Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Belmont SR F Conley Chinn

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Jon Teitel

We are keeping our fingers crossed in the hope that we can return to a “normal” version of college basketball this fall: fans in the stands, announcers without masks, etc. Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen but we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. We continue our coverage with Belmont SR F Conley Chinn. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Conley about being an Academic All-American and her expectations for this season.

You won 2 straight basketball titles and 3 straight volleyball titles in high school: which sport were you best at, and which sport did you enjoy the most? I always thought that I was better at volleyball: it is brand-new in Mississippi and is growing now but did not start until I was in 6th/7th grade. It was a fun sport that I was good at because I was tall and could jump. I was on the fence for a long time about which sport I preferred. I love them both but the challenges/mental toughness involved with basketball have made me a better person. My high school coach Jan Sojourner is a legend in Mississippi who always taught us to dig deeper/work harder. The second I got to Belmont I know that I would go the basketball route. I did not think that I was good enough to play basketball when Belmont recruited me but I saw there was more potential for me: they have helped me develop my game so much.

You were born/raised in Mississippi: what made you choose Belmont? I had no idea what Belmont was when I was growing up. When I started the college recruiting phase during high school I had a newfound love for basketball/volleyball after joining some great teams. I had a friend who connected me with Doug Bush (who coaches an AAU basketball team in Birmingham) and he thought that Belmont would be a perfect fit for me. The second I started talking with them on the phone it felt like home: just so fun/comfortable. When I set foot on campus I was blown away by how beautiful it is. I got to visit with the girls on the team and see college athletes firsthand and fell in love with all of it. I did not think that playing college basketball was easy but Belmont made the transition easier.

You redshirted as a college freshman after injuring your ankle right before the season started: how bad was it, and how were you able to get back onto the court? It was pretty bad: I had torn ligaments that required surgery. It happened in late-October/early-November and I thought that I could still play on it but it felt like my foot was not even attached. I got an MRI and we decided that I needed surgery. The surgery was in January and the recovery went great with no complications. Since then my ankle has been fine due to plenty of rehab. I got to watch/learn from a very talented team of veterans while sitting out. I think that it was a blessing in disguise because it gave me a year to see what it looks like to work hard and be a great teammate and what it takes to win a title.

In the 2021 NCAA tourney you beat Gonzaga (the 1st NCAA tourney win in school history) before losing to Indiana: what did you learn from your tourney run that will help you this year? I learned to never be content. Part of me was just focused on winning the 1st round, which I was glad we did, but it taught me a valuable lesson about never setting your limits too low. We had a chance to make the Sweet 16 and have an even greater experience. Our team felt sour after losing to Indiana and were disappointed that we let that game go. We see it as an opportunity to push ourselves further and not even set a bar and just keep going, which is relevant in all aspects of life.

Last spring you were named Academic All-American/1st-team All-OVC: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? It meant the world to me! There have been so many times that I questioned why I pushed myself so hard in the classroom rather than taking the easy path…and that was why. There are great outcomes to putting in hard work, both on the court and in the classroom. When you spend an extra 2 hours studying rather than watching Netflix or shopping with friends, it is hard to not get that instant gratification. I made my parents proud, which made me happy, and I was able to represent Belmont thanks to the great resources/help they have given me. A lot of schools do not value the “student” part of student-athlete but Belmont really emphasizes that part. They provided me tutors and time to study: Coach Bart is always there to help out when our schedules get crazy.

You have a 4.0 GPA in pre-med and want to become a surgeon: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? It was a lesson I really had to learn as a freshman. In high school you can just study for a test the night before but in college you cannot get away with that. If you stay up all night to cram then you might be awful in practice the next day because you are tired: it is a domino effect. You have to make time for it every single day so that it becomes part of your lifestyle. I find that talking to my professors during office hours helps me learn the material better. It is all about balance and knowing when you need to rest. I forget this a lot but my GPA does not define me…even though I am proud of it. It is easy to do at Belmont: they have made my academic experience amazing and I love what I have learned so it is easy to put in the hard work.

1 of your favorite athletes is Simone Biles: what was your reaction after seeing her at the Olympics last summer? I am very proud of her. There is a stigma in athletics about “performing at all costs”. I know it is not black and white but nobody can understand what she was going through at that moment. I have had my own moments of needing to step back because my mental health was not in the right place. It took so much strength for her to do what she did: the risk of performing when you are not in the right place outweighed the benefits. I think it was a great lesson for both athletes/non-athletes to acknowledge where they are and do whatever is best for themselves.

Each of your 3 older sisters played basketball: who is the best athlete in the family? That is a tough 1: we might all have a different answer! My oldest sister runs marathons with her husband and another sister was a great soccer goalie as well. My 3rd sister Carly was as fast as can be and I got to do soccer/track/basketball next to her: her competitiveness was unbelievable. We all have our great qualities and I am so blessed to have learned from all of them: I would not be here were it not for them.

Your non-conference schedule this year includes games against Mississippi/Arkansas/Louisville/Auburn: which of these games do you feel will be your biggest test? Our biggest test is just us showing up. People have said that it is 1 of the toughest schedules we have had so far but we love that Coach Bart has so much confidence in us. It is a message that we better be ready. I recall a quote this summer from US Olympic all-around gold medalist Suni Lee when she said, “I believe my normal is good enough”. We have what it takes so it is just a matter of reaching our potential.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? My goals are for us to win our next game. I would love to finish this year on a really strong note and it would be great to win a conference championship and just keep going. However, I do not want to set an end goal but rather just keep the roof wide open. I want us to be very proud of ourselves and play our best for Belmont.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews South Dakota State SR F Tylee Irwin

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Jon Teitel

We are keeping our fingers crossed in the hope that we can return to a “normal” version of college basketball this fall: fans in the stands, announcers without masks, etc. Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen but we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. We continue our coverage with South Dakota State SR F Tylee Irwin. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Tylee about being a great FT shooter and her expectations for this season.

You made your high school varsity team as an 8th grader: what was it like playing with/against people who were several years older than you? My 1st real varsity experience was in the 8th grade: it was a big change and I remember being very nervous. We had a lot of seniors and there were high expectations but we made it to state for the 1st time in over 25 years so it was cool.

Your high school jersey is now in the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame: how did that happen, and what was your reaction when you heard the news? My teammate sent me a photo of my jersey hanging in the Hall of Fame next to hers.

You were born/raised in North Dakota: what made you choose South Dakota State? It is not too far from home and they have a winning culture and are focused on academics. I felt that I could jump right in and have high expectations.

You play for Coach Aaron Johnston: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? AJ was another big reason I chose South Dakota State. He knows the game really well and has great communication with his players. He expects our best and has had a lot of great players during his time here.

In the 2019 NCAA tourney you became the 1st Summit League team to ever reach the Sweet 16 before a 10-PT loss to Oregon: where does Sabrina Ionescu rank among the greatest players that you have ever faced? I do not think that I will ever face another player as good as Sabrina. The fact that we also played them at home earlier that year was surreal: it was a great year for us and making the Sweet 16 was awesome.

Last season you were named 1st-Team All-Summit League: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? We had a very successful year as a team. I had a lot of confidence from my teammates and felt really comfortable in my role. I was shocked to make the 1st-team but also excited.

You were also #14 in the nation with 88 FT%: what is the secret to making FTs? I was not a great FT shooter during my 1st few years but shot a lot at home during COVID. I worked on it during the offseason and know that confidence also helps a lot.

In the 2021 NCAA tourney you had 8 REB/5 AST in a loss to Syracuse: what did you learn from that loss that will help you this year? It was a shock because we actually beat Syracuse in 2019 to make the Sweet 16. We knew that they would be ready to play and they had a very athletic team. There were not a lot of fans in the arena due to COVID and we did not play our best but it was still great to be there.

Your brother Blaze/sister Tawny/mother Darla all played basketball in high school: who is the best athlete in the family? I have to give a lot of credit to all of them for where I am at…but I would consider myself the best!

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? We had some injuries last year and did not play our best in the postseason so hopefully we can make a great postseason run this year.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Bradley SR G Gabi Haack

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Jon Teitel

We are keeping our fingers crossed in the hope that we can return to a “normal” version of college basketball this fall: fans in the stands, announcers without masks, etc. Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen but we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. We continue our coverage with Bradley SR G Gabi Haack. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Gabi about being named MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and her expectations for this season.

In 2018 as a freshman at Bradley you were named to the MVC All-Freshman Team: how were you able to come in and contribute right from the start? Coming into college I knew that it was going to be a big step up from high school with the pace/competition. I spent a lot of time getting in extra shots and doing workouts with my coaches. I made sure to work hard every practice and be patient for my time to play. The Western Illinois game is when it all clicked for me (in her 1st career start she scored a season-high 26 PTS and tied a school record with 8 3PM). From then on I was more confident in myself and was able to make a direct impact.

You set a school record as a junior by making 34 consecutive FTs: what is the key to being a great FT shooter? Being a great FT shooter is all about focus, confidence, and repetition. I make sure to practice my free throws when I am tired and put myself into game-like situations.

In the 2021 NCAA tourney you scored 16 PTS in a loss to Texas: where does WNBA 1st overall pick Charli Collier (23 PTS/15 REB) rank among the greatest players that you have ever faced? I have played against a lot of really good competition throughout my career. Charli is a very talented player and I am excited to follow her career in the WNBA.

Last season you won a ton of awards (including MVC Scholar-Athlete of Year/1st-Team All-MVC/MVC tourney MOP/Bradley Most Outstanding Female Athlete) and were also nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year award in August: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? First of all, I am very honored to be recognized for those awards. I would not be the player I am without my coaches, teammates, and the support of my family. I am very thankful to be able to represent my university and be able to leave my mark at Bradley.

You are 40 PTS shy of breaking Karen Anderson’s school-record of 1679 career PTS and 12 3PM short of breaking Dayna Finch’s MVC record of 294 career 3PM: what is the secret to being a great scorer/3-PT shooter? The secret to being a great scorer and 3-PT shooter is my mindset. I know that I have to put in the extra time outside of practice/games if I want to be successful. I make sure to get up high volumes of shots at a fast pace. I also get in extra workouts with my coaches and work on my weaknesses. Another key to my success comes from strength and conditioning. Coach Matt Friend has helped me become stronger and faster, which directly impacts my ability to score.

You are the only player in the nation with 275 career 3PM/700 career REB: how do you balance these 2 very different aspects of your game? I spend a lot of time getting up high-volume shots at a fast pace and practicing game-like shots. Shots may not always fall but rebounding is a choice and is something that I can do no matter how I am performing.

Last summer you became the 1st woman ever to participate in Florida’s football strength and conditioning summer intern program: how did it go, and will we see you become a strength and conditioning coach in the future? This summer was mentally and physically the most challenging experience I have ever been a part of…but it was 100% worth it! I grew in so many ways and learned that being a strength and conditioning coach is what I want to do with my life after basketball. The UF Strength and Conditioning football coaches taught me so much and I am very thankful to have been the first woman to take part in the internship under that staff.

You have a 3.81 GPA as an elementary education major and are student-teaching this semester: how are you able to balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? Time management. My parents taught me at a young age that school always comes before sports. I also have a lot of wonderful people and resources who have helped me during my time at Bradley.

Your father Dan was your basketball coach during elementary/junior high school and your sister Lydia plays D-2 basketball: how much of a role does the sport play in your family’s life? My family has always been involved in sports and we have always been a basketball family. My dad has coached all of my siblings: I remember going to Jordan, Lydia, and Carson’s basketball games when I was younger. Having my dad as my coach from kindergarten through 8th grade was very special. He taught me so much about the game and helped me develop many intangibles that can be used both on and off the court. Basketball has played a major role in my life and has given me many relationships/friendships that will last a lifetime. Basketball plays a major role in my family because it is something that we all enjoy and it brings us together.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? My goal for this season is to hang another banner! I have the same expectations for this season that I did last year. We need to control what we can control and not take anything for granted.

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Happy Birthday!: HoopsHD interviews ABA champ Ron Boone

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Jon Teitel

You might not think that basketball would be the best option for a guy who graduated from high school at only 5’7″ but Ron Boone proved everyone wrong. A 2-time 1st-team All-Big Sky player at Idaho State, he made the ABA All-Rookie First Team in 1969 and was an ABA champion with Utah 2 years later in 1971. He was named an All-Star 4 times from 1971-1976 and remains in the top-6 in PTS/AST in ABA history. He set a pro basketball record by playing in more than 1000 consecutive games and was selected to the ABA All-Time Team in 1997. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Ron about winning a title and being a broadcaster. Today is Ron’s 75th birthday so let us be the 1st to wish him a happy 1!

2 of your nicknames were “The Chief” (due to your Native American ancestry) and “The Legend” (due to your remarkable consistency): which nickname did you like the most? “The Chief” was given to me by my teammate Willie Wise, who all of a sudden 1 day thought that I looked like an Indian/had Indian heritage. He really did not know that he was right, as I was born in an Indian town in Oklahoma called Wewoka. “The Legend” is something that comes with age when you have been out of the game as long as I have. Either 1 is fine.

1 of your 1st coaches growing up was Josh Gibson (older brother of Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson): what made him such a good coach, and did you ever think about following his brother’s path into baseball? I think when we were all growing up baseball was everybody’s 1st love. Gibson was not actually my coach: I was a ball boy for the team that he coached but my brother played on that team. I think we all dreamed about becoming baseball players because it was the #1 sport played at our age.

In 1963 as a 5’8” junior you came off the bench for Omaha Tech as they won the high school state title: was it frustrating to not be a starter, and what did it mean to you to win the title? Everyone wants to win a championship so that was a lot of fun. Our team probably should have won it all 2 or 3 years in a row but we only won it in 1963. It means everything to win the title so I was never frustrated. I was just glad to be on the basketball team: at 5’8” I was not as good as some of the other players.

You went to Iowa Western CC for 1 year, then transferred to Idaho State where you played center despite being 6’ tall: why did you decide to go to Pocatello, and how were you able to play center against much taller guys? I got a scholarship to Idaho State sight unseen. I went to Iowa Western for 1 year but did not want to go back. My high school coach and college coach (who was at Idaho State at the time) gave me a scholarship so I was kind of lucky to get a chance to go to school there. The reason I was able to play center is because I had quite the jumping ability. I could not do it every single game but from time to time the coach would put me out there and I had some success.

In the summer of 1968 you were selected by Dallas in the ABA draft and by Phoenix in the NBA draft: did you ever consider going to the NBA, and what made you end up choosing to play in the ABA? The ABA was a young league that 1st year. My college coach told me that I would probably stand a better chance of making it in the ABA because it was a young league that needed players. It was him that really steered me that way.

You were known for driving around in a bright orange Cadillac El Dorado: why orange, and why a Cadillac? My favorite was not bright orange but rather “competition orange”. Back then the Cadillac was really bright. I just took a liking to it and decided to get it but it took me a while to go ahead and buy it. Every time I would go back there I would say, “Man, I need to have that car!” so I finally ended up getting it.

You had a vertical leap of 43”: were you always more athletic than everyone else, and how much of an advantage was your athleticism on the court? I had a lot of athleticism and was kind of a physical player. My jumping ability came after high school. I think that I dunked a basketball for the 1st time in a high school All-Star game after I had graduated. It was an advantage I had and I used it.

In 1971 you won the ABA title with Utah by beating Kentucky in Game 7 of the Finals: what are your memories of that game, and what was the feeling like in your locker room afterwards? It was obviously very exciting in the locker room: everyone was having fun and throwing the champagne around! We knew that we had an excellent team and if we played the way we were supposed to play then we would win the championship. That was a great year as everything fell into place with no injuries or anything like that. That was the 1st year that the team was in Utah (after moving from Los Angeles) so to win a championship in the 1st year was something special.

Your 15.8 PPG that year was only good enough to tie you for 4th-best on the team with Willie Wise (trailing Donnie Freeman/Zelmo Beaty/Glen Combs): was that the best offensive team you have ever been a part of, and how was your team able to spread the ball around so that everyone had a chance to score? That team was so balanced and so good with Beaty and Combs (from Virginia Tech, who could flat out shoot the ball) as well as Merv Jackson (a standout from Utah). That team was put together so well that anyone could have a good night. That is the type of team we had so I think 15.8 PPG was pretty good!

In 1974 you made it back to the Finals but lost to Julius Erving and the New York Nets: where does Dr. J rank among the best players you have ever faced, and do you think anyone could have beat him that year? Dr. J was probably the most exciting player I ever played against. When he 1st came into the league he was just a very young guy, dunking all over everyone and running the floor. After playing against him for so many years I found out the kind of game he really had. He was the most exciting player that has ever played in either league for the most part and has also been a great ambassador for the game since he retired.

After the ABA-NBA merger in 1976 you played 5 years in the NBA: what was the biggest difference between the 2 leagues, and what was it like to play for Jerry West? There were not a lot of differences between the 2 leagues. At the time of the merger the NBA probably had the better big men but in the ABA our guards/forwards were a lot better. During the preseason games between the 2 leagues the ABA won about 70% of the time. When the merger came about I went to Kansas City and had a couple of good years there and then went to play for the Lakers. I thought that Jerry West was a good coach.

You were a 4-time ABA All-Star (including 1976 when Dr. J won the 1st-ever slam dunk contest over All-Star weekend): what are your memories of the slam dunk contest, and did you ever think it would turn into such a phenomenon? I did not think it would become such a phenomenon. At the time the ABA was just trying to do anything it could to make the league survive; to make it stronger, more exciting, and get fans in the stands. That slam dunk contest became something special.

You retired with a record 1041 consecutive games played in the ABA/NBA (which was later broken by AC Green), and never missed a single game or practice during your entire college/pro career: how were you able to remain healthy throughout your career, and were you amazed when AC broke your record? I was blessed with a pretty strong body. I did not get any of those major injuries that keep people from playing and tried to take care of my body as best I could. It is an accomplishment where the longer you are out of the league, the prouder you are of it. AC needs to be proud of his streak as well: that is a LOT of basketball games. You are not just talking about games either: there are plenty of practices and shootarounds, which cause a lot of wear and tear on your body, so to be able to perform like that is something special.

You remain the #3 all-time scorer in ABA history (behind only Dan Issel/Louie Dampier) and #6 all-time in AST: how were you able to balance your scoring with your passing, and do you feel like you were 1 of the best players in the ABA? I was voted as 1 of the top-30 players that ever came out of the ABA. I played 8 years in the ABA and had a pretty good scoring record. To become a balanced player and to be able to show those kinds of talents is very special.

You have spent the past 3 decades as a broadcaster with the Jazz: how do you like the gig, and how long do you plan on sticking around for? The game has changed so much, especially since the NBA has adopted some of the things the ABA had been doing (such as the 3-PT shot). The dunk has always been an exciting play but it is kind of fun that the 3-PT shot has become just as exciting to the fans as the dunk. I have enjoyed broadcasting: it is a side of basketball where you see the game a little bit differently and it has been really fun. I would like to do this for a few more years and then retire to the nearest golf course!

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In Memoriam: HoopsHD interviews Joel Burdette about his father Floyd

Posted on September 5, 2021 by Jon Teitel

Floyd Burdette spent time at a lot of different schools and left his mark on all of them. He played college basketball at Murray State, where he led his team in scoring and was an all-conference selection every single year. After graduating he attended Oklahoma A&M as a player and coach while getting his master’s degree in physical education. He became head coach at Alabama in 1946 and later spent almost 2 decades as coach at Tennessee at Martin from 1952-1971. Coach Burdette passed away in 1995 but HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Floyd’s son Joel about his father playing for Henry Iba and coaching Bob Kurland. Today would have been Floyd’s 107th birthday so we take this time to remember his life/legacy.

Your father was nicknamed “Red”: who gave him the nickname and how did he like it? It came from his color: most people referred to him as either “Coach” or “Red”.

He led his team in scoring and was an all-conference selection each season at Murray State: what made him such a great player? I had the luxury of getting my hands on some of his old scrapbooks after he passed away. He was surrounded by 4 other good players at Murray State and they all played for Coach Carlisle Cutchen. They had a great starting 5 and only lost a handful of games during his career.

He also played for Hall of Fame coach Henry Iba as a center for Oklahoma A&M in 1944 as they made it to the NIT semifinals before a 3-PT loss to DePaul: what made Iba such a great coach? He probably took many of his coaching techniques and implemented them into his later coaching career: he really admired Coach Iba. He probably would have stayed at Alabama if his parents’ health had not taken a turn for the worse. He got to coach against Adolph Rupp and almost beat him several times.

He played AAU basketball in Oklahoma City from 1933-1940: do you think that he could have played in the NBA had it existed back then? I think that he could have. He played for the Phillips 66ers as well as for a team in Denver and was 1 of their better players.

During the summer of 1943 while he was stationed in Stillwater with the US Army Air Corps he taught future Hall of Famer Bob Kurland how to use his height around the basket: how did he like the opportunity to work with the 1st 7-footer in NCAA history? He was responsible for the physical training of the recruits, including teaching soldiers how to parachute. Coach Iba wanted my dad to personally work with Kurland because my dad was 6’6”. I heard that Kurland was not the most coordinated guy so my dad worked with him on his footwork in the post. Kurland was the 1st guy to ever dunk a basketball: when the refs saw it they called it an illegal shot because they had never seen anything like it!

He became head coach at Alabama in 1946: why did he take the job, and how did he like it? I think that he thoroughly enjoyed it. 1 of his greatest accomplishments was that most of his players graduated. He had 1 player from a poor family who had exhausted his scholarship: my dad went to great lengths to plead his case and try to get some extra funding for the kid. My dad wrote so many letters that he finally got the funding.

In 1952 he became coach at Tennessee–Martin (where he stayed for 19 years): how excited was he to return to his hometown, and how was he able to stick around for such a long period of time? I do not know if the fact that it was his hometown had anything to do with his longevity but he always packed in a good audience. He was very animated on the sideline and always wore a sport coat/tie: he would often slam the coat to the ground when he disagreed with a call. He was a good fit with the university and they respected him.

He passed away in 1995: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? He always wanted the best for his players and wanted them to succeed in life so he tried to instill some good values in them. The most well-known guy who played for him was Leonard Hamilton, who was the 1st African-American basketball player at the school. When he coached at Alabama they were invited to the NIT and were going to be paired against a team with Black players. Some of the higher-ups heard about it and decided to not let the team play, which was 1 of my dad’s greatest disappointments.

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews new Abilene Christian head coach Brette Tanner

Posted on September 3, 2021 by Jon Teitel

We are keeping our fingers crossed in the hope that we can return to a “normal” version of college basketball this year: fans in the stands, announcers without masks, etc. Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen but we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches in the country. We commence our coverage with new Abilene Christian head coach Brette Tanner. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Tanner about upsetting Texas in the NCAA tourney last season and his expectations for this season.

You played college basketball at Allen County CC/Emporia State: how good a player were you back in the day, and how did you get into coaching? I thought that I was pretty good at the time but later realized that I was not very good! There was a rule about how many out-of-state players you could have at a Kansas junior college so as an in-state kid there were coaches lining up to recruit me. I played for some legendary coaches and always knew that I wanted to be a coach myself. I wanted to play for guys who could help me get my foot in the door and was fortunate enough to do that.

You spent the past 8 years as an assistant to Joe Golding at Abilene Christian: what makes him such a good coach, and are we going to see UTEP on your schedule anytime soon? I do not know if we will see UTEP on the schedule anytime soon just to be fair to him. When I came here from Stephen F. Austin in 2013 and had to go back and play them it was tough for me to do. I think we might play the Miners once Joe’s former players are gone. He is a good coach because he has zero ego, which is rare in this business. He surrounds himself with talented people and does not micromanage them. He has taught me the importance of building relationships with his players: it is real and he helped me grow that same philosophy, which is more important than winning/losing.

Coach Golding called you the “architect” of the Wildcats’ dominant defense: what is the key to creating a great defense? It is not rocket science and there are a bunch of ways to skin a cat. Our guys trust us and they know that we will do everything we can to put them in a position to be successful. We play super-hard but they also play free of the fear of making mistakes.

In the 2021 NCAA tourney your team had a 1-PT upset of Texas (www.youtube.com/watch?v=81A14JTZXdY): where does that rank among the greatest wins of your career? That has to be up there! My whole family went to school in the state of Oklahoma so I think the biggest win in the past was in December of 2007 when I was an assistant at SFA and we beat OU/Blake Griffin. Being in the state of Texas and beating the Longhorns with someone who I am so close with was pretty special: it is definitely #1 now.

There were a ton of other teams from the Lone Star State in the tourney last March (including Final 4 participant Houston and eventual champ Baylor): how goes the evolution from a football culture to a basketball culture? We were actually just having this conversation at lunch the other day. Football is still pretty important but basketball is growing tremendously because there is so much talent in this state. I also look at schools like Texas/Texas Tech who have made big investments in basketball, which has gotten us to where we are today.

You were hired as head coach in April: how is it going so far? Great! I will be able to tell you more in December but Joe gave me a voice when I was an assistant and he let me coach the defense 100%, which helped this transition. The guys have faith in me whether we win or lose that we are doing things the right way. I am excited for the new journey but it is the same goal.

You lost a few players to graduation/transfer but do return Damien Daniels, who was named conference tourney MVP last March: how crucial will he be to your team’s success this year? He will be extremely crucial as this is his 4th year in the program. We have a couple other returning all-conference/all-defensive players in Coryon Mason/Reggie Miller who will be huge for us. We have some new guys in the post but our guard corps is extremely talented/experienced, which will really help us on defense.

Your non-conference schedule includes a pair of games to open the season at Utah/Texas A&M: which of these games do you feel will present your biggest test? Both of them. I have been doing the schedule for us for a long time and thought it was easy…but now that I moved over 6 feet I feel that the schedule is terrible! Utah has a new coach in Craig Smith, and Buzz Williams is building A&M into a basketball school. They will both be huge challenges for us but so will in-state teams like UT-Arlington. People do not realize how good the mid-majors are: Jacksonville State is bringing every single player back and Drexel was an NCAA tourney team. We do not have any D-1 slop on our schedule so there is no rest for us.

Your roster includes players from Italy/Rwanda/Australia: what sort of recruiting philosophy do you have? My background is junior college but I realize the importance of recruiting high school players. Everyone this year was recruiting in the transfer portal and nobody was recruiting JC players so we picked up 3 kids that I think will be steals. I have been very vocal that international recruiting can be a niche for us. We have an unbelievable international department here and we need to keep working on that.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? My expectations do not matter: they have already been set for me. Part of me wishes I had taken over a bad program with no pressure at all…but if we had not created high expectations then we probably would have been fired! I will not run from the expectations as we move into a basketball league like the WAC: we want to be in a position to compete for a championship in March and be even better than we were a year ago. We are embracing expectations and will try to meet them.

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