Q: I know it's been a while, but do you remember your first trip to Manhattan as coach here?
A: Was that when they threw the live chicken down on the floor? I can't remember if that was the first or second time that we played there, but... The first game, no, I don't remember. I don't remember. I think Jim was coaching if I'm not mistaken, but I can't remember the first one.
Q: And I think you guys have won, I think three in a row there. Obviously different teams, but what stands out about this team when you look at them as you get ready for tomorrow?
A: Well I think they're a lot more talented. I think that offensive firepower is doubled. They lost Pack obviously, but they've replaced him with some guys that can really score the ball, and Nowell is having a player-of-the-year type year. Johnson... Is he the second leading scorer in our league right now or third or whatever? He's having an unbelievable year, and it's a great story. And then they've also recruited unbelievably well. I don't want to bash anybody's name, so I won't say, but Kansas State’s starting three-man, number 35. He's a pro prospect. I mean, he's an NBA prospect. I'm really impressed with their talent level and what the staff was able to do in a short amount of time.
Q: Jalen has mentioned a couple of times that the Missouri game can prepare this team well for a game like this. Do you think that's fair? Is that how you would see it?
A: I think there are some similarities from an environment standpoint for sure. Missouri was ready for us when we went there, and K State will obviously be ready for us when we go there. So yeah, I think from an environment standpoint, definitely. I really think that K State... You lose at TCU, which, a lot of people are going to lose at TCU. But up until this point, they have been the most impressive team from a beating and playing well at the hardest places. The win against Texas was incredible, and of course the win at Baylor was incredible. Nobody's had two better wins than that in our league. So yeah, they're capable of definitely playing at a high level against anybody in the country, and they've already shown they can do it, and they'll be playing with a lot of momentum in the stands tomorrow. So it should be a really fun atmosphere, really fun.
Q: You've seen it both ways, where they're pretty good and where they're struggling. Is it more fun when they're good?
A: Is it more fun?
Q: To play in this game, when they're this good.
A: I think it's fun. I think it's good for our league when everybody plays well. I don't think it's good for us at all when they play well against us. So yeah, I'm not at all disappointed or anything that Iowa State and K State have been the surprises in our league thus far. I think that it's great. They are good stories. I think that's what makes our league great is that there's absolutely nobody in the bottom.
And to be honest with you, you can't say our league is top-heavy anymore. When five teams are ranked in the top 14, that means it's just a heavy league. It's not just top-heavy, because if I'm not mistaken, Baylor is 21, so that makes six in the top, six out of 10. So it's not a top-heavy league. Everybody's good, but there are certainly no bottom feeders in our league. And so I think having everybody be good like this is good for us indirectly because from a respect standpoint and how people evaluate our league and value our league, I think it's good for everybody. But certainly, we don't want them to play well at our expense, no question.
Q: How about from a preparation standpoint? Do you get your guys' attention more when they're ranked and stuff, or?
A: It's a rivalry game regardless if we are both ranked or not, but certainly I think it adds a lot more to it when both teams are good, and certainly both teams are good. From a preparation standpoint, you guys, and you have to do so, you got to approach it in your reporting... Basically a lot of this, the reports happen the day of the game. And here we are, we haven't even practiced yet.
So we play Saturday, we didn't practice yesterday. We're exhausted. And that event all weekend, that's a lot of standing for our guys and everything. So we told them to get away from basketball yesterday. So we haven't even talked about how we're going to defend this or that yet. So from a preparation standpoint, it needs to be a crash course, and hopefully, we're able to pick up on some stuff, but I actually thought bodies were more important than preparation. And I'd be surprised if Jerome didn't feel the same way.
This league is such a grind. The rules say you have to take one day off a week. I'm not sure this isn't a two-day off-a-week league. You play on Saturday, you take Sunday off, you play on Tuesday, and you take Wednesday off. If you play Saturday, Wednesday, you take Sunday and Thursday off. I think the league has become that. I know you guys have, but I just studied it today for the first time that I've studied it. But you play Iowa State and then you go to K State, then you got TCU, then you go to Kentucky, then you have Baylor, then you have K State again?
Q: And Iowa State.
A: And then you have Iowa State, and then you have Texas. That's our next seven games. I mean, that's comical. So I think the preparation will be as much studying in a large part than it will be actually on the court in many ways because this is a joke. And no matter how you feel one week, it can be the 180 the next week, either direction.
Q: How well were you able to get to know Jerome during all his years at Baylor? I mean, did that happen much, or?
A: No, I wouldn't say it happened a lot, but I signed a kid at Oral Roberts out of his high school. He was the coach, and the kids' name was Robert Johnson that Jerome coached in high school and we signed him at ORU. And then we went to Tulsa, so I never had the chance to coach him. So I've known Jerome and of Jerome 1995, '96. So I've known him a long time.
Q: And the last one for me, you mentioned Noel. What stands out about how he's played so far this year?
A: Well, the entire team plays with a freedom offensively that you don't see very often. They have freedom to go make plays and to shoot the ball. And Noel, he gave us fits last year over there. He and Pat dominated the game in the first half over there. And I love him as a player because he's scrappy and tough and quick and can get his own shot. But yeah, we've got to limit him and Johnson obviously from having big nights, but they're... I shouldn't say supporting, but there are other starters and they're supporting cast off the bench. It's much improved. And they can all stretch it. Once you make one sub or whatever, you're going to have five guys out there that can always be a threat to make threes too.
Q: Coach, on Jerome Tang, he spent a long time at Baylor. When you look at them on tape and you watch them get ready, does it look like Baylor? Does it look like something new? How would you characterize it?
A: I know they're doing some of the same things. It looks a little different to me, but... It's also only been three months for him too, but I see actually more freedom offensively. The one thing about Baylor, they've done a great job, especially in the last four or five, or six years. When they had guards that can make plays on their own, they let their guards make plays on their own, and that's what he is obviously doing. When they had Butler and Teague and Mitchell and obviously Flagler and you just go on and on, when they've had those dudes, they've always been given freedom offensively to go make plays. I feel like they even have more freedom in Manhattan right now to go make plays.
But defensively, I think conceptually a lot of it's the same, but I don't know. They'll throw different things at you. No matter what, when you coach at a place and you're the assistant coach and you can take with you all the ideas, very rarely do you take them all in. Always you have your own ideas that maybe the coach didn't want to do when you were an assistant. That's the way it is. And I kind of see that with Jerome too. They're playing 1-3-1, they're doing some different things that I can't remember Baylor doing those same type things.
Q: What do you think of KJ, Big 12 Player of the Week?
A: It's awesome. I'm happy for him. It's a really nice honor. Doesn't mean anything after today, but for him to... When we recruited him and watching him last year, and to think that two months into a season that he could already be named B12 Player of the Week is something that I think is really, really cool. He did have a great week though, and he made plays when the game was on the line.
Q: With school starting, how would you assess the last few weeks without school? How did the team do?
A: I think we did okay. I don't think we got near as much practice time yet, it seems like, this year as we have in the past, in large part because of what I said earlier. It used to be that you play a bye game on December 30th, and then the league starts on January 7th. And so you have basically 10 to 12 days right there where you can put in stuff. We didn't have that this year, so I don't think we've gotten near as much stuff in that I would hope we'd have in just because of the lack of opportunity to spend a ton of time on the court.
Q: Was last year's game in Manhattan one you'll never forget because of the personal...?
A: Yeah, it was a great game for us. It meant something to me personally, but it's not a game that I go back and I've watched more than once. I watched it after we played them and I don't think I've watched it since then. So it was a nice win. Maybe during the off-season, maybe I should do that more. Just watch games that actually had some different meaning more often, but I usually don't. I like to remember just the way it happened and be a memory.
Q: Coach, I asked Jalen if he thinks the guys in the locker room understand kind of the magnitude of the rivalry and how much it means to the fan base. He said if they don't, you'll make sure that everybody does. What are those conversations like? And then how much does Gradey kind of help out with that? Because it's his first year, but he grew up with the rivalry.
A: Yeah, I'm sure they'll be excited to see Gradey over there when he first walks out there for warmups so that'll be good for him. But I've always thought this, when CB played in it or Dean Wade played in it or a player like that, I always thought it meant more to the kids that were local. I always did. So we don't have a lot of those kids, but we got enough that it's going to mean extra. But, they're good. What do they rank this week? 13?
Q: 13th.
A: I mean, they're 13, and they're very deserving of that or better, and we're ranked up there pretty high too. It actually adds to the excitement of the game, the anticipation of it, knowing you got two really good teams playing. And for us to win, we're going to have to really, really do a lot of things really, really well. But that's also a great challenge and fun to go into it with that type attitude.
Q: Bill, your thoughts on Bobby, a guy that can score on occasion but also made some tough plays on Saturday, the kind of plays that you tend to like?
A: Yeah, he's got to be more aggressive looking to score, no question. But when I told him to foul, and he may have fouled there at the end, but if you just take that out of it, good gracious, how impressive was he sliding his feet and guarding that last possession? That was something that you show guys on tape and you say, "Why don't we get this all the time? And those are the things that he can bring to the table as well as anybody on our team, better than Jaun, in certain situations. So we got to get more out of him making those types of plays that don't necessarily translate to statistics, but certainly are winning basketball plays.
A: Was that when they threw the live chicken down on the floor? I can't remember if that was the first or second time that we played there, but... The first game, no, I don't remember. I don't remember. I think Jim was coaching if I'm not mistaken, but I can't remember the first one.
Q: And I think you guys have won, I think three in a row there. Obviously different teams, but what stands out about this team when you look at them as you get ready for tomorrow?
A: Well I think they're a lot more talented. I think that offensive firepower is doubled. They lost Pack obviously, but they've replaced him with some guys that can really score the ball, and Nowell is having a player-of-the-year type year. Johnson... Is he the second leading scorer in our league right now or third or whatever? He's having an unbelievable year, and it's a great story. And then they've also recruited unbelievably well. I don't want to bash anybody's name, so I won't say, but Kansas State’s starting three-man, number 35. He's a pro prospect. I mean, he's an NBA prospect. I'm really impressed with their talent level and what the staff was able to do in a short amount of time.
Q: Jalen has mentioned a couple of times that the Missouri game can prepare this team well for a game like this. Do you think that's fair? Is that how you would see it?
A: I think there are some similarities from an environment standpoint for sure. Missouri was ready for us when we went there, and K State will obviously be ready for us when we go there. So yeah, I think from an environment standpoint, definitely. I really think that K State... You lose at TCU, which, a lot of people are going to lose at TCU. But up until this point, they have been the most impressive team from a beating and playing well at the hardest places. The win against Texas was incredible, and of course the win at Baylor was incredible. Nobody's had two better wins than that in our league. So yeah, they're capable of definitely playing at a high level against anybody in the country, and they've already shown they can do it, and they'll be playing with a lot of momentum in the stands tomorrow. So it should be a really fun atmosphere, really fun.
Q: You've seen it both ways, where they're pretty good and where they're struggling. Is it more fun when they're good?
A: Is it more fun?
Q: To play in this game, when they're this good.
A: I think it's fun. I think it's good for our league when everybody plays well. I don't think it's good for us at all when they play well against us. So yeah, I'm not at all disappointed or anything that Iowa State and K State have been the surprises in our league thus far. I think that it's great. They are good stories. I think that's what makes our league great is that there's absolutely nobody in the bottom.
And to be honest with you, you can't say our league is top-heavy anymore. When five teams are ranked in the top 14, that means it's just a heavy league. It's not just top-heavy, because if I'm not mistaken, Baylor is 21, so that makes six in the top, six out of 10. So it's not a top-heavy league. Everybody's good, but there are certainly no bottom feeders in our league. And so I think having everybody be good like this is good for us indirectly because from a respect standpoint and how people evaluate our league and value our league, I think it's good for everybody. But certainly, we don't want them to play well at our expense, no question.
Q: How about from a preparation standpoint? Do you get your guys' attention more when they're ranked and stuff, or?
A: It's a rivalry game regardless if we are both ranked or not, but certainly I think it adds a lot more to it when both teams are good, and certainly both teams are good. From a preparation standpoint, you guys, and you have to do so, you got to approach it in your reporting... Basically a lot of this, the reports happen the day of the game. And here we are, we haven't even practiced yet.
So we play Saturday, we didn't practice yesterday. We're exhausted. And that event all weekend, that's a lot of standing for our guys and everything. So we told them to get away from basketball yesterday. So we haven't even talked about how we're going to defend this or that yet. So from a preparation standpoint, it needs to be a crash course, and hopefully, we're able to pick up on some stuff, but I actually thought bodies were more important than preparation. And I'd be surprised if Jerome didn't feel the same way.
This league is such a grind. The rules say you have to take one day off a week. I'm not sure this isn't a two-day off-a-week league. You play on Saturday, you take Sunday off, you play on Tuesday, and you take Wednesday off. If you play Saturday, Wednesday, you take Sunday and Thursday off. I think the league has become that. I know you guys have, but I just studied it today for the first time that I've studied it. But you play Iowa State and then you go to K State, then you got TCU, then you go to Kentucky, then you have Baylor, then you have K State again?
Q: And Iowa State.
A: And then you have Iowa State, and then you have Texas. That's our next seven games. I mean, that's comical. So I think the preparation will be as much studying in a large part than it will be actually on the court in many ways because this is a joke. And no matter how you feel one week, it can be the 180 the next week, either direction.
Q: How well were you able to get to know Jerome during all his years at Baylor? I mean, did that happen much, or?
A: No, I wouldn't say it happened a lot, but I signed a kid at Oral Roberts out of his high school. He was the coach, and the kids' name was Robert Johnson that Jerome coached in high school and we signed him at ORU. And then we went to Tulsa, so I never had the chance to coach him. So I've known Jerome and of Jerome 1995, '96. So I've known him a long time.
Q: And the last one for me, you mentioned Noel. What stands out about how he's played so far this year?
A: Well, the entire team plays with a freedom offensively that you don't see very often. They have freedom to go make plays and to shoot the ball. And Noel, he gave us fits last year over there. He and Pat dominated the game in the first half over there. And I love him as a player because he's scrappy and tough and quick and can get his own shot. But yeah, we've got to limit him and Johnson obviously from having big nights, but they're... I shouldn't say supporting, but there are other starters and they're supporting cast off the bench. It's much improved. And they can all stretch it. Once you make one sub or whatever, you're going to have five guys out there that can always be a threat to make threes too.
Q: Coach, on Jerome Tang, he spent a long time at Baylor. When you look at them on tape and you watch them get ready, does it look like Baylor? Does it look like something new? How would you characterize it?
A: I know they're doing some of the same things. It looks a little different to me, but... It's also only been three months for him too, but I see actually more freedom offensively. The one thing about Baylor, they've done a great job, especially in the last four or five, or six years. When they had guards that can make plays on their own, they let their guards make plays on their own, and that's what he is obviously doing. When they had Butler and Teague and Mitchell and obviously Flagler and you just go on and on, when they've had those dudes, they've always been given freedom offensively to go make plays. I feel like they even have more freedom in Manhattan right now to go make plays.
But defensively, I think conceptually a lot of it's the same, but I don't know. They'll throw different things at you. No matter what, when you coach at a place and you're the assistant coach and you can take with you all the ideas, very rarely do you take them all in. Always you have your own ideas that maybe the coach didn't want to do when you were an assistant. That's the way it is. And I kind of see that with Jerome too. They're playing 1-3-1, they're doing some different things that I can't remember Baylor doing those same type things.
Q: What do you think of KJ, Big 12 Player of the Week?
A: It's awesome. I'm happy for him. It's a really nice honor. Doesn't mean anything after today, but for him to... When we recruited him and watching him last year, and to think that two months into a season that he could already be named B12 Player of the Week is something that I think is really, really cool. He did have a great week though, and he made plays when the game was on the line.
Q: With school starting, how would you assess the last few weeks without school? How did the team do?
A: I think we did okay. I don't think we got near as much practice time yet, it seems like, this year as we have in the past, in large part because of what I said earlier. It used to be that you play a bye game on December 30th, and then the league starts on January 7th. And so you have basically 10 to 12 days right there where you can put in stuff. We didn't have that this year, so I don't think we've gotten near as much stuff in that I would hope we'd have in just because of the lack of opportunity to spend a ton of time on the court.
Q: Was last year's game in Manhattan one you'll never forget because of the personal...?
A: Yeah, it was a great game for us. It meant something to me personally, but it's not a game that I go back and I've watched more than once. I watched it after we played them and I don't think I've watched it since then. So it was a nice win. Maybe during the off-season, maybe I should do that more. Just watch games that actually had some different meaning more often, but I usually don't. I like to remember just the way it happened and be a memory.
Q: Coach, I asked Jalen if he thinks the guys in the locker room understand kind of the magnitude of the rivalry and how much it means to the fan base. He said if they don't, you'll make sure that everybody does. What are those conversations like? And then how much does Gradey kind of help out with that? Because it's his first year, but he grew up with the rivalry.
A: Yeah, I'm sure they'll be excited to see Gradey over there when he first walks out there for warmups so that'll be good for him. But I've always thought this, when CB played in it or Dean Wade played in it or a player like that, I always thought it meant more to the kids that were local. I always did. So we don't have a lot of those kids, but we got enough that it's going to mean extra. But, they're good. What do they rank this week? 13?
Q: 13th.
A: I mean, they're 13, and they're very deserving of that or better, and we're ranked up there pretty high too. It actually adds to the excitement of the game, the anticipation of it, knowing you got two really good teams playing. And for us to win, we're going to have to really, really do a lot of things really, really well. But that's also a great challenge and fun to go into it with that type attitude.
Q: Bill, your thoughts on Bobby, a guy that can score on occasion but also made some tough plays on Saturday, the kind of plays that you tend to like?
A: Yeah, he's got to be more aggressive looking to score, no question. But when I told him to foul, and he may have fouled there at the end, but if you just take that out of it, good gracious, how impressive was he sliding his feet and guarding that last possession? That was something that you show guys on tape and you say, "Why don't we get this all the time? And those are the things that he can bring to the table as well as anybody on our team, better than Jaun, in certain situations. So we got to get more out of him making those types of plays that don't necessarily translate to statistics, but certainly are winning basketball plays.
