Louisville HC Jeff Walz Previews Middle Tennessee (3/20/24)
Transcript
00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:10 >> There's really not a whole bunch different.
00:22 They're very talented.
00:25 Wheeler at the point guard is just a dynamic player, can score the basketball,
00:32 can pass the ball, she leads that team.
00:35 The ball's in her hands a lot, but she's not just a high volume shooter.
00:42 She's a willing passer as well.
00:44 So, and I love the speed she plays at.
00:47 She's out there playing hard the entire time.
00:49 I mean, if you just look at their team,
00:52 it's pretty impressive when you look at the minutes played for their starting five.
00:56 It's their championship game, I think it was 40 minutes, 40, 40, 39, and 37.
01:05 And then one player played three off the bench, that's it.
01:08 And it's not like they're playing a two, three zone.
01:10 They're not walking the ball to the floor.
01:11 They're pushing transition.
01:13 They're attacking, they're playing hard.
01:15 They've got great size at the five.
01:19 And number two, the junior, she played really well against us last year.
01:26 She's an international player.
01:30 And then you've got Scott, who shoots a three, not as much as the rest of them,
01:36 but great at putting the ball on the ground and getting to the basket.
01:40 She defends extremely well too.
01:42 And then Gregory, it's really,
01:47 it's fascinating because of what she gets done.
01:50 She can pass the basketball, you gotta guard her.
01:53 She's taken 320 shots, 246 of them are threes.
02:00 So it's like 74 or whatever, 84 shots that aren't.
02:04 It's 74 shots that aren't threes.
02:07 And only nine of those are mid-range shots.
02:11 So it's either a three or she's gonna attack the basket.
02:16 But she's very effective, she guards well also.
02:19 And then Whitson who comes in at their four player, stretches the floor.
02:24 231 of her 298 total attempts are threes.
02:29 So they spread you out, everyone knows what they have to do and
02:33 what they're good at.
02:34 Now it's a matter of are we able to go out there and
02:37 make things difficult for them at the offensive end?
02:39 And then we have to score the ball as well.
02:42 >> How much can you or do you hope to rely on depth?
02:45 I mean, because like you said, they play a ton of minutes.
02:47 You can rotate some kids in and out.
02:50 Will depth be a factor?
02:52 >> Well, if you can get them in some type of foul trouble.
02:56 Depth is not gonna be a factor, they're in great shape.
02:58 The conditioning side of those young ladies is impressive.
03:03 You watch them on film, and it is they go, go, go.
03:06 They're not walking the ball to the floor.
03:08 It's not like they're in a full court press the entire time.
03:10 But once you get in the half court, I mean, they're out the nine on the wings.
03:14 They're scrambling, they're flying around.
03:16 So depth only becomes an issue if you get them in any type of foul trouble.
03:22 >> You kind of touched upon two on their team.
03:25 She walked away with CUSA Defensive Player of the Year.
03:28 What kind of stands out to you specifically about her with-
03:30 >> Well, she's their all time shot
03:32 blocker.
03:33 I mean, if you look at their record books, she blocks shots extremely well.
03:40 She's very patient around the basket.
03:44 She does a good job of getting position in the post.
03:47 She likes to catch the ball in the mid post, the low block.
03:51 She's not afraid to put the ball on the ground.
03:54 A lot of up and under spin moves, just very efficient.
03:58 And then she will step out, you have to guard her.
04:00 You can't not guard her at the three, cuz she will step out if she's wide open.
04:05 And she shoots 47% on 15 made threes.
04:09 So it's not like she's looking to pick and pop.
04:12 But you have to respect her for that.
04:14 >> Jeff, you've had so much success in the first weekend of the tournament when
04:20 you've had your best teams.
04:21 And when you've had teams maybe, you did have questions going into it.
04:24 What's been the formula during your time as far as the first weekend of
04:28 the tournament?
04:29 >> Well, it's gonna be how we defend.
04:31 It's one thing that we've always done here in tournament time.
04:36 We put in plan A, plan B, and plan C.
04:40 If we go to plan D, we got problems, because they are that good.
04:45 I mean, they're 29 and 4 for a reason.
04:48 They beat, they won on a neutral floor versus a good Tennessee team.
04:55 You've got to play your best, and we know that.
05:02 So for us, we've got to defend.
05:04 We can't give them easy baskets.
05:07 And then we can't turn the ball over 20 times.
05:11 If we do, we're not gonna win.
05:13 And I've talked to our kids about that.
05:14 I've tried to explain it to them.
05:15 We've worked on it in practice.
05:17 You gotta value the pass.
05:18 You can't float passes, and you can't just sling it off the dribble.
05:23 You gotta come to a jump stop.
05:24 We've had some players here in the past, Shoney, Der, Dana,
05:29 who could make passes off the bounce.
05:32 Make a behind the back pass.
05:34 We're not there right now.
05:36 So it's like I've tried to, it's not a negative.
05:40 But if we're not doing it well, stop doing it.
05:44 So for us, we have to keep it simple.
05:46 And if we can just come to a jump stop, pass fake,
05:49 we're shooting 45, 46% from the field as a team.
05:53 Our field goal percentage is fantastic.
05:55 But the problem is we're turning the darn thing over too much in the past month.
05:58 Show to them on film, over and over and over.
06:02 Now it's a matter of, are we gonna take what we've been working on and
06:07 transfer it into a game?
06:08 >> Seems like this time of year, Olivia's done well two years ago,
06:13 the Michigan game last year.
06:14 I think she had a career high in rebounding against Iowa.
06:16 What is it about her that just kind of rises to those occasions and
06:19 those moments?
06:20 >> Well, she's played in these big games.
06:23 She understands what's at stake.
06:25 She understands how important execution is.
06:29 Knowing your defensive assignment,
06:31 knowing where you're supposed to be on the floor at the offensive end.
06:35 You've gotta get the 50/50 balls.
06:37 If there's a loose ball, you can't stare at it.
06:39 You gotta be willing to dive on the floor.
06:41 O's willing to do those things.
06:43 So hopefully with her experience and
06:45 she's been practicing well, that we'll see that carry over for Friday.
06:50 >> For players that haven't played in March Madness yet,
06:53 kinda like Jada Curry comes to mind.
06:55 How do you treat this week of practice maybe a little differently for them?
06:58 Or is it kinda the same, cuz I mean this whole year you've been trying to get
07:00 them comfortable with the ACC, now this is just another thing.
07:03 >> No, it's basketball.
07:04 I mean, it's not like the game has changed.
07:06 But we are going to make sure that the kids enjoy it,
07:09 which we've always done here.
07:11 And I said that the other day at my radio show, I believe.
07:15 We're very fortunate that this is our 13th straight year of playing in it.
07:22 It's expected around here, expected to do well.
07:27 But the one thing I'll say is we're never gonna take it for granted.
07:30 So we're gonna make sure the Jadas, the Sids, the Kikis,
07:35 A-Lif, a Henny, everybody that this is their first one.
07:40 That we make sure that we don't just take things for granted and go down.
07:44 It's just another game.
07:45 It's not just another game, it's the NCAA tournament.
07:48 It's what makes this time of year so exciting.
07:50 So we're going to enjoy the process.
07:54 We're gonna make sure that we have a great trip.
07:57 At the same time, it is a basketball game.
07:59 The court hasn't stretched, the rims aren't higher, still a round ball.
08:04 So we're not gonna change that aspect of anything.
08:08 Now we do understand the importance of the urgency of playing every single play.
08:13 >> What do you mean by that in terms of enjoying it?
08:18 Going down there and looking around Baton Rouge or-
08:21 >> Well, no, making sure we're going down,
08:24 we're chartering down, we're gonna go out to eat tonight.
08:28 Where on a regular road trip, you normally just eat in a hotel.
08:32 But normally, you fly in there, you get in at six, you go to the hotel, you eat,
08:37 you watch a little film, you go to bed, you wake up, shoot around,
08:40 play the game, and fly home.
08:42 Now we have media down there tomorrow, we've got a 90 minute practice on the court,
08:46 we'll go to auxiliary gym and practice.
08:49 But we'll make sure that they get the experience of the NCAA tournament.
08:54 So that's what I mean by that.
08:56 So we'll take them out to eat tonight and go to a restaurant, yeah.
09:01 >> Jeff, when you look at each team's style of play and the individual matchups,
09:04 what do you think is the biggest difference between the previous matchup with
09:07 Middle Tennessee State and this one?
09:10 >> Well, they kicked our ass.
09:13 I mean, it was plain and simple.
09:16 So we did not play well, we were not playing well at that time.
09:19 And they played with urgency.
09:22 And it's what I've been trying to explain to our kids.
09:24 Like, you've got Louisville across your chest,
09:29 we played in five straight Elite Eights.
09:32 We've been to two Final Fours in that stretch.
09:35 So we're a pretty big game.
09:39 So but we have to understand, you have to come out, and
09:41 Middle to me is a really big game.
09:44 I've got to make sure, and I have,
09:46 our kids are quite aware of it after watching film how talented they are.
09:50 So it's more so, it's not about last year's team.
09:53 It's about what can we do this year with what we have and
09:57 how are we going to try to attack what they do.
10:00 So for us, I've got the utmost respect for what Rick and his staff and
10:05 his players are all about.
10:07 They've had a great program for years.
10:10 And now it's a matter of getting us prepared to play.
10:14 I say it all the time.
10:15 It's, when we're at Nebraska, I used to do our scheduling there.
10:23 I scheduled Wisconsin Green Bay to come in.
10:26 And everybody's like, who's Wisconsin Green Bay?
10:28 Are they any good?
10:29 Now, I could go schedule a Power Five team that's got a great football program,
10:35 and their women's basketball team might be terrible.
10:38 But they think the football team's coming to play.
10:41 So it's like, my God, the whole crowd comes out.
10:44 We win by 20, you play Wisconsin Green Bay and you lose by six.
10:48 It's like, man, my team must be terrible.
10:50 It's because people don't know women's basketball.
10:54 Middle is a program that's been really, really good for years.
10:57 They're 29 and 4.
10:59 I was surprised that they were actually an 11 seed.
11:02 With the wins they've had, I thought they had earned a higher seed.
11:06 So we're quite aware of how good they are.
11:11 Now, everybody else might not be.
11:14 But we're not overlooking them one bit, and
11:17 we know we're gonna have to play our best.
11:20 >> Jeff, given all that and the fact that they are pretty familiar with you and
11:25 your program, as tough a first round opponent as you guys have faced?
11:29 >> Without a doubt.
11:31 I mean, Drake in last year's tournament, I've said it for the past few years.
11:38 I mean, we have a ball club here that could lose in the first round.
11:43 And we have a ball club here that I think we could get to the second weekend again.
11:47 And then once you get there, anything can happen.
11:49 But we have to be playing our best.
11:52 And we've gotta have everyone dialed in on a defensive game plan and
11:57 what we're trying to get done at the offensive end.
11:59 But middle is very, very good.
12:02 I mean, we've played as a six or seven seed.
12:06 We played Vanderbilt the one year, who was really good.
12:10 We've had a lot of really good first round opponents.
12:15 Now it's just our time to focus on middle and see what we can do on Friday.
12:20 >> A lot of teams have issues with turnovers.
12:24 This late in the year, is it still something that can be corrected?
12:27 And when you look at it, is it from carelessness, or
12:30 is it from people trying to do too much, or what's usually the-
12:34 >> It's lack of focus.
12:36 Right now, when we look at the film and we show our team, and we're like,
12:40 cuz I'll pull out of our 23, 24 turnovers the last few ball games.
12:45 I'll pull out ten of them and just be like, hey, that's just a bet.
12:52 You went to drive and it bounced off your foot.
12:55 I mean, it happens.
12:57 But then we've had five straight games where we've turned the ball over,
13:01 throwing it inbounds after a made basket.
13:04 That's careless, that's lack of focus.
13:06 We've had at least four or five where we just catch and turn to throw a reverse
13:11 pass and don't even look at where the defense is, and
13:15 we literally throw it right to them.
13:16 Those are lack of focus and carelessness.
13:21 Those are the ones we have to fix.
13:23 And we've really worked on it the past week and a half.
13:26 So I'm hoping that we'll see progress on Friday.
13:31 Cuz if we can cut these turnovers down to 12 or 13, and
13:37 all of a sudden now we're getting nine or ten more shots, it's shooting 46%.
13:43 I mean, you're looking at eight to ten more points a game.
13:45 And it might not seem like a lot, but that's a lot.
13:51 When you're looking at the scores of our games, the losses that we've had,
13:56 it's the difference between a win and a loss.
13:58 >> What do the players say when you tell them that?
14:02 Do they see it or- >> Well, it's hard not to.
14:06 Like I tell them, when you throw it to somebody and they're wearing the other
14:09 color and then they go that way, then obviously it's like,
14:13 you know that's not your teammate.
14:15 So we are that far along.
14:16 We do know who's on our team.
14:19 But it's like I tell them all the time, and you can watch it.
14:24 So many players, instead of looking at the defense,
14:28 they look at the offensive player.
14:30 And that's the same thing as when you're watching teams within an offense.
14:34 You'll see someone go and double a post.
14:38 And you'll see that offensive player just stand there.
14:40 Because they're so focused on the ball that they're not paying attention to
14:43 the person that's guarding them.
14:45 So I always tell our kids, I don't care what we're running.
14:48 If we're in a set and we're in action and you see that your defender is staring at
14:52 the ball, just make a back cut to the basket, you're gonna shoot a layup.
14:55 But the problem is, we stare at the ball, and we stare at our teammates.
14:59 So when I go to make a ball reversal pass, I see my teammate.
15:03 I'm just not paying attention that the defender's only a foot away.
15:07 So yeah, she's open, but when I make the pass, she's not gonna be open.
15:13 So that's what we've really been trying to work on is,
15:16 you've gotta be able to see the defender before you make a pass,
15:21 before you make a cut.
15:23 And it's gotten better.
15:24 And now it's just a matter of how much better are we gonna get.
15:28 And Middle does a great job of flying around.
15:31 You watch them on film, they have great help.
15:34 You've gotta be able to tack and get off the ball.
15:37 And when somebody's open, you've gotta be willing to shoot it when you're open.
15:39 The worst thing you can do is pass up an open shot thinking you're gonna get
15:43 a better shot.
15:45 So we have really worked on that as well.
15:46 Like when you're open, you have to shoot the ball.
15:48 So that was never a problem for me.
15:51 >> Any progress in loving the fine players which I don't forget?
15:55 >> No, everybody got their feelings hurt.
15:58 Not my players, they all know my sarcasm.
16:00 But man, I'm telling you, there's some screwed up people out there.
16:03 I mean, the stuff they'll send you by email, and it's classic.
16:08 Now, I do love the ones that will send me stuff.
16:11 I'm like, so you wanna fine players for their performance?
16:14 You should get fined for your performance.
16:17 And I'm like, well, we do.
16:18 >> [LAUGH]
16:20 >> Like if we don't win,
16:21 it's called getting fired.
16:23 So it is crazy.
16:24 Now, we do get judged on our performance.
16:29 I mean, so some of these questions, in responses, I'm like,
16:33 you might not wanna hit send.
16:35 You might wanna have someone proofread that.
16:36 >> [LAUGH]
16:38 >> I have fun with, I say it all the time.
16:40 All your stuff's crap.
16:42 >> [LAUGH]
16:45 >> See, I normally edit it before I
16:47 read it, so then it sounds how I want it.
16:50 >> [LAUGH]
16:52 >> That's Eric's job.
16:53 No, so it's been great.
16:56 It's fun, and now my wife always laughs.
16:58 She's like, just stop.
17:01 But it's fun to get people riled up.
17:03 Cuz man, they're suckers for everything.
17:07 When you sit next to Jada, and I'm at that press conference, and I'm like,
17:11 that'd be two grand for you, babe.
17:12 And she's like, that's a lot of money.
17:15 And she's laughing.
17:16 Like, but see, most people just, well,
17:19 most people that can read, read the transcript.
17:20 And then they don't see the exchange that's taken place.
17:24 So I have fun with it.
17:25 >> I mean, you've mentioned 13 in a row.
17:28 I mean, do you still have fun with this?
17:30 Do you get nervous about it at this point?
17:31 >> I love it.
17:33 I absolutely love it.
17:34 This is an exciting time of the year.
17:36 Speaking of my wife.
17:39 It's an exciting time of the year for all of us.
17:43 I mean, now you've had a chance when the draw comes out, see who you're playing.
17:47 You go back, you get to watch film, you get to look at things.
17:50 Where are the matchups?
17:52 And middle's great.
17:56 They're really well coached.
17:58 They're gonna do some really good things.
17:59 So it's fun when you're out there and
18:01 you know we're just not gonna be able to do one thing the whole game.
18:05 If we have some success doing something,
18:07 Rick's gonna do something different on the defensive side to try to stop that.
18:11 So then you've gotta try and counter it.
18:14 That's what's fun for me.
18:16 And then it's fun also when you see players that haven't had the opportunity
18:19 to play in this.
18:20 And especially now with the transfer portal, you get players
18:26 that have never played in post-season play in the NCAA tournament
18:30 that are getting to do it for the first time and their last time.
18:34 So yeah, it's a lot of fun.
18:35 >> Jeff, I hate to ask this, but I have to ask.
18:38 You've obviously heard the Kentucky rumors.
18:40 You made the comment on the radio yesterday.
18:42 Did it surprise you when you heard stuff like that on Twitter?
18:45 >> Any clown can put whatever they want on social media.
18:49 I'm not calling you all clowns, but there are several.
18:52 And I've learned, I love from a good source.
18:56 I'm like, well, who knows your source?
18:58 Cuz when it came out, I'd honestly flown up with Coach Brom and
19:03 his son and a few other people to the men's game.
19:09 And I'm sitting there at the men's game and Brady goes, hey, is this true?
19:12 I go, what?
19:13 I'm like, Kentucky.
19:15 I'm like, I've been with you the whole day.
19:17 I'm like, these people can put whatever they want up on social media.
19:22 And it doesn't matter.
19:22 And that's kind of what the problem is with it, in my opinion.
19:25 And so many people won't put their name on things.
19:29 They've got an account, but you don't know who it is.
19:32 And then you can say whatever you want about,
19:34 not just about things like this, but about players as well.
19:38 And it's sad in some ways, but no, nobody's contacted me.
19:44 I've said it all along.
19:45 I've been here for 17 years.
19:47 You know what?
19:47 I plan to retire.
19:48 Here are planning to get fired here.
19:50 It's one of the two, and I've said it for years.
19:53 If we don't win, if we haven't had the success that we've had,
20:00 you'd never hear my name, I promise you.
20:01 If we were winning 16 games a year and
20:05 I was just surviving to keep my job, nobody's going to sit there and say,
20:09 hey, he'd be a candidate for this job.
20:12 So I blame our players for being so good.
20:15 >> [LAUGH] >> It's kind of like when my
20:19 assistants have had the opportunities to get jobs.
20:22 Like when Sam Purcell came down to tell the team two years ago that he had gotten
20:26 the Mississippi State job before the NCAA tournament, our kids were crushed.
20:31 They were devastated, cuz they love Sam.
20:34 Same thing with Michelle when she was here and Sam Williams, all of them.
20:39 And after Sam, they all talked to him and then I'm like, well, ladies,
20:42 can I be honest?
20:42 They're like, yeah, I guess you're all's fault.
20:44 And they look at me, I'm like, if you lost, instead of being what, 26 and 4,
20:50 if we were 4 and 26, no one would have called about him.
20:52 So then I'm explaining to him, Sam and
20:56 his family are getting this opportunity cuz of what you all did.
21:00 You guys helped Sam become a head coach.
21:03 And that's what it's all about.
21:04 So, to me, I don't even know who puts it out there.
21:10 So I can't even say it's flattering,
21:11 cuz I don't even know if they have any clue what basketball is.
21:14 And I love when I read people say, a power five coach is gonna get the job.
21:21 Well, that's a stretch.
21:22 >> [LAUGH] >> Boy, we're really going out on a limb
21:25 here now.
21:26 Maybe you could put down a current head coach is going to get the UK job.
21:32 Wow, okay, maybe not.
21:35 So it's comical.
21:37 I have to laugh at it.
21:39 >> [LAUGH] >> Anybody else with anything?
21:44 >> [LAUGH] >> I appreciate everybody.
21:47 Thank you all.
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