Transcript
@NoConfForOldMen: Welcome folks to episode number 70 of the No Conference Full Men Podcast. Podcasts where three old guys are talking Houston Cougars basketball with a bit of Big 12 coverage added in as well. Proud members of the gocougs.com network, the undisputed number one Houston Cougars content provider.
@NoConfForOldMen: And we're back yet again with all three old men, Bill Walker, former player, Tom Lidiak, former coach, and myself, Steve Chang, analytics guy for this episode. And folks, it was a painful, painful week for Cougar fans after a tough 90 to 86 loss at Texas Tech, where Fleming's had a historic day with 42 points and six assists, but a just a terrible defensive rebounding night for the team. Some tough ref calls coupled with some defensive breakdowns really did the Cougars in down the stretch. The team is now 17-2, 5-1 Big 12 play with two critical games this week at TCU and then hosting Cincy for the return game.
@NoConfForOldMen: so we'll provide some thoughts around the loss to Tech and also get a couple of the previews for the two upcoming games. But we'll also discuss another special topic this week around whether Harwell...
@NoConfForOldMen: Well, you know, actually, let me rephrase this. Who? Because it may not be horrible, but who on this team needs to be that X factor in order for the Cougars to make a Final Four run?
@NoConfForOldMen: So why don't we get started, guys? Tom, why don't you start things off with your key points on the 90 to 86 loss Tech in the rematch?
Tom Lidiak: Well, before the game, if you told me we'd score 49, the first half, I would have said we're up by 15.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, no kidding.
Tom Lidiak: on the other hand, before the game, if you had told me tech had scored 55, I'd say we were down by at least a 20, uh, you know, I'm sitting there watching the first half.
@NoConfForOldMen: Okay.
Tom Lidiak: I really not believe in what I'm seeing. It's like, or, you know, did somebody else put the uniforms on, you know, and you know, are these the Houston Cougars?
@NoConfForOldMen: yeah
Tom Lidiak: But, uh, I would like to go back and see in that first half actually how many stops we actually we actually got because it it wasn't a lot. I mean, if Tech wasn't making their initial shot, they were getting the offensive rebound.
Tom Lidiak: Just very, very uncharacteristic, you know, defensive effort by the Cougs. And still, have you know, having said all that, it was only a four-point game on the road to a hostile crowd.
Tom Lidiak: I go back to, i think, three sequences of the game. i think I think, Steve, I think we talked about that a little bit on the Veer, but one was there's about ten and a half minutes left.
Tom Lidiak: We're up by four. We have all the momentum in the world, and Kingston just delivers on a silver platter bounce pass to JoJo for a dunk.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: And Edward Scissor's hands, but he he fumbles it, and then the ensuing scramble for the ball, he kind of shoves it to E-Man.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: And E-Man, instead of just grabbing the ball, tries to scoop it up in one fell swoop and shoot the ball. And you know that that and i could that could put us that could have put us up by six.
@NoConfForOldMen: Turnover. Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: I thought that was one key sequence.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yep. Agree.
Tom Lidiak: Another one was the the – the open open threes in the corner by Atwell. They they occurred within like 30 seconds of each other.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: the the first
@NoConfForOldMen: Two in a row.
Tom Lidiak: You know, and in college basketball, you don't help off the corner because, you know the shooters are too good.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yep.
Tom Lidiak: You know, your help comes from somewhere else. And i don't know what happened to Kingston. He just kind of fell asleep. Toppin had the ball and in the right slot.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: didn't even Didn't even drive it. Didn't even drive it. He just passed to the corner and, you know, Kingston with a slow closeout and he drained the first one. The second one to me was mind-boggling.
Tom Lidiak: Toppin set a pick and he popped. So he's on the perimeter in the right slot again. And for some unknown reason, Chase leaves Atwell in the corner to go stunt at a 25% shooter, which Toppin is, and throws it Atwell.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: Exactly. Exactly.
Tom Lidiak: And there's the there was the second dagger there. So six six o run
.0Bill Walker: Calvin was bewildered by that.
Tom Lidiak: there
@NoConfForOldMen: I know. I know.
Tom Lidiak: and and And maybe that's what Kelvin was alluding to when he said something about the scouting report you know and paid attention to the scouting report because, you know at well, Atwell's a 44% three-point shooter.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yes. It's like, let him shoot it. Right. Let.
Tom Lidiak: Did you guys ever see him dribble to a shot at all?
@NoConfForOldMen: No, well, it's a, yeah.
Tom Lidiak: How about Petty? Same thing with Petty.
@NoConfForOldMen: yeah
Tom Lidiak: you know did he ever Did he ever dribble to a shot?
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Cause you want Toppin help the shooter, leave them open from the arc.
Tom Lidiak: And – yep, yep, yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: If he makes it, he makes it. Right. So yeah.
Tom Lidiak: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: and And he didn't hit a shot from the perimeter the entire game. Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: I think it was like 0 for 5 or something.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: And the third the third sequence, which is actually the first thing that happened, was when our two bigs got in foul trouble. We we had command of the game. I think it was 30 to 23.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: We were clicking on all cylinders. And then the total complexion of the game just changed when when both Senac and Tugler had to go to the bench. And, you know, it it wasn't good.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: that was the And that was the that was the ball game right there.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. yes Yeah. I know I mentioned the, uh, the foul calls. I mean, some of them were like phantom calls, like the one on Tuggler where he basically got shoved in the back by, uh, it was like, are suck are you kidding me?
Tom Lidiak: that That was BS, yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: But yeah,
Tom Lidiak: Yeah. And and and that and that was and that was that was that was happening all game.
.0Bill Walker: I'll be addressing that.
Tom Lidiak: I mean, only yeah i mean you can you can look on free throws.
@NoConfForOldMen: it was.
Tom Lidiak: We've been giving up a lot of you know offense rebounds on missed free throws. And you go back and look and our guys just aren't, you know, being tough in there. They're just letting them bully us down, you know, almost below the you know below the block.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: and And they're getting these long rebounds.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: So I'm sure it's being addressed these last couple of days and, you know, expect to see a lot better job on the boards on on Wednesday night against TCU.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, I know. I agree.
Tom Lidiak: Yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: I wouldn't want to be TCU at this point, but Bill, how about your player's take on the tech game?
.0Bill Walker: yeah I'll start out with a couple of things that Calvin mentioned after the game. First, he he did comment on the amazing atmosphere and that Tech fans packed the arena on on a brutally cold day, showed up for ESPN's game day, which which is great for the conference, as much as I don't like to say anything nice about the Tech fans because they don't deserve it.
.0Bill Walker: yeah It's great for the conference, and yeah to that end, could not agree more with with Calvin. As good as the Big 12 is this year, and quite honestly every year, i hope yeah ESPN decides to set up shop at a lot more Big 12 venues, including when we play for the title against Arizona, which which I can't imagine they wouldn't come here for, but but we'll see.
.0Bill Walker: With that said, i also read where the tech fans, and and here's where I get back to typical tech fans, were going after u of H fans rather than really focusing on the game.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: I read this in a few different places, one in particular where... after a female Coug fan did absolutely nothing but but cheer for us consistently, the the male tech fans, I guess it was a bunch of them, yeah maybe four, three or four, consistently screamed FUB the entire game.
@NoConfForOldMen: Hmm.
.0Bill Walker: It's like, are you kidding me? i mean, you know,
@NoConfForOldMen: Hmm.
.0Bill Walker: it Interesting that this guy confirmed my statement about tech fans inability to speak using a multi-syllabic words. Once again, f U B.
.0Bill Walker: Uh, but you know, it also confirms what, what virtually everyone knows about techs, vile, obnoxious, anti-social fan base. Nice job tech fans.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: Secondly, Calvin had said, I'm not going to bitch about the referees when they kicked our ass on the offensive glass.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Which they did.
.0Bill Walker: Interesting in that, yes, on the surface, Tech did dominate the boards, especially offensively. And they won because they were more aggressive and they were harder working And that absolutely stinks.
.0Bill Walker: but But I do find the message a little bit cryptic in that Calvin threw in the the officials into that statement.
.0Bill Walker: Everyone who knows me knows that I rarely get on the officiating.
@NoConfForOldMen: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
.0Bill Walker: And if we lose, don't far more look internally. And if we were more aggressive inside and if we close out and defend Atwell on the consecutive threes, uh, we probably win.
.0Bill Walker: That said, this game to me kind of rivaled the second half of the national championship game, uh, when Florida, uh, when we played Florida at possibly the worst officiated I've ever seen when, when 10 of 11 calls over a short period of time went against us, uh, most of the, the, actually in the tech game, most of the fouls that, that were called and and's certainly not all, but most, I think we're legitimate.
.0Bill Walker: However,
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: the if if the fouls were dispersed even even close to evenly, Toppin, who committed three pretty early fouls by pushing off down low, and, and you know, he – It's just crazy. Someone breathes on him and and the whistle blows. he he He was pushing off to get offensive boards, to get position inside. Nothing. No calls at all in the first half.
.0Bill Walker: Tugler certainly gets gets you know he gets called for the foul when Watts just shoved him in the back late.
@NoConfForOldMen: That was ridiculous.
.0Bill Walker: That that was a... huge, a huge play.
Tom Lidiak: imagine mc castless Can you imagine McCaslin's reaction if that happened?
.0Bill Walker: And quite honestly,
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: oh, he he would have had a coronary.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: Yeah. And that, if that, I think if that one play goes the way that it should have, I think we win the game. You know, I'm,
.0Bill Walker: I'm really only discussing a few of the egregious calls, but, but this was a really, really poorly officiated game. And I think that's why Calvin had mentioned, I'm not going to bitch about the officiating because he knows, uh, well, exactly.
Tom Lidiak: You'll get fined. You'll get fined too, you know.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, yeah, yeah. yeah
.0Bill Walker: That's, that's why, you you know the flemings three late when he kicked out his leg that that could have gone either way you know no comment for me on that quite honestly i it probably was the right call but but it's close uh you bottom line flemings was historically great offensively and like i said when i predicted the tech would uh
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, agree. Yeah,
.0Bill Walker: And they did. Big deal.
@NoConfForOldMen: you're right.
.0Bill Walker: Big deal. Nobody's going undefeated in the Big 12. And this gives Calvin some things to get on the team about, particularly the the not being soft inside, rebounding, hopefully some some help rebounding from the guards, and just to improve moving forward.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: And I think that's going to happen. So I have absolutely no issue with us losing that game. And and I think we are, you know big deal. We're one game out of first place in the conference. We've got Arizona coming in.
.0Bill Walker: We're still in great shape.
Tom Lidiak: By the way, who coaches our guards against us at Hollis, or do you know who? Who's got our guards this year? who Which coach is responsible for the guards?
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, I think you're right. I think it's Hollis.
Tom Lidiak: Hollis.
.0Bill Walker: What was it, Hollis?
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: Okay. Okay.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: Maybe he's going have to kick some ass these next couple of days, you know, as far as getting his getting his guys to to rebound.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, maybe.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. I mean, like I mentioned in the intro, it was pretty simple. Worst defensive rebounding night I can remember in the Samson era. Plus some defensive lapses, as you guys both highlighted, that allowed for some uncontested threes just killed us at critical times.
@NoConfForOldMen: As everyone knows, this was a really tightly, tightly contested game throughout. Clearly not a defensive gem on either side. All you need to know from an advanced analytics perspective is that Tech offensive rebounded almost half of their misses at 48%.
@NoConfForOldMen: Crazy. I don't think this has ever happened, guys, during Samson's tenure here. And quite honestly, if you look at Tech's lineup, they're actually a relatively small team.
@NoConfForOldMen: So...
.0Bill Walker: Correct.
@NoConfForOldMen: it was It was just a killer. And some of the defensive lapses allowed Tech to shoot over 41% from three-point range, which obviously is exceptional on their part.
@NoConfForOldMen: Now, offensively, our Cougs, especially Flemings, as you guys highlighted, were able to get whatever shot they wanted. One of our best shooting nights of the season, where we almost hit 40% from three-point line as well. But we just couldn't grab any defensive rebounds when it counted. And I know coach, I believe called out snack, you know, getting bullied a bit from top and during his post game, but,
@NoConfForOldMen: I don't know. I got to be honest. I didn't see it that way. I also say that this is the first time in over a decade of coach being here that I probably disagreed a bit with the lineup choices down the stretch when we sat Sanak and went small.
@NoConfForOldMen: mean, Sanak was not the issue with our rebounding. He had seven defensive rebounds out of our total of 17. Yeah. It was her cards right in the bench that contributed nothing on that front. If you look at our starting cards, Sharp, Uzan, Fleming's three rebounds across the three of them. Sharp with zero rebounds.
@NoConfForOldMen: McCarty coming off the bench, zero rebounds. Sacco, our backup big in 12 minutes, zero rebounds.
Tom Lidiak: Same as I did.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. I mean, it was, how can you even explain that? I mean, so Harwell, I mean, he made a silly foul that was called a flagrant, but at least he had four rebounds, right? And he played, you know, reasonably tough. So down the stretch, I'm kind of at a point now, guys, as we're deep into the season, I'd like to see and Even with this last game, I would have liked to have seen more minutes for both Harwell and Sanak, especially Sanak, you know,
@NoConfForOldMen: late because we just needed to get some boards. But I'll just close with you know highlighting Flemming. He's stellar night just like you had highlighted there, Bill. I mean, he was an obscene player box score, plus minus, plus 23.8 in a record-setting evening for the freshman.
@NoConfForOldMen: So at least... ended on a positive note there. Now let's move to a preview of the next two games. And Bill, why don't you get started with the TCU game? Well, what's your view of the game from a player's perspective?
.0Bill Walker: By the way, I i thought that Flemings would would maybe get a little more national love since the game was on yeah ESPN. And then i can't think of the kid's name.
.0Bill Walker: The freshman from Illinois puts up 46.
@NoConfForOldMen: Illinois.
Tom Lidiak: Wagner, Keaton Wagner something
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: Yeah, yeah, yeah. in a
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: you know when over purdue and then uh and then of course the bad so puts up 43.
@NoConfForOldMen: Devance. Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: it's like god how how does that all happen on the same day but but three phenomenal freshman performances
@NoConfForOldMen: Isn't it nuts?
Tom Lidiak: like that. Yeah. And the, the Illinois, the Illinois kid is, uh, is from Kansas.
@NoConfForOldMen: know.
Tom Lidiak: So he was right there under Bill Self's nose.
@NoConfForOldMen: I know, but no one recruited him. mean, did you read about him? He was, i mean, nowhere on the recruiting charts.
Tom Lidiak: Like three, three stars, something like that Yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: well we'll we'll see if he can continue that i think they I think they – oh, no, no, no, it's not not them. it's It's Nebraska that plays Michigan tomorrow, I believe.
@NoConfForOldMen: right right yeah
.0Bill Walker: So there will be one ranked team above us that that gets a knockoff. Anyway, we're at TCU 8 o'clock on Wednesday and yeah ESPN 2, so that's good.
.0Bill Walker: TCU at the moment is thirteen and seven three and four in conference, ninth place. It's about where we predicted them, where we expected them to be preseason.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: it Yeah, like I said, this this team has played better than I thought. They'd be, let's see, well, of their seven losses, they've lost to Michigan by four.
.0Bill Walker: They've lost at BYU only by six. And really, aside from a bad loss at Utah, yeah,
@NoConfForOldMen: New Orleans. They lost a New Orleans game opener, right?
.0Bill Walker: Well, no, I'm talking conference, conference, uh, Arizona by 13.
@NoConfForOldMen: Oh, conference. Okay.
.0Bill Walker: Well, yes, the Michigan was non-conference, but, uh, in conference, uh, the, the Utah loss wasn't good recently, but, uh, the others are, are only by six to, to BYU 13 to Arizona and the, the overtime loss at Kansas 104, 100, where they were up a dozen with two and a half minutes left in the game and and just collapsed, uh,
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Good one.
.0Bill Walker: Saturday they, i watched this whole thing. They, they wanted Baylor, uh, 97, 90 where their, uh, their defensive ranking obviously took a bit of a hit, but, uh, but you know, Baylor's capable of scoring while kind of incapable of defending, uh, you bottom line, TCU could be competitive in this game.
@NoConfForOldMen: good way
.0Bill Walker: I imagine they, they will to an extent. And, uh, Yeah, they they also played that game against Baylor without their best player, David Punch, who was out with a apparently an undiscribed or an undisclosed illness.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: And I don't know if he's – they were going to reevaluate him right before our game, so I don't know at this point if he's going to be playing or not. But he's their best player.
.0Bill Walker: He's a 290-pound sophomore player. two hundred and ninety pound sophomore Power forward, big forward. He's their only returning starter. He's scoring 14.5 points, 7.8 boards, 2.5 blocks per game, and he's shooting 54% from the field.
@NoConfForOldMen: It is.
.0Bill Walker: And yeah, we'll we'll see. I mean, that's that's a big loss if he doesn't play against us. There are other few other good players. They're solid players for them. Xavier Edmonds is a 6'8 junior forward. He was the number one JUCO recruit. He was a big-time JUCO scorer, but he's he's scoring 12 points, five boards, shooting 41% though from three. And He had 23 points against Baylor i and 10 boards. He also went to the line 13 times, hitting 11 of them. then
.0Bill Walker: Then we've got Jaden Pierre, their point guard. He transferred in from Providence, 11 points, three assists, 43% from three.
@NoConfForOldMen: Wow.
.0Bill Walker: Brock Harding is their starting point guard. Tom, I'm sure you love him. Six-foot junior transfer from Iowa.
Tom Lidiak: Which means he did plays absolutely no D because he played for Fran McCaffrey.
@NoConfForOldMen: No kidding.
.0Bill Walker: Well, he leads the team in assists and steals. He's at
Tom Lidiak: I think he might be the only he might be the only one of the Iowa transfers that actually was a little bit hard-nosed.
.0Bill Walker: Maybe. Yeah, you you might be right. Yeah, nine points, three boards at six feet. wish Wish hard cards could average six earth three boards.
@NoConfForOldMen: ha yeah
.0Bill Walker: 6.3 assists and, like I said, two steals.
@NoConfForOldMen: kidding
.0Bill Walker: he yeah He was nine of 12 at the line against TCU.
Tom Lidiak: he said He's having to expend some effort on defense. That's why he's not shooting the ball well.
.0Bill Walker: Yeah, he may be right.
Tom Lidiak: and Under Fran, they played offense on both ends.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. yeah
.0Bill Walker: Yeah. Uh, and last person I'll mention is Micah Robinson, a six, six, uh, 232 pound two guard. He's a sophomore. He is the fourth highest recruit ever in, in TCU history.
.0Bill Walker: And he's, he's at 10 points, five boards, a couple c assists, 38% from the field, not particularly good. 31% from three, not particularly good for a two guard. And, And, um,
.0Bill Walker: According to to the the child actor, Jamie Dixon, he was supposed to be their best shooter, but so far not much, and and hopefully he doesn't break out of that against us.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: I can't imagine he will. Anyway, the the keys for this game are, one, to to kill them on the boards. baylor Baylor absolutely annihilated the them on the boards on Saturday, and so we should – we should rebound, no pun intended, from from the Tech game. Obviously, limit fouls, as I mentioned. They shot 43 free throws versus Baylor.
.0Bill Walker: They're not a great ball handling team, so so we get them to to turn the ball over. We moved the ball well and and hit shots. And and i I think that after the Tech loss, we'll get after TCU. but But I still think that it's going to be a competitive game because they have played well this year. I have us only winning by 11, 76-65. Thanks for that.
@NoConfForOldMen: Okay. Yeah, that's probably about right. Tom, how about you from a coach's perspective on the TCU game?
.0Bill Walker: thanks for that
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: Well, when you talk about you know TCU and especially in this day of rotating rosters and all that, you start with the head coach, Jamie Dixon. you know He's the only consistent face of the program.
Tom Lidiak: Borderline, probably Hall of Fame coach. Underrated, in my opinion, as far as you know his coaching ability.
Tom Lidiak: kind of Had some so-so years you know last couple of years, but if we don't if we don't go into Fort Worth with a proper mindset, you know, it could be it could be it could be a struggle. So hopefully, you know, we we learned some lessons with the tech loss and and come out, you know, playing with their hair on fire. So I'm like, I'm with Bill. I think it's going to be very, very competitive.
Tom Lidiak: I'll even go as far as to say is I think we win you know we win the game, but I'd say maybe six or seven points.
@NoConfForOldMen: Oh, wow. Okay. I mean, that's close to what Ken Palm, I mean, Ken Palm's expecting a five point.
Tom Lidiak: and And home court, you know, you know home court makes makes all the difference.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. I mean, for me, TCU is actually a tough team for me to read this season. Some really bad losses, like we talked about with New Orleans and Utah, some great wins or kind of near wins like the one with Michigan, but they beat Florida, the Wisconsin.
@NoConfForOldMen: They come in actually at 49th in Ken Palm, according to, i think, today's update.
.0Bill Walker: Yep.
@NoConfForOldMen: TCU's 105th in adjusted offensive efficiency, and they're top 20, right at 20, for adjusted defensive efficiency. So, you know, they're de-stout yet again in Fort Worth.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. They're back to being in a slow team this season. They really don't do anything great on offense. In fact, they're dreadful from three-point range, right? 167th in three-point percentage. So expect us to pack it in a bit and dare them to shoot the three on on defense.
@NoConfForOldMen: On the defensive side for TCU, they're very sound all around and like us do an excellent job forcing turnovers where they're ranked 33rd in the country and blocking shots where they're 17th in Ken Palm. But they can be had from three-point range because they're right at around 145th in three-point percentage D. So I'm looking for a bit more of Kingston driving and dishing out to Sharp, Buzon, and maybe even Senac for some threes.
@NoConfForOldMen: Based on the metrics, this is actually projected to be a five-point win for the Cougs on the road by Ken Palm. I think we win by a bit more, but I'd say pretty close to what you guys are saying. So I'm thinking it's actually going to take a disciplined you know effort from the Cougs to win by 10, 74 to 64.
@NoConfForOldMen: Now for the Cincy rematch, Tom, why don't you get us started?
.0Bill Walker: Thank you.
@NoConfForOldMen: What's your view of the game from a coach's perspective on that one?
Tom Lidiak: Played them already. Cincinnati played us tough at their place.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: You know, you have you have a coach that's on the hot seat in West, and you know, pretty much it's NCAA tournament or or you get fired.
Tom Lidiak: They had, you know, it was it was an interesting game the other night. It was Cincinnati at at Arizona State. And, you know, two very, very similar coaches, you know, as far situations go.
Tom Lidiak: And, you know, two very similar teams because, you know, both coaches are, like I said, on the you know on the hot seat.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: They're both probably going to be gone by the end of the year unless unless a miracle happens.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: And then, you know Cincinnati ended up losing that game to Arizona State. Yeah. they'll put up a fight. You know, Wes's teams play hard. They're very, very good defensively. You know, they're going to fight you tooth and nail. They're not going to lay down and and and quit as far as, you know, as far as I can tell.
Tom Lidiak: But in the end, we're at home. We come out with a win, I'd say, anywhere from like maybe 12, 13-point win.
@NoConfForOldMen: Okay, cool. Bill, how about from your players' perspective on the Cincy round number two?
.0Bill Walker: Yeah, they're 10-10 right now, which does not bode well for Wes Miller. Two and five in conference. They're in a four-way tie for 10th with with behemoths Oklahoma State, Colorado, and ASU.
.0Bill Walker: They play Baylor at home on on Wednesday, so they'll be coming off that when they come to Fertitta. I expect...
.0Bill Walker: them to be 11 and 10, but you know, that's, that's, it's close to a toss up. I just think it's gonna be maybe a little tougher ASU on the road, but, but, you know, we'll see. But I think they'll win. They'll come in on a sizzling one game winning streak.
.0Bill Walker: Uh, 59, least the last time I saw it, they were 59 in Kempom, 200 in offense, and but but top 10 in defense.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yep. Yeah. Exactly.
.0Bill Walker: So you know they've they played well. yeah Since playing us, they've gone two and four in conference. They beat Colorado, and and they got a huge nine-point win over Iowa State.
@NoConfForOldMen: I know, crazy.
.0Bill Walker: But and and quite honestly, that 2-5 and the 10-10 records could be a bit better. They lost at West Virginia by 2.
.0Bill Walker: two They lost at UCF by 1. They got... obliterated at Arizona, and and then they had the 14-point loss at Arizona State.
.0Bill Walker: You know, that Arizona State loss aside, and and obviously the Arizona blowout, I mean, they they could be much better if they could just close out games, quite honestly, including versus us when we played them.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
.0Bill Walker: yeah In round one, we won 67-60, but it it was tight until about three minutes left when Uzann stepped up and hit hit a big three, and and and that was about it. Sanak was almost nonexistent in that game, and Sharp, and we had talked about it despite – despite get it Well, despite virtually shutting out Dede Thomas in the second half defensively, Sharp shot 0 of 9 for the game and would not have scored if he hadn't gotten fouled right at the end and and scored our final two points from the line.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: yeah I expect both Sharp and Sanat to revert. back to back to the norm, back to their norms in this game. Tugler played well and in in the first game. he he He largely stayed out of foul trouble.
.0Bill Walker: that That was something that Sharp had an issue with, two really early ones. But, yeah yeah, and we had really solid bench contributions in that first game. Sacco, that was his first game back after injury, played well.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: Harwell played well. Ramon took a huge charge late in the game. So so the bench the bench stepped up. In that game, and this could be somewhat attributable to Cincinnati's defense, we only shot 41% from the field.
.0Bill Walker: And I've got to imagine that that that will improve, despite Cincy's solid defense. you know For Cincinnati,
.0Bill Walker: Day Day Thomas had led them in that game with 15 and had a personal 10-0 run to put them up five at half in the first game. but But the other guards, Gissel James and Sincere Harris, were absolutely shut out by by us.
@NoConfForOldMen: Mm-hmm.
.0Bill Walker: They're nonexistent. And I do imagine that the two of them will play better. But I'm hoping that we we do a better job of clamping down on They're big men, Baba Miller and Mustafa Thiem.
.0Bill Walker: but But yeah, I like that Tugler and Senac overall, I think, are are playing smarter on the defensive end.
.0Bill Walker: And so I think i think we'll we'll match up better against them and and hopefully keep them off the offensive boards. yeah As always, we need to limit fouls against them. we need to...
.0Bill Walker: force a turnover-prone team to give up the ball, is sticks stick with their perimeter shooters so that James and and Harris don't get hot,
.0Bill Walker: And again, just make more shots than we did at Cincinnati. And a lot of the shots that we had, even though we shot poorly for the game, were really good shots there. We had some open shots. They just didn't fall, including a lot of shots near the basket. Tugler missed some. But yeah, I think, I think.
.0Bill Walker: Again, we'll we'll shoot a little bit more toward the norm. maybe Maybe not to what we've been shooting all season because they are a good defensive team, but i think we'll shoot better, and I think we're going to take care of them pretty easily, seventy five fifty eight
@NoConfForOldMen: Okay. I mean, since he, since he just seems to be, I guess, Cincinnati every year, it seems a tough defensive team that has no clue or identity on offense.
@NoConfForOldMen: Like we had just talked about earlier, they beat a great ISU team, but then come back for a two loss Arizona swing. i mean, they're 59th at Ken Palm, which is you know, decent.
@NoConfForOldMen: But yet again, they're low lead 200th in adjusted offensive efficiency, ninth in defensive efficiency. And having played them just a few weeks ago, we know exactly what to expect. They continue to be dreadful from three-point range, ranked 330th in three-point percentage. and have issues protecting the ball, 204th in turnover percentage. So we'll continue to pack it in a bit and dare them to shoot the threes while constantly pressuring the ball at the point of attack. And if you look at Cincinnati's D, it's tough across most major metrics, but like TCU, they can be had from three-point range. So I'm looking for a similar approach to the TCU game with Kingston driving and dishing out to our three-point shooters.
@NoConfForOldMen: Based on the metrics, this is projected to be a 15-point win for the Cougs at home by Ken Palm. Cincy always, always gets up for us, and they play us tough, so I think it'll be closer as well. So I expect a physical, probably like 74, 63, 11-point win.
.0Bill Walker: No chance.
@NoConfForOldMen: Now, no chance you think it'll be a a bigger blowout?
.0Bill Walker: 17.
.0Bill Walker: seventeen
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah? Wow. Yeah. I mean, that that's that's what Ken Palm thinks as well, right? 15... point when, but we'll see. I'd love for it to be a blowout and we get more more of the kids minutes there. So so hopefully you're right.
@NoConfForOldMen: Now, Guys, we're six games into the Big 12 schedule. A loss to Tech where some of our nagging issues from the beginning of the season reared its ugly head you know around you know defensive rebounding and defensive assignment lapses. We've got a two game swing now for adjustments and for some kids to basically step up and start sharpening their game.
@NoConfForOldMen: This week's question is, who on this roster needs to be or will become the X factor in order for the Cougars to make a Final Four run this season. Because, guys, we need that person to emerge during this swing. i mean, Bill, why don't kick things off with your players' perspective? Is it going to be Harwell or is going to be someone else on this team?
.0Bill Walker: Okay, well, you you initially posed this as, is Harwell going to be the X Factor?
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: So here here's here here was my response to that. No.
@NoConfForOldMen: ha He's not going to be it.
.0Bill Walker: No, no, but he's one of them.
@NoConfForOldMen: All right.
.0Bill Walker: Quite honestly, I would start with Sennac. who's still not where he needs to be. And and he mentioned that, uh, last week where he said he's, he's at a C, but I think he's the one that, uh, can be the X factor. And, and if he, he steps up and he starts to play to his talent, to his strength, uh,
.0Bill Walker: gets a little more aggressive inside. I think he can absolutely absolutely be at the top of the list, the head of the class in terms of our biggest X, excuse me, yeah X factor.
.0Bill Walker: Next is Milos. And, you know, he he, and I mentioned this before we started, he seems,
.0Bill Walker: to be disappearing a little bit as Kingston's taking over. And it's two guys that, that, that are point guards. It's just one's an unstoppable scoring point guard.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: And, and, and so Milo's is has, has, you know, I don't want to say disappeared, but, but, but, you know, he, he,
.0Bill Walker: he hit He did hit a couple of shots in the in the Tech game, but but he just he didn't shoot a lot.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. yeah
.0Bill Walker: He didn't hit you know no rebounds. It was – – and I'm not going to focus strictly on Tech, but – he I think he's the number two X factor.
.0Bill Walker: if he can you know If he can get a little more involved, both offensively and defensively, hopefully a little more on the boards like he has in the past, and hit his shots, which I think he will,
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: you know I think he's number two in terms of X factor. Number three, i do think Harwell will continue to improve, and I do think his role will expand as we get further into conference play.
.0Bill Walker: But yeah in a game where, we're well, sharp, And quite honestly, the front court had some foul issues Saturday. You know, Harwell only saw 10 minutes.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: He had eight fewer minutes than Ramon, two fewer minutes than Sacco, and only two more than that McCarty, who, as we mentioned, Calvin was not pleased with and and yanked him after that
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: poor closeout on Atwell's second consecutive three in the Tech game.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: yeah To be honest, any Sanak, Yuzan,
.0Bill Walker: i'm a yeah I'm not 100% sure that I want to bring up Sacco because he he really has no role offensively
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, Steve had some rebounding.
.0Bill Walker: Uh, you know, but with, with our propensity to pick up fouls, he could be, he could be especially as you mentioned, Steve, a key, uh, defensive player, against teams that have strong front courts, uh, Arizona for sure being one of them, uh,
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: and And then again, I mentioned Sinek, Yuzan, Sako, or Harwell. I think those are the guys moving forward. It could be any one of those four. And I think depending on the game, depending on the matchups, I just don't see it being one X factor down the stretch. I think different players...
.0Bill Walker: can be the X factor in different games. and And I'd love to see every one of those four step up. And quite honestly, I'd love to see a a Ramon continue to play well. i mean, he plays hard and, you know, he plays well. He could hit the boards. You know, McCarty,
.0Bill Walker: and Calvin will certainly get on him. But yeah, I'd love to see productivity from everyone. And and quite honestly, any of those guys, again, depending on the matchups could have a, you know, have a, a
.0Bill Walker: you know, a positive impact on, on any game. You know, it just depends upon who we're playing and and who we're going up against. Yeah. yeah If,
.0Bill Walker: I know, and it I think Steve, you were you were maybe thinking about an X factor off the bench. And and if that's the case, that then it's then it's certainly Harwell.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: Mistakes, yeah.
.0Bill Walker: you know, which is why his his minutes can and have been limited. yeah He is a freshman, so it's a learning process, up particularly also coming off his knee injury.
.0Bill Walker: but But as you kind of wanted to reference Harwell, I do think his role will expand as we get further into the season and he gets more comfortable and and becomes more acclimated with the with everything that Kelvin and the coaching staff wants them to do.
@NoConfForOldMen: Okay, cool. How about you, Tom? What's your coach's view on who needs to be and will become the X factor for this team?
Tom Lidiak: My opinion, it's got to be Tuggler and his fouls. He needs, you know, he needs to play smarter. He needs to use better discernment.
Tom Lidiak: You know, he's useless on the bench. Teams make their runs when he's on the bench. He needs to be playing 30-plus minutes. I mean, look at Toppin. Look at how many minutes he plays.
Tom Lidiak: You know, i mean, he he Joe Tugler,
.0Bill Walker: He doesn't get called for fouls.
Tom Lidiak: Yeah, that's that's true too.
.0Bill Walker: He could, he could, geez, he could.
Tom Lidiak: But you know what? officials don't Officials don't call fouls.
.0Bill Walker: How
Tom Lidiak: They call what look like fouls. And when JoJo fouls, he fouls, and it looks like the you know the whole arena can see him.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Yeah,
@NoConfForOldMen: I can just reach out and stuff.
Tom Lidiak: he just got you know He's just got to be better at not fouling.
.0Bill Walker: how about when Watts abuses him from behind and he gets called for the foul?
Tom Lidiak: He doesn't – well, I know that's – yeah, but –
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, that's a home court call.
.0Bill Walker: Jeez.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: But you know what I'm saying? When when Jojo is playing 17 minutes a game or whatever it is, you know, he's got he's got to be on the floor for for 30 plus minutes.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: And like I said, every it's like every time some team makes a run, you know, it's it's when he's on the bench.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, I agree with that.
Tom Lidiak: The Florida game last year, they made their run when Jojo was on the bench.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: So to me, the whole X factor thing is, its to me, it centers around keeping JoJo on the floor.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: pretty pretty simple Pretty simple as that, in my in my opinion.
@NoConfForOldMen: Okay. No, that, that, that, that is, i mean, actually.
.0Bill Walker: Yeah, that's that's a good point. of course Of course, in the Florida game, they also... Basically, yeah in one possession, Francis francencis was out of the game.
Tom Lidiak: Two fouls, right?
.0Bill Walker: i mean, they got the beginning of that second half. They just they called the first six fouls on Florida, which was kind of crazy.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: But, yeah yeah.
.0Bill Walker: And then 10 out of 11 against us. And and and they they just officiating just killed us in that game. But but sorry, I'm interrupting and digressing.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: Yeah, anyway, I think that second foul on JoJo against Tech, I think it's when – he came over the double team. I can't, and maybe I'm wrong on this, but it seemed like it was Toppin maybe and Toppin went to turn over his left shoulder and JoJo, you know, instead of just coming, instead just coming straight up, he went right into him, you know, and, and, and, and hit him.
@NoConfForOldMen: Oh, kind of, yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. I kind of bumped into him. You're right.
Tom Lidiak: And it's, I'm like, why, why, why, why do it?
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: You know, what and I'm sure that's what the way Kelvin feels, you know, but my, my guess is that,
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: If you try to temper him down, then then he's not effective that way either, you know?
@NoConfForOldMen: yeah Yeah, no, these are great points, guys. it You're right, Bill. My original intention was to more highlight someone on the bench. But yeah, that doesn't necessarily need need to be the case for us to win, right? And and be in the next factor. So the things you guys mentioned are all fantastic. Now, you know for me, when I look at Bart Torvik's player box score plus minus for the season,
@NoConfForOldMen: Harwell is the kid that, in my opinion, needs to step up on the bench for us. And though he's yet to show some consistency and being positive game after game, overall, he's still a plus 4.6 for the season. And especially for our style and culture where defense is king, he's at a plus 3.3 versus yeah on the defensive side, that is, when you compare to McCarty, who's at like 1.7 or a Walker, who's at a And so, you know, if you look beyond the numbers, I think we all see how his length and speed is able to bother the wings from the other teams.
@NoConfForOldMen: The light just needs to come on in these next couple of games for him to stay focused, be smart while just playing within himself. And I think he'll be fine and he can really impact the game in a positive way. But we'll see if he can actually do that.
@NoConfForOldMen: Now, having said that, I will fully admit that perhaps the X fact x factor, sorry, might end up being McCarty. And the three of us, I've probably, it might be McCarty.
Tom Lidiak: Say that again, Steve.
@NoConfForOldMen: and I'll fully admit, right, I've probably been the most negative of the three of us about his play this season, but his numbers have been much stronger since the New Orleans game. So it's been basically over a month of more positive play, especially as his shot has started to fall, right, as of late, and then it just kind of reflects in the rest of his numbers. And so, you know, I did a little bit of quick analysis, and if you look at you know, for the season and I'm looking at all games at this point. So for the season, he's at a player box score plus minus plus 1.7. But since conference play has started and again, we're six games in. So since he Tech, Baylor, West Virginia, ASU and Tech, he's been a player box score plus minus plus 8.15. So it's a it's actually one of our most highly
@NoConfForOldMen: performing players, right? Would do you just look strictly from a player box score plus minus perspective? But again, I'll reiterate my my biggest concern with Bacardi is primarily around, know, blocking out properly, because if you want to highlight any one player on the team that consistently gets moved out of the way for opposing teams to get their offensive rebounds, he's the guy that gets pushed around the most.
@NoConfForOldMen: I mean, I i can think of like five in my mind already.
Tom Lidiak: Steve, do you think that's – don't you think he's playing out of position, though, at the four –
.0Bill Walker: Well,
@NoConfForOldMen: ha He is. I completely agree.
.0Bill Walker: that's exactly what I was going to say because of the fouls.
@NoConfForOldMen: is.
.0Bill Walker: He'll come in and play the four and he's just not a four.
@NoConfForOldMen: He's not. i mean, I think he's highly effective when he gets to play the three.
.0Bill Walker: Physically, physically.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, if he plays the three, I think he could be phenomenal, actually, the way he's playing right now. And I think, quite honestly, McCarty, not McCarty, Harwell needs to be the guy that plays for.
@NoConfForOldMen: I think he's just stronger. You know, he's stronger and more athletic.
Tom Lidiak: Okay, I'm going to interject here, guys. I'm going to interject.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: Has anybody heard anything about McFarlane? what his
@NoConfForOldMen: No, I haven't.
Tom Lidiak: You know, because he did play in like one game, right?
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
.0Bill Walker: Very little, yeah, and in a blowout.
@NoConfForOldMen: Very little.
.0Bill Walker: Actually, two games, consecutive games. But yeah, I wouldn't expect to see him in anything meaningful this season.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, I wouldn't either. Yeah. you know Especially with that tough stretch coming up, if he doesn't get in, it in my mind, it really is these next two games for someone to emerge and become this season's you know, kind of Malik Wilson from a contribution perspective is going to be key. And if he doesn't get any minutes, I don't see him coming in during that tough stretch where we're playing all those tough teams.
Tom Lidiak: Think back to the tech game. Guess who did think about who didn't play.
@NoConfForOldMen: Who didn't play which tech game, the first or second?
Tom Lidiak: Mercy.
.0Bill Walker: Mercy.
Tom Lidiak: No, mercy didn't play.
@NoConfForOldMen: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, Mercy.
.0Bill Walker: You're gonna say mercy.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: He didn't even get in the game.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah. Yeah, that's nuts.
Tom Lidiak: And I think when McCarty lost at, well, you know, when he stunted on, was he playing the wing or was he with two bigs at the time? I,
@NoConfForOldMen: No, we didn't have two bigs at the time. We already had the small lineups. When Atwell hit the the two threes in a row.
Tom Lidiak: Okay.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah, can't can't blame it on Sanath in that one.
Tom Lidiak: McCarty was playing the four.
Tom Lidiak: So McCarty was to lookcary was the floor on that one.
@NoConfForOldMen: We had already our small guys in there.
Tom Lidiak: Okay.
@NoConfForOldMen: Yeah.
Tom Lidiak: All right.
@NoConfForOldMen: So, anyways. Well, we'll see. these i Again, I think these next two games going key. We're going to see if any of the the kids emerge, and it'll be very interesting for fans to follow. So that's it for this 70th episode of the No Conference for Old Men podcast. Hope you all enjoyed it. And again, would really appreciate it if folks would follow, subscribe, or collect our podcast on your preferred platform. We're also available via Dave Campbell's College Podcast Network as their only basketball-centric podcast. We're at the gocougs.com YouTube page for those that want to see our ugly mugs. We appreciate the continued support from all. Also, please give us a follow on our Twitter account, NoConferenceForOldMen. Thank you all again for listening, and please be on the lookout next week to download and listen as our next episode drops.
@NoConfForOldMen: Take care, if everyone.
.0Bill Walker: big streak begins on Wednesday.
@NoConfForOldMen: There you go. Cougs, baby.
.0Bill Walker: Go Cougs.
