I mean you can, that's certainly
I think something that will.
Try to take advantage of.
I mean obviously they see see
these things for a reason.
So theoretically if you end up
playing much more difficult opponent,
especially opening around
and even second round, but.
You know, I've found that the o.
Once you get into this thing, I mean,
everybody's earned their way in,
in some way, shape or form,
and it's always going to be a really.
Really difficult game.
We've had very difficult games as a one seed.
So I I know about Grand Canyon.
Bryce does a great job.
I've been following him for a w,
you know, obviously because of
my relationship with Scott,
but also because Roger Powell
worked under Bryce and and.
And then no Jerry Colangelo,
I know Jerry Colangelo very, very well.
It's a big part of the whole
Grand Canyon growth of the.
Not only a basketball program,
but the whole school and so
that it's going to be really,
really tough first round matchu.
Did you watch him last night?
Watch a little bit of it?
Last night was bouncing around,
watching all a bunch of
different games. Yeah.
And talk most of the year has
been it's more wide open and as
we got to the end of the year,
they're saying there's six or
seven teams maybe has one seat.
You buying that? Yeah, I don't,
I don't know if they got
to six or seven, I didn't.
I heard that same comment.
I'd be surprised at that I certainly,
I think. The way UCLA was
playing down the stretch,
I'm sure they were under consideration and.
You know, I don't.
I don't know if anybody else was. Yeah.
Like seeing Boise State at the bottom
part of that bracket, seeing Le.
A possibility down the road butu
know yeah that's a that's
a long ways down there.
Yeah it's great I mean
he he's done a awesome job and d
you know I think they've yet ton
a game in the in the NCA tourna.
They got a great shot this year and and
again they've just had another really
really really solid year down t.
Coach, can you talk a little bit
about not having to go all the y
over to New York or something?
Instead you just get the Denver.
And just for the fans, yeah,
for sure. No, I think that's
one of the great, you know,
tweaks and changes that they've done.
You know, with the NCAA tournamt
is just a real effort to,
especially if you're a top
four seed to keep you.
Somewhere close to your or in se
proximity to where you're at,
you know it's really screwed.
Up this year when you look at ap
of the sites it was crazy how In
even Denver is almost Midwest yu
know and and there there weren't
just any sites they were all.
When you see it actually on the map it's,
it's unbelievable how many are u
know definitely on the eastern
side of our country.
So maybe there is something to
the East Coast bias.
You guys played ten teams that
ended up going to the tournament
including a number of threes.
How do you think that nonconfere
plants and there's your time
helps you guys here in the next
I mean I think it it it has to help Theo
I mean it just it we're we've we've seen.
At all. Basically from, you kno,
Zach Eddie to just the the
relentlessness and the pace of Alabama.
You know, the the,
the incredible physicality,
intensity of Texas.
So, I mean, we've seen a lot.
Have different. How much progress do you
guys think you made from December to May?
Well, I think we've made a lot.
I, I you know, I was talking to
the guys about that today is as
I think be Mike brought up a.
Stat is only my analytic staff could but.
This is the lowest turnover rate we've had,
I think in the entire run we've,
you know, which surprised me bee
I know we've had some teams that
didn't turn it over very well.
But I mean that's what they were saying and
if you think about what our issues were.
Back in November, it was turnov.
And so these guys really.
You know, we heated the warnings
and and listened to what we were
saying and and took the coachind
we've taken great care of the b,
you know, knock on wood.
Down the stretch here.
And then I also think, I mean Ie
we're a lot tougher than we wer.
I mean I think the young guys he
gotten tougher and more physical
and a little more gritty definiy
than they were in November,
January or excuse me,
November, December.
What about Nolan's growth at the point
guard spot from the first day to you know
he's been really good.
I think he's one of those guys t
has done a good job of understag
and taking care of the ball.
You know I think with Nolan sometimes
he gets a little too caught up d
whether his shots dropping or nt
we're just always trying to expn
to him that there's just so much
more to the game than just that.
You know there's especially at t
position you know you're you'red
of quarterbacking the whole clud
we really been after him defensively.
I mean and I think that's where probably the.
Those young guards have made
their biggest jump.
You already get a text from Sco.
I have not looked yet on that,
but I'm sure it's coming.
We talked yesterday, so.
Yeah. Yep. Yep. Too bad.
No bubble. Yeah. Well, yeah.
Well, now it's not too bad.
No bubble, you know, I think wee
all had enough of the of the bu.
It's not. It's not too bad.
But yeah, I mean it.
I mean, and the drew.
I mean, I've awesome for their family.
Their dad's a wonderful man,
and I'm sure it would be great o
have both both those guys there.
But yeah, it's an interesting little group,
the, the one that nobody's talking about.
TCU's really, really good.
I mean, I watched them numerous times.
And really athletic and Jamie'st
him playing a lot faster this y.
And I mean, they went in to Kansas and I
think won by 25 or something at Kansas.
And I think they've had to deal with a
lot of different injuries and s,
but when they're full strength,
I they are really something.
That's brass comparing the
pickable door to his brother.
He never made it down there that whole.
Week. Or he was. He was out ear,
so he didn't get the full 30 das
in the bubble like Scott and I .
Coach, can you talk a little bit
about being in that W region ane
in Kansas and UCLA just all thed
teams in there and I mean it's ,
it's just like another non conference
runner you guys off of. Yeah
I mean the most important thing
is that's a long ways off,
you know I mean you just have t,
you got to just survive in adva.
We have to survive in advance with Grand
Canyon literally and I think the seeds.
Kind of mess with people's minds
that aren't in our industry and
and it's just not how it is.
And especially when we talk about how
crazy the year was in college basketball
and just how amount of parity and how
tough it is to get any kind of .
I mean, we experience that in
our league this year, right?
And you just go through all
of the grand Canyons games.
I just did that before it came out here
and just every one of them was close.
You know, I mean,
every single one of them looked like it
was maybe a one or two possession game, so.
Yeah, so,
I mean it's hard to get to into
what's down the road in the brat
and but you know obviously watch
UCLA last night that was a heck
of a game that Tommy and Arizon.
Pulled out and I've and I've goo
see Bill's team a lot this year.
Today I'm unbelievably impressed
with the job he did,
you know with what what they lost and
get him all the way back to number one seed.
They ever get old for you?
No, it doesn't.
It it really doesn't cause it.
Just. I mean, I know.
I mean, there were days.
I mean, we walked out of the gym and,
you know, heck,
all the way back to the Tennesse
exhibition or the Texas game and you're like.
You're, you know,
there's some serious doubt creeg
into whether the streak will stay alive.
You know, because it I I think
that's confusing for all these.
Zag fans and people have been around you,
you they, they come up to me and they
say they can't wait till March Madness.
And I'm like, well,
you have to earn your way into March Madness
and we haven't earned our way in yet.
And there's, I mean there's because of
the job that all the teams have done here,
there's this incredible.
Almost spoiled attitude around e
where you're just gonna walk in.
And is it?
And where is it's not how it go.
I mean,
you gotta fight and scratch and claw and.
And survive and whether it's injuries or.
You know,
just maybe guys not playing up
to what what we thought they
were going to be or all of that.
So I think we experienced that t
this year and so I think that'st
I told the guys in there and thy
should never ever get to the po.
Where they don't appreciate
this day because it's, you know,
what's happened at Gonzaga, you know,
these 25 straight or whatever i.
It's unbelievable.
It's it's as as big a story as probably
ever in the history of college basketball,
if you ask me.
So.
And as I told him,
I I stood in that locker room,
you know, on this day three years ago,
I had to explain to.
To admin Gilder and Ryan Woolri,
who transferred here to
play in this tournament,
that they couldn't play in
it because it was getting
shut down because of COVID.
So no, I never, ever,
ever take this for granted.
Ever.
Alright, I think we're great.