• last year
Porter Moser Pre-Arkansas (12-7-23)
Transcript
00:00 >> Porter, what stands out to you about Arkansas and
00:03 did anything on their tape against Duke show you anything?
00:07 >> You know, Arkansas, what you think of is extreme length and
00:10 athleticism playing really hard.
00:13 That's what they do.
00:14 They play really hard.
00:15 They get their athleticism into the game.
00:18 They're long, athletic, they got multiple scores, but
00:23 you've got to match their effort with their athleticism.
00:27 >> What is stood out to you maybe the last couple years of going to Tulsa playing
00:30 them this early in the season?
00:31 What do you think it does for your team?
00:33 What do you take away from it?
00:35 >> It's another great game.
00:37 It's another, we've played high level games and
00:41 it's another high level game in a great atmosphere.
00:44 I think Tulsa does a great job with the event and with the series.
00:48 But we got a lot of respect for Arkansas.
00:51 We know what they do in terms of how hard and
00:55 athletic they guard you and offensively, they just got multiple weapons offensively.
01:00 >> Talk about multiple weapons offensively, they got multiple shot blockers too.
01:03 What does that do for your offense as far as how you have to kind of attack that?
01:06 >> We got to match aggression with aggression.
01:08 I mean, I know USC Morgan had ten blocks the day before we played USC and
01:13 you just, you can't be afraid of it.
01:15 I mean, you're gonna get your shot blocked.
01:16 They're gonna block our shot.
01:17 We've got to continue to be aggressive and
01:22 not be passive because they have elite shot blockers.
01:24 They do, they have elite shot blockers and we know they're coming.
01:27 But you just can't be passive.
01:30 >> How special are these opportunities, regional opponent, neutral site,
01:35 early season getting that attention?
01:37 >> No, it's another great game.
01:39 We look at opportunities.
01:41 For us, it's another great game against a great team.
01:46 And I know Arkansas, they do it every year.
01:49 They're gonna be there at the end.
01:51 They're gonna be playing really, really good.
01:53 They're an outstanding team.
01:57 >> Porter, you mentioned on Tuesday you really liked that JV and
01:59 Enlos were playing really well together.
02:01 When they're playing like that,
02:02 what do you like about the way those two complement in each other in the backcourt?
02:06 >> It gives you multiple guys that can handle the pressure, handle the guards.
02:10 Arkansas is gonna pressure you.
02:11 And it gives you multiple guys that can handle it, multiple guys that could create.
02:16 Both of them created for other people.
02:22 I think if JV on drove down the lane, he dropped it off to Sam for a dunk.
02:25 He came off the ball screen, he dropped it to Sam for that.
02:28 You see Lowe's did the same thing.
02:30 You got two guys that are very, very good passers.
02:33 So I think that's just a weapon when you get more guys.
02:35 And I think they're getting more comfortable playing off each other too.
02:39 They can get each other shots.
02:41 And I think they're just getting more and more comfortable doing it.
02:46 >> Has this been what you expected from him or
02:48 has he been even a little bit better than- >> Who?
02:50 >> JV on.
02:52 >> JV on?
02:53 Yeah, no, this is why we recruited him.
02:54 We thought he'd bring speed and scoring.
02:55 I've been saying that for all summer.
02:59 I said many times, people are gonna remind you of a guy like Hollis Price who can
03:02 really score, who can really play with an energy.
03:05 He's fun to watch because he plays hard.
03:07 But we wanted to add speed and shooting and scoring.
03:13 And so this is what we envision.
03:17 I know he's just, and he and ourselves, we know he's got another step,
03:21 as all of our guys do, another step to get better.
03:24 >> Kim English the other night said he was kind of like Allen Iverson out there for
03:28 a Big East coach.
03:29 That's kind of thrown out there.
03:32 >> I think JV on, he wants to be JV on.
03:34 I don't think he wants to be compared to anybody right now.
03:36 I mean, I think he's just trying to be his best self.
03:39 And that's what I like about JV on.
03:42 He's working, he's a student of the game.
03:43 He studies different things and he's trying to be the best JV on he can be.
03:47 And I think that's the big thing for him.
03:50 Comparisons take away joy.
03:53 I just think comparisons take away joy.
03:55 And be the best JV on you can be and feel great with it.
03:59 >> What's the vibe with this team right now?
04:00 You guys continue to move up to top 25.
04:02 I just think from the outside looking in,
04:04 they seem more confident maybe than they were a year ago.
04:06 Have you noticed that from them or is there something different that you've seen?
04:08 >> I think confidence comes from preparation.
04:10 I think confidence comes from all the work they put in this summer.
04:13 I think confidence comes from, just doesn't come from, we had a good game.
04:16 There are confidences there.
04:18 Confidence comes over work, periods of time.
04:22 And that's what I think their confidence is coming from.
04:26 I mean, they invested this summer in coming together.
04:29 They invested this spring, or this fall, in the different boot camps we did.
04:33 And just of coming together.
04:35 And that's what I think you notice for our team is they're playing together.
04:38 We space it, we share it, we're together defensively.
04:41 And we got a long way to go.
04:42 But that's where confidence comes from.
04:45 It just doesn't come from one magic win.
04:48 >> How do you handle all that praise nationally?
04:50 Do you tell the guys to ignore it or embrace the expectations?
04:53 >> I tell them it's part of the process.
04:55 I mean, where we wanna go, it's part of it.
04:58 You're not gonna get where you wanna go without some accolades and hype.
05:03 But you just can't get too high and get too low.
05:05 I mean, it's the same thing.
05:07 When you lose, you just can't get so down.
05:09 It's just, basketball's a long season.
05:11 There's many opportunities, many games.
05:13 You gotta keep grinding and get better.
05:15 But we talk about it in stride, this is what we wanted.
05:20 I mean, this is what we wanted.
05:21 I mean, it's not what we're celebrating.
05:22 It's not our destination.
05:23 It's not what we're celebrating.
05:25 And I think our guys have done that.
05:26 I think they've played hard, they've come back.
05:28 And we got a huge test and they all know it.
05:30 Arkansas there and Tulsa's gonna be a huge game for them and us.
05:35 And they're really good.
05:37 And so are we, and I think it's gonna be a great game.
05:40 >> When you look at the talent and physicality Providence had,
05:43 then the Tuesday, Saturday turnaround, the talent, athleticism.
05:46 Is this a great barometer for the newer guys to say, this is a week in the Big 12.
05:50 This is what it's gonna feel like week over week once you get to conference play?
05:54 >> It is, it is.
05:55 It's just, and you got two high level teams playing this week.
05:59 And so that's the way the grind is gonna be.
06:03 So we really haven't talked about it like that, but that's the way it is.
06:07 And it's back to back, physical, athletic teams.
06:13 And that's what we're in.
06:15 We just look at it as another opportunity coming up Saturday.
06:17 >> Jaylin Moore kind of struggled to get going offensively on Tuesday.
06:22 He's been a huge contributor to the All-Austin.
06:24 But how important is it for guys like Lowson on Tuesday to kind of step in and
06:28 fill in the gaps?
06:29 >> It was big, especially the way they were guarding them.
06:31 I mean, they were playing that drop coverage.
06:34 And it becomes like an NBA two man game.
06:37 You need your guards to be really good in that, decision making, passing.
06:40 And Lowson and JBL were outstanding.
06:42 Then how about them getting between the two of them, they had 19 rebounds, 12.
06:46 And so they did a lot.
06:46 They had great, I mean, those two really did a lot in that coverage.
06:49 And Jaylin Moore's been great all year in his energy.
06:54 He brings a lot of things to the table, defensively, rebounding, athletically.
06:58 So that's the joy of, I think, right now of our team right now is some nights like
07:05 John Hughley was really good at USC.
07:06 I thought Sam was really good the other night.
07:08 There's no jealousy.
07:09 I mean, this is what the culture you try to build is that different guys,
07:13 different nights, be happy for them, put the win, let's go next one.
07:17 And that's definitely a couple of those guys' mentality moving on to Arkansas.