TCU men's basketball head coach Jamie Dixon looks ahead to NCAA Tournament matchup vs. Utah State.
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00:00 >> Well, I just saw you got the guys together.
00:04 I think, did you talk to all the players going here?
00:06 So yeah, I mean, it's time.
00:12 I mean, obviously, I hate to say we're used to this or what, but you never do.
00:19 But excited for our players and they've done remarkable again,
00:24 talking to the guys that have been here a couple of years and
00:26 being the third year in a row, it's a lot.
00:28 And Steve has some stats of very few schools have done what we've done,
00:32 been to determine three times, win some games in the NCAA tournament each year.
00:36 So we need to win some this year.
00:37 And Utah State, it's very familiar with the school,
00:43 and very familiar with the coach, Coach Brinkle.
00:46 Actually, I said, I've been around a little bit, but he was a freshman at
00:50 Montana State, but I was coaching in Northern Arizona, and they won the league.
00:53 So we go way back, and I was family, and I know him, and he can shoot.
01:01 And so I'm guessing their team can shoot, Utah State.
01:04 I know he brought a lot of his players with him from Montana State.
01:08 So I do know a little bit more about him.
01:10 We hung out, actually, I was recruiting in December, I guess, and
01:14 we actually hung out in a gym watching a game a couple months ago.
01:18 So I know the program, Coach, it's a long history,
01:22 a huge home court advantage there.
01:24 Thankfully, we're not playing in Logan, Utah, and very familiar.
01:30 I guess we played Friday, don't know what time we practiced today.
01:34 Earlier, I guess I told you, liked our energy, liked what we did.
01:38 I think we redressed some stuff early as far as how well we defended in Kansas City.
01:45 Obviously, we worked on some layups today, see if we can make some layups.
01:50 But I was very proud of how we played, first of all, in the Oklahoma game.
01:54 And then in that game with a rebound team by 15, that's good.
01:59 And 30 offensive rebounds tells you how hard you play.
02:02 Kids are always wanting to be, I mean, just trying to miss layups and open shots.
02:07 So I was proud of our performance.
02:10 And I think we're positioned well.
02:12 Our defense got better though that week, which is what I really started when we met.
02:18 We got back here is our defense is better.
02:20 I've been talking about it, talking about it, talking about it.
02:22 And somehow our offense kind of let us down in Kansas City transition offense.
02:29 By far, our worst numbers.
02:31 So that's what I got, excited for again.
02:39 And I know we've done this,
02:43 we're making this a punch and I've been here.
02:47 But it never gets old and you go in with everybody goes in with all kinds of hope.
02:53 And proud of Big 12 and what we've done and
02:56 looking forward to the opportunity to represent TCU in Indianapolis.
03:00 I'm looking forward to playing there.
03:02 It's one place I haven't been.
03:03 I think I've been tournament 15 times head coach.
03:07 I was looking at the sites a lot of them, but half of them I've been to.
03:11 But Indianapolis, my first time looking at that one as a site.
03:15 >> Coach, how do you hope the experience is prepared?
03:18 This is being that third time, how do you hope they prepare?
03:20 >> I told them better.
03:21 I mean, I said hey, you guys have built up an opportunity and
03:25 every situation is different.
03:27 But we won't be playing the last game of the night, I guess, this time,
03:33 which I think we've done each time in the last two years.
03:35 But yeah, well, let me go watch Utah State.
03:39 Let me see.
03:40 I liked how we handled today, to be honest with you, it was a good day.
03:42 A little slow to start, but not really.
03:47 And I liked how we did.
03:51 We did a lot of offensive stuff, sets, plays.
03:53 Even in practice, but he was banged up in the last game, obviously.
04:01 We had a few guys with ankle injuries.
04:02 So that's good.
04:03 By the way, it's Friday.
04:04 We got work to do.
04:07 Let me go watch Utah State.
04:08 Let me go try to figure out what we're doing there.
04:11 But we've got a lot of stuff in.
04:13 We've seen a lot of different things.
04:15 I think we're a little more prepared for different.
04:20 And that may be good, but let me see.
04:23 I know I have a big ankle score, so that'll be a priority.
04:28 >> You mentioned that you liked the step forward the defense took last week.
04:32 What do you wanna see this week to continue building on that?
04:34 >> Make layups, I think I started with that one.
04:36 That was the first thing.
04:38 But you want guys that are, we just played very hard in the last game.
04:44 We already got a team of 15, 30 offensive rebounds.
04:48 I said, I think that was gonna be a record, and
04:50 I guess it was pretty close to a record.
04:52 And you usually don't make records against the number one,
04:54 positive records against the number one team in the country.
04:58 But we did, so I feel like we're playing well.
05:01 I think this, I feel like earnestness is back.
05:06 And he was improving, we lose him for five, six games.
05:09 He was limping around the other, in Kansas City, but I'm excited about that.
05:15 Guards are healthy.
05:19 I feel like we're in a good spot right now as far as today's practice.
05:25 Tomorrow, my guess is we'll take Tuesday off, and Wednesday, Thursday.
05:31 So probably, do I have that right?
05:33 So probably Wednesday.
05:35 >> You mentioned the ankle injuries.
05:36 Do you expect everyone to be available for Friday?
05:39 >> Yeah, I think, yeah.
05:40 He might get practice today, so I didn't get too much into it.
05:43 But I'm not paying the bill yet, so.
05:46 But I think so.
05:47 Mineris was out today.
05:48 He wasn't limping around today, so that was a good sign.
05:50 He's been limping around.
05:52 We were talking about Ernest, and he didn't finish great the other day.
05:56 And I was like, he hasn't practiced.
05:58 We played a guy, Ernest,
05:59 that hadn't practiced in any of the days prior to those games.
06:02 I didn't know what we were getting.
06:05 So I'm encouraged that he actually,
06:09 I think his first day of practice in about a month and a half.
06:13 >> Every player's point has come through here.
06:15 But what do you like, Guy Mad, Shudder,
06:17 the guys that you've been through, what do you want their legacy to be?
06:19 >> Yeah, I mean, it's so different.
06:22 I used to have the speech, feel ready to go on different things.
06:25 And talking about a four year career here at Pitt, and Kendridge, and Desmond.
06:30 But this is different.
06:33 It was after COVID, so to go a year or two where you weren't even talking to your
06:39 players or seeing them and showing up and canceled games and practices.
06:44 Canceled, though I've since found out a lot of teams were practicing when you
06:50 weren't supposed to be, and recruiting, I guess.
06:53 But I guess we took the wrong strategy there.
06:56 But these guys came, none of them might have been in the tournament.
07:05 Kobe hadn't, E-Man hadn't, Xavier hadn't.
07:11 So I mean, it was a sell on that.
07:13 We had just been to the tournament to part of COVID and when the NIT.
07:18 So we were selling them on what we were becoming and
07:22 talking to them about that, and they've delivered.
07:25 And they've delivered on the court and they've delivered off the court.
07:29 All of their degrees, all have been great representatives of TCU.
07:34 It's more of a group thing.
07:35 They're really close too.
07:38 If we get them all, it's Kobe, Xavier, E-Man, Micah.
07:45 Those four guys, I guess, kind of group them together.
07:48 But yeah, that's what kind of sticks out to me.
07:52 They're close off the court, they're close on the court.
07:55 They've come here and they've done what's never been done.
07:58 And it's good to be doing things that's never been done and
08:03 people thought couldn't be done.
08:05 But they've done it and it's not like we're done here yet.
08:12 We can do something more.
08:14 >> Eight Big 12 teams made it into the tournament.
08:17 You've talked about this conference all year, but what does that say about-
08:20 >> Yeah, I mean, I guess,
08:21 I'm sorry, I didn't see the whole thing, but eight.
08:26 I mean, it's like I think we played the third most quad one games in the country.
08:33 I mean, but I don't know.
08:37 I used to say that in the Big East, no one went to the ACC, so
08:40 guys are tired of hearing my story on the conference and
08:45 selling the best conference, but the reality is it's been accurate.
08:48 I mean, we've gotten better, it's helped the conference get better.
08:54 And we're seeing it because eight teams are in the tournament now.
08:57 So hey, we're the best basketball conference in the country.
09:02 It's been close.
09:04 You know it's the case when they start taking shots at you.
09:08 That's when you know, and that's how it's gonna continue too.
09:12 So when they start talking, like our second schedule is 26,
09:18 I think when I saw it last night.
09:20 And when they're talking about the strength, that means you're winning.
09:23 You're winning because they start talking about your strength schedule.
09:25 So all these things have been pretty predictable, unpredicted.
09:28 And I told you so, but it's happened.
09:31 You play the third most power fives or quad ones, your strength schedule is 26.
09:38 And then you're gonna write about the schedule.
09:40 I'm like, okay, whatever, you gotta write something.
09:44 And we don't have anybody getting arrested, we don't have anybody getting in trouble.
09:47 So you gotta find something, so they go to the strength schedule,
09:51 which is 26 out of 362.
09:57 So we're good, we're good, and we got an opportunity here.
10:01 And we got great kids graduating, doing the right things.
10:05 Remember I said DCU, fun, there'll be a class tomorrow.
10:09 There'll be talk with people on campus, there'll be communicating with the students.
10:13 They won't be in online courses, and they'll be a part of the campus tomorrow.
10:20 And we'll prepare and get ready for Friday.
10:22 >> What does it mean to you to be a part of this program at a time where
10:27 they have set a record for most consecutive tournament appearances?
10:32 >> It's what I planned to do.
10:33 People told me I was crazy, but I thought if I, as I've said before,
10:38 if I can't do it, who's gonna do it?
10:40 So I had the passion for the university and
10:44 I had the experience at different places in the country.
10:50 I was prepared for a challenge, and I like challenges.
10:56 So, but I feel like we have way more to do, and I know it won't be easy.
11:03 But I like being the underdog, I like challenges.
11:06 I always have been.
11:08 And then I have the extra advantage of having a passion and
11:14 a connection to the school, so I'm lucky in that regard.
11:17 >> You made the switch to put Chuck in the starting lineup and
11:21 see if you have success in that OU game especially.
11:23 Do you anticipate a stick with him?
11:24 >> Yeah, I think so.
11:25 I mean, believe it or not, we talked about we wanted,
11:28 we're finding ways to get better defensively.
11:30 And he had defended well in the last previous two games.
11:33 We chart everything, we show the players.
11:36 And we put him in there because of defense.
11:38 And I have a couple friends in the coaching and
11:41 I talked to him and I said, they laugh because Chuck's not known for his defense.
11:45 But I was like, hey, he performed.
11:47 We told him we were gonna play the best defenders and he earned it.
11:50 So I'm proud of him.
11:53 And he defended well in the two games in Oklahoma too,
11:58 I mean in Kansas City.
12:02 So it's not gonna change the minutes much, as I've told you guys about that,
12:08 this starter and so it's kind of that story.
12:11 But I don't think it changes them much.
12:13 I mean, he was on start, he's gonna play his 20 minutes, 25,
12:17 depending on some foul trouble and some things.
12:20 But their minutes aren't gonna change too much.
12:22 But we think this makes us better and we have to reward the defense.
12:29 Because I mean, it's been a battle, I don't know what a battle is supposed to be.
12:34 Like you bring in new guys, bring in new guards.
12:37 It's not easy, you have to get better.
12:40 And it's been a challenge and
12:42 I've tried every approach necessary to get us there defensively.
12:46 I told our guys today, we were, summer was loose.
12:53 It was get better, they'll take care of it, they'll get better defensively.
12:57 And then we go over in Europe, I couldn't believe how bad we were defensively.
13:00 I mean, the guys, they were individual players and they were scoring on us.
13:06 And so I was like, we got some work to do.
13:09 And it's been a challenge, it's been a challenge.
13:11 And it's been coaching, yelling, screaming.
13:15 I mean, I've joked that I've started cussing more this year for
13:21 the express purpose of trying to show how serious I am.
13:25 And not doing it like I normally like to, but
13:28 I was trying everything to get this team better defensively.
13:31 And we're getting there, and we were our best the last two games.
13:36 And so I've tried everything, and challenge, scream, yell.
13:42 I've tried everything, and we're good now defensively, I really believe that.
13:47 And we've adjusted too, we changed some things, we did some things too.
13:52 Maybe you don't know your strengths, you don't know your weaknesses.
13:56 I thought our guards would be more ready to defend.
13:59 They were gamblers rather than team solid defenders.
14:08 And that was just a hard adjustment for them.
14:12 And so, but I think they're getting there.
14:15 >> Coach, you've been to this tournament so many years.
14:19 >> Yeah. >> What do you like the most about
14:21 going to the tournament?
14:22 >> The great thing about the tournament is it's a great thing for your university.
14:32 It's everybody in the country right now is talking about 65 schools.
14:39 And the numbers are unbelievable, I mean, people are gonna do a bracket.
14:42 I mean, more people are gonna know about TCU now because of this.
14:48 I mean, give me the number.
14:51 How many brackets are 100,000, 100 million brackets?
14:54 It's ridiculous the amount of people that do brackets.
14:56 So somebody is gonna pick TCU to win.
14:59 And so I love that, it's great for our university.
15:04 It's new, and everybody goes in believing, everybody goes in believing.
15:09 So we're believing.
15:10 And so that's good enough, I think that's two good reasons.
15:15 >> Great.
15:16 >> So yeah, we're excited, and you know I'm tired of it.
15:21 I mean, I've been there 15 times as a head coach, a bunch of assistant.
15:27 [BLANK_AUDIO]
15:31 You said, how many guys have been 15 times in tournament?
15:35 >> I was in one of- >> You put it, you were figuring out.
15:38 So yeah, it's starting to get old.
15:41 So I've been about as many as- >> Nine.
15:45 >> Nine guys.
15:46 >> You keep the same routine?
15:48 You're- >> Yeah, I'm kinda, but
15:51 one thing with the routine is the NCAA, you gotta follow their routine.
15:54 I mean, you'd be amazed how structured it is.
15:56 You practice this time, you go for this, the media.
16:00 I mean, everything's planned out for you.
16:02 You have to change your routine to adjust to their routine.
16:07 TV, you guys, I mean, the game almost becomes
16:14 secondary as if you forget the itinerary and the plans.
16:20 I mean, Steve tells me everything I gotta do.
16:23 It kinda runs my life for the next four days.
16:25 >> Yeah.
16:27 >> It takes the place of my wife.
16:28 >> [LAUGH] >> Anything else we got?
16:34 All right.
16:35 >> Thank you all for being here.
16:37 >> We did 70 million practice laps.
16:39 >> 70 million?
16:40 All right, that's close.
16:41 >> 70 million people are gonna be looking at TCU.
16:44 >> On this side.
16:45 >> [INAUDIBLE]
16:47 >> Yeah.
16:49 >> 70 million practice.
16:51 >> Yeah.
16:52 >> [INAUDIBLE]