Speaker 1:
Ochai, there's a lot of Missouri floating around this weekend. And with this game [inaudible 00:00:08].
Speaker 1:
What's basketball like for you guys, focusing on it? And how hard is that to kind of separate the two and make sure you remember the other.
Ochai Agbaji:
Really, like I was talking about in the Sprint Center, just taking it game-by-game. This is just another game that we're preparing for, obviously, it's a big game, but we got to take it as another chance to get better. Preseason, moving into conference, just getting better every game.
Speaker 3:
Before a game like this, Ochai, obviously, there's KU/Mizzou and the rivalry's back after so long. I asked Chris the same question, seeing the students camp all the week and just seeing all the excitement around campus, what does that mean after last year not really having that marquee environment, now it's back. What does that mean for you?
Ochai Agbaji:
It's really special that it comes this early in the season. All the fans really get to get excited for something that's in the preseason. And also, it means a lot to both universities, but it means a lot to the fans and the whole program. So, I know they're excited and we're excited too.
Speaker 3:
Does it get the juices flowing seeing all the students camp? And [inaudible 00:01:12], I believe there's almost over 200 groups. I mean, does that get you guys fired up?
Ochai Agbaji:
I don't think I've ever seen that many campers out there for like ... since I've been here for any game, so it's really cool to see that.
Speaker 4:
So, what would you say to the people saying that the rivalry has kind of died down a little bit because we haven't played them?
Ochai Agbaji:
It is scheduling. It's not really our fault that, I mean they didn't schedule-
Speaker 4:
No, [inaudible 00:01:37]. Do you feel like hasn't died down?
Ochai Agbaji:
Oh. No. No, it hasn't died down. Coach still approached this game and approached preparing for this game as the rivalry that he approached back then, 2012. It's still beef between us, even though that we haven't played or anything like that. But it still means a lot for both schools, like I said.
Speaker 4:
To use his words, does Coach Self seem juiced?
Ochai Agbaji:
Mm-hmm (affirmative), yeah. He's juiced. He's amped, that's what you call it.
Speaker 5:
Ochai, you grew up in Kansas City, Missouri.
Ochai Agbaji:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Speaker 5:
So, you probably had among your friends growing up a few Missouri fans.
Ochai Agbaji:
Yeah. Oh, my first friend when I moved to Kansas City was a Mizzou fan, and I didn't know anything better, so I was sided unfortunately with the Mizzou fans for a while, until I started getting recruited and I was just like, "It doesn't matter that way, so ..."
Speaker 6:
[inaudible 00:02:35], what have you seen from Mizzou? What do you think about they're going to bring to the city?
Ochai Agbaji:
It's a rivalry game. I know there's just a lot on the line here, so I know they're going to show up and play hard. I haven't seen much from them this year, but all I know is we've got to show up and respect them, and I know that they're going to come to play.
Speaker 7:
Ochai, do you have a favorite Mizzou/KU game that you watched growing up? And you're looking forward to, of course, making history in Kansas every game as a part of KU history.
Ochai Agbaji:
I actually really never paid attention to the games. I knew they were on, but I don't remember any significant moment from the rivalry. Yeah, no, I don't remember anything.
Speaker 8:
You talked about getting better every game. What do you think the biggest area that you guys are trying to do that in right now?
Ochai Agbaji:
Defensively.
Speaker 8:
Yeah.
Ochai Agbaji:
Defensively. Yeah. I think that's our main focus. Everyone knows that on the team, that defense is what's going to travel when we're on the road in the Big 12, stuff like that. So, we're just practicing, preparing for those games.
Speaker 8:
And a specific part of that, is there one defensive emphasis right now?
Ochai Agbaji:
Really just, when we get up on teams, keeping that lead, maintaining that lead and obviously increasing it, but also keeping that same defensive mentality because you know you can kind of lose that when everything's up here, and you're up by how-many points.
Ochai Agbaji:
But keeping that same focus defensively that we start the game off with, whether or not we go to the bench or keep the starting five in.
Speaker 8:
How do you work on that? I mean, is it just mental?
Ochai Agbaji:
Yeah. It's mental. More than anything I think it's mental, yeah.
Speaker 9:
Have you talked to Jalen Wilson much?
Ochai Agbaji:
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 9:
What do you think of how he's doing?
Ochai Agbaji:
I think he's doing really good. I mean he's had the best attitude ... since what he's gone through and all that, but he's just had the best attitude and just showing up every single day to just get better.
Speaker 10:
You and CB seem to be dominating things lately, kind of a Batman and Robin dynamic duo. Talk about that.
Ochai Agbaji:
You know, that's my boy. I know all the work he's put in, he knows the same thing about me, so we're just kind of feeding off each other's confidence right now. Really just going out there and playing at all time high levels of what we're trying to do, so ...
Speaker 11:
Thank you, Ochai.
Ochai Agbaji:
Thank you guys.
Group:
Thanks, Ochai.
Group:
Thanks, O.
Ochai, there's a lot of Missouri floating around this weekend. And with this game [inaudible 00:00:08].
Speaker 1:
What's basketball like for you guys, focusing on it? And how hard is that to kind of separate the two and make sure you remember the other.
Ochai Agbaji:
Really, like I was talking about in the Sprint Center, just taking it game-by-game. This is just another game that we're preparing for, obviously, it's a big game, but we got to take it as another chance to get better. Preseason, moving into conference, just getting better every game.
Speaker 3:
Before a game like this, Ochai, obviously, there's KU/Mizzou and the rivalry's back after so long. I asked Chris the same question, seeing the students camp all the week and just seeing all the excitement around campus, what does that mean after last year not really having that marquee environment, now it's back. What does that mean for you?
Ochai Agbaji:
It's really special that it comes this early in the season. All the fans really get to get excited for something that's in the preseason. And also, it means a lot to both universities, but it means a lot to the fans and the whole program. So, I know they're excited and we're excited too.
Speaker 3:
Does it get the juices flowing seeing all the students camp? And [inaudible 00:01:12], I believe there's almost over 200 groups. I mean, does that get you guys fired up?
Ochai Agbaji:
I don't think I've ever seen that many campers out there for like ... since I've been here for any game, so it's really cool to see that.
Speaker 4:
So, what would you say to the people saying that the rivalry has kind of died down a little bit because we haven't played them?
Ochai Agbaji:
It is scheduling. It's not really our fault that, I mean they didn't schedule-
Speaker 4:
No, [inaudible 00:01:37]. Do you feel like hasn't died down?
Ochai Agbaji:
Oh. No. No, it hasn't died down. Coach still approached this game and approached preparing for this game as the rivalry that he approached back then, 2012. It's still beef between us, even though that we haven't played or anything like that. But it still means a lot for both schools, like I said.
Speaker 4:
To use his words, does Coach Self seem juiced?
Ochai Agbaji:
Mm-hmm (affirmative), yeah. He's juiced. He's amped, that's what you call it.
Speaker 5:
Ochai, you grew up in Kansas City, Missouri.
Ochai Agbaji:
Mm-hmm (affirmative).
Speaker 5:
So, you probably had among your friends growing up a few Missouri fans.
Ochai Agbaji:
Yeah. Oh, my first friend when I moved to Kansas City was a Mizzou fan, and I didn't know anything better, so I was sided unfortunately with the Mizzou fans for a while, until I started getting recruited and I was just like, "It doesn't matter that way, so ..."
Speaker 6:
[inaudible 00:02:35], what have you seen from Mizzou? What do you think about they're going to bring to the city?
Ochai Agbaji:
It's a rivalry game. I know there's just a lot on the line here, so I know they're going to show up and play hard. I haven't seen much from them this year, but all I know is we've got to show up and respect them, and I know that they're going to come to play.
Speaker 7:
Ochai, do you have a favorite Mizzou/KU game that you watched growing up? And you're looking forward to, of course, making history in Kansas every game as a part of KU history.
Ochai Agbaji:
I actually really never paid attention to the games. I knew they were on, but I don't remember any significant moment from the rivalry. Yeah, no, I don't remember anything.
Speaker 8:
You talked about getting better every game. What do you think the biggest area that you guys are trying to do that in right now?
Ochai Agbaji:
Defensively.
Speaker 8:
Yeah.
Ochai Agbaji:
Defensively. Yeah. I think that's our main focus. Everyone knows that on the team, that defense is what's going to travel when we're on the road in the Big 12, stuff like that. So, we're just practicing, preparing for those games.
Speaker 8:
And a specific part of that, is there one defensive emphasis right now?
Ochai Agbaji:
Really just, when we get up on teams, keeping that lead, maintaining that lead and obviously increasing it, but also keeping that same defensive mentality because you know you can kind of lose that when everything's up here, and you're up by how-many points.
Ochai Agbaji:
But keeping that same focus defensively that we start the game off with, whether or not we go to the bench or keep the starting five in.
Speaker 8:
How do you work on that? I mean, is it just mental?
Ochai Agbaji:
Yeah. It's mental. More than anything I think it's mental, yeah.
Speaker 9:
Have you talked to Jalen Wilson much?
Ochai Agbaji:
Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 9:
What do you think of how he's doing?
Ochai Agbaji:
I think he's doing really good. I mean he's had the best attitude ... since what he's gone through and all that, but he's just had the best attitude and just showing up every single day to just get better.
Speaker 10:
You and CB seem to be dominating things lately, kind of a Batman and Robin dynamic duo. Talk about that.
Ochai Agbaji:
You know, that's my boy. I know all the work he's put in, he knows the same thing about me, so we're just kind of feeding off each other's confidence right now. Really just going out there and playing at all time high levels of what we're trying to do, so ...
Speaker 11:
Thank you, Ochai.
Ochai Agbaji:
Thank you guys.
Group:
Thanks, Ochai.
Group:
Thanks, O.
