 is more of a creator. He can score, you know, 291 00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:52.840 other guys on this team, there's things they can do, 292 00:13:53.320 --> 00:13:54.960 but at the end of the day, Gabe has looked 293 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:57.799 to as that guy who needs to be the volume shooter. 294 00:13:58.519 --> 00:14:01.320 And look, he's second in Utah history and three winners 295 00:14:01.360 --> 00:14:04.600 made and that's why they're going to keep going to 296 00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:06.840 him because he's not afraid of the big moment either. 297 00:14:07.879 --> 00:14:11.039 Indeed, indeed, before I get to bring him young, what 298 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:14.960 are you willing to say about Utah's Big twelve chances 299 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:17.200 this year? They're not winning the conference, but they've won 300 00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:20.159 three straight games. Could Craig somehow some way get this 301 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:21.559 team in the NCAA tournament. 302 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:26.080 I wouldn't rule it out because of what you alluded to. 303 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:29.159 They won three straight games and if you can come 304 00:14:29.240 --> 00:14:31.519 up with some clutch wins along the way, they're eleven 305 00:14:31.559 --> 00:14:35.440 and six overall to five hundred league. They got a 306 00:14:35.480 --> 00:14:39.519 tough game with Houston coming up, which on the road, 307 00:14:39.559 --> 00:14:42.679 and I think I think Houston's really good Spence I 308 00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:45.600 had them early, and I'm so impressed with the way 309 00:14:45.639 --> 00:14:49.039 that they play. They're so tough mentally and physically. They 310 00:14:49.120 --> 00:14:52.320 just pound you and they beat you up. And to me, 311 00:14:52.440 --> 00:14:54.240 they're the team to beat in the Big twelve. I 312 00:14:54.279 --> 00:14:57.759 think as good as Iowa State is and Kantas certainly 313 00:14:57.759 --> 00:14:59.919 over the years. I don't think this is a great can. 314 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:02.480 It's his team for Bill Selp, I think they're really good. 315 00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:04.919 But to me, I think Houston is the best team 316 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:05.559 in his league. 317 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:09.639 I agree with that, and you know, well, we'll see 318 00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:11.600 how Utah stacks up. But I'm not going to take 319 00:15:11.639 --> 00:15:13.600 a ton away from that game because Houston might win 320 00:15:13.639 --> 00:15:15.960 by thirty and you know, ultimately, I don't think it 321 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:18.039 would change a whole lot because there's a gap between 322 00:15:18.039 --> 00:15:19.039 those two teams. 323 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:20.480 All right over to BYU. 324 00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:23.360 And here's the thing, Like, you know, Kevin Young gets 325 00:15:23.399 --> 00:15:26.360 that job to a lot of celebration, a lot of 326 00:15:27.320 --> 00:15:30.320 a lot of BYU fans, you know, really really excited 327 00:15:30.320 --> 00:15:31.200 about the potential. 328 00:15:31.360 --> 00:15:32.919 And Kevin comes from the NBA. 329 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:37.360 His bench is littered with assistant coaches that have NBA experience. 330 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:40.159 They bring in an NBA strength and conditioning staff and 331 00:15:40.240 --> 00:15:43.759 nutritionness from the Phoenix Suns, and suddenly the collective starts 332 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:45.799 paying a lot of money to get talent. I reference 333 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:49.159 Diego Demon, who reportedly is a seven figure kid ken 334 00:15:49.159 --> 00:15:50.639 and catching is a lot of people think he's a 335 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:53.600 first round prospect, is making good money aged the bands, 336 00:15:53.720 --> 00:15:55.799 is on his way to play for Kevin next year. 337 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:58.559 But you know the deal, Roxy, when you clearly have 338 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:00.759 the talent on paper, you got to show you can coach. 339 00:16:00.799 --> 00:16:03.200 And he hasn't done this before. This is his first 340 00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:06.559 go around, and they're obviously close. But the fact of 341 00:16:06.600 --> 00:16:09.200 the matter is they're ower to five and quad one opportunities. 342 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:12.360 They're own four in games decided by five points or less, 343 00:16:12.360 --> 00:16:15.159 and they have not won a road game. They have 344 00:16:15.240 --> 00:16:18.000 to win tonight. What stands out most to you is 345 00:16:18.039 --> 00:16:21.960 you watch this early project that Kevin is tasked with leading. 346 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:25.279 Well. It is a work in progress and it's different 347 00:16:25.320 --> 00:16:28.480 the way Mark Polpe went about it, and certainly that 348 00:16:28.559 --> 00:16:30.799 offense was fun to watch with all the threes they 349 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:33.600 shot last year. This is the team of still making threes, 350 00:16:33.720 --> 00:16:38.200 but they go about it a different way. And you know, Demon, 351 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:40.440 he hasn't been the same since he hurt his knee 352 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:44.960 in early December in that game against Province, and I 353 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:47.600 think they're hoping at some point it clicks back in 354 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:50.279 for him. But you could see the talent in terms 355 00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:52.360 of his ability to create for others. He is not 356 00:16:52.440 --> 00:16:55.639 a scorer as of yet. He clearly needs to get stronger, 357 00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:59.799 but it's a talented team and right now Catchings, for example, 358 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:03.000 think is going through a confidence issue and that's a 359 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:05.279 problem for them. He was really well early but the 360 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:09.160 last five games he has really struggled and trying to 361 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:11.400 find his way again. And I think it's more mental 362 00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:13.720 than it is physical right now for him, Spence and 363 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:17.519 the talent's there, we see it, but he's got to 364 00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:20.079 get back on track and it's important for BYU that 365 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:22.839 he does. And the interesting thing about them, Spence is 366 00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:25.400 I've talked to a few coaches and some NBA people. 367 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:28.880 They think Richie Saunders might be an NBA player. That 368 00:17:29.160 --> 00:17:31.359 the things that he does, how quickly he gets his 369 00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:34.759 shot off, the toughness that he plays with, that the 370 00:17:34.880 --> 00:17:37.599 energy he provides. Look, I'm not saying he's going to 371 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:41.960 be maybe a regular rotation top guy in the NBA, 372 00:17:42.119 --> 00:17:45.720 but there is a lot of people that feel, including 373 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:48.079 some coaches around the Big Twelve, that Richie Saunders is 374 00:17:48.119 --> 00:17:48.960 an NTY player. 375 00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:51.440 Well, Mark badly wanted him at Kentucky. 376 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:53.440 You know, he had a good offer to take off 377 00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:54.759 to play for his former head coach. 378 00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:55.680 And he's a good player. 379 00:17:55.880 --> 00:17:57.359 I mean, he means a lot to them, and I 380 00:17:57.359 --> 00:18:00.000 think they'll figure it out because that talent is undeniable, 381 00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:02.240 and I just don't know if Kevin can coach. I'm 382 00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:04.119 not trying to be critical here, but this is his 383 00:18:04.119 --> 00:18:06.119 first time. When you have the talent, we're going to 384 00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:09.039 talk about the coaching. Let's take advantage of the final 385 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:11.680 few minutes to get a little hockey in roxy as. 386 00:18:11.519 --> 00:18:12.119 We are now. 387 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:15.559 We are now hockey Town, USA, of course, with the 388 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:18.440 Utah Hockey Club here and then to Detroit. 389 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:20.720 Well they might have a claim to it. 390 00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:24.279 We don't because we're still very early in our experiences. 391 00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:26.039 But you know, I've been to four or five games. 392 00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:26.759 It's so fun. 393 00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:30.200 I love watching that sport live and the NHL Live 394 00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:32.559 is something else to watch. These guys do what they 395 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:35.119 do on skates forwards and backwards, like go out and 396 00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:36.920 try and skate in the straight line. Yeaw, that goes 397 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:39.480 for you. But they've been up, they have been down. 398 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:41.200 They have been up, they have been down. They've won 399 00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:43.279 a couple of straight games, and you're gonna call a 400 00:18:43.319 --> 00:18:45.839 game of theirs this week. What stands out as you 401 00:18:45.880 --> 00:18:48.160