Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Dayton SR PG Rodney Chatman

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We hope you are ready for a season unlike any other: testing, distancing, and bubbles, oh my! Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, or whether anything actually will happen…but in the meantime we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches/administrators in the country. We continue our coverage with Dayton SR PG Rodney Chatman. He began his college career at Chattanooga, transferred to Dayton, and started for 1 of the best teams in the nation last season. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Rodney about almost going undefeated and his expectations for this year.

In February of 2018 as a player at Chattanooga you scored a career-high 26 PTS/9-15 FG in a loss at East Tennessee State: was it just 1 of those situations where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Yes: it was a big rivalry game on the road and our team really needed a win. I got some experience and used it to my advantage.

Why did you decide to transfer later that year, and what made you choose Dayton? We had a coaching change and it was no longer my style of play. I feel like I chose the right school with a coach who was just named national COY so it worked out for the best.

You play for 2020 national COY Anthony Grant: what makes him such a great coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He is a wise guy who always has the right words in any situation and knows the importance of a good team culture. He taught me about tempo: when to push and when not to. After games we review the stats to see how efficient we were and he is consistent in everything he does.

You led the team in STL last year: what is the secret to being a good defender? I grew up watching Kobe Bryant/Rajon Rondo in their prime. Watching film helps a lot to understand a player’s tendencies. I know what my opponent’s go-to moves are and I try to make them uncomfortable. I have always been a good defensive player dating back to high school: it is my strong suit.

You went 29-2 last year with a pair of single-digit OT losses to Kansas/Colorado at neutral-site games: how close did you come to going undefeated? We lost 1 of those games on a buzzer-beater (www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYCyzyg601w) but were just focused on being the best we could be in March. It would be great to have gone undefeated but those 2 losses made our team better. We wanted to dominate the conference and make the NCAA tourney so I think we accomplished all of our goals.

You were the #1 seed in the A-10 tourney last March before learning that the entire postseason was canceled due to the coronavirus: what was your reaction when you 1st heard the news, and do you think that it was the right decision? We were all devastated: I have dreamed of playing in the NCAA tourney since I was a kid so my anticipation was at an all-time high. We wanted to keep proving our doubters wrong so it hurt…but it was the right decision. We are men before we are basketball players so it was important to remain healthy: we have long lives ahead of us and are blessed to have a new season starting on November 25th.

You lost a couple of senior starters from last year in Trey Landers/Ryan Mikesell and 2020 national POY Obi Toppin decided to turn pro: how will you try to replace all of that offense/leadership? We just have to regroup and there is strength in numbers. My freshman year I joined a 29-win team that was kind of in the same situation, but now I am on the other side of it since I am 1 of the veterans. All 3 of those guys were great but now we are underdogs and looking at it as an opportunity.

Your father Rodney played basketball at USC: who is the best athlete in the family? My mom is the best athlete: she played basketball at Bethune-Cookman. My dad also played football in high school and could have gone to Notre Dame.

What is it like to be an African-American man in 2020? It is challenging. I have a younger brother who I think about every time that I wake up. At times it is scary but we just want equality: I do not understand what is so hard about that. We are just fed up with being at the bottom but everyone on our team is registered to vote so we will just take it day by day and make the right decisions. We need to use our voices/platform to demand change.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? My goal is for our team to be as connected/close as we can and just go fight and not back down from anybody. We want to win the conference again and defend our championship so people will have to go through us. We want to be in the best shape we can and help our younger guys learn our offense/defense.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Spencer Stueve about 1996 Olympic gold medalist Reggie Miller

The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904 and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976. The United States has dominated Olympic basketball competition from the start: the men have won 15 gold medals in the 18 tournaments they have participated in during the past 84 years, while the women have won 8 gold medals in the 10 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 44 years. Those of you who were looking forward to the 2020 Olympics opening ceremonies in Tokyo on July 24, 2020 will have to wait an extra 364 days, as the coronavirus caused a postponement until July 23, 2021. Due to the absence of college basketball since mid-March, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel decided to fill the void by trying to interview as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible so that you have something to read this summer while not watching the Summer Games. We continue our coverage by chatting with UCLA historian Spencer Stueve about Reggie Miller winning an NIT title in 1985 and a gold medal in 1996.

After coming to UCLA Reggie would often spend his summers playing pick-up games on campus with several members of the Lakers including Magic Johnson/Byron Scott/Michael Cooper: what kind of education did the college kid get from the pros? UCLA has long been the preferred summer pick-up game location for NBA players and the Bruins have benefited from being able to play alongside the pros all summer long. The full-court runs in what used to be called the “Men’s Gym” at UCLA are legendary: it is hot, the windows are covered, and NBA players get after it. Reggie was never one to back down: even in college he had that signature cockiness and those games helped him immensely.

In the 1985 NIT title game he helped UCLA win its 1st and only NIT title by scoring 18 PTS in a 3-PT win over Indiana en route to being named Most Outstanding Player: what did it mean to him to win a title, and did Coach John Wooden’s teams raise the bar so high that people in Westwood did not care about NIT titles? No one at UCLA cares about that NIT title: it is never talked about. Most fans do not even know that UCLA ever won the NIT, but it was used as a springboard to the next season.

In 1987 he led the Pac-10 with 64 STL: he is primarily known as a shooter/scorer but do you think that he deserves more credit for his defense? Reggie was a fine defensive player: he was very instinctual/very competitive. He is known primarily for his offense (rightfully so) but was an underrated defender.

He graduated from UCLA as the #2 scorer in school history behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: where does he rank among the all-time greats at a school that has had so many all-time greats? He is a top-10 player in school history. Unfortunately, he played at UCLA during a period of general mediocrity. There was a ton of pressure on UCLA in the decade that followed Coach Wooden’s retirement in 1975 to keep the winning tradition alive. If Reggie had come around 15 years earlier then he would likely be considered a top-5 player: below Lew Alcindor/Bill Walton but in the conversation with guys like Gail Goodrich/Walt Hazzard/Sidney Wicks/Keith Wilkes/Marques Johnson.

In Game 5 of the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden he scored 39 PTS (including 25 PTS/5-5 3PM in the 4th quarter) to lead Indiana to a 7-PT win over the Knicks, then in Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals at Madison Square Garden he famously scored 8 PTS in 8.9 seconds to clinch a 2-PT win over the Knicks: how was he able to perform so well on the big stage with Spike Lee screaming at him every single spring?! He embraced the challenge. He was not perfect in clutch moments but nobody ever is. Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and all of the other “clutch” players had plenty of misses but they were never scared. Reggie was the same: he was fueled by Spike Lee but he was calm during the chaos.

He played for team USA at the 1996 Olympics: what did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? I have never heard him talk about it but I am sure that it is 1 of the great accomplishments in his life.

He is 1 of 5 NBA players who spent their entire career of 18+ years with a single franchise (along with a quartet of legends in Kobe Bryant/Tim Duncan/Dirk Nowitzki/John Stockton) and his 1389 career games for Indiana is #12 in NBA history: what was the key to his loyalty/longevity? Reggie loved Indiana: there was a comfort level there and he spoke frequently about trying to build something where he started. He had his eyes on Michael Jordan and the Bulls for most of his career but he was not angling to make his way there and join them: he was figuring out what he could do to beat them. As he got older he felt a responsibility to the franchise to mentor the younger guys.

His 88.8 career FT% is #12 in NBA history and his 2560 career 3PM trails only Ray Allen for the most in NBA history: what is his secret for being 1 of the best shooters in the history of the sport? Reggie was a workaholic who was fanatical about his conditioning. He knew that he had to move to get open, and when he got to his spots he had to have the energy to rise and fire. He was a tremendous shooter and like all great shooters he put in the work to get better.

His older sister Cheryl went to USC, won a gold medal of her own in 1984, and is arguably the best women’s basketball player ever: what is the dynamic like between the 2 of them, and who is the better player? Cheryl was the better player when they were in high school/college. She once scored 105 points in a high school game and was 1 of the best women’s college players ever. She was never really able to show what she could do beyond college because of limited opportunities for women basketball players, so it is hard to compare the two because Reggie went on to have great success after college.

In 2012 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? He was competitive, clutch, and extremely talented. He is the father of the 3-PT shot. Though the rule change pre-dated his NBA career, there was nobody who shot threes with the frequency of Reggie before he got into the league. If he played in the NBA now his numbers would be through the roof. He was also a big-stage player who always rose to the occasion when the lights were brightest.

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The Hoops HD Report: September Session

Chad is joined by David, John Stalica, and Jon Teitel.  The panel discusses the passing of both Lute Olson and John Thompson and the huge impact that both coaches had on the game.  From there they move on to the start of the season being pushed back to November 25th and the season being shortened by four games, and what impact that is having on all of the teams.  They also look at how playing fewer non-conference games could impact the metrics, and what the likelihood is that we will see games cancelled during the season.  They also take a look at the ACC’s outrageous suggestion of inviting all the teams to the NCAA Tournament, and much more.

And for all you radio lovers, below is an audio only version of the show…

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Southern Miss assistant coach Clarence Weatherspoon

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We hope you are ready for a season unlike any other: testing, distancing, and bubbles, oh my! Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, or whether anything actually will happen…but in the meantime we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches/administrators in the country. We continue our coverage with Southern Miss assistant coach Clarence Weatherspoon. He was a 3-time All-American at Southern Miss , a top-10 NBA draft pick, and now coaches his son at his alma mater. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Coach Weatherspoon about being a 3-time conference POY and his expectations for this year.

You grew up as 1 of 13 siblings in Crawford, MS (population 500), which also happens to be the hometown of NFL legend Jerry Rice (who is 8 years older than you): did you know the Rice family at all when you were growing up, and how did growing up in such a small town with so many siblings affect your life? I was the youngest of 13 and we were very family-oriented and knew most of the rest of the people in the town. We knew the Rice family but Jerry played at the rival high school on the other side of town.

In the 1990 NCAA tourney as a player at Southern Miss (the 1st tourney in school history) you scored 16 PTS and had a tourney-school-record 14 REB in a loss to La Salle: where does Lionel Simmons (32 PTS/16 REB) rank among the best college players that you have ever seen? Lionel was very talented and had some other teammates who played in the NBA as well. He was the senior leader that year but we had beaten him in the NIT a few years earlier. He was a really versatile forward who could score.

In 1992 you shot a career-high 45.3% from 3-PT range, which remains 1 of the best single-season marks in school history: how were you able to shoot so well from behind the arc considering that you are also the school’s all-time leading rebounder/shot blocker? The key was that I did not shoot that many (24-53 3PM)! It was something that I had worked on since arriving as a freshman. I always tried to improve my range/shooting ability but for our team to be successful I had to rebound/defend and play tough on the inside.

You were a 3-time All-American and remain the only 3-time POY in Metro Conference history: what did it mean to you to receive such outstanding honors? I was not looking at my individual stats: I just tried to do whatever it took for my team to win.

In the summer of 1992 you were drafted 9th overall by Philadelphia (7 spots behind Alonzo Mourning): did you see that as a validation of your college career, or the realization of a lifelong dream of reaching the NBA, or other? It definitely was an honor and the ultimate reward for all of my hard work/sacrifice. I started out in high school just wanting to be a good player and get a college scholarship, but I put in the time and got better every year before making the NBA.

In Game of the 1999 Eastern Conference 1st round with Miami you had 5 REB but Allan Houston made the series-winning jumper with 0.8 seconds left: did you think the shot was going in, and where does that rank among the most devastating losses of your career? It was a tough loss but was still a great series. We were the #1 seed that year and the Knicks beat us the following year on a buzzer-beater as well. Coach Pat Riley helped me become a better player and showed me the importance of playing together as part of a team.

You currently work as an assistant to Coach Jay Ladner at your alma mater: how do you like coaching, and what do you hope to do in the future? It has been really good for me. Getting to coach at your alma mater and bring the programm back to where we should be is exciting.

Clay Weatherspoon is 1 of 2 seniors on the current roster: how do you like coaching your son, and how much pressure is there on him to be a leader this year? He started as a walk-on but has worked his way up to being a senior leader. He knows what it takes to become a leader and will help the team in any way possible. We have a more improved team this year and hopefully we will get a chance to play despite COVID.

What is it like to be an African-American man in 2020? Everything in the US is changing. We face challenges that other races have not had to experience, which dates back to when slaves 1st arrived more than 400 years ago. It has been a continuous fight for equality but you cannot let that stop you from believing in the system: it is still an evolving process.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? My goal is for us to be a better team. There is a pandemic going on so I want us to stay as healthy as possible and then go out and play our best. All you can do is prepare.

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The Olympians: HoopsHD interviews Connie Schweer and Rich Hughes about 1936 Olympic gold medalist Willard Schmidt

The NBA Finals date back to 1947 (when they were known as the Basketball Association of America Finals) and the very 1st NCAA tourney was held in 1939. Olympic basketball competition is even older: it debuted as a demonstration event in 1904 and the men’s version became a medal sport in 1936, with the women finally getting their chance to go for the gold in 1976. The United States has dominated Olympic basketball competition from the start: the men have won 15 gold medals in the 18 tournaments they have participated in during the past 84 years, while the women have won 8 gold medals in the 10 tournaments in which they have competed during the past 44 years. Those of you who were looking forward to the 2020 Olympics opening ceremonies in Tokyo on July 24, 2020 will have to wait an extra 364 days, as the coronavirus caused a postponement until July 23, 2021. Due to the absence of college basketball since mid-March, HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel decided to fill the void by trying to interview as many prior Olympic players/coaches as possible so that you have something to read this summer while not watching the Summer Games. We continue our coverage by chatting with Connie Schweer (Willard’s daughter) and Rich Hughes (author of “Netting Out Basketball 1936″) about Willard Schmidt winning a gold medal in 1936.

(photo credit: fold3.com)

(photo credit: beatricedailysun.com)

Willard was born/raised in Nebraska and despite not beginning to play basketball until his junior year he won back-to-back state titles at Swanton High School in 1927/1928: how was he able to have so much success so quickly after picking up the sport as a teenager? Connie Schweer: There was no competition! He was bigger than everyone else: 1 of his teammates was only 5’7”. He also worked on the farm but did not want to stay there forever. Rich Hughes: As John Wooden said, “You cannot coach height!” He wound up standing 6’9” and was probably 6’6” by the time he picked up the sport. 90 years ago there were other things going on: sports was not as preeminent as they are today. I suspect he had a big growth spurt and there were demands on kids back then to produce for the family.

What made him choose Creighton for college? CS: Scholarships. The coach at Swanton was instrumental in getting him a scholarship there. RH: I assume the proximity from Swanton to Omaha was a big factor.

He was 3-time all-MVC player and won the 1932 MVC title: what was his post-graduation plan? CS: They did not have pro basketball back then, just AAU, which is how he got to McPherson. His coach was AA Schabinger, who was involved with the National Basketball Coaches Association, who heard of opportunities in Kansas for my dad to pursue. That is where he met the guru: Gene Johnson. As long as he could play basketball and make money he would do that.

He was 1 of 6 members of the AAU Globe Refiners team who made the 1936 Olympic team: how big a deal was it at the time, and how fun was it for him to share the experience with his AAU teammates? CS: It was a fabulous experience for the entire town of McPherson, KS. The Globe Refinery had more oil than they knew what to do with so they used the team as a hook to sell oil. They had my dad check gauges atop tall tanks to strengthen his legs. The whole town followed the team. There is a mural outside the local gym to recreate the whole scene. People would take trains in the Dust Bowl area to watch his team play. Most of the guys were new to him but they had a wonderful time. He is mentioned in the book “The Boys in the Boat”: the rowing team thought they were tall until they met my dad! They sold tickets and played exhibition games to raise money to go to the Olympics. There was no guarantee that their jobs would be waiting for them when they returned so 1 guy with a newborn child decided not to go. RH: To a man they thought it was the best time of their lives. 7 of the 14 members of the Olympic team were from the Universal Pictures team and 1 guy was from Washington (Ralph Bishop). Another guy who was chosen (Vernon Vaughn) decided to keep working at the refinery rather than go to the Olympics: he had 3 kids and was not assured that he would have a job waiting for him when he returned. Willard was the guy who took Vernon’s spot and he enjoyed the opportunity. They had 8-9 days on a cruise ship each way where they could eat whatever they wanted and 3+ weeks in the Olympic Village featuring 37 different restaurants because Hitler went all out. Most ordinary Germans did not see a single egg during 1936 because they all went to the Olympians.

Your ancestors were from Germany: was it extra-special for him to play in Berlin? CS: Yes. His grandmother did not approve of him playing basketball until she learned that he would be going to Germany.

He did not even make the original team after losing in the finals of the Olympic trials, then after being added he stepped on a piece of tin and suffered a severe cut on his left heel that required 8 stitches: how close did he come to missing the Games? CS: He was afraid that he would not be able to play. I cannot even fathom how those tall guys squeezed into a car and drove to New York during 1 of the hottest summers on record. A couple of guys were in a car accident and broke their arms. When a doctor in New York told them how much it would cost to get the stitches taken out he decided to take them out himself! They were awed by the size of Madison Square Garden and had never seen pay toilets before. RH: That is why there was a 7-6 split between Universal Pictures and the AAU. He lacerated his foot during a shower around the 4th of July but it mended well. 1936 featured 1 of the biggest heat waves of all-time and you have to remember that this was before air conditioning. 2 of his teammates took a test drive, rolled the car that did not have seat belts, and they got concussions and arm lacerations. When they got to New York to get their stitches removed the price was too steep so Willard and the other player took their own stitches out!

The average height of the team was 6’5’’, which is why they were nicknamed “the tallest team in the world” and at 6’8” he was 1 of the 1st players to ever dunk a basketball in warmups: what impact did his size have either on or off the court? CS: It was inconvenient! It was hard to find clothes/shoes that would fit him. Getting into a car was not easy. I was 6’1” and I also recognize the difficulty.

What did it mean to him to represent his country, and what did it mean to him to win a gold medal? CS: He wrote my mother a letter describing the opening ceremony with the doves/Hindenburg. It was very special for him just to be there and meet so many people. A lot of these guys had never been out of their hometown so it was a revelation. There was no precedent because it was the very 1st gold medal so he was very proud of that. When they came back they would just pack everything up: Joe Fortenberry kept all of his Olympic keepsakes in his barn!

After contracting rheumatic fever in Colorado Springs and being hospitalized for 6 weeks he never played again and moved back to Kansas to coach basketball and play bridge: did he have any regrets about having his basketball career cut short? CS: He was playing for the Antlers hotel. They went to Nebraska for a short time and then moved to Kansas and married my mother. He felt fortunate about going to the Olympics but was very humble about it. He got to meet the President and he got to travel all over the country.

He passed away in 1965 but was posthumously inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2005: when people look back on his career, how do you think that he should be remembered the most? CS: He enjoyed sports and representing his country at the Olympics. He was a gregarious guy with a good sense of humor and was a good friend to all. RH: He provided frontcourt flexibility for the Olympic team: when Joe Fortenberry was hurt it was Willard who would fill in for him. There was a jump ball after every basket back then: the AAU team estimated that they controlled 9 out of 10 tips! Late in games they could come up with a 12-0 run by scoring on offense and their “defense” would consist of controlling the tip.

For more info about the 1936 US Olympic team check out “Sporting Labor in the Hollywood Studio System: Basketball, Universal Pictures, and the 1936 Berlin Olympics” by Professor Alex Kupfer at: https://cinema.usc.edu/spectator/35.2/2_Kupfer.pdf and “Netting Out Basketball 1936” by Rich Hughes at: www.amazon.com/Netting-Out-Basketball-1936-Remarkable/dp/1770679707

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Season preview: HoopsHD interviews Xavier special assistant Matthew Graves

CLICK HERE for all of Hoops HD’s Continued and Extensive Preseason Content

We hope you are ready for a season unlike any other: testing, distancing, and bubbles, oh my! Nobody knows exactly what is going to happen, when it is going to happen, or whether anything actually will happen…but in the meantime we will try to restore some order with season previews featuring the best players/coaches/administrators in the country. We continue our coverage with Xavier special assistant Matthew Graves. He made back-to-back NCAA tourneys as a player, back-to-back NCAA title games as an assistant to Brad Stevens, and now works for Travis Steele. HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to chat with Matthew about growing up in a tiny town and his expectations for this year.

You grew up in Switz City, IN (with a population of 311): what was the best part of living in a tiny town, and what was the not-so-best part? It is the same answer for both questions: everybody knew you! I could not hide from anything but everyone looked out for everyone because we were all like a big family. A lot of people from the town still follow my career.

In the 1997 NCAA tourney as a player at Butler you scored 5 PTS in a loss to Cincy: how big a deal was it to be part of the 1st Butler team to make the NCAA tourney in 35 years? I am very proud of that moment, then followed it up by making it back to the tourney the following year. I think that 1997 team really started the ball rolling at Butler. Last year we were all inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame: it was really special to see all of those guys again.

In 1996 and 1998 you led the conference in FT%: what is the secret to making FTs? Deliberate practice: you prepare and when the moment is there you feel no pressure. There is no secret: if you are prepared then there is no stress.

In January of 1998 you scored a career-high 42 PTS in a 5-PT loss at Cleveland State (which remains 5th-most in school history): was it just 1 of those situations where every shot you put up seemed to go in because you were “in the zone”? Yes. People talk about the basket looking as big as ever, and my teammates did a great job of finding me and giving me opportunities to score. However, it would have been a better story if we had won the game.

As an assistant to Brad Stevens at Butler you entered the 2010 NCAA title game on a 25-game winning streak before Gordon Hayward’s half-court shot bounced off the rim at the buzzer in a 2-PT loss to Duke: did you think the shot was going in, and do you think that Brad/Gordon will win an NBA title together in Boston? The shot from the baseline that Gordon took before was the 1 that I thought was going in. I can still see his final shot in slow motion a decade later: I thought they would make a movie about it and I will cherish it forever. I do think at some point they will win an NBA title: I am hoping it is this year.

In 2013 you were hired as head coach at South Alabama: what is the biggest difference between being a head coach vs. being an assistant coach? The amount of decisions you are making on a daily basis. There are a lot of things going on that do not impact your team on the court: fundraising, meetings with the administration, etc. It was difficult to learn how to balance all of that with coaching/recruiting, but moving that next seat over on the bench involves a lot of delegation.

You work for fellow Butler alum/head coach Travis Steele: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He is extremely detail-oriented and works very hard at recruiting/coaching/trying to get better. He spends a tremendous amount of time watching film and talking to his colleagues.

You have a ton of transfers on the current roster including Nate Johnson (from Gardner-Webb)/Jason Carter (from Ohio)/Adam Kunkel (from Belmont)/Ben Stanley (from Hampton): what is the key to integrating guys who transfer from another school with guys who have been here from the start? 1 of the keys is just being together, which has been difficult during this time of COVID. Everyone is looking at it through a new lens but I am excited about the direction in which we are heading. The guys really want to play for each other so this group’s best basketball days are down the road as we go from November 25th through March.

Your brothers AJ/Andrew also played at Butler: who is the best athlete in the family, and who do they cheer for when Xavier plays Butler? Selfishly I will say that I am the best athlete, but AJ was by far the best player of all of us. If he was not 6’1” then he might have had a chance to play in the NBA. They definitely support their big brother, but when we play Butler they cheer for the Bulldogs…which is why I do not give them tickets! It was 1 of the most awkward feelings I have ever had when walking back into Hinkle Fieldhouse last year for the 1st time since I worked there in 2013.

What are your goals for this season, and what are your expectations for this season? At Xavier the goal every year is to compete for a Big East title, which means that you should be right there to get an NCAA tourney bid and win some games in March. The big-picture goal does not change but we have to embrace the process with our new guys of getting better every day. It will take some time to gel so we will just stay the course, and if we do that then we will have a chance to reach our goals.

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