If you are anything like us, you need to talk about this game.  Well, here is your chance to say everything on your mind without losing twitter followers.  Comment below for the Game Day Thread!

Editor’s Note:  Since it’s Tournament week and loads of new people from all over the world have found The Byrd Cage – let me explain what is about to happen to you. First let me say that we like to laugh around here and we hope you do too. As such, we’re happy to feature the next installment Mort & Hugs – our two in-house professional gripers/comedians who’ve never met a D1 athlete they weren’t scurd to anonymously mock on the internet. Mort & Hugs are here to bring some comic relief to – and/or at the expense of – our tiny basketball world in Nashville.

If you’re just joining us and are a ‘Belmont fan’, shame on you! Where have you been all year? If you’re an Arizona fan and don’t understand why Mort & Hugs are still making fun of some guy named Jordan Burgason: good. Now, go away. Finally, if you’re just ‘a guy’ with a bracket and you don’t know how you ended up here, who Jordan Burgason is or why the heck Mort & Hugs are talking about bunnies . . . ok fine, you my friend, can stay. Just…um…figure it out.

HUGS: Happy Tournament day, everyone!  Mort and I are an excitable pair, so it should come as no surprise that we are ecstatic about our 6th NCAA Tournament appearance in 8 years.  To give you an idea, Belmont has more tournament appearances in the last 8 years than I have had dates. So this feels like a big deal to me.

MORT: My goal: finish this post before both of my legs go numb from sitting on the john.

HUGS: Our good-natured rivals this week are the folks over at AZ Desert Swarm.  I think I speak for ALL of us when I say that their name is more reminiscent of Michael Crichton’s PREY than anything related to a Wildcat. And frankly, I think the “Arizona Predatory Nanorobot Swarm” is a MUCH more intimidating mascot anyway.

Speaking of intimidating, AZ has a player (Nick Johnson) nicknamed “Bunnies.”  According to the Swarm folks, he is so named because – and I quote – “Bunnies hop.”  This begs the question: why not Kangaroo, or ‘Roo for short?  Why not Tigger? Their tops are made out of rubber and their bottoms are made out of springs!  I guess what I’m saying is that as long as the AZ fan base is going to go with a dumb name they might have well drawn from A.A. Milne’s classic Winnie the Pooh.

They could have also gone with salmon.  Salmon leap.  And these are just a few of literally TENS of jumping/leaping/soaring animals I can name that would be at least as intimidating while still as endearing as “Bunnies.”  Flea.  There, I thought of another one.

MORT: Great nicknaming, Hugs. Now, to the team with our favorite nickname, the Murray State Second Placers, why would you turn down your opportunity at postseason play? Here at Belmont, we never thumb our nose at extra basketball, as evidenced by our participation in the 2010 College Basketball Invitational presented by Zebra Pen. Seriously, you think SEMO would turn down postseason basketball? For Hanlen’s sake! They would probably play the games bare-ass naked if it meant prolonging their careers and bettering their program! But you, Murray, have taken your ball and gone home.  Your fans should already have their CBI brackets filled out and be organizing their laptop viewing parties. But in all seriousness, I do think it is a shame that you did not give your fans and that talented group of players one encore performance, even if it wasn’t the stage you were hoping for. Drew Hanlen would shake his head in shame.  

And shaaaaaaaaaaaame on you CBS. Did you not see that we were dressed for the prom? You left us at the altar, you son of a drug lord! How could you not put us on TV?! WE HAD BALLOONS! It looked like freaking Disney World in the Beaman, and we were the only team not to be live broadcast at our match-up announcement. Even MTSU’s team celebration was televised, and what did you do for them? Zoomed in on a cell phone to make light of it’s blighted condition. And did anyone ask from where the funds for said phone were appropriated? The Byrd Cage I-Team will not stop until receipts are produced and the amateur status of the player in question is proven. In the meantime, we expect full reparations for the moment that was stolen from our beloved University community in the form of game fixing and the immediate cancellation of Two and a Half Men syndication. You might as well go poke old ladies in the eye with Tim Tebow.

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THE SWEET TWEETS

Tennessee Mr. Basketball leaving #Lipscomb after just one season. #ASun tnne.ws/YlMRkK—
Mike Organ (@MikeOrganWriter) March 19, 2013

HUGS: I feel a little bad for making fun of Lipscomb now that we’ve left the conference.  It’s a little like repeatedly parading your new significant other (who is a MUCH better match for you) in front of your old boo shortly after you crushed said former paramour’s heart and spirit. Nevertheless, the baser part of me can’t help but giggle with schadenfreude at this latest thorn in the Bisons’ side.

MORT: It sort of feels like kicking a puppy at this point.

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“@Mart_Pick: Bigger Dbag: Aaron craft or the situation?” The Situation is sober now and he's actually a really genuine guy. Watch MTV.—
Jordan Burgason (@itsburgtime) March 19, 2013

HUGS: It wouldn’t be M&H without a tweet from Burgtime, and any tweet tantamount to Situation apologism is sure to find its way here.  Burgy, I can forgive your unhealthy love for the Dave Matthews Band, and I generally like to live and let live when it comes to others’ entertainment choices, but I will brook no defense of anyone or anything that has ever been a part of making “Jersey Shore” a cultural phenomenon.  You, Mr. Burgason, should be ashamed of yourself for exonerating this serial affront to good taste, and you should consider yourself one for encouraging people to watch MTV.

MORT: Serious question: if you had to hang out with the Situation, would you rather him be sober or drunk? Or rather, would you rather be sober or drunk. I think there is no way in hell that I could handle any situation with the Situation without a liquid situation to get me through.

HUGS: I think even Tim Tebow would need that too.

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Getting a chocolate lab after season! 😬😬😬—
Nick Johnson (@Air_Zona13) February 22, 2013

HUGS: I would expect nothing less from a grown man named Bunnies.  Though this is not actually a slam.  This grown man going by the name “Hugs” thinks that chocolate labs are adorable.

MORT: I see what you did there, bunnies. You switched the “r” and the “i” in an attempt to rid yourself of that adorable nickname.  “Air Zona”. I get it. Short of the 7 deadly sins (maybe only 5?) what wouldn’t I do to get that changed? But bunnies it is and bunnies it will be forever. And in my estimations, this presents certain challenges with college women, because once you got introduced as bunnies wouldn’t they automatically make assumptions about your rate of procreation?

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im just waiting on my turn to eat… the hunger grows as the season gets closer.—
Solomon Hill (@kingxsolo) October 10, 2012

HUGS: Through my cursory research on AZ basketball Solomon Hill’s name of course came up.  I had hoped that his Twitter timeline would be replete with 140-character gems along the lines of a Jordan Burgason or a Caleb Chowbay, or perhaps at least the swagger of an Isaiah Canaan. Mr. Hill gets the Mort & Hugs Award for ‘Social Media Restraint’ for having a Twitter account used so sparingly that I only had to scroll down 5 or 6 posts to find a tweet from before the season started.  So kudos, Solomon Hill, on not succumbing to the impulse to tweet EVERYTHING that pops into your head, thereby making Mort and Hugs’ job more difficult.  That said, if you are still hungry, I highly recommend the Cool Ranch Doritos Locos Taco.  The key is to get it supreme but WITHOUT the sour cream.  Taco Bell has a near-pathological affinity for excess sour cream, and it both ruins the consistency and masks the delicious zesty ranch flavor on those CRDLTs. But if you take my advice and get two or three of those bad boys, it will satiate your hunger and help console you when you are on the road back to Tucson Friday morning, because the Bruins are also hungry and have already had their fill of Doritos Locos Tacos.

MORT:  …..aaaaaaaaaand made it with one foot to spare.

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WE’LL SEE EVERYONE AT THE VIEWING PARTY AT SPORTSMAN’S GRILL TONIGHT AT 5:30!! AHHHHHH

What better way to break down the Bruin’s first (second) round matchup than some emails. The Broadhead brothers opened up their inboxes and this is what we found.

From Jono: March 18, 2013 8:51 p.m.

Alright Nick,

Let’s break this game down. And please, don’t ask me which game I’m talking about. It’s not baseball season, the fighting Dirk’s are done, and the Broncos haven’t played a safety behind the deepest receiver in almost 2 months. Belmont basketball is the only thing you have going for you right now and that makes this the best/worst week of the year. I’ve already got even money that you won’t be showing up to Sportsman’s on Thursday out of sheer nerves and terrification(?). You’ll be huddled in a corner by yourself somewhere hanging on every dribble. Which ultimately makes me wonder how you feel about this matchup with the Arizona Wildcats. Whenever I think Pac-12 teams, I think of tall, rangy, athletic dudes who can’t shoot. That probably has something to do with the fact that I’ve hardly ever watched Pac-12 basketball. In fact, as you pointed out to me earlier this week, we’ve probably seen 10 minutes of Arizona basketball all year. But never fear, ESPN the Tres is here. They’ve got a couple of Arizona games still sitting in the archives so I took a gander at a couple of halves of basketball to see what all the hype was about. Turns out I was right; they are long, tall, and rangy. We don’t need to rehash heights. These guys can bring size at every position. Bottom line, the Mont have struggled against teams like this (see VCU, Kansas, Central Florida and Tennessee State and Murray in conference). I always wonder how we’re going to score against these types of teams. What do you expect to see from the Zona defense when the Bruins are in possession?

From Nick: March 18, 2013 11:17 p.m

I am going to ignore the cheap shots lobbed my way and simply demand a small cut of the new Flacco contract. And you might be right, while every Belmont fan should go to Sportsman’s on Thursday, I will be huddled in some dark cave nervously talking about nothing to nobody while firing as many texts to Dad as I can. Anyway, let’s get down to business here and talk about what we might see from the ‘Cats defense. The Wildcats will come at you with a pressure half court man to man defense. In the half court, college games come down to how teams will defend the pick and roll. Whether it be the primary option (like the 2012-2013 Bruins) or the secondary option when the shot clock is running down, coaches pound this to death. If you can effectively defend the pick and roll, you will win. Defending the pick and roll requires great focus and athletic ability. Arizona certainly possesses the athletic ability and length that will make passing lanes tight. I feel like Kerron will be able to handle this team’s pick and roll coverage, he has seen it all this year. (It’s too bad the most athletic guy Kerron saw in a hedge situation, Ed Daniel, was also the laziest). The main concern, however is how effectively Arizona can close out on the three point shooters. While the ‘Cats allow a high percentage from outside (36%), this should not get Belmont fans overly excited. About 40% of Belmont’s field goal attempts come from behind the arc. Arizona only allows opponents to take threes about 30% percent of the time. Everyone in the country knows that Belmont can light it up from deep. I expect quick, hard closeouts forcing the Bruins off the three point line and into the trees. One place Belmont can look to take advantage is in situations where the Wildcats are forced to rotate (cue Kerron in the pick and roll). From the limited film I have watched, the Wildcats have a tendency to get lost when they get broken down off the dribble. Will this be enough for Ian to shake who we’re presuming will be sophomore Nick Johnson and find some daylight? Does Rick have anything up his sleeve? Jono, you spent the majority of your winter on the OVC Digital Network, does this sound like a defense we can handle?

From Jono: March 19, 2013 6:12 a.m

At this point in the season, given the schedule that the Bruins played, especially out of conference, I would think they’d be ready for just about anything. But to your point, I couldn’t agree with you more about defending the pick and roll and yes, I do believe that Rick will have a few things up his sleeves. If there is anything Rick does well, its to turn a team’s strength into its weakness. Remember the Duke game from tournaments past? How did we baffle the Blue Devils? We took their pressure defense and back cut the daylights out of them. You referred to Arizona’s trees and how they like to funnel everything towards the paint and if I’m a betting man, the first thing Rick is going to do, is pull those trees away from the basket to defend that pick and roll. I saw it on a couple of occasions in both the UCLA and Washington games. Their big guys tend to be slow getting back to their man once he rolls to the basket after a ball screen. Now, in the case of UCLA and Washington, those turned into alley-oops, which I don’t necessarily expect from us, but what I do expect to see are quick passes from Kerron to the wing off a ball screen and a quick entry pass to the cutting screener. Its something the Bruins did with great effectiveness towards the end of the year and I can’t count how many times the Hay Bailer or the Bakery ended up with wide open layups after they lost their man off a ball screen. The other thing the Bruins can do well, if they want to, is pass away from a rotating defense. One thing good pressure defenses do is anticipate your next pass and rotate quickly to the next open man. When the Bruins offense is really clicking, the thing they do better than anybody is throw the skip pass away from the rotating defense. That will certainly be more difficult against a team with longer arms who can intercept the long cross court passes, but sometimes you can’t get your hands in the passing lanes of passes you aren’t ready for. Also, ball fakes, especially from Ian and JJ. Usually when teams are closing out hard to 3 point shooters, they will leave their feet on shot fakes. If the Bruins can get guys in the air, they’ve essentially created a 5 on 4 situation where open shots abound. I’d also like to point out that the ability to hit mid range jump shots could be huge in this game. Their big men like to wait for you to get into the lane, so maybe just don’t go in there? If the Bruins are knocking down 15 footers on a consistent basis, it could be a game changer. But enough about that, how do we expect to defend these guys? That 1.13 points per possession number is nothing to scoff at.

From Nick: March 19, 2013 4:34 p.m

It’s never easy to defend a team that is longer and more athletic than you. Especially when you are facing Oladipo 2.0. But we’ll get to that nonsense in a bit. This team, like most, runs through the sporadic play of their senior point guard, Mark Lyons. And let’s be honest, the last four games have not been the best of Mark’s career. His shooting numbers are down (42% 2P and 25% 3P) and his assist to turnover ratio over the last four games is 8 assists to 12 turnovers (0.66). Now this may not have any predictive value but when he is using 26% of the ‘Cats possessions, those numbers would make me a touch nervous as a fan. This is where Kerron comes in. Towards the latter half of the season, he has picked up his defensive intensity. I would point to the game against Ohio when one of the better point guards in the country (DJ Cooper) came to town. Kerron, according to Rick, took it as a personal challenge to be the best guard on the floor. Consequently, DJ managed only 6 points and a measely 3 assists. Kerron will need to bring the same mentality if we are take that 1.13 points per possession down a few notches. The other worry in stopping this team (other than Oladipo 2.0) is keeping them off the offensive glass. I feel like a broken record when mentioning rebounding and Bruins in the same sentence. Arizona is a great offensive rebounding team grabbing about 35% of the available boards. We on the other hand, are the not the best defensive rebounding team ever. We need a healthy Blake Jenkins to prevent extended Wildcat possessions. But we all now know (after being so wondrously informed by our buddy at the ‘Zona blog) is that real key is hoping to contain Oladipo 2.0. Or you can call him “Bunnies” because he hops.. or has hops. Fortunately, we have just the guy in DPOY in the OVC, Ian Clark. Ian will be chasing Nick Johnson all over the floor and making his life miserable. Keeping Oladipo 2.0 away from the rim and forcing his game to perimeter will be key. I feel like we hashed out a lot of info here, how did you process all that?  What is going to make the difference on Thursday?

From Jono: March 19, 2013 8:12 p.m

I’m actually glad you asked. And I’m going to further wear out the WWJD reference by asking, “What Would Rick Do?” Any sensible Bruin fan would know that every Belmont team since the first Bush presidency (rough guess) has grossly overachieved (maybe a slight overstatement) thanks to one man, Rick Byrd. He does things as a coach for this team that take it beyond its collective skill and turn it into a basketball machine. With that said, Rick said something on two occasions this season that made me wince. Once was after the Bruins escaped at home versus the Fighting DiNunnos and the other was after the loss to Murray State. In those instances, Coach Byrd was very forthright in saying that he felt like he did nothing during the course of the game to help the team win. In the case of the Murray game, we were just outmatched physically and there was probably little Rick could’ve done anyway. But, needless to say, Rick takes his responsibilities as a coach seriously. If his team isn’t fully prepared for what the other team will bring, ready to go on game day, and able to make adjustments on the fly, he takes it upon himself. I fully expect that the Bruins will be ready to go come tip off and I’ll expect Coach Byrd to make all the right calls during the game. If he does, our chances of winning will increase exponentially. How about your final thoughts? I’m starting to get nervous.

From Nick: March 19, 10:11 p.m

I love your faith in Rick and really hope that nervousness is not contributing to your hair loss. Is now a bad time to mention that the last time Rick faced a Sean Miller coached team, we sat in the Cintas Center and watched the Xavier Musketeers humiliate the Bruins by 41 points? Your point is well taken though, playing a team that is physically superior requires an airtight game plan. We have seen more of those in recent years than I can remember. But as for my final thoughts, there are too many things at play for me to focus on one particular thing. While we have been the upset pick for the last couple years, I have become numb to that talk. Its always the same. Did Georgetown suddenly become terrified once some blabbering media types picked Belmont? No. They were the better team that afternoon. This year is no different. The game will come down to reading the pick and roll, controlling the defensive glass, and shooting effectively. It has nothing to do with past records or talking heads flipping coins. Belmont has the experience. They have the talent. They have the coach. They have what it takes to #winthedamngame.

*Please keep in mind..

I'm tellin y'all. Whatever you think you know about any team west of the Mississippi…you're wrong.—
Matt Sherrill (@NashSNX) March 20, 2013

Click this link—->  http://belmontbyrdcage.mayhem.cbssports.com/e?ttag=13_cbsinv

This will bring you to the CBSsports Penny Pick Em Group.  You will probably need to register if you don’t already have a username (it only takes a few seconds and you don’t need to put in any serious personal info).

You will also be prompted to enter a password for the site.

Here is the password:  Mort&Hugs

We all know your work productivity is at an all time low this week.  Pick your bracket and once the games start- you’ll get to see who Penny picked and if you can beat her!  Fill it out today- the real games start tomorrow!

Also, if you haven’t heard- The Byrd Cage Official Watch Party will be held at Sportsman’s on 21st tomorrow in the upstairs section.  We’ll be there at 5:30 (if not before).  Game tip-off is at 6:20.  All the TVs will have the game on up there and there will be tons of the best Belmont fans you’ll ever meet.  I also hear Mort and Hugs will be there…

GO BRUINS!

Editor’s note: Stats used in this article are from statsheet.com and include all games played during the season.

As The Mont makes their sixth tournament appearance, the school’s faithful fans have by now grown accustomed to the one-and-done Bruins. Perhaps, we are all just guarding our hearts – but the sentiment after the emotional OVC Championship game as well as Belmont drawing an 11 seed on Selection Sunday, seems to be that, ‘we’ve done enough’. I beg to differ.

4 Things to Watch for Thursday’s game:

1. We’re loaded with experience

Basically, Belmont runs a seven-man rotation. Every one of those players have been on the court for an NCAA Tournament game. Six of those seven players (Reece Chamberlin is a sophomore) have played in two. Compare that with just three players that have any experience in the tournament from the Arizona roster, Belmont has a distinct advantage in the experience category. I said in my article last week, poise will be the biggest factor this post-season (as proven by Isaiah Cannon’s foot). We are positioned to see a much more mature and unshakable Belmont team take the court in SLC Thursday night.

2. Brandon Baker will be a major (albeit quiet) factor in this tournament.

What? Senior Brandon Baker, who has averaged less than 3 points and and 2.5 rebounds per game in his career as the teams questionably athletic forward, has been one of the quietest contributors to this team this year. Brandon Baker actually leads the Bruins in a very interesting offensive category: Offensive Efficiency. This basically boils down to how many points go on the scoreboard when a player uses a possession. Baker is currently sitting at 1.38 points per possession. In years past we used to groan when Baker would touch the ball, as he’d clank 3 pointers and miss layups. However, this season he has shown major maturity as his FG% has almost doubled from last year to 61.3%. The question on everyone’s mind going into this game is, ‘how are we going to guard Arizona’s two seven-footers?’ Brandon Baker will provide strong defense, timely fouls, and clutch shooting underneath, that will slow down Arizona’s inexperienced big men.

3. JJ Mann will need to take over this team

Ian Clark and Kerron Johnson got all the love this season from the media but JJ Mann has been the workhorse. Averaging 30 minutes per game (2nd on the team), he is our best free throw shooter (92.3%), good from behind the arc (38.4 3FG%) and a solid rebounder (4.7 RPG). This season JJ has also improved his offensive efficiency, from 1.09 PPP last year to 1.35 PPP this year, making him one of the Bruins most consistent weapons when he gets the ball. With a 6-6, 210 lb frame, JJ has both guard and forward qualities. More than likely, Arizona will put heavy coverage on Ian, like Murray St. did in the OVC tournament, and if Trevor ‘the Hay-Bailer’ Noack struggles at all (he was his own worst enemy during the OVC tournament), JJ will need to be the steady ‘Road Warrior’ he’s been all year for the Bruins. .

4. Kerron Johnson the creator

It’s the end of the road for Belmont’s most athletic basketball player. After 2010 (Belmont’s 30-win season), Kerron was the most exciting prospect heading into his junior year. Over the past two years I was initially confused to watch his shooting game fail to take off as his sophomore numbers suggested they would.

In 2010-11 he was a thief (2.0 steals in 18.2 minutes per game) and a sniper (42.9 3FG%). Last season, as I watched Kerron’s 3Pt game decline, I often wondered which player Kerron Johnson really was. Now, it’s quite clear that since the end of 2010 Rick Byrd has been grooming Kerron to be a leader and a true point guard that makes things happen. Kerron is 30th in the nation in FT Attempts and 20th in the nation in using 40.2% of Belmont’s possessions when he is on the floor. He creates points, lots of them, by drawing fouls and passing the basketball. He has certainly become his own brand of athlete for the Bruin’s program, one that I have finally come to understand (and celebrated during the Murray State game). If Kerron Johnson is dialed in and the referees are blowing their whistles consistently, the Bruins will win this game. So sit back and enjoy (or rather hold your breath) as Kerron gives us a curtain call we’re sure to remember for a long time.

So get your hopes up my friends.

#winthedamngame

- Adult Steve

Our longtime readers (do we have those?) will remember one of the Byrd Cage’s all-time greatest posts: ‘Speaking Sleeping With The Enemy’ a collaborative episode of tom-foolery with Georgetown University’s SBnation Blog – The Casual Hoya. This was a two-part post where each blog asked the other blog questions about their respective teams. Both blogs responded and posted their opponents answers.

This year we wanted to keep the brilliance rolling so we’ve teamed up with University of Arizona’s very own SBnation blog: Arizona Desert Swarm (our name is better) to get you the scoop.

What’s that you say? Yes. Yes, we are ripping off nearly everything about this Casual Hoya tradition - but hey, after the two merciless trouncings they administered to us in the tournament, the least we could do was wantonly steal from them on the internet, right? Right. But enough about those turds. We’ve got a new enemy to sleep with. Wait, what?

Kevin and his amigos at Arizona Desert Swarm graciously agreed to answer some questions for us. Some were legitimate questions some are completely asinine – as is our custom. Hopefully, you’ll laugh. Hopefully, you’ll learn something about the Wildcats. Hopefully, you are not neglecting work to read this.

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BC = Byrd Cage

ADS = Arizona Desert Swarm

BC: Tell me about this Wildcat team? Who are the best scorers? Who are the best rebounders? Who is the guy that Belmont isn’t currently paying a lot of attention to but will end up ripping our hearts out?

ADS: Perhaps the reason this Arizona team is so hit-or-miss is because of its point guard play. While the roster as a whole is well-rounded talent-wise and also quite versatile, senior Mark Lyons (formerly of Xavier) is one of those guys who just makes you shake your head at times. While he’s an explosive scorer who can get into the paint, he’s often one to crank up out-of-rhythm three-pointers. In short, he’s a shooting guard in point guard’s role, and it’s one of the reasons the Arizona offense is suspect at times. As bad as he might play, he has the thick skin to make big plays down the stretch.

Lyons is joined by small forward Solomon Hill, who is the do-it-all type of wing who can shoot it, rebound and pass the ball. He’s the one to set the tone for the Wildcats.

Otherwise, the Wildcats are known for their freshmen big men of 7-foot center Kaleb Tarczewski, and forwards Brandon Ashley and Grant Jerrett. All three have come on of late. A quick look at Belmont’s size, and the Wildcats should have the edge in the rebounding department because of those three.

BC: Why do they call Nick Johnson ‘BUNNIES’??????

ADS: Because bunnies hop. Nick is the nephew of former NBA great Dennis Johnson, so he’s got some good bloodlines. Anyway, Johnson might be the most important player for Sean Miller’s team. He’s a freakish athlete who will make the biggest difference by defending the opponent’s best scorer -

- think a 6-foot-2 version of Victor Oladipo as far as his role is concerned.

(BC NOTE: Did he just compare. . . no. Just no.)

BC: This year, The Wildcats are 0-3 against teams called ‘The Bruins’ – how much does Belmont’s mascot species factor into this matchup?

ADS: Ha, good catch. As far as the logo is concerned, I dig Belmont’s level of ferocity. And the mascot gets brownie points by looking like a bear version of Ted Danson.

(BC NOTE: We don’t see it . . .)

BC: What was the best win of the season for UofA? What was the worst loss?

ADS: I’d say the worst loss was to a sub-.500 USC team. That was the only one to a losing squad. As for the best win, it’s sort of a toss-up for me. But I think I have to go with a win against Miami in December. I don’t think the Hurricanes were anywhere near as good of a team as they are a few months later, but Arizona blew the now-No. 2 seed out 69-50.

BC: What kind of teams give UofA trouble? What kind of teams does UofA destroy?

ADS: Oddly enough, Arizona has actually struggled against smaller teams that can shoot the three, which appears to be exactly what the Bruins are.  Sometimes the Wildcats are simply off in their three-point defense, and with such a big roster — the bigs are young at that — they can be vulnerable to such teams. Oh, and if Belmont runs any sort of zone, the lack of a pure point guard causes the ball to stick for the Wildcats.

BC: Apparently this Solomon Hill guy is pretty good. What team was most effective at containing him this year and how did they do it?

ADS: Honestly, I can’t remember a game where he was necessarily out of it. He is good at so many things that he can make an impact in any situation. He’s a very smart dude, and perhaps the one thing about him is that he can’t carry the offensive load. He takes what’s given to him. That said, it’ll be trouble for Belmont if he is getting wide open threes, as he’s not a great scorer, but he’s definitely a great spot-up shooter.

BC: I saw that you guys played one of our exes this year. . .  did they mention us at all? Not that we care . . . but seriously what did they say???

ADS: Not good things. And I don’t like to gossip.

BC: Give us a brief history of your games against Mid-Majors. Did any Mid-Majors give you any problems?  Why?

ADS: This year’s roster is pretty new in comparison to the past few seasons considering the influx of the young guys and also the addition of Lyons, who transferred after playing at Xavier. As far as the NCAA tournament goes, Arizona hasn’t lost to any Mid-Majors in the last few appearances. However, last year’s disappointing season saw Bucknell roll into Tucson in the first round of the NIT to embarrass the Wildcats.

And by the way, this team called Charleston Southern gave the Wildcats a run (they’re one of those small ball teams) in the first game of this season. Arizona won 82-73.

BC: Using a GIF, please capture your initial reaction to learning that UofA would be playing Belmont in the NCAA Tournament.

ADS: Because I feel like it’s not the wooorst matchup, but there’s also a bit of worry all of UA’s issues that have presented themselves this season will pop up again. That said, I also don’t know a whole lot about Belmont and there’s a chance they come out gunning and pull the upset.

BC: For the sake of our great state, tell us a little about Tucson. I think most people in Tennessee think Tucson is a weird lookin’ Korean car.

It’s a pretty weird place. Close to Mexico, a lot of retired people, hipsters and the university. The university is fast-paced, partying is required and there’s a lot of Cali influx in the student body.

Experiencing the city as a student doesn’t happen because, well, it’s a lot slower paced. I believe the metro area is larger than Atlanta (35th in the nation or so) but there isn’t a single major freeway system that goes through the city.

BC: Nimbus Brewery’s Old Monkey Shine is one of my all time favorite beers. What’s your favorite thing about Nashville?

You guys have that out there?!  I have personally never been to Nashville, but I understand it’s important to all those musics, and I like musics and history.

(BC Note: NO THEY DON’T. Also . . . MUSICS????)

BC: What happens in Tucson if Belmont wins?

That West Coast mentality of not caring unless a team is good is pretty true in Tucson. Basketball is big, but students won’t go crazy and tear down the town unless it gets to the Final Four or so (see 2001, when a national championship loss resulting a quite the riot). The feeling about this team despite it being pretty dang good is that nobody trusts them … so it wouldn’t be like the end of the world or a big surprise if the Bruins pulled it off. Just a guess, but there will probably be drinking. Duh.

BC: How do you see this game playing out? 

ADS: I feel like Arizona has been playing pretty well over the past three games, so I’m pretty confident they won’t come out flat. But no matter a top-five team or a Belmont, they never rarely will pull out  a big rout. I see a high-scoring, well-played game from both teams.

BC: Seeing as this matchup is in Salt Lake City – there will be next to no Belmont fan’s there. What do you expect the UofA turnout to be like?

ADS: Arizona has traveled pretty well. I literally just walked in the door after watching the Wildcats out in Vegas, and they easily had the biggest group of fans there. Like you said, Vegas is quite a different atmosphere than SLC, but we travel pretty well.

BC: Final score prediction time!  Do you think the game will be close? Blowout?  What is the final score?

ADS: Let’s call it 75-68, Wildcats.

BC: Finish this sentence:  Arizona is to Green Chile Sauce as Nashville is to________

ADS: JACK DANIELS! I think there is a distillery there? Quick story. One time there was a Jack Daniels’ green label fifth on sale for $10 and I DROPPED IT ON THE SIDEWALK AFTER I BOUGHT IT. Worst moment of my life.  Anyway…

(BC NOTE: Worst moment of your life . . .until Belmont beats UA in the first round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament!)

BC: So what’s it like when your historic coach retires?  (We’re nervous about it)

ADS: It went pretty poorly. He stayed a little past his time, kind of wasn’t recruiting at all, and though he’s greatly revered [he] left the team in the dumpster (relatively) for a few years. Also, I remember watching internet boards as a kid while refreshing on a DSL connection for updates until my eyes went bloodshot. 

Sean Miller was luckily a great grab, but it was a nervous time before then. Also there were TWO interim head coaches … Also, they almost hired Tim Floyd. So that was pretty scary.

************

Cheers to the good guys over at Arizona Desert Storm. Who knows what they will make us answer later today . . .

-Kyle and Bert

(Wilbur and Wilma . . .)

Well party people – we’re going to Salt Lake City!

…And by ‘we’ I mean next-to-no-one from Nashville – save of course those fortunate enough to have Bobby Fisher foot the bill. But no matter! We shall cut out of work and mercilessly yell at television screens across this great southern city of ours!

Was anyone at the Selection Sunday party? Joel was, check out his photos here. How about that Sodexho BBQ? How’s everyone’s gut feeling? It’s always fun to be in a big loud crowd when our name is announced. It’s also fun to see The Bruin ‘faithful’ cheer for literally ANY team we draw.

Anyway, we at the Byrd Cage are working on teaming up with the folks at ‘Arizona Desert Swarm’ like we did last year with those punks at The Casual Hoya. If they cooperate, it will be hilarious and informative, two of our favorite things.

In the meantime, we wanted to set up a place where we can keep the conversation going and to share what the talking heads are saying about The Bruins. So here it goes:

First, A Cursory Primer on UofA:

• Stat Sheet Comparison: http://statsheet.com/mcb/teams/compare?t1-season=2012-2013&t1-type=&t1=belmont&t2=arizona
• Highlights from UofA’s last win in the PAC 12 Tournament: http://www.azdesertswarm.com/basketball/2013/3/14/4106816/pac-12-tournament-2013-video-highlights-arizona-colorado
• NCAA Tourney Notes from UofA Athletic Dept: http://www.arizonawildcats.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/031813aaa.html
• And for the Trolls, UofA Bball forum (I think): http://www.pointguardu.com/

Talking Heads Doing Some Talking:

• KenPom: UofA > Belmont http://kenpom.com/
• CBS West Region Preview – http://origin.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21899844/west-regional-preview-gonzaga-leads-wide-open-region
• Tuscon Citzen:  http://tucsoncitizen.com/wildcatreport/2013/03/18/arizona-belmont-many-in-media-looking-for-an-upset/
• Mike Morgan (again): http://www.dnj.com/article/20130317/SPORTS/303170057/Belmont-gets-best-seed-ever
• Cleveland.com????: http://www.cleveland.com/marchmadness/index.ssf/2013/03/belmont_bruins_how_far_can_the.html
• Coach Miller on Belmont:  http://azstarnet.com/sports/blogs/pascoe/arizona-wildcats-basketball-ua-given-no-seed-will-face-belmont/article_f2c372c6-8f4c-11e2-9fc7-0019bb2963f4.html
• Arizona Daily Star:  http://azstarnet.com/sports/basketball/college/wildcats/near-upset-of-duke-opened-eyes-to-belmont/article_9f92e5a1-f2b4-5110-85e8-5ce8b6340a2f.html
• Bleacher Report: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1571821-belmont-vs-arizona-game-time-tv-schedule-spread-info-and-predictions
• KETV Omaha???: http://www.ketv.com/sports/Preview-Belmont-vs-Arizona/-/9674600/19354074/-/mkffh6z/-/index.html
• Hoopsworld: http://www.hoopsworld.com/6-arizona-vs-11-belmont-preview/
• Sporting News: http://aol.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/tournament/2013/matchup/28/arizona-wildcats-vs-belmont-bruins
• CBS/Jeff Borzello: http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21900359/potential-upset-picks-10-non-bcs-teams-to-watch
• CBS/Matt Norlander – Belmont vs UofA is an “early must-see game”: http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/blog/eye-on-college-basketball/21899699/the-five-absolute-must-see-round-of-64-games
• One ill-conceived sentence from ESPN: http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/tournament/2013/story/_/id/9062001/sweet-science-crazy-season-extends-march-madness-2013-ncaa-men-basketball-tournament
• Myron Medcalf thinks MTSU > Belmont !???!!*$(@&^^&#E*&: http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/80123/10-bold-predictions-about-the-tournament

Earlier, we posted previews of Belmont as an 8 or a 9 seed.  While that makes me happy to actually type – this year, the assertion could be reasonably considered absurd. That being said, let’s preview our most likely seeding below, a 10-12 seed.

But before we do that- what seed do you think we’ll end up with?

Belmont as 12 Seed:

5 Seed : Syracuse

• Best Wins: @Louisville, SDSU, Notre Dame
• Notable Losses: No losses to anyone above 50 RPI.  But a huge loss to Georgetown, 61-39
• Key Players:  6-8 Junior forward CJ Fair, 14.5 PPG/7.2 RPG

The Matchup:

CJ Fair has been the most consistent point scorer all season, but Southerland released his true form in the Big East tournament, coming back to beat Seton Hall, then Pitt with a 6-6 performance from behind the arc, scoring 20 points in each game.  This team has four players that average over 12 points a game- showing that the Boeheim Boys are here to stay.  Athletic, long, three-shooting forwards give me the frights in a Belmont matchup.  Would be best to stay away from these guys, in my opinion.  I still expect Gerry McNamara to take the floor every time I see those jerseys- but his last Syracuse game was SEVEN YEARS AGO.  Yes.  That means you are getting old.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

5 Seed:  Pittsburgh

• Best Wins: Killed Georgetown in January, 73-45
• Notable Losses: Rutgers.
• Key Players: 6-0 Senior guard Tray Woodall (11 PPG, 5 APG)

Sorry, but this Pittsburgh Head Coach Jamie Dixon get-up isn’t fooling anyone, Joker.

The Matchup:

If you ask Syracuse’s Coach Boeheim about Pitt, he’ll likely say things like, “They are a hard, physical team,” or, “When the play well, they are the best in our league”.  He also said that about Seton Hall .  So the point here is, I don’t know really know what to tell you about this Pittsburgh team.  They played a close one to Syracuse in the Big East Tournament, and they killed a good Georgetown team.  Here’s a good stat- Pitt is 296th in 3-point field goals per game (5.0), and 258th in free throw percentage (66.7).  While this game would be a grinding battle, I would love the chance to draw this team.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

5 Seed:  St. Louis

• Best Wins: New Mexico, VCU, Butler x2
• Notable Losses: RPI 201 Rhode Island
• Key Players: The sixth man, Cody Ellis.  6-8 Senior forward.

The Matchup:

This team spreads the love, as 5 players average 10 points a game.  I highlight the Billikens sixth man only because of his blue hair, and while his 0-12ness in the loss at Xavier was a mess, Coach Crews said this: ”I told him probably three times in the game to keep shooting.  You’re not going to pinch-hit for Pujols or Mantle or Musial or someone who’s good, are you? If he’s open, I want him shooting it.”  MUSIAL.  Get out of here, CREWS.  But in all seriousness, the Billikens have an amazing season going.  A soundly coached team with proven wins is scary in the tournament- but I would LOVE the chance to face them.  They sound similar to a team I know well…

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

5 Seed:  Wisconsin

• Best Wins:  Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State
• Notable Losses:  Purdue
• Key Players: Ben Brust

The Matchup:

I just don’t want to face another Bo Ryan coached basketball team.  And while 12-6 in any other conference may not be ideal- the Big 10 is a different animal this year.  While ranked 208th in PPG in the nation, we know that statistic means crap with Bo Ryan’s ability to get control of the time of possession game.  And while I can’t speak for Ken Pomeroy, I’m pretty sure he loves Wisconsin for this fact and he has a reason to- they are ranked 4th in defensive efficiency, allowing only 84.7 points per 100 defensive possessions.  I don’t like this team as they scratch where we itch.  And, unfortunately, we’ve played a Bo Ryan team before.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Belmont as 11 Seed:

6 Seed:  UNLV

• Best Wins: New Mexico, Colorado Sate, San Diego State
• Notable Losses: Fresno State.  Twice.  The 11-19 Bulldogs had UNLV’s number
• Key Player: 6-8 Forward Anthony Bennett

The Matchup:

Freshman NBA Prospect Anthony Bennett has been giving everyone trouble this year in the Mountain West. Averaging 16 PPG and 8 RPG- the future superstar is likely to provide some serious trouble underneath the basket.  I like this matchup in name only- as Bennett vs Noack looks to be more like Jadeveon Clowney vs. , well, Trevor Noack on the line of scrimmage.  And we all saw what happened earlier this year. 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

6 Seed:  UCLA

• Best Wins:  Arizona x2
• Notable Losses: Cal Poly, Washington State
• Key Players: 6-6 Freshman NBA Lotto Pick Shabazz Muhammed

The Matchup:

While Shabazz is all the Shabuzz (I know I’m the first to ever use this phrase), Larry Drew II, senior point guard, leads the nation in assist to turnover ratio.  Coach Howland even called him the “best passer in the history of UCLA basketball.”  I’m no John Wooden, but didn’t Kareem, Bill Walton, and Reggie Miller play on those teams?  Maybe they just didn’t pass, I don’t know.  It is still quite the statement.  I don’t want to face Shabazz, and I’ll end it at that.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

6:  VCU

• Best Wins: Memphis, Belmont, Butler
• Notable Losses:  Richmond 
• Key Players: Juvonte Reddic, 6-9 Junior forward

The Matchup:

Eleventh in the nation in PPG and 1st in the nation in defensive turnover percentage- this team is scary.  And we have played them before.  It just didn’t go so well.  Holding us to 21 points in the first half- we fought back valiantly, but not valiantly enough.  Scoring 44 points in the second half we lost a tough one 75-65 early in the season on December 1st.  I don’t think the Selection Committee likes rematches, and in this case- do not pass me the VCU.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

6 Seed:  Butler

• Best Wins: Gonzaga.  Indiana.  Whew.
• Notable Losses:  Charlotte.
• Key Players:  Depth.

The Matchup:

Third place in the Atlantic 10- right behind VCU, the Bulldogs are that perennial mid-major that is scary- if only by name.  But this year’s case is not in name only.  As Jay Bilas mentioned in his “Most Clutch Players in Basketball” segment earlier this year, Roosevelt Jones made the list.  Nothing to write home about in shooting percentages, Jones made the list from his last minute shocker against Gonzaga.  With quality wins against the nation’s #1 and #3 teams, and a deep team with five players averaging double-digits; I don’t want none, either.  I’d rather play a Butler than a UCLA, but only by a smidge.  And we all know that ain’t much.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Belmont as 10 Seed:

7  Seed:  Notre Dame

• Best Wins:  Louisville, Marquette
• Notable Losses: St. John’s, St. Joseph’s
• Key Players:  6-9 Senior forward Jack Cooley (14 PPG, 10 RPG)

I want one of these jerseys, if only, to hide my messy obsession with lime sherbet.

The Matchup:

Pat Connaughton.  Are you kidding me?  Can you think of any better name for anyone to play for the Irish?  Besides Rudy.  Exactly.  You have to root for them.  Except for the uniforms.  Connaughton stepped up in the Big East Tournament with 21 points against Rutgers and 18 against Marquette last night.  This team is hot and is looking to get past the semi-finals for the first time in Big East history before they.. um.. join the ACC.  But in basketball.  Just basketball.  I’d love a hand at the Fighting Irish.  With nothing to write home about in the defensive category, I’d love to see the Bruins knock ‘em down from the arc and control the game with points off turnovers.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

7 Seed:  North Carolina

• Best Wins:  UNLV, NC State
• Notable Losses:  Texas
• Key Players:  6-9 Sophomore forward James Michael McAdoo; 6-7 Junior G-F Reggie Bullock

The Matchup:

With McAdoo and Bullock both averaging 14 PPG and 7 RPG, the inside presence is definitely there.  But word on the street is they give up a lot of 3′s. The Tar Heels are 121st in FG% in the nation, allow opponents to shoot 35%, and gives up the three- it wouldn’t be the end of the world if Belmont drew this team this year.  I’d  rank them in the “love a shot at them in this seeding category”.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

7 Seed:  Creighton

• Best Wins:  Wisconsin
• Notable Losses: Drake, Illinois State
• Key Players: Doug McDermott (averages 23 PPG)

The Matchup:

Doug McDermott is just an amazing player to watch.  With the 2nd highest efficient field goal percentage in the country, this team is an offensive beast.  The lack of rebounds may be the Achilles’ heel- but when you shoot like that you really don’t need them.  Almost last in the country in forcing steals and getting only 30% of available offensive boards, the recipe is clear.  Shut down Doug, maximize points off turnovers, and Belmont wins.  The only thing here is that it sounds considerably easier than it is to knock off the Bluejays.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

7 Seed:  Memphis

• Best Wins:  Southern Miss?  Really.
• Notable Losses:  Xavier
• Key Players: 6-1 Junior guard Joe Jackson (13 PPG)

Star of the hit 90′s sitcom… um.. I mean Memphis Head Coach Josh Pastner

The Matchup:

Doesn’t Josh Pastner remind you of Kevin Arnold?  It is just really hard to take that guy seriously.  The Tigers with a 16-0 record in Conference USA looks impressive- until you look deeper into Conference USA.   With no astounding non conference wins or losses- this team seems to me to be the most up in the air.  They only beat Lipscomb by 6- so it is really hard for me to take them seriously.  Between that and Kevin Arnold- I want a piece.  Please.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In Conclusion:

If you had to ask an expert like me who we will get and what seed you will be?  I’ll give you a straight answer.  Belmont will draw an 11 seed and play Pittsburgh.  Pitt will drop a seed from the Big East Tournament and Belmont will play them in Lexington.  All of Nashville will drive to the bourbon capital of the world and we will celebrate our first ever win in the NCAA tournament.  Dear Lord, please.

-Bert

If there has ever been a season where the seeding was unsure for BU – it is this year.  I don’t know about you but I’ve seen projections of Belmont from a 7 seed  (Yes.  SEVEN SEED.) to a 12.  It really is insane.  For now, we realize there are a TON of variables to consider – from the makeup of the Selection Sunday Staff to the very timing of this article. While us Byrd Cagers are the top experts in this field, we simply cannot guarantee what seed The Mont will draw.  So let’s look at what could happen. This post covers projections of Belmont as an 8 or 9 seed. Later, we’ll talk about 10, 11, and 12 seeds. Here we go.

Projecting Belmont as 8 Seed:

(photo: Ben McKeown)

Byrd Cage = BC
Ian Clark = Ian

Author’s Note: Honestly, I’ve wanted to interview Ian for a while now. Unfortunately, I can be a sort of superstitious guy.  Ian was so EN FUEGO the majority of the season that I was legitimately worried I would throw him off by interviewing him. So I didn’t until yesterday when I knew the OVC Championship Trophy was resting safely on the Blvd.  The Byrd Cage is really going to miss watching this guy ball, so I tried to cover most of the bases. Enjoy.

BC:  Let’s start out way back. You were recruited by Lipscomb, Davidson, and MTSU [none of which are going to the tournament this year I might add] and you chose Belmont. You’ve mentioned before that Coach Byrd was one of the reasons you chose Belmont. Other than his taking teams to the NCAA tournament, what stood out to you about him while he recruited you?

Ian:   His dedication and that he cared for his players. My AAU team played a tournament in Florida and he was at all of my games. So I talked to him a lot and he came to my school and sat down and talked to me. I knew he was a quality guy, a great coach, and a great person. So those factors played a big part in me making my decision – on top of him taking his teams to the NCAA tournament.

BC:   You went to high school in Memphis and Kerron came up in Huntsville. Had you guys seen each other play prior to coming to Belmont?

Ian: No we hadn’t. I had heard of him once and it was because he had played a team from Memphis with a bunch of guys that I know that I played AAU ball with. After they played him they told me that [he had also] committed to Belmont. So some of the guys called me and told me about him and how they played him and that he was really good. That was the only time I had heard of him before – other than being on campus with him.

BC: This year you took your three point shooting to the next level. What exactly did you do in the off season to improve your 3pt shot? I know you worked on your jumper but how were you able to improve your 3pt shot?

Ian:  I think it was just being more confident in it. I’ve always been classified as a shooter but this year, just having the confidence in myself to shoot a little more and take a bigger role on the team – just being a Senior Leader and Senior Captain. Those other guys that were before us, like last year, Drew Hanlen was the guy taking those shots. The year before that it was Jordan Campbell. This year I just had to step it up and do whatever it takes to help the team. I think that’s one of the strongest assets that I bring to the team.

BC: Well I was really hoping you were going to tell me you went to one of Drew Hanlen’s Pure Sweat camps.

Ian: [Laughs]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

BC: Have you ever read our blog, The Byrd Cage?

Ian:  Yeah I have.

BC: Well, we’re pretty goofy, so we wanted to ask you some fun stuff here. We follow you all on twitter . . . what’s the deal with the entire Belmont team and Krispy Kreme donuts? I mean c’mon they aren’t THAT good.

Ian: Man. They are to us. They are to us. There is a 24 hour one over here on Thompson Lane. We go all the time. It’s more spur of the moment when we’re all around each other. No matter what time of the day or night it is, we get up and go. A lot of guys I know, including myself. Love it. Can’t stay away from it.

BC: Well Belmont really dropped the ball not getting you guys a Krispy Kreme Sponsorship or something.

Ian:  Man. Exactly.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

BC:   In the past few years I’ve really loved watching you develop your own sort of soft spoken leadership style. You seem almost always even-keeled, you encourage guys when they make a mistake, you pat guys’ heads when they’re maybe in their own head a little too much – what sort of legacy do you hope you’re leaving for guys like JJ, Reece, and Blake who will have to step up as leaders next year?

Ian: I want to leave a winning legacy. Of course, everyone wants to win games, but it’s a way to do things. I’ve been taught, the four years that I’ve been here, how to do them the right way. I know those guys will continue to be taught that way from the coaching staff. I’ve always tried to reinforce that and encourage my teammates and to be someone that they can count on, out on the court. That’s what I want those guys to keep doing.

There’s going to be hard times – not everything is going to be perfect. And I’m subject to that – I’m not perfect – I’m not saying it like that. I just try to do my best and not let it show and make sure – especially being in that leadership role. Guys look at you and how you respond through adversity and everything. I want them to know that the spotlight is going to be on them now. They’re the older guys on the team now. They’re the leaders. They should embrace that role.

BC: I talked to Kerron earlier this year and he talked about how when he first came on the team, Jordan Campbell was kind of that guy for him. Was Jordan the same to you?

Ian: My freshman year it was Keaton Belcher. The next year it was Jordan. Last year it was Drew. I still contact those guys today. Just because of the relationship we built together over the years.

BC: From a fan’s perspective it’s been cool to see how players from past teams come and support the guys they handed the program over to.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

BC: Talk to me about the Ohio game. Was that the best home environment you’ve played in here at Belmont?

Ian: Definitely . . . non-Lipscomb related, I guess. Those were some tough games my freshman and sophomore year – all of them of course you’re going to have a good crowd, just because it’s Lipscomb. But I think that Ohio game surpasses those a little bit just because of the importance of the game and ESPN being here and all the fans showing up. It was a great environment. They recognized how big of a game it was so they showed up to be a part of it.

BC: Well, back to that Ohio game. Talk about what happened with your knee on the breakaway layup when you hit the deck.

Ian: I was told I hyper-extended it somehow. I was coming down the court and as soon as I took off I thought I heard it pop or snap – I’m glad it didn’t – but that’s what it felt like. As soon as I went up I knew there was something wrong. It bothered me a lot early. Then I went back to the locker room and the doctors came and it was easing up after that. I’m glad it wasn’t anything serious, but it was a little scary.

BC: Well you had us scared – you never hit the floor.

Ian: Yeah it scared me a lot. So I’m glad everything was ok. It was just a hyper-extension. I’ve been bothered with tendonitis for three years.

BC: That night you became Belmont’s all time leading scorer. Did you know that, when you were shooting those last free throws that you were on the verge of breaking the record?

Ian: I found out when I went to the free throw line.[Laughs]

BC: [Laughs. Possibly, TOO loud] WHO TOLD YOU?

Ian: I kind of noticed with the crowd. We were up a certain number of points. I’m not sure how many but they were still kind of excited and I was just wondering why. So I kind of looked around and out of the corner of my eye I saw Keaton Belcher holding that sign up.

He had mentioned a couple things about it. He’s been keeping up with it for a long time through the season. I went to the game not really realizing it. So, I went to the free throw line and then I saw how excited everyone was, then I saw the sign and I was like, “Oh, okay . . .” I was really glad I made those free throws cause if I missed it would have been bad. [laughs]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

BC: Let’s talk OVC championship – did LeAnn Womack actually sing “I hope you Dance” to pump you guys up before the game? How bizarre was that?

Ian: [Long silence] Who now?

BC: I guess not. I read that on some blog.

Ian: Sang to us in the locker  room?

BC: YES. That’s what I read man!

Ian: Uh. No. [laughs]

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

BC: In both Murray games it seemed that Isaiah was giving you a ton of lip on the court. What was he saying to you in that first game that seemed to get under your skin?

Ian: You know, he was talking a little trash about us being new in the conference and everything and how it wasn’t going to be easy for us to come in there and run over people. Obviously, he had some excitement built up in him just because we were the Kings of the conference coming into that game.

BC: I mean I had never seen you come out of character like that so I was thinking Isaiah must be [bringing it]. Obviously, you were in the heat of the moment as well.

Ian: A lot of things don’t get me out of character. You can say a lot of things and it doesn’t bother me but it got to the point where things started to get a little disrespectful.

BC: What about in the OVC Championship game? Was he talking the same stuff?

Ian: Less in the championship game.

BC: Also, during both Murray games, Stacy Wilson seemed to have your number defensively. Was he the toughest person that guarded you all year?

Ian: Not the toughest. I would say he took it more to heart.  I think one of the toughest defenses we went up against this year was the “Box and 1” during the Tennessee Tech game here at Belmont – the whole game. The whole game they just tried to take me out. Murray played more man to man it was just more of a denial on my part. He (Stacy) kind of took it as his mission – I’m pretty sure he talked to his coaching staff – and took it as his mission to try and not let me touch it. Or for me to get as few touches as possible and to make every shot hard.

[Editor’s Note: case and point check Stacy on Ian here on that infamous last play the end of the game. Belmont could not run the play Rick called because Ian couldn’t get the initial touch - luckily it worked out anyway . . .]

I mean it’s what you do. We talk about it with the players that we play – to limit their touches. Early, there [@ Murray] it was kind of a factor and then through the flow of the game I started to get more comfortable. Then in the championship game, I wouldn’t say – I mean it was definitely harder to get in a flow and at the same time I wasn’t going to force anything just to make it [the game] between me and [Stacy] it didn’t make sense. It was more of ‘take what’s given to me’ and everything else will pan out. Other people stepped up and made plays so it really wasn’t a factor – me having to get my shots off or score as much.

BC: I wasn’t paying close enough attention but people were saying he was face guarding you a lot both games. Is it tougher for you obviously when guys are doing that or does it bother you when guys play like that?

IC: It doesn’t bother me. Of course it’s definitely harder. They don’t want you to catch the ball and when you do get the ball they are expecting you to make a play or attack.

BC: As the Defensive POY, who were a couple of the toughest OVC players you had to guard this year?

Ian: Isaiah would be one.

BC: What about DiNunno? I can’t remember if you had much time on him.

Ian: Yeah he would have to probably be the #1 guy.

BC: Just because he’s so quick or what?

Ian: Yeah he’s shorter but he’s quicker and he’s strong when he goes to the basket. It’s difficult for a 6’3 guard to try and bend down and get to that level and try to guard those guys.

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BC: Let’s talk about the guys who will be taking over next year. Most people haven’t seen Caleb Chowbay play, tell us about his game – do you think he has what it takes to be the next Alex Renfroe or a Kerron Johnson?

Ian: I think he has what it takes to be the next Caleb Chowbay. It’s kind of hard to compare him to Alex and Kerron. They are a totally different kind of player. Caleb definitely has what it takes. He comes to practice and works hard and brings a different style to the Belmont point guards of the past few years. Drew Hanlen was a great passer, a great leader, and a great three point shooter. Kerron is a great driver. Him and Alex were great drivers. You couldn’t stop them from getting to the basket. Caleb is more of his own shot creator. He can really shoot the ball from 3pt range and off the dribble. I’m actually kind of excited to see him play next year and the years to come because I think he brings something different.

BC: I don’t think Coach was expecting him to red-shirt. I mean it obviously worked out fine, you guys won the championship. Do you think it will be good for Belmont going forward that he has 4 more years and has seen you guys play and experienced the OVC and NCAA tournaments? That has to be valuable for the team going forward.

Ian: I definitely think so. He came and told us before the season that he was thinking about doing that. I was shocked that he was going to redshirt. I think he thought he needed time to see what the college game was like, you know the physicality of it and just being smarter and making decisions. I think also it being Kerron’s senior year and Reece playing really well also – playing behind those guys he wouldn’t have gotten a lot of experience. I think in his eyes he would have wasted a year of actually playing. I think he learned a lot from Kerron and it shows in practice. He’s been more focused and more logical of what to do and what not to do. I think it will definitely make him a better player.

BC: What do you think it is about Reece that made him such a good matchup in both Murray games? I mean he basically mounted the come back both times. What do you think was working so well in those situations?

Ian: Defensive intensity definitely. It’s what he brings to the table – he’s never scared to guard anyone. His hands are always active all the time. I think that’s why Coach Byrd always puts him in certain situations because he knows he can count on him defensively and he does the right things and he’s always in the right spots. We embrace that as a team because we know what Reece can do. He’s become more sound offensively also in being able to make shots and make the passes and everything. You know I said Caleb has benefited from watching the point guards – I think Reece definitely learned from Drew Hanlen. Reece redshirted also so when he got his time he used it to his advantage.

BC: This will be your third NCAA D1 tournament to play in. Are you personally doing anything different to prepare for this game? What about the team? Is Coach doing anything different in practice?

Ian: For me, I don’t think I’m doing anything different. I don’t think we are as a team either. We’ve always had practices leading up to the tournament that are more about us as team and our fundamentals. Just because we are going to the tournament doesn’t mean we are playing perfect basketball. I think the only thing different will be our mindset. That first year when we went, for a lot us it was our first time and we were shell shocked and excited to be there. I’m not saying that we didn’t want to win the game. Last year it was more of, ok we’re here what do we do next. Last year of course we didn’t win. A lot of the guys that are back this year – we are more hungry for it now. Especially the seniors, we’ve done a lot here and what better way [to end] than to get that first win in the tournament and keep moving on. It’s more of my mindset that we’re here now and it’s time to start winning games.

BC: What do you think the ‘X factor’ will be for Belmont to win a tournament game this year? Or is there one?

Ian: If I had to pinpoint something maybe our different style of play. The past few years people were talking about our three point shooting and our presence down low – of course we had big guys like Mick and Scott. This year we have a different offense. Maybe I wouldn’t say X-Factor, maybe a surprise of the different offense we might run. Just showing teams something that they’re not used to.

BC: Your senior year is months away from ending. What are your plans after graduation?

Ian: I am going to continue to keep playing. I don’t know a lot about that stuff and I haven’t gotten any deeper into it than a couple of phone calls. I’ve been away from all that for a long time because I’m more focused on these guys, my teammates being in the season. I’m sure when we’re done I’ll be talking to my buddy Drew Hanlen. Talking to him a lot because I know he has a lot of knowledge on a lot of this stuff and I’ll just go from there.

BC: In five, 10, 15 years from now when you look back on your time with Coach Byrd, what do you imagine will be one of the most valuable things he taught you?

Ian: Growing up and being a man. Over the past four years I can see how he’s [shown] me – on the court and off the court – how to act and how to conduct myself and how to respond to certain things. We get a lot of compliments being on the road of how we don’t act up like other teams and from alumni saying how good we look.

It’s the little things. I think when I was younger coming on the court I showed a little more emotion – and that’s not bad, I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but there is a time and a place for everything. We know not to be arrogant or to boast on the court – which would be easy for me to do with the things that I’ve accomplished. It would be easy for us to boast and brag but Coach Byrd has taught us not to be that way.  I think what a lot of guys including myself will take when we leave here – more than being a good basketball player –  but he’s taught us to be men.

BC: I understand that you are doing some coaching? Tell me about that?

Ian: It’s going great I’m starting that back up now. I’m coaching a 6th grade AAU team and at first I was skeptical going into it because I didn’t know about the schedule or anything. But I got to know the kids and the parents and it was a whole new world for me that I could go get away from [everything].  On the court too – being on the court in a different position – seeing how my coaches feel when I’m not there.  I’m learning, and we did good last year and I got the same guys this year. It’s been good to see the familiar faces.

BC: Do you find yourself saying stuff that Coach Byrd says to you guys?

Ian: Some of it. Some of it they probably wouldn’t understand. Me and Brandon Baker coach together and we do a lot of the same little drills that we’ve learned and try to incorporate a little bit.

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Starting tomorrow, (much like last year) The Byrd Cage’s bracket bros will be previewing Belmont’s potential matchups as different seeds. Stay tuned. This is the fun stuff.

-Kyle