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Back on Track After Adjustments, UH Looks to Build Momentum
109 Plays2 months ago
Welcome to Episode #75 of the No Conference for Old Men Podcast.
After our 3rd consecutive loss at Kansas 69-56, the Coogs got some rest, made a few offensive adjustments, & righted the ship with a 40 point shellacking of Colorado 102-62 at home. Now there's a final 2 regular season games left vs Baylor & Oklahoma St to build momentum going into post-season play. The team is now 24-5 & 12-4 in XII play, and 7th in the AP poll.
Please have a listen as the 3 Old Men break down the 2 games vs KU & CO, discuss the offensive adjustments made as we prepare for March, and then preview the upcoming games vs Baylor & Oklahoma St. The team continues add to their toolkit & solidify a reliable bench before post-season play begins.
- No Conference for Old Men is available for free via Spotify / Apple Podcast / SoundCloud & the GoCoogs.com YouTube Page; we're also available via Dave Campbell's College Podcast Network as their only basketball-centric offering
- Intro / Exit music: Ground Zero provided by FreeBeats.io
- Please follow us on gocoogs.com/old-men/
Recommended
Transcript
00:00:06
@NoConfForOldMen
Welcome folks to episode number 75 in the No Conference for Old Men podcast, the podcast where three old guys are talking Houston and Cougars basketball with a little bit of Big 12 coverage added in as well and proud members of the gocougs.com network, the undisputed number one Houston Cougars content provider. And we're back again with all three old men, Bill Walker, former player, Tom Lediac, former coach, and myself, Steve Chang, analytics guy for this episode.
00:00:31
@NoConfForOldMen
And after our third consecutive loss at KU, 69-56, the Coos got some rest, made a few offensive tweaks, and righted the ship with a 40-point shellacking of Colorado, 102-62 home.
00:00:46
@NoConfForOldMen
Now it's on to the final two regular season games left with Baylor and Okie State to build momentum, hopefully going into the postseason play. the Team is now 24-5, 12-4 in Big 12 play and number seven, I believe, this week in the AP poll.
00:01:01
@NoConfForOldMen
These last few games, plus how we do in the Big 12 tournament, will actually determine whether we can hold on to that number two seed come March Madness. So we're going to summarize the KU and Colorado games, provide a bit of our thoughts around what we saw in terms of improvements or tweaks to open some things up on offense versus Colorado, and then finish things up with a preview of the Baylor and Oklahoma state games. So why don't we get started now, Tom? Why don't you kick things off with your kind of key points on the loss to KU really? felt like it was the only game this season that I felt like we were just out of it and didn't have a chance, but really curious about your thoughts.
00:01:44
Tom Lidiak
Well, before I speak about the game, I think the game has to, there has to be some context behind it. You go back to the preceding Saturday, Saturday, we had to play Arizona at home.
00:01:55
Tom Lidiak
Tough game for us. You know, a team like Arizona, possible final four, possible national championship. We'll, we'll have to see in the next, next couple weeks. Yeah. So we're out there playing Arizona at home, and then Kansas is playing Cincinnati.
00:02:10
Tom Lidiak
And i'm no I'm not sure if Kansas overlooked the game, and they were you know looking looking toward us on Monday, but they lose to Cincinnati at Fogg. So that was a home game for them.
00:02:21
Tom Lidiak
So U of H, we have to travel after the Saturday game, and we just get a little bit of prep, not a whole lot of planning time because you know you you're planning for a Arizona.
00:02:33
Tom Lidiak
you know It's tough to prepare prepare for two top 10 teams you know simultaneously. so We get to Fogg-Allen either Sunday, you know I think it was Sunday, get into Lawrence.
00:02:46
Tom Lidiak
Kansas, you know big Monday for them. another you know it's our It's our second big Monday in a row. We played Iowa State you know the preceding Monday. and Now Kansas has us on big Monday.
00:02:59
Tom Lidiak
Bill self is I think 40 and O in his tenure at Kansas at big Monday. So right.
00:03:05
.0Bill Walker
Yep.
00:03:07
Tom Lidiak
Yep. Right off, right off the bat, you know, right, right off the bat, you know, we're, we're, we're sitting behind the eight ball and I, I kind have my theories on this.
00:03:17
Tom Lidiak
You know, we won back to back big 12 championships and, And I don't know how we don't get a big Monday game at all. And then to make matters worse, make matters worse we you know have two big Mondays back-to-back, and both them are on the road.
00:03:26
@NoConfForOldMen
Agreed.
00:03:32
Tom Lidiak
Both of them are against the toughest places to play. You've got Hilton, and then you got Fogg. So... the not you know We were going have to be probably 8, 10, 12 points better than Kansas on this night to win the game.
00:03:47
Tom Lidiak
And we weren't. A lot of people were down on Milo's and E-man. And it comes to find out that Milo's was a game-time decision. Kelvin was talking about this you know at the media availability and also on his radio show.
00:04:04
Tom Lidiak
He said Milo's actually had both both feet were both ankles were sprained. E-Man, he said, had taken a fall. And he said a man he said Milo's was a game-time decision.
00:04:17
Tom Lidiak
We'll never know how much of a factor that had in the game. But you know you to beat Kansas, you have to have everybody healthy. Got off to a good start, decent start.
00:04:26
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, really good.
00:04:26
Tom Lidiak
I think it was 27-20. say decent because Senac missed. He had wide open wide open threes that he missed.
00:04:39
Tom Lidiak
And after the game, Bill Self mentioned that that was part of their strategy. you know they were goingnna They were going blitz to blitz the pick and roll with Kingston, and they were going to take their chances with Senac shooting the three.
00:04:49
@NoConfForOldMen
Yep.
00:04:51
Tom Lidiak
And I thought once he missed a couple of threes, he got gun shy. Now, whether that was Kelvin telling him, you know, to do something else rather than shoot threes or whether he just got gun shy, I don't know.
00:05:02
Tom Lidiak
But it showed up in the second it showed up in the second half where he just passed up a couple of open shots.
00:05:03
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:05:07
Tom Lidiak
And I thought some of our other players passed up open shots too. Yeah. E-man was cold as ice along with Senac. And then they they we went on, I think, 11-0 run. And then to finish the half, Kansas went on 11-0 run.
00:05:24
Tom Lidiak
Start the second half, I think we got within two or three. And I think we had a possession to either tie it up or cut it to one. And I can't remember exactly what happened.
00:05:34
Tom Lidiak
But it was it was all it was all downhill from there.
00:05:37
@NoConfForOldMen
after that
00:05:38
Tom Lidiak
Coach Sampson pulled E-Man and Milo's with about seven and a half minutes left. And one positive was Mercy and McCarty. they They came in there and thought they provided provided some good energy and those in those last minutes.
00:05:48
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah absolutely
00:05:54
Tom Lidiak
and you know I think it carried over to the Colorado game.
00:06:01
.0Bill Walker
Yeah, well, I think the three of us could have played well against Colorado, but
00:06:08
.0Bill Walker
<unk>'ll we'll we'll get to that.
00:06:10
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:06:13
@NoConfForOldMen
Anything else, Tom?
00:06:16
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:06:17
Tom Lidiak
you know Kansas losing to Cincinnati the Saturday before at home, I'm sure i'm sure that fired him up.
00:06:26
Tom Lidiak
and i sure I'm sure that gave him a little extra mother but whole extra motivation.
00:06:26
@NoConfForOldMen
Sure.
00:06:28
.0Bill Walker
Yeah, of course.
00:06:29
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:06:30
Tom Lidiak
and and I noticed that man most most of our shots in the first half were just short.
00:06:35
@NoConfForOldMen
short yeah
00:06:36
Tom Lidiak
and now that That was probably a fatigue thing. and Plus, you know E-Man having those hip problems and Milo's having some ankle problems.
00:06:44
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah yeah no kidding yeah how about you bill from a player's perspective on the ku game
00:06:45
Tom Lidiak
It probably contributed to that. but Yeah, overall, it's a game to forget, move on, learn learn learn from it, and then just move on.
00:07:00
.0Bill Walker
Yeah, well, for both these games,
00:07:04
.0Bill Walker
to me, to some degree, to some extent, they're kind of aberrations. So I'm not going to get overly loquacious discussing either, which I know will shock you and pretty much pretty much shock everyone.
00:07:20
@NoConfForOldMen
Well, I'll be the judge after you're finished.
00:07:22
Tom Lidiak
We're going to hold you to that, Bill.
00:07:22
.0Bill Walker
and Hey, I'm going to, I'm going to fire, I'm going to fire through this. You'll see. You know, I'd previously mentioned that if we're not shooting well, we have to score in other ways. And Kelvin's mentioned that as well, including creating turnovers and offensive rebounding. And Kansas was the perfect opportunity to, to display that. uh,
00:07:50
.0Bill Walker
we shot a truly abysmal, and this is why, a truly abysmal 32% from the floor, 21% from three.
00:07:52
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:07:57
.0Bill Walker
And for a good chunk of the first half, we were up. Now you said, Tom, we were up seven, largely due to the fact that we were turning Kansas over.
00:08:08
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:08:09
.0Bill Walker
yeah Unfortunately, you know They went on that 11-0 run, but we were only down four at half. Second half, the shooting was equally bad, but Kansas' nine first-half turnovers were cut to three in the second half, and and you know they they ended up getting out to the 20-point lead, and that was that. yeah Flemings was our only player in double double figures, double digits, but he shot six of 18 to get there. Sharp...
00:08:36
.0Bill Walker
as you mentioned, Tom, one of 10 and use, and, uh, you know, I I'm of the opinion that if, if you're playing, then, then, you know, anything shouldn't necessarily be an excuse.
00:08:47
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, agree.
00:08:48
.0Bill Walker
And and he was just non-existent. Uh, our only 50% shooters in that game were Sacco who went two of three from the field and McCarty who went one of two, uh,
00:09:01
.0Bill Walker
yeah, as you alluded to, Tom, having, having seen enough and, and knowing, knowing that the shooters were, were just dead, uh, except of course, Tuggler who, who never gets tired cause he doesn't play. you know calvin Calvin pulled sharp and usean and and you know the outcome was largely predictable.
00:09:17
@NoConfForOldMen
Thank you.
00:09:21
.0Bill Walker
and yeah Look, we just, as you also mentioned, Tom, we just played Arizona two days earlier. We're coming off the toughest three-game stretch any team in the nation has faced this year over eight days yeah and concluded at Fog Allen where, again, Kansas was thirty nine and o on big Mondays. yeah I thought we'd lose and we did, but But I don't think there's another team in the country, Arizona, Duke, Michigan, that would have won that game coming off of the the two previous games against Arizona and Iowa State. And as you mentioned, Tom, you know Kansas was fired up following the home block to Cincinnati.
00:10:04
.0Bill Walker
To me, kind of an expected loss, but not the end of the world. Done.
00:10:11
@NoConfForOldMen
Wow, I'm impressed.
00:10:11
Tom Lidiak
Wow. Wow. bill Yeah.
00:10:12
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah ha No, I mean, I completely agree. i think I think two out of the three of us predicted a loss in this one, right? Not surprising. It's in it's in Lawrence, right? on On a day's rest, basically.
00:10:27
@NoConfForOldMen
And it's expected this was a tough physical defensive game versus Kansas. And their fans were really revved up coming into the game, even after the loss to Cincy just a few days before.
00:10:36
.0Bill Walker
6.50
00:10:40
@NoConfForOldMen
well, someone's phone or something. Anyways, i mean, basically in two short years, we've clearly become the number one game on everyone's schedule in the Big 12. And we fought hard, you know, especially early on. We were looking good early in the first half. But honestly, as I had mentioned earlier, this was just...
00:10:58
@NoConfForOldMen
the the one game of the season where I just didn't think we had much of a chance, right, as we started to get behind in in a big way. From an advanced analytics perspective, really,
00:11:11
@NoConfForOldMen
just read across the board for both teams, given the defensive struggle. One thing that was a positive is you guys did both highlighted was that at least we started forcing some turnovers again, 19% of KU's possessions where we just weren't able to do that versus Arizona and ISU offensively our seniors, you know, regardless of what injury or whatever, or or, you know, tired, honestly, they let us down, unable to get anything going on offense. It's a strange game where I felt multiple times Milo's even got inside with his man on his hip.
00:11:46
@NoConfForOldMen
But rather than just take it up for his usual floater, he just backed it back out.
00:11:50
.0Bill Walker
He circled back.
00:11:51
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, he just circled back out.
00:11:51
.0Bill Walker
Yeah, circled it right into a double team.
00:11:55
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, and time's running out too, right at that point. So of course, it's just going to be someone's going to whoever gets it next is just going to chuck it at that point.
00:11:58
.0Bill Walker
Yes.
00:12:03
@NoConfForOldMen
And that was like repeated over and over again. And as you highlighted, we ended up shooting a dreadful 36% effective field goal percentage and 21% from three point range.
00:12:15
@NoConfForOldMen
Yes, Kingston carried the load with 16 points. And thankfully, Miller brought some much needed aggressiveness on offense off the bench with nine points, but everyone else was dreadful. On defense, the team played hard, but a bit too much cheating, I thought, off their man. That left open shots from the arc where KU was able to shoot 41% from three-point range, which is kind of our and our Achilles heel a bit this year. Just better movement off ball with KU when we were rotating on D where...
00:12:47
@NoConfForOldMen
you know, our kids just lost their man at times. Thankfully, we had McCarty and Miller off the bench to provide some energy on D and especially defensive rebounding guys. They did a great job in the second half with nine between the two of them.
00:12:59
@NoConfForOldMen
For our team, I'm just going highlight to the the two bench players, Miller and Mark McCarty, who were a player of boss score plus minus plus 12.5 and plus for the game, respectively. And this would be a precursor for things to come these for these two in in the game versus Colorado. So why don't we go to the Colorado game, which was you know a bit of a turnaround. that We had some rest and ended up resulting in a huge 40-point win over Colorado, fully acknowledging that this was a way overmatched lesser team we put a beat down on. But you still saw some things that were interesting that that we we'll talk a little bit about after this summary. But Bill, what's your player's view on the Colorado demolition at home?
00:13:45
.0Bill Walker
Another kind to me, another kind of aberration, but in the right way. And hopefully something that is something to build off of down the stretch.
00:13:50
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:13:53
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, agreed.
00:13:54
.0Bill Walker
yeah I predicted eighty one sixty two and I was told that I was nuts, insane, to expect us to score 81 points.
00:14:06
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:14:07
.0Bill Walker
yeah A few things affected the 102. First, as you just mentioned, Steve, we had four days to rest. Secondly, from what i was told, Kelvin got on some of the players, uh, especially that recently passive playing use and, and clearly everyone responded. they attacked the basket. Uh, we absolutely dominated inside, I've got a big U of H fan that I talked to from time to time. Our name's Christina. Uh, she especially loved the guard penetration, uh, which she's been pleading for all season and, uh, and a stronger presence inside. and And so she was, she was quite pleased. And then third, and, uh, why I call this a bit of an aberration is that, uh,
00:15:00
.0Bill Walker
yeah I've not seen a team play worse defense against us all year. And quite honestly, I don't know that I've seen a team play worse defense than this in a while. Uh,
00:15:12
.0Bill Walker
I think that, and I'll mention a team that I'm i'm somewhat familiar with, Grinnell College, a Division III program, which scores over 100 points a game and and gives up about 120.
00:15:20
@NoConfForOldMen
And
00:15:25
.0Bill Walker
twenty I think they could have scored 140 Colorado's D. versus colorado's d you know and I'll give a shout out. there They're actually 22-3 this year. But all that said, all five starters do partly to to what what we'll talk about next, but but due to this horrific defense, all five starters in double figures, as were Mercy and Chase,
00:15:51
.0Bill Walker
And had Sacco made one more free throw, we would have had eight double figures. We shot 60% from the field and 59% from three.
00:16:03
.0Bill Walker
And these were wide open shots, uncontested, not defended at all. We out-rebounded them We forced 15 turnovers to our seven.
00:16:13
.0Bill Walker
Sharp and Mercy actually were the only players under 50% from the field on the entire team. of Well, I guess unless you consider SEDS over one.
00:16:24
.0Bill Walker
But yeah fortunately, after the first four minutes where where we were down 10 to it was an absolute blowout.
00:16:25
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:16:32
.0Bill Walker
It allowed Calvin to to actually put Tuggler back in the game in the first half after he committed shockingly. you know, air quotes, two two fouls in the in the first two minutes and nine seconds.
00:16:48
.0Bill Walker
Yeah, I love that we attacked the paint that Yuuzhan specifically was aggressive. I mean, he was he he was aggressive.
00:16:57
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm.
00:16:57
.0Bill Walker
He shot the ball confidently and quickly, led us with 24, you know, five of seven from three. he had six assists, not surprisingly, zero turnovers. And You know, again, though, I would say don't get too high on this because of the fact that Colorado's D was absolutely nonexistent.
00:17:23
.0Bill Walker
Done.
00:17:25
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah You know, we we we talk about how bad their deal was, but you know, they're they're actually kind of middle of the road, right?
00:17:32
.0Bill Walker
I know.
00:17:33
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, so it's not like they're like a 250th ranked defense, right? This is still the...
00:17:37
.0Bill Walker
No, but they certainly played like one.
00:17:40
@NoConfForOldMen
but But it's going to be similar to the two k teams we're about to play, right? Relatively similar in terms of where they're at defensively. Anyways, Tom, how about your your coach's view on the Colorado game?
00:17:52
Tom Lidiak
Well, coming off that Kansas loss on Monday, Kelvin gave them Tuesday and Wednesday off.
00:17:58
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, we're needed.
00:17:59
Tom Lidiak
Yeah, just to you know recharge the batteries a little bit. Bill, you mentioned Kelvin had a talk with Uzan. Uh, I kind of like to be a fly on the wall in that meeting, whether it was, uh, a soft, uh, you know, reminder of, uh, you know, let's get back on track or whether it was kind of a come to Jesus meeting.
00:18:21
Tom Lidiak
I don't, I don't know. Well, I guess we'll never know, but there was definitely.
00:18:24
@NoConfForOldMen
I'm thinking soft, quite honestly. He needed to build up his confidence, quite honestly, right?
00:18:28
Tom Lidiak
Yeah. Yep. He did say had a one-on-one.
00:18:29
@NoConfForOldMen
So, yeah.
00:18:29
.0Bill Walker
I would think so.
00:18:32
Tom Lidiak
Yeah. You don't want to beat a dead horse. Put it in perspective, Colorado actually was up 10 to two. So if you, and I'm no, I'm no Pythagoras bill, but I know that we won by 40 and we were down by eight.
00:18:39
@NoConfForOldMen
I know.
00:18:40
.0Bill Walker
Yeah.
00:18:41
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:18:47
Tom Lidiak
So from that point on, we outscored them by, we outscored them by 48.
00:18:52
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:18:53
Tom Lidiak
Technicals.
00:18:53
.0Bill Walker
And you pronounced his name correctly this time.
00:18:53
Tom Lidiak
Yeah. ha That and Nicole were being passed out like candy. First, the Colorado assistant got one. And Ted Boyle was not happy with that assistant, Bill Greer.
00:19:06
@NoConfForOldMen
No, I know.
00:19:07
Tom Lidiak
He actually got in his face and said, sit down and shut the F up.
00:19:07
@NoConfForOldMen
He chewed him out.
00:19:11
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:19:12
Tom Lidiak
And then not not to be outdone, then Ted gets two and gets tossed. my My appraisal that was I think he was sick and tired of watching his team, and he just wanted to get out of there.
00:19:25
Tom Lidiak
he he's Colorado's probably going to make a change. I'm sure the you know the pressure is getting to him, and you know not there was not a whole lot of joy in that in those Colorado huddles.
00:19:37
Tom Lidiak
They actually had Elijah Malone who started last year. He was a D2 guy. He's like 6'9", 250. Bill, you mentioned how bad they were inside. I mean, he must be, boy, he must be really deep in the doghouse, you know, not to get any playing time and in that game.
00:19:53
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm.
00:19:56
Tom Lidiak
But overall, it was it was it was just a whip. And once we you know once we overcame that eight-point deficit, then after that, it was you know it was like whatever shot we wanted, we got.
00:20:11
Tom Lidiak
Kelvin mentioned, on kelvin mentioned with you know, with the media and on his radio show, they spent they they spent those days.
00:20:12
.0Bill Walker
Yep.
00:20:20
Tom Lidiak
And Kingston always also mentioned it about the focus was getting offensively was getting quicker shots than the shot clock. Don't pass good shots.
00:20:27
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:20:29
Tom Lidiak
Getting a ball inside, you know. So, you know, that was a get-right game for for the Cougs. And, Yeah, it was even even Jacob played at the end. You know, we we had a Jacob McFarland siding. So, yeah you know, it was really a a big blowout when when Jacob gave some time.
00:20:49
Tom Lidiak
I think eventually.
00:20:49
.0Bill Walker
They tried to get him, they that they went to him right away to get him a shot at the end.
00:20:52
Tom Lidiak
What's that again?
00:20:58
.0Bill Walker
just didn't quite pan out.
00:20:59
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:21:00
Tom Lidiak
Yeah.
00:21:01
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:21:03
Tom Lidiak
But, yeah, just so just a beatdown. was good to see after we had lost those three games in a row and, you know, it's off to off the Baylor and try to get it rolling again.
00:21:15
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, completely, completely agree. I mean, there was really never any doubt in this game. And like you guys both mentioned, I mean, Call Order Ashley started fast and punched us in the mouth during the first 10 minutes. It was like, what the heck is going on here?
00:21:31
@NoConfForOldMen
Then we applied the screws and just never looked back after that. From the advanced analytics perspective, no surprise that Colorado was red across the board and we were mostly green. But offensively, clearly everything was easier, more free-flowing against a mediocre defense. Everyone got into the action as we got, it's kind of shot a blistering 68% effective field goal percentage, 59% from three-point range. Even if no one's guarded you, that those are outrageous numbers.
00:22:01
@NoConfForOldMen
But is, you know, Bill, you had highlighted Milo Suzan was the story of the game, you know, five to seven from three point range after having that heart to heart discussion with coaches, had kind of highlighted there, Tom.
00:22:15
@NoConfForOldMen
On D, it's hard to complain about a 40-point win where you limit Colorado to 22% from three-point range. But if we did let them score at a 56% clip from two-point range.
00:22:26
@NoConfForOldMen
So that's not great.
00:22:27
.0Bill Walker
They shot well.
00:22:28
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. so But, you know, honestly, if that means we don't have Tuggler in foul trouble, quite honestly, we have to live with maybe not being as aggressive defending the rim at times. Because, mean, after those two fouls, you only had one more, you know, after that and played a a good portion of the second half.
00:22:45
@NoConfForOldMen
I mean, from a player's perspective, again, everyone had gaudy numbers for this one. But I'll again highlight the same two bench players, Miller and Bacardi, because I firmly believe it's the two of them with Sacco that will be our bench going into the tournament.
00:23:01
@NoConfForOldMen
They were.
00:23:02
.0Bill Walker
Well, let me, I'm sorry.
00:23:03
@NoConfForOldMen
Yep.
00:23:05
@NoConfForOldMen
Yep.
00:23:07
.0Bill Walker
I thought Harwell may have either been hurt because he he did have the ice on his left knee for most of the game, or maybe sick because he didn't get into the game until 432 left.
00:23:23
.0Bill Walker
And it's like, what we're up by a jillion.
00:23:24
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:23:26
.0Bill Walker
And if he's not playing, uh, he's not playing when the game, you know, earlier, you know, why even put him in with, with that little time left if, if there's something wrong.
00:23:39
.0Bill Walker
And, and so I was completely confused by, by Harwell not playing until the very end.
00:23:46
Tom Lidiak
I've, I've,
00:23:46
.0Bill Walker
And, and, and then Ramon didn't play a second.
00:23:51
Tom Lidiak
I've got a feeling, Bill and Steve, that Mercy is going to get the majority of those minutes going forward, that Harwell's and McCarty's going to get the majority of minutes.
00:23:56
@NoConfForOldMen
I agree. Yeah.
00:23:57
.0Bill Walker
Well, I think you're right.
00:24:03
@NoConfForOldMen
Yep.
00:24:03
Tom Lidiak
elvin Kelvin did mention that his option is to play McCarty all the minutes or to split them half and a half, and and he just said his decision right now is just going to give mccarty McCarty all those minutes.
00:24:17
@NoConfForOldMen
All the minutes in terms of between him and in Isaiah.
00:24:19
Tom Lidiak
Like, No, no, Ramon.
00:24:23
@NoConfForOldMen
Oh, Ramon. Oh, sorry.
00:24:24
Tom Lidiak
oh sallos
00:24:24
.0Bill Walker
Oh.
00:24:24
@NoConfForOldMen
Sorry. Ramon.
00:24:25
Tom Lidiak
So those those minutes that were those minutes that were going to Ramon are now going to to McCarty.
00:24:25
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay. Got it.
00:24:29
Tom Lidiak
in the minute And now I got a sneaking suspicion those minutes that were going to Harwell are going to start going to Mercy because, you know, just from a production standpoint, you know, and there's some defensive things probably with Mercy or whatever, but I think going forward, these last two games, it looked like Mercy is going to be the the guy.
00:24:30
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:24:36
@NoConfForOldMen
Yes.
00:24:45
@NoConfForOldMen
It's... it it's
00:24:50
@NoConfForOldMen
I think, I mean, Mercy's proven to be more productive if you look at it holistically. As I saying, like with Miller and McCartney, they were respective player boss score plus minus plus 17.2 and plus 10.6.
00:25:03
@NoConfForOldMen
for the game and both played 23 minutes. And so that's not like an aberration of of a, you know, doing great for like five minutes. I mean, that's extended contributions. And what I like from both is how aggressive from an effort perspective as well. And more importantly, how more disciplined they both were on defense.
00:25:25
@NoConfForOldMen
So, you know, and specifically my biggest, uh, Bugaboo with them is, you know, when they're on their man, not jumping at at the very first shot fake every time, because that's that's how they both of those guys, right, would constantly get silly fouls.
00:25:39
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:25:39
Tom Lidiak
Mercy did have a blow-by, and then at the next time out, Kelvin just ripped him to shreds.
00:25:43
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:25:46
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. yeah
00:25:47
Tom Lidiak
okay Anyway, go go ahead, Steve.
00:25:48
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, but you know but but he's he's been doing well. And you know quite honestly, if you go by the statistics, Mercy's been performing cu consistently well, even though we do highlight right some of those silly fouls and kind of jumping on on defense, you know, with his effort, but statistically he's been the most solid player off the bench. Uh, but now we get to our special segment here where we can spend a little bit more time talking about this and having a discussion on maybe some of the tweaks or improvements that we each saw during the course of the Colorado game after the three game loss losses, uh, before that.
00:26:27
@NoConfForOldMen
and, and I'll, I'll start things off with the discussion. can just kind of, uh, kind of share our thoughts around this. Obviously, all three of us had already spoken to point number one, which was looking to to score more quickly in the clock versus bleeding the clock, given that we have no low post scoring, right? This year, it's important to take advantage of every opportunity. And I actually felt like we had done that right early in conference play.
00:26:55
@NoConfForOldMen
And then we started reverting back to our old ways of slowing things down.
00:26:55
Tom Lidiak
Mm-hmm.
00:27:00
@NoConfForOldMen
And it appeared purposefully right since the Utah game. So it's good to actually see that going on. but you know, offline, you know, beyond that, where we we had kind of talked about that one thing that I saw on offense that I thought was a new wrinkle.
00:27:16
@NoConfForOldMen
And it was around when we have our big, right, whether it's Tuggler or Socko on the high post, historically, he'd be providing some quick relief in handing the ball, you know, back and forth with the ball handler. And our ball handler historically, by my observations, would stay outside on the perimeter.
00:27:34
@NoConfForOldMen
And then, you know, strong defensive teams like Arizona, ISU, KU were all just sitting on top of that, making it really difficult to actually get the ball back to the ball handler. And we end up wasting time outside the arc to get the ball back and getting the shot. And it was just painful to watch at times.
00:27:53
@NoConfForOldMen
And for Colorado, what I saw as as a slight nuance was, Instead of the guard staying on the outside, they would immediately cut inside and tugler would look to feed it with an over the top pass inside for the guard, whether it was, you know, who's on or Kingston or, or sharp to be able to take to the rack or, or hit a floater. And then in cases where the big was there trying to guard that play.
00:28:21
@NoConfForOldMen
you know, high up, then Tuggler would just take one step and it's kind of a free pass to the rim. So I thought that was a new wrinkle on offense in terms of how we played the the high post that I thought opened some things up inside. I don't know if you guys had noticed that or if you agree that that was something new.
00:28:39
.0Bill Walker
Yeah, I'm a little bit with with Tom. I guess I didn't, and who knows, maybe I just was sleeping at the game, but I didn't see as much of that. I just saw, you know, I saw the guards getting the ball into into the post, into Sacco down low, and, you not especially being defended and he was going up and scoring easily. didn't see Sinek
00:29:11
.0Bill Walker
i didn't see synac much around the the three point line at all during the game. He was, you know, he hit his shots where he flashed into the free throw lane, which, which I loved, but he also, he also got some dump offs down low and went up and, and, you uncontested dunks.
00:29:25
@NoConfForOldMen
Cheers.
00:29:30
.0Bill Walker
And, uh, uh, I just thought that overall there was a clear focus on, on going in, you know, going to the rim, getting it, getting it down low. And, and, you know, who knows?
00:29:42
.0Bill Walker
I don't want to profess to know what what's going on going forward. i I still think that part of it is the fact that that Colorado had no absolutely no interior defense, and and it just – you know, like early on, like, okay, let's, let's start going inside because they're just not defending us there. And, and it wasn't just getting the ball to, to, uh, to Sacco or, or Sinek or, or, you know, Tugler in the second half, taking a dribble and just going right by his man and laying the ball in. It it was, it was the guards, uh, you know Fleming's, Fleming's had some completely uncontested layups going to the hoop, uh, uh,
00:30:33
.0Bill Walker
Sharp really didn't do much offensively, but but yuzan Yuzan hit the five of seven threes, but he also was taking the ball to the hoop more aggressively. And and and I've got to imagine that's that's absolutely a byproduct of the conversation with Kelvin.
00:30:52
.0Bill Walker
and And so yeah that that i that I loved.
00:30:52
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah agreed
00:30:55
.0Bill Walker
And I was telling my my friend, Pat, that i was sitting with at the game, you know And he was talking about other things, and I just kept referring back to Yuuzhan being aggressive with the ball, shooting the ball confidently, shooting threes quickly and confidently, and and then taking the ball to the rack, which which which Flemings did as well.
00:31:20
.0Bill Walker
I just love the fact that we were attacking the basket.
00:31:20
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:31:24
.0Bill Walker
And hopefully that's that's the – at least that's the mindset going forward.
00:31:29
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah. What did you think, Tom? I mean, did you notice any differences or...
00:31:34
Tom Lidiak
i go I go back to a comment Kingston made at the radio show on Thursday night where he was talking about you know they were working on certain things offensively. And one of them he was talking about was the tightrope act that you know that he has between being a distributor and being a scorer.
00:31:55
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm.
00:31:56
Tom Lidiak
you know, early in the year, you guys remember when he had those high scoring games, 42, 27, whatever, you know, Milo's and, and E-Man were kind of struggling to get shots or points. So I think it's, it's kind of a balancing act, you know, for Kingston and our other two guards, our our other three guards, you know, is, you know, when Kings, know, as a point guard, you know, it's, it's tough. And Kingston can score. So,
00:32:24
Tom Lidiak
mean know A lot of times when your point guard maybe is you know shooting quite a bit and he's scoring a lot of points and the other two guys don't get involved. so That's why I think our our ceiling is high.
00:32:36
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm.
00:32:37
Tom Lidiak
It's because you know we we still have some time here to figure it all out and you get those three guards you know really playing well together and and Yeah, they're you know that's why the Stanley side.
00:32:50
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:32:51
Tom Lidiak
Now, getting back to what you you were talking about, Steve, about the guard throwing the ball to like the top of the key. They call that the get a get game and nba in NBA and college. It's where a guard will throw it to a big and he'll come around and he'll either get a handoff, and then if he does get a handoff, it kind of he kind of like serves as a pick and roll.
00:33:10
Tom Lidiak
But he also can come around. If he doesn't get the ball, then he then he cuts to the basket. And you were saying, it I think that's what you were alluding to.
00:33:17
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:33:18
Tom Lidiak
not i don't think it's a new wrinkle. I just think it's something that we just did better. And Bill mentioned you know about Colorado defensively, and maybe that's something you know that when you play be when you play Kansas or Arizona or Iowa State, you know you don't you don't get as much.
00:33:33
Tom Lidiak
But also there's something called slippage when you don't have time to practice. Like we did a couple of those games, you have slippage and, you know, like after our Arizona game, we didn't have any time to work on, you know, what was exposed in the Arizona game.
00:33:38
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:33:45
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:33:49
Tom Lidiak
You had no time to work on, you had no time to work on it.
00:33:50
@NoConfForOldMen
Yep.
00:33:52
Tom Lidiak
Yeah.
00:33:53
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:33:54
Tom Lidiak
or at least very, very little time. You know, in a perfect world, in a perfect world, every team in the Big 12 would play on a Saturday and a Wednesday or, you know, pick your two days of the week and everybody would have the same amount of rest and preparation and all that kind of stuff.
00:34:04
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm.
00:34:11
Tom Lidiak
But we know that TV drives all this and, you know, it's – you're never going to have that. So that's why you have the schedule that we have.
00:34:19
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:34:22
Tom Lidiak
It's all based on TV and what kind of numbers you can get. But getting back to that point, I would have to go back and look at the Colorado game.
00:34:33
Tom Lidiak
I really didn't do it because things were kind of easy for us.
00:34:39
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:34:40
Tom Lidiak
I did go back and watch every possession Milo's played in the Kansas game. And when I looked at it, I really didn't think he played that that bad offense in the Kansas game. They did a lot of switching.
00:34:53
Tom Lidiak
Bidunga was on him, and Bidunga has quick feet. He has length, and he you know he can keep Milo's in front of him. And Milo shoots, he he has to the length to contest the shot.
00:35:04
Tom Lidiak
You know, by doing a guard at AJ Devonson did a really good job. So I really didn't see a whole lot that, that, you know, that Milo's really played bad offensively.
00:35:10
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:35:14
Tom Lidiak
And that I thought he had a good, a really good first half, but.
00:35:18
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. just thought he was passive.
00:35:19
Tom Lidiak
And I'm, and I'm, I'm not privy.
00:35:20
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:35:21
Tom Lidiak
I'm not privy.
00:35:21
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:35:21
.0Bill Walker
I wholeheartedly agree with you, Steve.
00:35:22
Tom Lidiak
I'm not privy.
00:35:22
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah Yeah.
00:35:24
Tom Lidiak
What's that again?
00:35:25
.0Bill Walker
that That he was passive, he is absolutely passive.
00:35:25
@NoConfForOldMen
He was passive. Yeah. He was really passive.
00:35:27
Tom Lidiak
Okay.
00:35:29
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:35:29
Tom Lidiak
Okay.
00:35:30
@NoConfForOldMen
And he had the ball in his hand a lot too.
00:35:30
Tom Lidiak
Okay.
00:35:32
@NoConfForOldMen
And to be passive offensively he just made it that much worse in my mind.
00:35:35
.0Bill Walker
Yeah, I think there were a lot of – several occasions at Kansas where he had his defender on his hip and and and he could have –
00:35:36
Tom Lidiak
Yeah.
00:35:36
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:35:43
@NoConfForOldMen
Exactly. Yeah, he had him beat.
00:35:46
.0Bill Walker
got into the hoop, you know, either either put the ball up, go up, draw a foul, or when the help comes over, you've got somebody to dish it off to.
00:35:47
@NoConfForOldMen
He had him beat.
00:35:54
@NoConfForOldMen
Dump it, yeah.
00:35:56
.0Bill Walker
and But but he kept he kept circling back and and dribbling into double teams on the sideline, and and he just didn't look particularly aggressive at all in that game.
00:35:56
Tom Lidiak
yeah
00:36:04
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:36:06
.0Bill Walker
and the But he but he gods like he made a
00:36:08
Tom Lidiak
I did see a couple of instances. Yeah.
00:36:11
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:36:12
.0Bill Walker
a turn in the in the Colorado game, and hopefully that continues.
00:36:16
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:36:16
Tom Lidiak
I did see a couple of instances, though, that Kansas game where he didn't because he would have driven driven it right into by doing this.
00:36:16
@NoConfForOldMen
So
00:36:22
Tom Lidiak
So, you know, I'm not sure.
00:36:23
@NoConfForOldMen
sure. Sure. Yeah.
00:36:26
Tom Lidiak
But, you know, kelvin Kelvin had a talk with him.
00:36:27
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:36:28
Tom Lidiak
So, obviously, Kelvin wasn't wasn't too pleased either.
00:36:32
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. So let me ask you guys this, like you had brought up slippage because this next one I attribute to slippage.
00:36:32
.0Bill Walker
Yeah.
00:36:40
@NoConfForOldMen
Right. And this is around right moving around without the ball. And the example I'll give is subtle that that I felt like it was. a concerted effort this game that we hadn't seen in probably like five games we're obviously very perimeter oriented and when you have something like kingston drive or at least drive a little bit into the paint and dishing it back out to either milos or or sharp right i felt like
00:37:10
@NoConfForOldMen
over the past five games or so, you know, from Utah game on that our other guards have become stagnant, almost watching Kingston drive. And they would just stay where they were positioned originally, where in this game, you saw a concerted effort when he drove that our shooters would just slide, right? Three to five feet, a little bit further away. And that ends up providing just enough room You know, if his guy cheats on Kingston because as Kingston's driving, Kingston passes it out.
00:37:43
@NoConfForOldMen
It's a freaking open shot every time because there's just not enough time.
00:37:45
Tom Lidiak
yeah they they called Yeah, they call that, Steve, they call that providing a window for the passer.
00:37:47
@NoConfForOldMen
There's not enough time to get back.
00:37:52
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, but we hadn't been doing it for five games.
00:37:53
Tom Lidiak
Yeah.
00:37:54
@NoConfForOldMen
Our guys were just, it looks like they watching the ball.
00:37:54
Tom Lidiak
Yeah, so that could be slip of.
00:37:58
@NoConfForOldMen
And I know it's not new.
00:37:58
.0Bill Walker
yeah i i
00:37:59
Tom Lidiak
be slippy
00:38:00
@NoConfForOldMen
It's slippage, right? That's slippage. We hadn't been focusing on it.
00:38:04
.0Bill Walker
Yeah, i don't I don't particularly disagree with you at all, time Steve. i I do think that the the because Kingston's been so good with the ball, getting getting to the lane, hitting his shots, and –
00:38:09
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:38:19
.0Bill Walker
and because he's become a dominant offensive force for us. I do think there absolutely have been occasions, several of them or more, where our perimeter guys stand and watch because they they they assume the ball is going up.
00:38:35
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:38:38
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:38:38
.0Bill Walker
and And so, yeah, they're they're not necessarily moving to get open.
00:38:39
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:38:45
.0Bill Walker
They're they're watching him. i I do agree with that.
00:38:48
@NoConfForOldMen
But it was a huge difference, right? when you And if you go back and watch, and they were conscious of sliding every time, and every time our shooters had time to shoot.
00:38:59
@NoConfForOldMen
Like Uzan, I mean he had all day to shoot because just just a few feet can make that much of a difference. So was nice to see, at least.
00:39:08
Tom Lidiak
Well, and also, you know, the quality of the pass will determine the quality of the shot.
00:39:09
@NoConfForOldMen
Yep.
00:39:13
Tom Lidiak
you know You know, if you're throwing the ball about, if you're throwing it at a guy's feet, and his ankles and all that, you know, that that's going to determine, you know, his shooting percentage. So it's it's important also to to make a good pass and hit him hit him right there in the shooting pocket.
00:39:28
Tom Lidiak
But, yeah, I don't know. It was obviously we worked on some things, you know, those two days of practice, and and it paid off on Saturday.
00:39:37
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, so I'd be curious to see.
00:39:38
.0Bill Walker
Yeah, and again, oh sorry, again, i don't i don't want to make blanket statements based on this one game because Colorado is just so atrocious defensively.
00:39:40
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, go ahead.
00:39:46
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:39:50
.0Bill Walker
yeah let's Let's see how things play out against Baylor and and at Oklahoma State. And and if it's and if it's you know the at least the same type of strategy and we are attacking the the
00:39:57
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:40:06
.0Bill Walker
basket and, uh, you know, the, the, the guards are, are in a better position to catch and shoot, uh, that then, yeah, then I'm thrilled.
00:40:18
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, and I mean, that's that's what we all need to, and the fans need to pay attention to. Let's see, these next two games, again, not super great teams, mediocre defenses.
00:40:28
@NoConfForOldMen
We can see if the trend continues of some of these kind of attention to detail or new wrinkles that that we've kind of highlighted here and whether, you know, we're going to start seeing, is it a consistent Sacco, Miller, McCarty that's getting the bulk of the minutes?
00:40:45
@NoConfForOldMen
Are we going to continue to let Tugler kind of play through his fouls to see how far we can go before March madness hits? I mean, I think these are all the things, right?
00:40:53
.0Bill Walker
Yeah, I think that was absolutely an aberration because of the blowout.
00:40:56
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, well, we we'll see. We'll see because we may need we may have to.
00:40:59
.0Bill Walker
Yeah.
00:41:00
@NoConfForOldMen
We're not going win with with him only playing 17 minutes a game, right? We're have to take some chances. It is my opinion, right? Because he's not going to stop fouling.
00:41:09
Tom Lidiak
just play just like just like Just play until he has five, and then
00:41:10
@NoConfForOldMen
I guarantee you that now.
00:41:13
.0Bill Walker
Hmm.
00:41:15
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, just play him.
00:41:16
Tom Lidiak
hu
00:41:16
@NoConfForOldMen
Max it out.
00:41:17
Tom Lidiak
and then
00:41:17
.0Bill Walker
Hmm.
00:41:18
@NoConfForOldMen
I'm in agreement. I like this guy. It's like, max him out.
00:41:20
Tom Lidiak
it it might be seven minutes.
00:41:22
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:41:22
Tom Lidiak
It might be five. It might be 12, or it might be 33. don't know.
00:41:27
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Okay. So let's let's get to the final two games of the regular season. Cause these are going to be the games that are telling in terms of whether we, know, the trends continue or not. And Tom, why don't you start with Baylor game on Wednesday where I guess we'll both be in town for that one.
00:41:44
@NoConfForOldMen
And yeah.
00:41:45
Tom Lidiak
Yep. We'll be sitting side by side, you know?
00:41:47
@NoConfForOldMen
So let's get your coach's take on that game.
00:41:47
Tom Lidiak
Yep.
00:41:49
@NoConfForOldMen
And we've played them once before already.
00:41:49
Tom Lidiak
Uh, yep.
00:41:51
@NoConfForOldMen
So.
00:41:51
Tom Lidiak
Real quick. They're talented. I think they have five wins. What is, I think they're five and 11 right now.
00:41:59
@NoConfForOldMen
Was that it?
00:42:00
.0Bill Walker
Yep.
00:42:00
@NoConfForOldMen
Only five wins in conference?
00:42:00
Tom Lidiak
Uh,
00:42:01
.0Bill Walker
Yes.
00:42:02
@NoConfForOldMen
Oh my god.
00:42:02
.0Bill Walker
Yes.
00:42:02
Tom Lidiak
they had it They had a big win over UCF. I guess UCF couldn't handle prosperity, and that was a big that was a big loss for or or UCF.
00:42:05
@NoConfForOldMen
Yep.
00:42:11
@NoConfForOldMen
It was. It was unfortunate. Yeah.
00:42:14
Tom Lidiak
You know, just when they just when they climbed over BYU in the standings, you know, they they they they lose to Baylor.
00:42:20
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:42:22
@NoConfForOldMen
A controversial foul call at the end, though, I would say.
00:42:26
Tom Lidiak
Yeah, you know, but here's the thing, you know, you know, it's
00:42:28
@NoConfForOldMen
I don't think it was a foul.
00:42:31
.0Bill Walker
i i didn't I didn't see that game.
00:42:32
@NoConfForOldMen
and Yeah.
00:42:33
Tom Lidiak
that's what happens when you let a dog, when you let a dog lay around your, uh, you know, your front door, you know, sooner or later they're going to jump up and bite you in the ass.
00:42:34
@NoConfForOldMen
no Yeah.
00:42:41
Tom Lidiak
And that's what happened.
00:42:41
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:42:41
Tom Lidiak
That's why, that's why you, that's why you don't put yourself in positions like that.
00:42:42
@NoConfForOldMen
It is. It is what happened.
00:42:46
Tom Lidiak
And especially at home, UCF, you know, you put yourself in, in that position, but anyway, getting back to Baylor, uh, they have talent.
00:42:48
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:42:54
Tom Lidiak
Uh, Bill will probably get more into personnel that, uh, cars, a really good player, uh, whatever his name is, Mufasa, uh,
00:43:01
.0Bill Walker
Yes, Afu.
00:43:02
Tom Lidiak
Yeah, that's – I threw out a Lion King li king reference there, Mufasa.
00:43:04
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, he's good.
00:43:08
Tom Lidiak
but But, you know, no they have – you know, there's there's talent there. They probably – if you look at their talent, they probably underachieved this year. but you know, that's what happens when you bring in a whole new squad every year for the last last couple years.
00:43:24
Tom Lidiak
it won I don't think it'll be a Colorado game. Baylor will probably – Put up a better fight. I thought colorado you know Colorado put up a fight for about, what, about eight minutes.
00:43:34
Tom Lidiak
And then once they got behind, it's like, you know what, we shot our wad. you know what's What's the use in even trying hard because we're going to lose anyway? I don't think that will happen with Baylor. i think they'll I think we'll get a full 40 minutes out of them.
00:43:49
Tom Lidiak
you know We win. We're home. It's senior night. And, yeah, that's that's my take on it.
00:43:53
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:43:56
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Agreed. How about you, Bill, from player's perspective?
00:43:57
.0Bill Walker
yeah Yeah, there's something i don't especially agree with you on, Tom, but but I'll get to that. as As we were kind of alluding to, a horrific year for Baylor. They're fifteen and fourteen overall, in conference. of teams right now yeah there's there's still they're fifty one in ken palmm their're twenty eight offense uh, 121 D.
00:44:23
.0Bill Walker
But when we played them the last time, instead of 51, they were 33 in Ken Palm at the time. They were 12 in offense as opposed to 28 now.
00:44:33
@NoConfForOldMen
Mm-hmm.
00:44:33
.0Bill Walker
And they were 97 and D versus 121. So, they've gotten progressively worse. And from time to time that they, I think they look like they've kind of packed it in, For those who remember the first game, we beat them in Waco by 12 in a game where it really was a much bigger blowout than the final score indicated. In that game, we were similar to Kansas. We shot an awful 39% from the floor, 28% from three.
00:45:08
.0Bill Walker
And we attempted 39 threes in that game, made 11. What was crazy about that first game is that we outshot them 74 to 41.
00:45:20
@NoConfForOldMen
Yep.
00:45:20
.0Bill Walker
I mean, that's insane. 33 more attempted shots. In that game, we we did force 16 turnovers. and we destroyed them defensively. But the big thing, and I'd called it at the time when we recapped the game, a throwback to former of H teams was that we absolutely dominated the offensive boards. We out-rebounded them 45-34,
00:45:46
.0Bill Walker
and I think it was that close due to our poor shooting, which allowed them to to grab a few more boards. But we beat –
00:45:55
.0Bill Walker
Of our 45 rebounds, 23 were offensive. They had 10. Tugler had eight of his 11. He had a double-double in that game. Eight of his 11 rebounds were offensive. Chase had five offensive rebounds.
00:46:10
.0Bill Walker
So if that if that's the case this time, I think Baylor quits early. Just mentioned a few of their players. Carr, who is absolutely their best player, the 6'5 shooting guard. nu he' is He's remained at 19 a game since we played them. He's still shooting 50% from the field, but he but he's clearly trying to do more as his turnovers are up. He's he's at almost two and a half a game. Yes, if who's the 6'5 freshman shooting guard, the five star, and he he's still right around 18 game from when we played them. But his all his stats, including his field goal percentage, have gone down.
00:46:55
.0Bill Walker
Obi Ogbem is their Wyoming transfer senior point guard. he's He's still right around the same number, 11 a game, but his his shooting percentage has dipped into the high 30s, although he's still shooting 37% from three. And then just the last player I'll mention is is James Nagy, the seven-foot Nigerian center who who was the NBA draft pick and and returned to college.
00:47:22
.0Bill Walker
He has been an absolute non-factor and and don't expect anything from him in this game.
00:47:29
Tom Lidiak
Just like Ahmed of BYU, the other G League player, he's – yeah, he's a non-factor.
00:47:29
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah. Yeah.
00:47:32
.0Bill Walker
Right. Yeah, he's been absolutely a non-factor. yeah You know, Baylor had their game against UCF on the road. But that game was a shootout, 87-86.
00:47:48
.0Bill Walker
Our D and our rebounding are going to prevent them from scoring anywhere near 87 points. I think we we take their hearts away with with the D, with forcing turnovers, rebounding.
00:48:03
.0Bill Walker
And I do expect them. Tom, you said you know they'll play 40 minutes. I think they'll quit in the second half. And I have us winning.
00:48:10
Tom Lidiak
I hope you're right, Bill. I'd like to see another blowout.
00:48:12
.0Bill Walker
Yeah. Yeah, I just.
00:48:14
Tom Lidiak
Hey, big question for you guys for the Baylor game, and it's the most important one, is do you stay and get the one-piece stuff?
00:48:24
@NoConfForOldMen
and Absolutely not. No way.
00:48:26
@NoConfForOldMen
i gotta eat I gotta eat dinner, man.
00:48:26
Tom Lidiak
Well, you know what?
00:48:29
.0Bill Walker
OK, I'll tell you this.
00:48:30
Tom Lidiak
You sell that card $100, $150, you'll pay for your meal.
00:48:31
.0Bill Walker
Wrong.
00:48:34
.0Bill Walker
wrong i i got the card i didn't know what what the hell it was i got it after the uh it was the game before before uh arizona this k-state i got it when i walked out of the fertita center there were about a dozen kids
00:48:39
@NoConfForOldMen
oh you did
00:48:48
@NoConfForOldMen
What, Arizona?
00:48:48
Tom Lidiak
K-State. It was K-State.
00:48:49
@NoConfForOldMen
Oh, before Arizona. Okay.
00:48:57
.0Bill Walker
just sticking $50 bills into everyone's faces. And a guy offered me a hundred for the card and and I was about to do it. But then I saw this this older guy next to me took 150. So I said to the guy, now I'm going to, I'm going to keep it for only a hundred. And he's like, well, how about 200? I'm like, done.
00:49:18
@NoConfForOldMen
You sold it?
00:49:19
.0Bill Walker
So, yeah, I mean, i don't i don't i don't even know what the I don't even know what the thing is, but I walked away from the game with an extra $200.
00:49:20
Tom Lidiak
Yeah, some them were.
00:49:21
@NoConfForOldMen
Wow. Okay.
00:49:27
@NoConfForOldMen
yeah
00:49:27
Tom Lidiak
Yeah. Yeah, people were getting, on Holman Street, they were getting 200 for them.
00:49:30
@NoConfForOldMen
and Okay. Okay. Maybe I'll stay for it then.
00:49:32
.0Bill Walker
what what was what was
00:49:33
Tom Lidiak
Ha ha.
00:49:35
.0Bill Walker
What I guess was stupid of me was leaving the Arizona game. I was so frustrated and so angry over that. I walked right past the line where they were handing out the cards, and I just left.
00:49:45
@NoConfForOldMen
I didn't even know where it was, so Okay, I'll have to check it out then.
00:49:46
Tom Lidiak
Ha ha.
00:49:46
.0Bill Walker
So, yeah. Yeah, so i may have I may have thrown away a couple hundred bucks at the Arizona game stupidly.
00:49:51
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:49:54
.0Bill Walker
But but yeah, I mean, there are kids outside that are just shoving 50s into your face when you leave.
00:49:54
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay.
00:49:59
.0Bill Walker
It's crazy.
00:50:00
@NoConfForOldMen
That's crazy.
00:50:02
.0Bill Walker
So the last thing I will say is that, because I know you're dying to to hear my prediction, 85-62.
00:50:11
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay. A huge blowout. Okay. I mean... We played Baylor already earlier in the season, so i'm not going to go through the the metrics with them. But they're basically a good shooting team that, like us, does a great job offensive of rebounding the ball. While the only thing they do well on defense is not foul.
00:50:30
@NoConfForOldMen
That's the only thing that they do well is just not fouling people. Game being at home, i expect us to continue to the formula we saw versus Colorado. Emphasize movement, getting our guards into the paint on offense, letting Tugler play through foul trouble, getting lots of minutes for Sacco Miller and McCarty. Based on the metrics, it's actually projected to be a 14-point win by the Cougs at home by Ken Palm. I think we're going play a lot of kids. So that's why I don't think it's going to be as big of a blowout.
00:51:01
@NoConfForOldMen
I think we play hard throughout, but I expect our three guys that are going to be our main bench players to be playing close to 25 minutes a game. So I think it's going to be a 14 point win to continue the moment momentum in an 80 to 66 win. Now, why don't we quickly go to the Oklahoma state game, Bill, you can start off. They just got smashed by Cincy. What's your view from a player's perspective?
00:51:26
.0Bill Walker
Yeah, by the way, our our bench players just played 23 minutes approximately each, and and we won by 40. So, yeah, i think we i think I think we beat Baylor by 23, and I think they quit in the second half.
00:51:34
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah, yeah, that was, that was, yeah.
00:51:40
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:51:41
.0Bill Walker
Oklahoma State, it'll be on CBS at 11 o'clock on Saturday, another early game. yeah It's their senior day. that They're 17-12.
00:51:52
.0Bill Walker
They're 13th in the Big 12. Right now they are 74 in Ken Palm, 57 offense, 119 D.
00:52:02
.0Bill Walker
They've lost six of seven conference games, beating beating only West Virginia at home in overtime. So they've been on a bit of a decline. They really have to win both games.
00:52:17
.0Bill Walker
and go to 19-12, I think, to even hope that they get some NCAA consideration. But I just don't see that happening. And they play this week at UCF, who's going to bounce back, and then they get us. So it's going to be 17-15 for them and trip to the NIT. They've got...
00:52:41
.0Bill Walker
and a trip to the mit they've they've got
00:52:43
@NoConfForOldMen
I know.
00:52:45
.0Bill Walker
They've got 10 guys playing double-digit minutes and in an earlier home win. They did have a home win over BYU. So this could be competitive, but not really that much. They've got only three double-digit scores, and I'll basically focus on on them. By the way, in the in the game where they where they beat BYU, they gave up 92 points.
00:53:19
.0Bill Walker
So this could potentially be another close to Colorado, although I think they are going to play competitive at home.
00:53:20
@NoConfForOldMen
Thank you.
00:53:28
.0Bill Walker
Their leading scorer is Anthony Roy, 6'5", senior shooting guard. He's averaging 16 points, but he only shoots 42.5% from the field He does shoot from three.
00:53:39
.0Bill Walker
and Yeah, i I do very much appreciate Roy as he escaped the Doug Gottlieb disaster at UW-Green Bay. so So I respect him. Good move.
00:53:56
.0Bill Walker
Parsifala is 6'10", senior forward from, he came in from Oregon State. He's averaging just under 15 points and leads them at six rebounds a game. He shoots 60% from the field and he's actually got decent perimeter touch, a little bit like, uh, like Senac.
00:54:13
.0Bill Walker
And then, uh, the guy who I think has probably the best name in the, in the conference, victorious Miller, uh,
00:54:21
@NoConfForOldMen
you think
00:54:23
.0Bill Walker
6'5 guard forward swing man is a sophomore. He came in from LSU after one year. He's at 12 points, two turnovers.
00:54:33
.0Bill Walker
43.5% from the field, so not especially good, but he does he also shoots 39% from three. And then the last guy I'll mention, and I'm just doing this because I feel badly for him, is Robert Jennings III, who is their only returning starter. he He was shut down after three games with a hip injury, and it's too bad. He's a good player, and he's lost for the year. Oklahoma State is not a great shooting team, but as I mentioned, that you know they've they've the The three guys that I mentioned, well, at least two of them, Roy and and Miller, are shooting around 40% from three. so So we'll need to defend them on the on the perimeter, make sure the rotations are good.
00:55:12
.0Bill Walker
the rotations are good And actually, they they turn the ball over themselves, but they also force seven and a half steals a game. So, you know, we just need to be smart with the ball. and And if we are, we're fine. You know, this may come as a shock, but if if we protect the ball and defend,
00:55:33
.0Bill Walker
yeah and And that's the shock because that's what we do. We're all set. We can get inside against Oklahoma State, similarly to what we did versus Colorado, but but it's going to be tougher on the road. Like I said, it's their final game, senior night. And they can score, but it's been largely versus mediocre teams. I think we win this eighty four sixty seven
00:55:57
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay. How about you, Tom, from a players, from a coach's perspective with Okie state?
00:56:04
Tom Lidiak
I don't know a whole lot about Oklahoma State. I watched them a few. I watched the BYU game where they they beat them. Bill mentioned all the personnel, but the one that sticks out to me was the the Green Bay transfer, Roy. He's a lefty.
00:56:17
Tom Lidiak
you know If you leave him open, he's going to drain it. He's got tremendous range, but my guess is Eman guards him and and puts a stop to that.
00:56:25
.0Bill Walker
I agree.
00:56:25
Tom Lidiak
and built And Bill, you mentioned Fala, the big guy. I think he's like 6'10".
00:56:31
.0Bill Walker
Yes.
00:56:31
Tom Lidiak
I believe he just had a serious leg injury and and he's done for the year. So that's going to – yeah, yeah.
00:56:37
.0Bill Walker
Really? i didn't.
00:56:40
Tom Lidiak
Yeah, they said –
00:56:40
.0Bill Walker
yeah I didn't.
00:56:41
Tom Lidiak
it said
00:56:41
.0Bill Walker
I didn't hear that.
00:56:42
Tom Lidiak
Yeah, it said a serious leg injury. I'll look into it more, but but it looks like he he might he might be done. But he was a guy that played with heart. You know, he was intense.
00:56:53
Tom Lidiak
So not having him will will hurt.
00:56:55
.0Bill Walker
Jeez, if he's gone, then i i may i may have to add a few to the 17-point prediction.
00:56:56
Tom Lidiak
Yeah.
00:56:58
@NoConfForOldMen
Ha ha ha ha ha.
00:56:58
Tom Lidiak
Yeah.
00:57:02
.0Bill Walker
Ooh.
00:57:03
Tom Lidiak
Yeah. If you look him up, I think, uh, you know, right now it said, yeah, it said he had a, he had a injury. and it says serious leg injury.
00:57:13
Tom Lidiak
So we'll just have to see about that. But anyway, take, take care business.
00:57:16
.0Bill Walker
if
00:57:19
@NoConfForOldMen
Yeah.
00:57:19
Tom Lidiak
business.
00:57:20
@NoConfForOldMen
Nice. No, I, agree as well. I'm not going to go through any of the stats. They're actually very similar to to Baylor, right? Mediocre shooting team. They don't offensive rebound. That's a little bit different from Baylor. But they get to the line a lot because they try to force some fouls. So that'll be a test for Tuggler. On D, OSU is very similar to Baylor. Can't defend the shot, don't turn teams over, and don't block shots. And so the only thing they do well as well is not foul.
00:57:52
@NoConfForOldMen
it This one's on the road, as you guys highlighted. Based on the metrics projected to be a 10 point win by Ken Palm. I think it's also going to be roughly 14 point win and our bench is going to see lots of minutes and hopefully we get some momentum going guys heading into postseason play.
00:58:12
@NoConfForOldMen
So that's, Oh, that that's too bad.
00:58:12
Tom Lidiak
torn ACL fall off torn ACL
00:58:16
.0Bill Walker
Ouch. Yeah.
00:58:17
@NoConfForOldMen
Wow.
00:58:19
Tom Lidiak
anyway go ahead Steve
00:58:19
.0Bill Walker
yeah
00:58:21
@NoConfForOldMen
Okay, no, that's it. We're out of time, guys. This is our 75th episode of the No Conference Women podcast. Hope you all enjoyed it. And again, would really appreciate it if folks would follow, subscribe, or collect our podcast on whatever platform of choice.
00:58:36
@NoConfForOldMen
We are also available via Dave Campbell's College Podcast Network as their only basketball-centric podcast or the gocougs.com YouTube page for those that want to see our ugly faces. We appreciate the continued support from all. Also, please give us us a follow on our Twitter account, No Conference for Old Men. Thank you all again for listening, and please be on the lookout next week as we prep for the Big 12 Championships.
00:59:00
@NoConfForOldMen
Thanks, everyone. Take care. Go Cougs.
00:59:03
Tom Lidiak
Go Cougs and keep the faith, guys. Keep the faith.
00:59:06
@NoConfForOldMen
Absolutely.
00:59:10
.0Bill Walker
We're no worse than a two seed.