Latest / The Mike Keith Show / Basketball Preview | KIM CALDWELL, RICK BARNES (10.29.26)

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Basketball Preview | KIM CALDWELL, RICK BARNES (10.29.26) · The Mike Keith Show

0:00
SPEAKER_15: From the peaks of the smokies to the banks of the Mississippi.
0:06
SPEAKER_15: This is your home for the University of Tennessee.
0:20
SPEAKER_15: This is the Fall Network.
0:26
SPEAKER_15: Inside Access, behind the scenes.
0:29
SPEAKER_15: From Rocky Top, direct from the coaches.
0:53
SPEAKER_17: We're going to talk about the balls and obviously the Lady Balls.
0:57
SPEAKER_17: And right here she is, the head coach of the Lady Balls, Kim Caldwell.
1:01
SPEAKER_17: Thanks for taking the time.
1:03
SPEAKER_17: Thanks for having me.
1:04
SPEAKER_17: It is uh so exciting to read about and hear about and just listen to everything about your club and the the positive nature of everything going into it and the optimism and the curiosity.
1:20
SPEAKER_17: Everybody is interested to see the 26-27 Lady Vols.
1:26
SPEAKER_17: How curious are you?
1:28
SPEAKER_21: I get to see them every day.
1:30
SPEAKER_21: So I know I get to know the good parts of them.
1:34
SPEAKER_21: I get to know their personality and how funny they are and genuine they are, and how much they love being at Tennessee and they hang out together on and off the floor, and that has been so special.
1:46
SPEAKER_21: And there's a lot of unknowns still too about who are we gonna be when we face adversity, who are we gonna be when our shots aren't falling, and we'll figure that out in real time with the rest of the world.
1:57
SPEAKER_17: Your schedule, I want to start with that because you had some games that some give backs like somebody was at home last year and then you've got a challenge game and other things, but non-conference, MTSU, at Belmont, UCLA, the Coconut Hoops Tournament, at Virginia Tech, at UConn, Baylor in Nashville, and I'm just talking about non-conference.
2:20
SPEAKER_17: Did you set this up intentionally to be tougher for what you're gonna face in the league?
2:27
SPEAKER_21: I think there's only one way to get SEC ready, and that's to play the best opponents you can.
2:32
SPEAKER_21: And to fill your non-conference with opponents that maybe aren't gonna prepare you the way you need to be prepared.
2:38
SPEAKER_21: We're a small team.
2:39
SPEAKER_21: We need to learn some lessons early about rebounding.
2:42
SPEAKER_21: We're gonna we're new.
2:43
SPEAKER_21: We're gonna have to learn some lessons about taking care of the ball.
2:45
SPEAKER_21: And the only way to do that is play the best opponent you can.
2:48
SPEAKER_21: A lot of those were returns.
2:50
SPEAKER_21: Uh, for example, our MTSU on that was a four-year deal before I got here.
2:55
SPEAKER_21: So this is the last end of that.
2:56
SPEAKER_21: So you do do your scheduling years in advance, but I think it is important to play the best, the strongest schedule you can.
3:02
SPEAKER_17: As you look at the makeup of the ball club in terms of where you're gonna have to get answers, you mentioned you're a small team or a smaller team.
3:10
SPEAKER_17: So do you feel like on the opposite end of that, you've got a lot more ball handlers maybe than you had in the past?
3:17
SPEAKER_17: Are you comfortable with people being able to switch in and out of the guard roles?
3:21
SPEAKER_21: Yeah, we are very, very heavy guard heavy.
3:24
SPEAKER_21: We are faster.
3:25
SPEAKER_21: And I think that's what I like about it is we are smaller, but we're gonna make up for that in speed.
3:29
SPEAKER_21: I think we'll be a hard scout for people defensively because we're gonna play so many people on the perimeter and we're gonna be able to drive and kick from multiple positions, and almost every player on our roster can shoot it pretty well.
3:40
SPEAKER_17: How big a factor is Jada Eads and all of that?
3:43
SPEAKER_21: She's huge, she has been out most of the summer, so we're just now getting her.
3:49
SPEAKER_21: I think she's gone for two weeks, not being limited.
3:53
SPEAKER_21: And so she really pushes the pace for us.
3:55
SPEAKER_21: She's tough.
3:56
SPEAKER_21: She on both ends of the floor, she sets the pace because she gets up and she pressures better than anyone we have.
4:02
SPEAKER_21: And when she has the ball in her hands, she's hard to keep up with.
4:05
SPEAKER_17: Every basketball team has a player that makes them go.
4:09
SPEAKER_17: Is Jada potentially that for the Lady Balls?
4:12
SPEAKER_21: I think for us, it's Jada and Kennedy, both of our point guards.
4:15
SPEAKER_21: We're gonna live and die with them in a sense of they have to push pace for us, so they have to be able to handle pressure, and we've been on them.
4:21
SPEAKER_21: They have to be able to get people in the right spots and they have to do it under duress.
4:25
SPEAKER_21: And they've been cutting up film for our team, and they've been putting it doing the actual film session for our entire team.
4:31
SPEAKER_17: Wait a minute.
4:32
SPEAKER_21: Yeah.
4:32
SPEAKER_17: How do you do that?
4:33
SPEAKER_21: We make them.
4:34
SPEAKER_17: I mean, how do you, if you're them, how do you come up with that?
4:38
SPEAKER_17: And and what's the literal process of doing that?
4:40
SPEAKER_21: They watch practice and they'll do it with a coach, and they'll watch practice and they'll pick the clips that they want to emphasize and where people need to be.
4:48
SPEAKER_21: And the first time they've done it, they it's majority they're coaching themselves because they don't want to coach their teammates yet, but it's their job to command people.
4:56
SPEAKER_21: They have to know every play from every position.
4:58
SPEAKER_21: And that's a a really big part for us is making sure our point guards know what they're doing and they have their team's ear, and those film sessions help them do that.
5:07
SPEAKER_17: And the team responds well.
5:09
SPEAKER_21: They do.
5:09
SPEAKER_21: The team really supports them in that moment, and we asked the team and the coaching staff to ask our the two point guards a lot of questions so they can get used to answering and they can get used to using their voice and they can get used to leading.
5:21
SPEAKER_17: When you and I talked in the spring, Gabby Minus was somebody you really wanted to talk about because she was a commitment signee and she chose to go ahead and come to Tennessee after other people did not.
5:33
SPEAKER_17: Metro Atlanta Player of the Year, really talented.
5:36
SPEAKER_17: I just want to know about her progress at this point to see now that she's here and it's going, how has she done and where does she fit?
5:44
SPEAKER_21: I'm so proud of her.
5:45
SPEAKER_21: She has gotten better every single day.
5:48
SPEAKER_21: She plays so hard.
5:49
SPEAKER_21: Our fans are gonna love her, and they're gonna love her because she stayed and because she knew what she wanted, and she knew top to bottom she wanted to be a Lady Vol, and she stayed with that, and because of how hard she plays.
6:01
SPEAKER_21: She's on every offensive rebound, she defensive rebounds very well.
6:05
SPEAKER_21: She gives you everything she has.
6:07
SPEAKER_21: She makes some freshman mistakes, but you have to love her through them because she's doing them as hard as she possibly can.
6:13
SPEAKER_17: Uh, who scores for this date?
6:16
SPEAKER_21: Right now, our best scorer is KK.
6:19
SPEAKER_21: Um, Kayleen.
6:20
SPEAKER_21: Michael, yep, she does the best job of being consistent, but the thing I like is Riley T is gonna be able to score for us.
6:27
SPEAKER_21: Fats is gonna be able to score for us.
6:30
SPEAKER_21: We're gonna be able to have a lot of different looks based on the night.
6:34
SPEAKER_17: All right, so let me talk about Fats Janna a little bit.
6:37
SPEAKER_17: Because we met her and I've seen that she came in and did something with us that we're you know, we she's a hoot.
6:44
SPEAKER_17: She is.
6:44
SPEAKER_17: So every time I see her like in the lunchroom or wherever, she still is hollered at me.
6:50
SPEAKER_17: How how much of this team's personality you feel like is coming from this massive life force that is Fats Janna?
6:58
SPEAKER_21: She has a beautiful personality and it's real, it's authentic.
7:02
SPEAKER_21: It's every day she walks in the gym, the gym gets a little bit louder.
7:06
SPEAKER_21: And it's the majority her, but she's giving everyone a hug every day.
7:10
SPEAKER_21: She will make you hug her if you are like you're sweaty.
7:13
SPEAKER_21: No, she's gonna hug you, she's gonna hug her teammate, she's gonna make sure that the energy is where it needs to be, no matter what room she walks into.
7:20
SPEAKER_21: And that's such a special trait to have as a person.
7:23
SPEAKER_17: And and she can play.
7:24
SPEAKER_17: And she can play, and she can really play.
7:27
SPEAKER_17: What does she do well overall?
7:29
SPEAKER_21: I think she's gonna be one of the best rebounders in the SEC.
7:32
SPEAKER_21: We are she's a very good three-point shooter.
7:34
SPEAKER_21: We're trying to get her confidence up in her driving ability, but she is a scorer.
7:38
SPEAKER_21: And we're gonna need her to be a scorer for us, more than just a rebounder.
7:42
SPEAKER_21: She's a very underrated defender.
7:44
SPEAKER_21: She can guard multiple positions.
7:46
SPEAKER_21: We gotta keep her out of foul trouble because she she does hack a lot.
7:49
SPEAKER_17: How excited are you to see this team play?
7:52
SPEAKER_21: I love coaching them because they get excited about the things that excite me, which are effortplays.
7:58
SPEAKER_21: We take a charge, the gym is loud.
8:00
SPEAKER_21: We dive on a loose ball, the gym is loud.
8:03
SPEAKER_21: We hit shots, we're happy with that.
8:05
SPEAKER_21: But the things that really make us go are the effort plays, and I think you can win a lot of games with a team that is wired that way.
8:11
SPEAKER_17: Interested to see.
8:12
SPEAKER_17: Excited to see your ball club.
8:14
SPEAKER_17: Kim Caldwell, thanks for the time.
8:15
SPEAKER_17: Thank you.
8:16
SPEAKER_17: Lady Ball head coach Kim Caldwell with us.
8:18
SPEAKER_17: We're back with more right after this.
8:20
SPEAKER_14: It's time for the Rackley Roofing recap.
8:23
SPEAKER_14: Rackley Roofing, transforming the roofing industry and the proud official roofer of the Tennessee Volunteers.
8:30
SPEAKER_20: Hey, Vall Nation, it's Sarah Detweiler, and it's time now for the Rackley Roofing recap.
8:35
SPEAKER_20: Tennessee football suffered a tough 27 to 24 loss on the road Saturday in Columbia, South Carolina.
8:42
SPEAKER_20: Despite the loss, Knoxville native Deshaun Bishop continued his impressive season, rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown, marking his fourth straight 100-yard performance.
8:55
SPEAKER_20: Defensively, the Vols recorded five sacks, bringing their FBS leading total to 35 on the season.
9:02
SPEAKER_20: Elsewhere, Tennessee volleyball continued their winning ways at the Food City Center, taking down number 22 Vanderbilt in four sets Sunday afternoon.
9:12
SPEAKER_20: And on the soccer field, the Lady Vols battled number seven Alabama on the road Friday night, but ultimately fell two to one.
9:21
SPEAKER_20: That was the Rackley Roofing recap.
9:23
SPEAKER_20: Rackley Roofing, transforming the roofing industry and the proud official roofer of the Tennessee Volunteers.
9:29
SPEAKER_15: This special, preseason kickoff on the Vall Network.
9:34
SPEAKER_12: Sponsored by UT Medical, the official health care provider of the Valls.
9:39
SPEAKER_23: Being at the Valls game saved my life.
9:42
SPEAKER_23: It was a normal day going to the game with my son, but this time it felt like a sledgehammer hit my chest.
9:49
SPEAKER_23: The UT Medical team knew exactly what they needed to do and just kept me calm throughout the process.
9:55
SPEAKER_23: It was probably the most serious heart attack that you could have.
9:59
SPEAKER_23: The team took care of me, worked quickly, efficiently, and I did catch the end of the game.
10:05
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10:09
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10:12
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10:14
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10:17
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10:20
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10:22
SPEAKER_19: Like the Vols, coaches and players need to learn to handle the pressure, including the pressure of success.
10:28
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10:30
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10:32
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10:35
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10:36
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10:37
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10:52
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10:57
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11:02
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11:05
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11:09
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11:15
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11:29
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11:34
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11:37
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11:40
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11:59
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12:05
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12:09
SPEAKER_05: Brought to you by Food City, it's the Ask Coach Heifel Show.
12:13
SPEAKER_05: Hello, and welcome to Ask Coach Heifel.
12:16
SPEAKER_05: I'm your host, Josh Heifel.
12:18
SPEAKER_05: Glenn asks, Coach, how does one join the Vol Navy?
12:21
SPEAKER_05: It's a great question.
12:25
SPEAKER_05: Well, Glenn, you don't necessarily need a boat.
12:28
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12:30
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12:36
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12:38
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12:39
SPEAKER_17: Saturdays are all about the big art.
12:42
SPEAKER_17: From the roar of Nealand Stadium to the energy of the tailgate, one thing belongs on every game day menu.
12:49
SPEAKER_17: Calhoun.
12:50
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13:01
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13:06
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13:09
SPEAKER_14: This is the Tennessee Basketball preview edition of the Mike Keith Show, presented by UT Medical, the official health care provider of the Valls.
13:20
SPEAKER_17: Welcome back to this special edition of the Mike Keith Show as we preview Tennessee basketball for 2026-27, presented by UT Medical.
13:30
SPEAKER_17: With all of the new faces for Tennessee men's basketball this season, we unfortunately cannot introduce you to all of them, but we can let you meet three of them in an extended way.
13:43
SPEAKER_17: Juke Harris transferred from Wake Forest, where he was all ACC.
13:48
SPEAKER_17: He's the most highly touted of the transfer class.
13:53
SPEAKER_17: Terrence Hill comes from VCU, where he became famous for his 34-point performance in an upset went over North Carolina in the 2026 NCAA tournament.
14:05
SPEAKER_17: You'll hear from Harris and Hill.
14:07
SPEAKER_17: But first, the man who signed to transfer to Tennessee first last spring.
14:13
SPEAKER_17: 6'5 sharpshooter, Tyler Lundblade.
14:18
SPEAKER_17: Where do you see Tyler Lundblade fitting in with this group as we round into the season and really have a chance to look at this team?
14:25
SPEAKER_18: Yeah, I think uh I I have a unique skill set for this team.
14:29
SPEAKER_18: Obviously, being a real high-level elite floor spacer, being able to shoot the ball, I think it opens up.
14:33
SPEAKER_18: We have so many guys that are so talented and getting into the paint, uh, putting pressure on the rim, and having a guy like me out there spacing the floor.
14:41
SPEAKER_18: I think it just puts defenses in a pickle, uh, trying to pick what you want to take away.
14:46
SPEAKER_18: Uh, and so I think I bring, you know, an aspect that we've definitely missed over the summer while I've been out of having an elite floor spacer, elite shooter on the floor.
14:55
SPEAKER_18: And so I'm excited to bring that back and kind of have the full team, you know, ready to go.
15:00
SPEAKER_17: Is any three too deep for Tyler Lundblade?
15:04
SPEAKER_17: No.
15:05
SPEAKER_17: No, I don't think so.
15:06
SPEAKER_17: You cross half court, you're thinking I'm in range.
15:11
SPEAKER_18: Maybe not the first my first shot attempt at the game, but if I see a couple go in, I don't think anything's off the table.
15:17
SPEAKER_17: Are you conscious when you're shooting like that?
15:20
SPEAKER_17: Are you conscious I'm 29 feet from the basket?
15:23
SPEAKER_18: No.
15:24
SPEAKER_18: Um over my my two years at Belmont, I think I really got adjusted to like caring less and less about where I am on the floor, if that makes sense.
15:34
SPEAKER_18: Like when I have if I'm rolling, like and I have an open window, like it's going up.
15:38
SPEAKER_18: And uh credits to my coaches at Belmont, they gave me the confidence and the freedom and the leeway to to take shots like that.
15:44
SPEAKER_18: Um and I work on them every single day.
15:47
SPEAKER_18: Like I'm I'm shooting from 35 feet away in my workouts every single day.
15:51
SPEAKER_18: Um I don't want to rely on those, but if I if it's rolling and I feel like it's a good look, and I'm not honestly, I'm not thinking about it when I put it up.
16:00
SPEAKER_18: Um I think it's a good shot.
16:02
SPEAKER_17: Who among your teammates also impresses you shooting the three?
16:07
SPEAKER_18: I think Terrence has surprised me a little bit.
16:09
SPEAKER_18: I knew I knew he could shoot it, um, but there's some like there's been a lot of days in practice where it's it's a lot of net and not a lot of rim.
16:17
SPEAKER_18: And uh he's definitely we've worked out together a bunch in the summer, and uh but you know, being able to, I guess, sit back and watch from a distance during the live portions of practice during the summer, uh, he's definitely had it kind of caught me off guard of okay, this guy can really shoot the ball.
16:32
SPEAKER_17: So Terrence Hill is the guy who could play with Tyler Lundblade in a game of horse.
16:37
SPEAKER_18: Yeah.
16:38
SPEAKER_18: And he'll tell you he probably beat me.
16:40
SPEAKER_17: So but you love that.
16:41
SPEAKER_17: Yeah.
16:41
SPEAKER_17: Only started two games in college.
16:43
unknown: Yeah.
16:44
SPEAKER_17: Is that right?
16:44
SPEAKER_18: Yes.
16:45
SPEAKER_17: I I mean, I mean you you seem like a starter.
16:48
SPEAKER_17: You've it feels like does it really matter to you?
16:52
SPEAKER_10: Nah, I don't think it matters.
16:53
SPEAKER_10: Um, playing startup minutes, whether you start or come off the bench, because last year I would I would check in two minutes into the game, one minute into the game.
17:02
SPEAKER_10: So it really doesn't matter as long as um I know what the coaches want out of me and I know what I'm gonna get out of them.
17:08
SPEAKER_10: Um, and just do anything for the team that's gonna allow us to win, whether that me start or come off the bench, as long as I'm playing, I'm I'm happy.
17:15
SPEAKER_17: Some guys have to start.
17:16
SPEAKER_10: Yeah.
17:17
SPEAKER_17: And then some guys do absolutely don't want to start.
17:20
SPEAKER_10: Yeah.
17:21
SPEAKER_17: You don't care.
17:22
SPEAKER_10: I don't care.
17:23
SPEAKER_10: I mean, I prefer to start.
17:24
SPEAKER_10: Sure.
17:25
SPEAKER_10: I'd be, I think every basketball player does, but whether I think starting a game is or ending the game is better than starting the game.
17:33
SPEAKER_17: Yeah.
17:34
SPEAKER_17: Well, and your minutes are certain, as you said it, your minutes are certainly starter minutes, but I just couldn't believe that.
17:39
SPEAKER_17: And it just kind of reinforced something to me about you and some of the other guys.
17:45
SPEAKER_17: It it feels like regardless of your stats and your accolades, you're checking that stuff at the door on this team.
17:51
SPEAKER_10: Yeah.
17:52
SPEAKER_17: Is that easier said than done?
17:53
SPEAKER_10: I think it's yeah, easier said than done.
17:55
SPEAKER_10: Because every, of course, every person in the world wants to wants their own accolades, wants to achieve whatever they want to achieve.
18:02
SPEAKER_10: But I think for me, um with those accolades and stuff like that, I think it's the biggest part is how much does your team win.
18:09
SPEAKER_10: I think that's what the the higher guys look at when it's coming down to who's the sixth man of the year, who's the best player in the league.
18:16
SPEAKER_10: I think overall record and team stats is bigger than individual stats.
18:21
SPEAKER_17: What's it like now playing for Coach Martins?
18:24
SPEAKER_09: Uh it's that it's definitely tough.
18:26
SPEAKER_09: It's it's definitely tough.
18:27
SPEAKER_09: Uh, I got so many stories and how he got on me, got on the teammates, but I know it's for the uh for the best of us, so uh I know it's gonna help us in the long run.
18:35
SPEAKER_17: What does he ask of you defensively that you haven't been asked for before at any level of basketball?
18:42
SPEAKER_09: Uh pick up half court.
18:45
SPEAKER_09: Uh normally when I play defense, I'm inside the three-point line, but now is I'm able to extend out on the defense end.
18:51
SPEAKER_09: So either that's picking up 94 feet and controlling the ball or whenever it's swung, getting up into my man, no matter how far he is off the three-point line.
19:00
SPEAKER_17: As a basketball player, it's satisfying to hit a three or to complete a fast break.
19:05
SPEAKER_17: Now that you're playing for Coach Barnes, as you've done some of the things defensively that he wants you to do, do you suddenly feel that's just as satisfying in a way that maybe, at least remotely, offensive plays happen to be satisfying?
19:22
SPEAKER_09: Yeah, it is.
19:23
SPEAKER_09: It's just like you get a steal, you get out on break, and somebody jumps up and dunked the ball.
19:27
SPEAKER_09: I feel like things like that, getting turnovers on the defensive end, uh having a great defensive possession to the point where the team's shooting with five seconds left to shooting a tough shot.
19:37
SPEAKER_09: I feel like that's just the same as accomplishment as somebody just knocking down the three and we getting back on defense.
19:42
SPEAKER_09: So I feel like everything starts on the defensive end, and we got so many good offensive guys, we get those stops on defense, and now it's gonna be harder for them to stop us on the offensive end.
19:51
SPEAKER_09: It makes offense so much easier, too.
19:54
SPEAKER_17: Later in the Tennessee basketball preview edition of the Mike Keith Show, presented by UT Medical, Tennessee head coach Rick Barnes.
20:02
SPEAKER_17: But up next, you'll meet three new members of the Lady Vol basketball team.
20:08
SPEAKER_17: Stay with us.
20:09
SPEAKER_15: Back with more Big Orange Insider Access, direct to the stores with the voice of the Valls, and you, we are the Vall Network.
20:26
SPEAKER_17: Listen, if you thought the Tennessee men's basketball team was new, the 2026-27 Lady Balls have taken newness.
20:36
SPEAKER_17: Is that right?
20:37
SPEAKER_17: Whatever.
20:38
SPEAKER_17: Newness to an entirely different level.
20:41
SPEAKER_17: This roster was completely made over.
20:44
SPEAKER_17: KK Schmeichel brings East Coast attitude.
20:48
SPEAKER_17: Fats Jana brings enthusiasm to the Tennessee front court.
20:52
SPEAKER_17: And Jada Eads brings leadership and more.
20:56
SPEAKER_17: At 5'7, Eads matches Kennedy Faltleroy as the smallest lady of all in height, but she lacks nothing in heart, discipline, and toughness.
21:08
SPEAKER_17: You have the knee injury, which is significant, and yet you're still highly recruited.
21:13
SPEAKER_17: You're highly thought of.
21:15
SPEAKER_17: What did that mean to you in terms of your confidence that even knowing that you were gonna have to overcome that, places like Tennessee still wanted you to come be somebody who helps lead the program?
21:27
SPEAKER_00: That was like kind of one of the biggest things when I got in the transport.
21:30
SPEAKER_00: It was like not knowing who would still want me while I'm injured.
21:33
SPEAKER_00: And when I got in there, it was like a no-brainer, like a lot of coaches were reaching out.
21:37
SPEAKER_00: And um, when I talked to Tennessee, they had a plan for me.
21:40
SPEAKER_00: And that was one of the biggest aspects I seen when I came here.
21:43
SPEAKER_00: Nolan, Cassie, and JD had a plan for me.
21:46
SPEAKER_00: So it was like, you know, I'm gonna get better here.
21:48
SPEAKER_00: So I wanted to trust in the process and you know, put that work in, and now it's paying off.
21:52
SPEAKER_00: So honestly, it's kind of like a blessing um to be in this position and have like a lot of resources and technology here to.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: be able to go out on our own court and and be a hundred percent and be better than what I was before.
22:04
SPEAKER_00: So I think it was truly like a a blessing in disguise to have Kim Caldwell like be um I don't know, believe in me come out of the quarter while being injured.
22:14
SPEAKER_17: So what does Jada Eads add to Lady Vol basketball?
22:18
SPEAKER_00: I would say pace, energetic, um control, uh getting a lot of the teammates involved and putting them in the right positions to be able to score.
22:26
SPEAKER_00: So I would say like organization, just overall point guard and being a leader.
22:31
SPEAKER_17: Being a lady vault is a big deal.
22:33
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
22:33
SPEAKER_17: Especially in basketball.
22:35
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
22:35
SPEAKER_00: Is there pressure?
22:36
SPEAKER_17: Do you feel pressure in a in a good way?
22:39
SPEAKER_00: I don't feel pressure, but I feel like I've had support behind me, whether it's like my coaches or like you know the ladyball community and the supporters behind it.
22:47
SPEAKER_00: So I mean I don't feel pressure but I'm very excited to be able to play in front of those supporters and to play in the arena.
22:53
SPEAKER_00: So I mean I'm excited.
22:54
SPEAKER_24: What was Kim Caldwell's pitch to you?
22:57
SPEAKER_24: It was gonna be very hard.
22:59
SPEAKER_24: She from the jump she told me it was going to be very hard it's probably gonna be the hardest I've ever worked in life and trust me it's been that what part of it has been hard?
23:10
SPEAKER_24: Um everything from like physically uh mentally because like we go through so much but I love it though because it's all gonna be worth it in the end you know and we're all together like all my teammates we're all going through it together.
23:26
SPEAKER_17: You're known for the double double that's that's what you do.
23:29
SPEAKER_17: You get rebounds 6-2 make plays um how do you fit into the up tempo of what Kim wants to do especially the emphasis on the defensive end.
23:42
SPEAKER_24: Um I feel like like my game for itself like speaks for itself um I could play fast uh I could rebound the ball I can bring the ball up the floor um all stuff that Kim said that she needed uh when I came on my visit and I felt like I could do those things and more um I've been uh fine-tuning my game to my three point shot um just working to be the player that not only she wants me to be for the team but a player that I want to be that they're gonna need at the next level.
24:14
SPEAKER_17: Change in coming to the SEC in style of play or how you'll be used what do you anticipate?
24:21
SPEAKER_25: I mean I anticipate my game to be the same.
24:23
SPEAKER_25: I don't think when I transfer from schools that they change my game they kind of just like I've transferred to schools where I fit their system so it's not like I have to change the where I play or become a different player coming into a new school.
24:35
SPEAKER_25: I kind of it blends seamlessly because I do my research on how the school plays so that I know that I'm a fit for the school what was your research about Tennessee what did it indicate that meant that you would be a fit I think just watching their their style of play they say they play fast, want to play in transition, they press I've been on Maryland they used to press a lot too so just being familiar with the things that on how Tennessee and Kim wants her team to play.
25:00
SPEAKER_17: Yeah Kayleen Schmeichel has always been able to score yes how would you describe the offensive part of your game I think unstoppable like I love it.
25:12
SPEAKER_25: I'm gonna give you I'm gonna work you hard for 40 minutes.
25:14
SPEAKER_25: So from the time I step on the court to the time the game buzzer ends I'm gonna give you my all you're six feet tall.
25:19
SPEAKER_25: Yes guard yes okay so have you always been able to handle the basketball or is that something you've had to work really hard at I always have when I was younger I started off being more of like a four five because just because I was naturally taller than everyone else but my parents and coaches always made sure that I know how to dribble because they always told me that in a college level I'm gonna be a guard not a post.
25:41
SPEAKER_17: Okay.
25:42
SPEAKER_17: How did you get started playing basketball?
25:44
SPEAKER_25: Oh my siblings I'm the youngest sibling one of four one of four yeah and they all play basketball so I've I grew up being around basketball.
25:51
SPEAKER_17: And who was your idol in terms of basketball?
25:54
SPEAKER_17: Who was your North Star?
25:56
SPEAKER_25: I think my siblings like we used to really yeah we used to play outside all the time like I feel like that's where I've got my intensity in the way I play is from my siblings.
26:03
SPEAKER_17: Is that right?
26:04
SPEAKER_25: Yeah they never took it easy on me.
26:06
SPEAKER_25: What is it like playing for Kim Caldwell as you start to really get into the heart of practice and move toward the season I mean I really love playing for her she coaches hard loves the game like the intensity she brings each and every day just wants me to makes me want to be a better player.
26:22
SPEAKER_14: It's time for this week in Big Orange Country presented by Visit Knoxville.
26:27
SPEAKER_20: Plan your trip today at visitknoxville.com It's time now for this week in Big Orange Country presented by Visit Knoxville.
26:36
SPEAKER_20: While Tennessee football is on the bye this weekend there's still some SEC competition to check out here on Rocky Top Tennessee Soccer returns home to Regal Soccer Stadium Sunday afternoon to close out its regular season against Oklahoma.
26:50
SPEAKER_20: First kick is set for 1 p.m Eastern and admission is free for all fans.
26:55
SPEAKER_20: Meanwhile Tennessee volleyball hits the road for a pair of SEC matchups the Lady Balls will first take on number 19 Texas AM Friday night at 7.30 Eastern before heading to Missouri Sunday that was a look at this week in Big Orange Country presented by Visit Knoxville.
27:12
SPEAKER_23: Plan your trip at visitnoxville.com This special preseason kickoff on the Vall Network sponsored by UT Medical the official healthcare provider of the Valls being at the Valls game saved my life it was a normal day going to the game with my son but this time it felt like a sledgehammer hit my chest.
27:33
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28:39
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28:44
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28:58
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29:01
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29:06
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30:30
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30:42
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30:54
SPEAKER_17: This is the Tennessee basketball preview edition of the Mike Keith Show presented by UT Medical, the official health care provider of the vols we're so glad that you joined us for the 2026-27 Tennessee basketball preview part of the Mike Keith show and we certainly thank our sponsor for this show UT Medical official healthcare provider of both the Vols and the Lady Valls here's a scenario that happens with players in today's college basketball game both on the women's side and the men's side players become teammates having played against one another while they were both at other schools that's the case with Juke Harris and Dayday Ames.
31:40
SPEAKER_17: Harris spent the last two years at Wake Forest while Ames was at Virginia and then Cal.
31:47
SPEAKER_17: So they played two ACC games against one another now two years ago Juke didn't have much court time when he faced Day Day's team but last year Wake Forest and Cal faced off and both new volunteers had incredible games Virginia at Wake Forest February 26 2025 Virginia wins over Wake Forest 83 to 75 Day Day Ames for Virginia 36 minutes 14 points Duke Harris coming off the bench at that point weren't playing a lot you had 12 minutes.
32:24
SPEAKER_17: What do you remember about that game do you remember that game?
32:29
SPEAKER_11: Yeah I remember that game we was um really on kind of like a losing streak trying to get a win and you know I feel like that was probably our best game we played that whole year.
32:40
SPEAKER_17: So what do you remember about Day Day Ames from that game from the scout from everything?
32:46
SPEAKER_17: Because that was probably the first time you'd ever heard of it.
32:48
SPEAKER_09: Yeah uh I remember the scout was he was uh left-handed he could shoot the ball uh he could get down here he was a strong guard so of course you you hear that it's like all right well we're gonna have to guard so you would think everybody was locked in on the defense at the end but uh when we got out there yeah he was frying this too he was frying this against Virginia too so uh but that Virginia team was a tough team they did a lot of uh yeah I did a lot of like floppy actions and stuff like that too so they constantly was coming off screens it was it was hard to play them because it's always hard to uh play against a team that's running off a whole lot of screens and yeah they he killed his dug okay so last year's matchup was more fun though yeah that's yeah okay seven months ago you play March 7th 2026 so roughly seven months ago California at Wake Forest Wake wins 80 to 73 Juke Harris plays all 40 minutes you go the whole way ten of 22 from the field eight of 16 from three 15 boards 31 points you remember this yeah okay on the other side day day aims nine of eighteen from the field six of ten from three 33 minutes 31 points you both went over 30 in the same game against one another since you won that one and you had 31 what do you remember uh I just remember I think we was uh kind of like losing around this time too and we was uh we knew Kyle was a good team and if we was to beat them it kind of gave us like a little a little boost you know a little confidence so I remember coming to that game a lot of the guys was locked in ready to play and then I think they went up like 20 at one point yeah I think they had one of like 20 at one point and we was thinking like because he was killing like he was already killing so we was like how can we really stop him because he was like one of the main guys on the team so we we found the way to grid it out and come back and win.
34:46
SPEAKER_11: Day day what do you remember um it was a it was that was probably one of the funniest games I played for real um we was like he said we was we was killing him you know I was I was getting to my spots talking crazy then I know uh second quarter come somebody must have woke juke up because he just started getting every rebound dunking it shoot threes middies I'm like nah I know he be about to lose and we were just up at 15 20 points are you thinking where did this guy come from from last year?
35:16
SPEAKER_17: Nah for sure so you were talking crazy?
35:20
SPEAKER_09: Yeah really he was he wasn't the only one he wasn't the only one it was uh I I forgot what number it was but it was multiple of them for us yeah they were talking crazy they was up so we when we came in I came out of halftime you know we weren't going for none of that so we we could we could did either one of you guard the other in the game yeah a couple times so I think the matchup against him was really just a pivotal okay so but you didn't you didn't really have him did you have him at all?
35:55
SPEAKER_09: I can't I probably did I probably did because I think around that time we were doing we were switching too so it might have been some time I switched on to him.
36:02
SPEAKER_09: Alright so you're in the transfer portal and Dayday's here Dayday chooses to come you remember having played against him obviously how how does that kind of affect your thoughts about what coach Barnes transfer portal class is and what Tennessee he's gonna have uh I knew definitely going to get Dayday I knew he was going for more of a like an offensive offensive uh threat coming into this year so whenever I decided to uh pull my name out of the draft and come back to school and I was looking at different schools to go to I seen Daday had already committed I seen Jalen uh already committed I seen T Hill and I seen Tyler Lumbly I'm like it's a lot of guards a lot of scorn and I know Rick Barnes he's gonna get us on the defensive end too so it's like I I feel like I fit right in so you know Tennessee always had a place in my heart especially coming out of high school too so I feel like that's the right decision for me.
36:58
SPEAKER_17: Did you help recruit Juke at all?
37:00
SPEAKER_11: Um I text you right yeah yeah I text him yeah see what he was what he was uh gonna do but um I was happy we committed man you know playing against him you know him getting out on rebounds him scoring like that I just knew that we was gonna we was gonna be a nice team and so what was the scout like on Juke Harris sophomore year sophomore year um going into that game with Cal what what are they telling you about this guy and how special he is um they was really saying NBA prospect for sure um what else they were saying they're seeing strong downhill can shoot it they were seeing a lot you know how the coaches be when you're going to get somebody good on another team they like to overhype stuff but you think they overhype?
37:48
SPEAKER_09: Nah they ain't overhype at all I see what you said though every time we go into like a team we go play somebody whoever the best player is they go make it seem like me LeBron Michael Joy they may go do that every time so I know what he said.
38:01
SPEAKER_17: Alright so let me ask you this game day snacks you're going to pilot you got to get your game day snacks now this is not for you play because that wouldn't make any sense but let's say you're going to the football game okay you're gonna get your game day snacks day day what do you have to go into pilot and come away with and we're not gonna tell Garrett Maiden what it is you're you're you're having a cheat day tell us to get some grapes a couple grapes I'll probably go hot fries.
38:32
SPEAKER_11: Hot fries all right I love hot fries like hot Cheetos some Gatorade Gatorade that's about it.
38:41
SPEAKER_17: So you're not a candy guy though?
38:42
SPEAKER_17: Nah too many cavities too many cavities four out of five dentists say Day Day Ames doesn't have doesn't eat uh sweets okay Drew Carris mine will probably either be uh purple purple bag of Doritos or purple why are purple Doritos because they're the the s uh sweet and spicy jants okay so yeah they they they're pretty good if I don't get those then I go hot fries too hot fries yeah uh gummy lifesavers oh those are good yeah either goes forget about those uh or go uh if I want like a tackle go Kit Kat and then um I go either a blue calypso a power generate okay so yeah variety of everything all right so you get a little bit of everything see the Kit Kat's dangerous though because they've got the jumbo Kit Kat like a normal Kit Kat that's okay but I like the jumbo yeah I do too because I could just keep going are you guys big Halloween people were you big Halloween candy people growing up yeah okay what'd you love it when somebody put in your bag at Halloween um it's like these chocolate whoppers yeah every time he I used to get right on those laffy taffy's laffy taffy and that got you the cavities so you stopped yeah yeah thanks so much for joining when the Tennessee basketball preview edition of the Mike Keith show continues Rick Barnes right over there stay tuned Mike Keith Mike Keith Mike Keith back with more Big Orange Insider Access we are the Vol Network we continue with this special edition of the Mike Keith show it's the 2026 27 Tennessee basketball preview edition presented by UT Medical official healthcare provider of both the Vols and the Lady Vols our next guest while he certainly needs no introduction to Tennessee basketball fans the legendary head coach of the basketball vols Rick Barnes coach welcome good to see you how you been I'm great thank you good I I've got to ask you first um you weren't very happy with the team in the two exhibition games were you happier in the close scrimmage against Davidson?
41:03
SPEAKER_22: I'll say this Mike we came back we had two of our best practices where I think reality uh stepped in and or showed you know there's a difference in perception and reality.
41:16
SPEAKER_22: I think the reality set in that maybe who we thought we were as a team or as individuals we weren't and so the one thing that certainly came out of the Duke game and showed up the next couple of days in practice was a team that was together.
41:31
SPEAKER_22: And we come back against Davison and look more like the kind of team that we know that we've got to have we've always scrimmaged Davison I showed the team a day out two days out uh where we had scrimmaged them two years ago with an Elite eight team with four minutes going to game.
41:48
SPEAKER_22: It was a tie ball game.
41:50
SPEAKER_22: And and every every year we've scrimmaged Davison it's been like that because they're so well coached.
41:56
SPEAKER_22: You talk about a team that understands detail they truly understand playing together they have to and uh you know we got in a game uh we were tied at halftime and did some special situations to break it up and then only had a 15 minute quick 12 minute uh halftime but came out and played and and both teams played really really hard and again in the last three and a half minutes we got control of the game.
42:21
SPEAKER_22: Tyler played his first game uh his his experience his uh wisdom showed up and and just in the fact that when a guy made a mistake he was the first guy there to tap him on the butt and say man come on let's go that's over with let's get moving.
42:35
SPEAKER_22: We haven't had that and uh and we played it without juke and Terrence Hill and obviously Jalen Washington is not ready to not able to play yet but so many good things came out that now we can start to grow.
42:48
SPEAKER_22: Uh I but I felt what came out of the Duke game more mentally helped us more than anything else, knowing that hey, we better now take a good hard look at who we are as individuals and and decide what kind of basketball team we want to have.
43:02
SPEAKER_17: Is it true the film session was three hours after Duke?
43:06
SPEAKER_22: No, it was a little bit longer a little bit longer.
43:13
SPEAKER_17: I mean no breaks no I felt I felt like we were only in there about 20 minutes.
43:20
SPEAKER_22: I mean I I you know I love watching tape.
43:22
SPEAKER_22: I think it's a great way to learn I mean I I I think the key is when you can start seeing the court.
43:28
SPEAKER_22: So many people and in some ways as a coach is a little bit of a I don't want to say a curse, but you see a lot as a coach and when you're sort of anal, you want to fix it all as opposed maybe like let's let that l ride a little bit.
43:44
SPEAKER_22: It's hard for me to do that.
43:45
SPEAKER_22: And uh but I I also know that if you can see ten players, the game gets so much slower and so much easier for you.
43:53
SPEAKER_22: And so I'd like to think that as we're watching film that guys are starting to understand there's a lot going on on that court.
44:00
SPEAKER_22: That they don't see that they need to see.
44:01
SPEAKER_22: And coaches just want you to do the fundamental things, you know, you know, just do what we practice.
44:07
SPEAKER_22: And uh, but trying to get guys to understand that is obviously the most difficult thing, especially when you think you go to Duke, you got Xavier, and both of uh, you know, Rick the Richard Patino and John Shire are terrific coaches.
44:20
SPEAKER_22: They've got five, maybe six guys that knew the system, knew what was it.
44:24
SPEAKER_22: We have so many guys that don't even know yet what we're about, let alone knows what it's going to take to win at the highest level.
44:31
SPEAKER_22: But again, Saturday was much more encouraging for us.
44:34
SPEAKER_17: Do you think the 26-27 Vault basketball team is now used to Rick Barnes?
44:42
SPEAKER_22: Yeah, I do.
44:43
SPEAKER_22: I think they're I think they're starting to understand why we do what we do, you know.
44:47
SPEAKER_22: And it goes back again the one thing that Tyler brought and and Jalen Washington would bring the same thing.
44:53
SPEAKER_22: They've been in it five years.
44:55
SPEAKER_22: You know, they know.
44:57
SPEAKER_22: They know what it's about.
44:58
SPEAKER_22: They know, they know it's a it's a grind.
45:00
SPEAKER_22: They know that you're gonna win.
45:02
SPEAKER_22: If you win, you're gonna have to be in a lot of close games.
45:05
SPEAKER_22: I I I just think leadership is a huge part of it.
45:08
SPEAKER_22: It's the mentality.
45:09
SPEAKER_22: I mean, physically, our guys have done everything we've asked them to do.
45:13
SPEAKER_22: Mentally is where we're still searching.
45:17
SPEAKER_22: And but like I said, we made some strides Saturday.
45:20
SPEAKER_17: Do you sense the leadership is taking shape?
45:24
SPEAKER_22: We had it Saturday.
45:26
SPEAKER_22: You know, uh I saw so many good things uh Saturday.
45:29
SPEAKER_22: Uh you know, Miles Rubin had a really good game.
45:32
SPEAKER_22: I don't know if it was because he had played against Davison before, but honestly played the best basketball that we've seen him play since he's since he's been here, including his best practices.
45:42
SPEAKER_22: Um you know, we only right now we only took one bad shot early.
45:50
SPEAKER_22: And I would tell you, it's probably uh it was an open shot, but it was the exact shot that Davison would want you to take when they were playing a really a collapse type defense, really protecting three-point line down.
46:04
SPEAKER_22: That's where uh again in every one of our uh the two other exhibition games, it's just bad, I mean, bad offense gave it didn't give us a chance to be a good defensive team.
46:14
SPEAKER_22: It just it, you know, turnovers, uh our transition D, uh we we still are not there because, you know, after a missed shot, your point guard's got to get back.
46:23
SPEAKER_22: We're still not good enough at kicking them out the very first play of the game against Davison.
46:27
SPEAKER_22: They came right down to court and we had a a guard on a post player down there, and we gotta learn how to kick that guy out quicker.
46:34
SPEAKER_22: But you know, Mike, if we were as good as we're gonna be right now, I'd be pretty bummed out, I think, you know, because we we've always gotten better.
46:42
SPEAKER_22: And uh as long as I know that we're making that stride to get better, and we got a week here to get it all together.
46:48
SPEAKER_22: Hopefully everybody everybody will be healthy and uh before we open up next week.
46:54
SPEAKER_22: What will November be about for Tennessee basketball?
46:58
SPEAKER_22: Winning games.
46:59
SPEAKER_22: Yeah, you know, we I mean we know what we're playing for.
47:02
SPEAKER_22: We obviously need to um what's what's happened to us up to this point?
47:06
SPEAKER_22: Uh when you're going through it, you know, there's disappointments, you know.
47:11
SPEAKER_22: I mean, anytime you have exp expectations, but to be brutally honest, we went in the first two exhibition games having no idea what what what to expect because we'd been so up and down in practice, we had had very little separation.
47:28
SPEAKER_22: And you know, at some point you would like to see some of it, but if you don't get it, that means you got great depth.
47:33
SPEAKER_22: And then we gotta understand we've got to use that depth.
47:36
SPEAKER_22: And uh going into the Davison game, uh, again without uh Ju and Terrence, not sure other than that we knew that uh what we knew coming out of the Duke game that Mandy would compete.
47:50
SPEAKER_22: Uh we knew that uh Marquise would.
47:52
SPEAKER_22: Uh I think our post guys tried in all those games, and I say tried, I'm talking about focus, probably is a better word, but uh we were all excited about Tyler to see because we've all felt that he would would help us.
48:07
SPEAKER_22: We weren't sure how many different ways he would.
48:10
SPEAKER_22: And uh so going forward here, you know, we're gonna play here early.
48:15
SPEAKER_22: I I think Michigan State comes in here in what, three or 17th.
48:18
SPEAKER_22: Yeah, was that a couple, I don't know what the day is today it is, but but you know, they're coming in and and I but I also uh I was talking to Coach McLean today and you know who's the the the ultimate basketball junkie and he told me that you know he you know he watches basketball night and day, that uh Michigan State has lost their two exhibition games.
48:36
SPEAKER_22: Yeah, and we've lost a lot of exhibition games since we've been here, you know.
48:40
SPEAKER_22: And he said, I know what uh in his exact words he said, I know what Tom's doing.
48:44
SPEAKER_22: He's a veteran coach, he's making some points, seeing some different re seeing some different lineups.
48:51
SPEAKER_22: And yeah, do you want to win?
48:53
SPEAKER_22: I can say sometimes um we've had some wins early in my career where we thought we were there, and we ended up having, I mean, at one time like we were 17 and oh and uh number one team in the country, and then proceeded to lose something like uh we went like eight and eight the rest of the way because we had been too easy, a little bit of a what it what would you call it, a little false bravo, you know, bravo.
49:19
SPEAKER_22: And and and so what's happened to us, we've got to look at it.
49:23
SPEAKER_22: It's been good.
49:24
SPEAKER_22: All part of God's plan.
49:25
SPEAKER_22: Hey, this has been good, and now we're gonna keep getting better because we got a good group of guys.
49:29
SPEAKER_22: They they want to, they they they're good, they like each other.
49:32
SPEAKER_22: They they want to be a good basketball team, uh, and they're learning what it takes, I think, to win.
49:39
SPEAKER_22: They know now what goes into losing for certain.
49:41
SPEAKER_22: That's what a three and a half hour film session will teach you.
49:43
SPEAKER_22: If you if you're willing to learn, if you're willing to listen and hear it.
49:47
SPEAKER_17: You know their expectations for this basketball team.
49:49
SPEAKER_17: I mean, incredible expectations.
49:52
SPEAKER_22: Does any of that worry you at all?
49:54
SPEAKER_22: No, I can care less about outside expectations.
49:56
SPEAKER_22: It it uh I don't I don't like the word worry about it, any of it.
50:00
SPEAKER_22: I I don't care what other people think.
50:02
SPEAKER_22: We we know what our expectations are, and our believe it or not, ours are higher than the people outside.
50:06
SPEAKER_22: I can assure you that, because we we live, we live with it every day.
50:10
SPEAKER_22: I mean we we I have expectations today that we're gonna get better as a basketball team.
50:14
SPEAKER_22: I'm not just thinking about the games, because if we don't win today, we're not gonna win tomorrow, you know, and so you're talking about my expectations are to get a little bit better each and every day.
50:25
SPEAKER_22: And uh we'll go through like any team.
50:27
SPEAKER_22: There will I don't think there will be an undefeated team in college basketball.
50:32
SPEAKER_22: I don't I think the days uh what last what happened last year in college football is pretty amazing when you go back and think about it.
50:39
SPEAKER_22: But uh the fact is um I've always said expectations lead to disappointments if you don't know how to handle expectations.
50:49
SPEAKER_22: And if you're going out trying to please people that uh don't really understand what goes into winning, that's when the expectations will bite you.
50:58
SPEAKER_22: If you embrace the expectations, if you embrace the pressure, and and it and it's pressure whether you win, whether it's their expectations or not.
51:07
SPEAKER_22: I mean, we want to win.
51:08
SPEAKER_22: I mean, we don't do all this to go out and you know, not uh we we don't we don't want to get embarrassed, but to me, whether you, you know, sometimes you'd rather get beat by 40 than lose by one.
51:19
SPEAKER_22: You know, I mean it it's heartbreaking.
51:21
SPEAKER_22: I mean, when you're right there and you look back and man, we we lost this game by one point because we had a lane violation where a guy missed a free throw and we stepped in the lane and he got it back, that's how fine a line it is.
51:33
SPEAKER_22: And but what we've got to do first of all is understand how to win four minute games, you know, and know that and we've got to get players to realize that they can go out and give it all they got for two minutes, and then the next go round, see if they can play for two two minutes and five seconds, then two ten, two twenty, two thirty, and before you know it, by January, you they're up you hope they can roll for four four if they have to.
51:58
SPEAKER_17: That does it for this special edition of the Mike Keith Show, the 2026-27 basketball preview edition presented by UT Medical.
52:12
SPEAKER_17: Thanks for joining us.
52:13
SPEAKER_17: We'll see you next time.