00:00:02
Speaker 1: All right, let's talk some hoops. Time to Norse up. Coming up Tuesday night, it's Scoops for Hoops at NKU. Fans, students, families all invited to Truist Arena. It's a night of hoops and free Wits custard. Who doesn't like Wits frozen custard? Inflatables, face painting, and more. The doors are going to open up at 6. Player introductions for both the men and the women. Both coaches going to address the crowd. Then fans can get an early look at the Norse men's team at a public exhibition against UT Martin set for 5.30 on October the 14th at Truist Arena. All eyes on three days in March in the Horizon League tournament. For more on that, let's go straight to the now eighth-year head coach of the Norse. That would be Darren Horn. How are you?
00:00:41
Speaker 2: Doing great, Lance.
00:00:43
Speaker 3: It's so good to be basketball season. I know if I'm on the air with you, something good's.
00:00:47
Speaker 2: About to happen.
00:00:48
Speaker 1: Absolutely. I love it. So take me through from going back to the summer and sorting through what you have and fitting everything together. How's it look right now?
00:00:56
Speaker 2: Well, I mean, it's a different world, right? We all know that. We've only got two guys that played very.
00:01:01
Speaker 3: Much returning, so pretty busy recruiting Spring and the Portal and a whole new team. We've got eight weeks in the summer to work with them and actually are really excited about what we have. We really added some good pieces and a lot of coaches, Lance, complain about the portal but we really embraced it and look at it as an opportunity to improve every year in terms of maybe addressing some needs not just hey i lost a point guard or a five man i need a point guard and a five man but maybe address some needs being uh you know get a little more physical or maybe get a little more size or whatever it might be and we really feel like we accomplished that we're excited about our group.
00:01:37
Speaker 1: Well you know full well coach that more and more scheduling is about money and analytics and travel are you excited about what you were able to end up putting together.
00:01:47
Speaker 2: I am. Everything except the structure of it. We start our first four on the road. Two of those are at St.
00:01:52
Speaker 3: Louis and at Texas A & M. So I probably wouldn't have chosen to do that right out of the gate.
00:01:58
Speaker 2: But as you said, we are.
00:01:59
Speaker 3: Chasing money a little bit to raise some funds for NIL. That was just kind of how it fell for us. But really excited about it and excited about what we're doing for our first home opener, second Saturday in November against Central Michigan.
00:02:13
Speaker 2: Tip off in the Heights. Kind of think Red's opening day type stuff.
00:02:18
Speaker 3: I don't know if there's a parade, but definitely a lot of tailgating and festivities and great fan experience inside the game when it starts.
00:02:25
Speaker 2: The brainchild of our new athletic director, Mike Odom. So really excited about that.
00:02:29
Speaker 1: Oh, I love that. And man, for fans that like a fast pace of play, points in transition. That's you guys. That's Norris basketball. That's also, I would think, got to be a style that recruits want to be a part of.
00:02:41
Speaker 2: It really helped us.
00:02:42
Speaker 3: In the portal this spring, Lance, to be able to show the guys who were recruiting what the guys in our system last year did individually and how we play as a team. I think because our defense is unique and gotten so much attention, we're always in the top two or three in the Horizon League in defense and ranked nationally in steals every year.
00:02:59
Speaker 2: That's kind of gotten all the attention.
00:03:01
Speaker 3: But the last couple of years, we've played at an unbelievably fast pace. And as you said, I think top 15 in the country in both transition points and playoffs. number of possessions that we score early in the clock.
00:03:12
Speaker 2: So the fast-paced play is fun.
00:03:14
Speaker 3: For our guys and fun for our fans, and I think it does help recruiting.
00:03:18
Speaker 1: If you look up transition basketball in the dictionary, I guess if people still use the dictionary, you probably see Ethan Elliott.
00:03:26
Speaker 3: I think Lance is as good a transition guard as there is in college basketball.
00:03:29
Speaker 2: I really mean that.
00:03:31
Speaker 3: And maybe not a guy that's going to go get 25 for you or is a great one-on-one player, but if you're just talking about throwing the ball ahead in transition, getting it to the right guy, pushing the pace. really is the key to our break and has done an outstanding job. And this is a young man that over the summer really got into getting in great shape, taking care of his body. He's down to 9% body fat. He's lost 15 pounds, gained a bunch of muscle. So really, he's playing even faster than he did last year now.
00:03:57
Speaker 1: You had L.J. Wells as a freshman. He averaged less than two points a game. By senior year, he was scoring 15 a game for you. And the reality of basketball today is there's player movement. And you hate to lose guys, but When LJ Wells goes to Louisville to play for Pat Kelsey, that's got to be a nice spotlight on what you are developing there.
00:04:16
Speaker 2: It's huge, right?
00:04:17
Speaker 3: Again, another thing that, you know, some guys complain about that we're embracing. Our goal from day one is player development's a cornerstone of our program, and in the past it's always been, can we get them to professional basketball to play overseas.
00:04:30
Speaker 2: Or in the NBA?
00:04:31
Speaker 3: Now there's kind of an interim step, right, where If you're at a school like Northern Kentucky, can they play well enough and develop and put up the numbers to where they can leave and get a great payday and maybe play at a power.
00:04:43
Speaker 2: Four at a higher level?
00:04:44
Speaker 3: And so we're actually really, really, really proud of LJ and all of our guys that have been able to do that. That's just kind of part of the process now. And we take great pride in the fact that our guys do get better and create opportunities for themselves, whether it's professionally or if it's a jump in college basketball, they still have eligibility.
00:05:01
Speaker 1: Spent some time in Noblesville outside of Indianapolis earlier this week for the Horizon League Media Day.
00:05:06
Speaker 2: Had it.
00:05:06
Speaker 1: What's your sense? What do you feel outlook wise for the horizon?
00:05:12
Speaker 3: I think the league gets stronger every year that I've been in it. I think the commitment from the schools and the league level has grown. I think the top half is going to be really strong. I think the bottom is improving where there's no easy games. We're really excited. I think the challenge is this time of year, Lance, you know how it is. Everybody's like, hey, how do you like your team coach?
00:05:35
Speaker 1: I don't know.
00:05:36
Speaker 2: I'm still learning my team.
00:05:36
Speaker 3: I got no idea who anybody else has. Because they've all got a brand new team. But I feel pretty confident that because of the commitment of the programs and some of the coaches that we have, that it's going to be a really good year again for the Horizon League.
00:05:50
Speaker 1: I love following what you guys, be it through your coaches' show or through the social media stuff. How your guys are involved in the community. They're out in the community. And I love this scoops for hoops because you're bringing people into your house. And as I said, who doesn't like Witt's frozen custard? Just talk about the importance of a connection night like that for the program.
00:06:11
Speaker 3: The night that we started a few years ago, honestly, the idea of my wife who said, you know, we need to do something to kick off the year. really inviting to families and you know we feel like one of the strengths that we have and you know Lance you come to a game or two every year that we we've got a great atmosphere we're easy in we're easy out it's a great place to watch college basketball and it's it's really a great family event and outing when we play and so we wanted to do something early before the season started to invite families out and and who doesn't like inflatables and ice cream and Face painting and all that good stuff. And then the basketball junkies, they're going to get their basketball fixed as well.
00:06:48
Speaker 2: But the kids are going to.
00:06:48
Speaker 3: Go home hyped up on.
00:06:50
Speaker 2: Sugar and ice cream. So it should be a great night for everybody.
00:06:53
Speaker 1: I love it.
00:06:54
Speaker 2: I love it.
00:06:54
Speaker 1: You mentioned Mike Odom. He's the new VP and director of athletics. Give me your early impressions. What's it been like working with him, exchanging ideas and kicking things around?
00:07:04
Speaker 3: I mean, unbelievable energy, tremendous work ethic. This guy has been.
00:07:08
Speaker 2: Out at everything imaginable.
00:07:10
Speaker 3: I'm starting to wonder if he's got a twin or a double that's doing some work that i had to miss because i was heading up for something at media day the night before an event and i wake up the next morning our guys roll into media day and he's there at that two two hours away in indianapolis so uh unbelievable connecting with people great energy a ton of creative ideas for not only generating revenue and things like that are.
00:07:37
Speaker 2: Important but yes we talked about.
00:07:38
Speaker 3: Game atmosphere and and getting people in the building as you're know, Lance, it's really a special place when you can get the right amount of people in there. We're not going to sell it out every night like we have for Cincinnati games. Uh, but you know, you, you get four or 5,000 in that building and it's a, it's a great college basketball atmosphere and a pretty, uh, tremendous home court advantage for us.
00:07:58
Speaker 2: Uh, interest arena is rocking. I love it.
00:08:00
Speaker 1: I love it. I love talking hoops with you. You know, you're welcome on the show.
00:08:03
Speaker 2: Anytime.
00:08:03
Speaker 1: I look forward to talking with you during the season as well.
00:08:07
Speaker 2: All right, thanks so much for having me on, Lance. Appreciate you.
00:08:09
Speaker 1: Thanks, Coach. Take care. There you go. Darren Horn, Norris up. Again, Tuesday night. Tuesday night, scoops for hoops at NKU. That's come one, come all. Fans, students, families. Truist Arena, it's not a hoops. Free wits, frozen custard, inflatables, face painting. Maybe I should have told Darren he should paint his face. And much more doors open at 6. Players for the men's and women's teams will be introduced. Both coaches will talk to the crowd of men. The announcement yesterday circled October the 14th on your calendar at Truist Arena, an early look at the Norse with the men's team at a public exhibition game, Division I. It's been a while since they had a Division I opponent for their exhibition game against UT Martin set for 530 on October the 14th. And I really like what he said. I didn't know about the details for their opening night of the regular season. That sounded cool. As well, all your ticket information, of course, nkunorse.com. All right, still ahead. I'm going to ask for your help because I'm in an odd position related to the Bengals. And my feelings about the Bengals from Sunday at about 4 o'clock last week through the week and where I sit tonight, and I want to maybe match, compare notes, and get a sense of where you are with how you feel about this team. So we'll open up those lines and we'll start kind of down the track of that conversation. And I asked Tony Pike a question on Monday night during Bengals line. I want you to hear the question and the answer. As I told him, I stole it from Dan Hoard because he asked Tony the same question, but I thought it was a great one based on the circumstances of last Sunday. We'll get into that next. It's R & L Carrier Sports Talk presented by Kelsey Chevrolet, 700 WLW.
00:09:53
Speaker 4: There will be claws and chaos when the football bear cats wrestle with the wild cats in a big 12 conference clash will you see annihilate arizona or will the cats from the canyon scratch out a win find out saturday night at 10 p.m on 700 wlw or stream for free on the new and improved iheart radio app for 50 years sharon brown voted how he was
Speaker 1: All right, let's talk some hoops. Time to Norse up. Coming up Tuesday night, it's Scoops for Hoops at NKU. Fans, students, families all invited to Truist Arena. It's a night of hoops and free Wits custard. Who doesn't like Wits frozen custard? Inflatables, face painting, and more. The doors are going to open up at 6. Player introductions for both the men and the women. Both coaches going to address the crowd. Then fans can get an early look at the Norse men's team at a public exhibition against UT Martin set for 5.30 on October the 14th at Truist Arena. All eyes on three days in March in the Horizon League tournament. For more on that, let's go straight to the now eighth-year head coach of the Norse. That would be Darren Horn. How are you?
00:00:41
Speaker 2: Doing great, Lance.
00:00:43
Speaker 3: It's so good to be basketball season. I know if I'm on the air with you, something good's.
00:00:47
Speaker 2: About to happen.
00:00:48
Speaker 1: Absolutely. I love it. So take me through from going back to the summer and sorting through what you have and fitting everything together. How's it look right now?
00:00:56
Speaker 2: Well, I mean, it's a different world, right? We all know that. We've only got two guys that played very.
00:01:01
Speaker 3: Much returning, so pretty busy recruiting Spring and the Portal and a whole new team. We've got eight weeks in the summer to work with them and actually are really excited about what we have. We really added some good pieces and a lot of coaches, Lance, complain about the portal but we really embraced it and look at it as an opportunity to improve every year in terms of maybe addressing some needs not just hey i lost a point guard or a five man i need a point guard and a five man but maybe address some needs being uh you know get a little more physical or maybe get a little more size or whatever it might be and we really feel like we accomplished that we're excited about our group.
00:01:37
Speaker 1: Well you know full well coach that more and more scheduling is about money and analytics and travel are you excited about what you were able to end up putting together.
00:01:47
Speaker 2: I am. Everything except the structure of it. We start our first four on the road. Two of those are at St.
00:01:52
Speaker 3: Louis and at Texas A & M. So I probably wouldn't have chosen to do that right out of the gate.
00:01:58
Speaker 2: But as you said, we are.
00:01:59
Speaker 3: Chasing money a little bit to raise some funds for NIL. That was just kind of how it fell for us. But really excited about it and excited about what we're doing for our first home opener, second Saturday in November against Central Michigan.
00:02:13
Speaker 2: Tip off in the Heights. Kind of think Red's opening day type stuff.
00:02:18
Speaker 3: I don't know if there's a parade, but definitely a lot of tailgating and festivities and great fan experience inside the game when it starts.
00:02:25
Speaker 2: The brainchild of our new athletic director, Mike Odom. So really excited about that.
00:02:29
Speaker 1: Oh, I love that. And man, for fans that like a fast pace of play, points in transition. That's you guys. That's Norris basketball. That's also, I would think, got to be a style that recruits want to be a part of.
00:02:41
Speaker 2: It really helped us.
00:02:42
Speaker 3: In the portal this spring, Lance, to be able to show the guys who were recruiting what the guys in our system last year did individually and how we play as a team. I think because our defense is unique and gotten so much attention, we're always in the top two or three in the Horizon League in defense and ranked nationally in steals every year.
00:02:59
Speaker 2: That's kind of gotten all the attention.
00:03:01
Speaker 3: But the last couple of years, we've played at an unbelievably fast pace. And as you said, I think top 15 in the country in both transition points and playoffs. number of possessions that we score early in the clock.
00:03:12
Speaker 2: So the fast-paced play is fun.
00:03:14
Speaker 3: For our guys and fun for our fans, and I think it does help recruiting.
00:03:18
Speaker 1: If you look up transition basketball in the dictionary, I guess if people still use the dictionary, you probably see Ethan Elliott.
00:03:26
Speaker 3: I think Lance is as good a transition guard as there is in college basketball.
00:03:29
Speaker 2: I really mean that.
00:03:31
Speaker 3: And maybe not a guy that's going to go get 25 for you or is a great one-on-one player, but if you're just talking about throwing the ball ahead in transition, getting it to the right guy, pushing the pace. really is the key to our break and has done an outstanding job. And this is a young man that over the summer really got into getting in great shape, taking care of his body. He's down to 9% body fat. He's lost 15 pounds, gained a bunch of muscle. So really, he's playing even faster than he did last year now.
00:03:57
Speaker 1: You had L.J. Wells as a freshman. He averaged less than two points a game. By senior year, he was scoring 15 a game for you. And the reality of basketball today is there's player movement. And you hate to lose guys, but When LJ Wells goes to Louisville to play for Pat Kelsey, that's got to be a nice spotlight on what you are developing there.
00:04:16
Speaker 2: It's huge, right?
00:04:17
Speaker 3: Again, another thing that, you know, some guys complain about that we're embracing. Our goal from day one is player development's a cornerstone of our program, and in the past it's always been, can we get them to professional basketball to play overseas.
00:04:30
Speaker 2: Or in the NBA?
00:04:31
Speaker 3: Now there's kind of an interim step, right, where If you're at a school like Northern Kentucky, can they play well enough and develop and put up the numbers to where they can leave and get a great payday and maybe play at a power.
00:04:43
Speaker 2: Four at a higher level?
00:04:44
Speaker 3: And so we're actually really, really, really proud of LJ and all of our guys that have been able to do that. That's just kind of part of the process now. And we take great pride in the fact that our guys do get better and create opportunities for themselves, whether it's professionally or if it's a jump in college basketball, they still have eligibility.
00:05:01
Speaker 1: Spent some time in Noblesville outside of Indianapolis earlier this week for the Horizon League Media Day.
00:05:06
Speaker 2: Had it.
00:05:06
Speaker 1: What's your sense? What do you feel outlook wise for the horizon?
00:05:12
Speaker 3: I think the league gets stronger every year that I've been in it. I think the commitment from the schools and the league level has grown. I think the top half is going to be really strong. I think the bottom is improving where there's no easy games. We're really excited. I think the challenge is this time of year, Lance, you know how it is. Everybody's like, hey, how do you like your team coach?
00:05:35
Speaker 1: I don't know.
00:05:36
Speaker 2: I'm still learning my team.
00:05:36
Speaker 3: I got no idea who anybody else has. Because they've all got a brand new team. But I feel pretty confident that because of the commitment of the programs and some of the coaches that we have, that it's going to be a really good year again for the Horizon League.
00:05:50
Speaker 1: I love following what you guys, be it through your coaches' show or through the social media stuff. How your guys are involved in the community. They're out in the community. And I love this scoops for hoops because you're bringing people into your house. And as I said, who doesn't like Witt's frozen custard? Just talk about the importance of a connection night like that for the program.
00:06:11
Speaker 3: The night that we started a few years ago, honestly, the idea of my wife who said, you know, we need to do something to kick off the year. really inviting to families and you know we feel like one of the strengths that we have and you know Lance you come to a game or two every year that we we've got a great atmosphere we're easy in we're easy out it's a great place to watch college basketball and it's it's really a great family event and outing when we play and so we wanted to do something early before the season started to invite families out and and who doesn't like inflatables and ice cream and Face painting and all that good stuff. And then the basketball junkies, they're going to get their basketball fixed as well.
00:06:48
Speaker 2: But the kids are going to.
00:06:48
Speaker 3: Go home hyped up on.
00:06:50
Speaker 2: Sugar and ice cream. So it should be a great night for everybody.
00:06:53
Speaker 1: I love it.
00:06:54
Speaker 2: I love it.
00:06:54
Speaker 1: You mentioned Mike Odom. He's the new VP and director of athletics. Give me your early impressions. What's it been like working with him, exchanging ideas and kicking things around?
00:07:04
Speaker 3: I mean, unbelievable energy, tremendous work ethic. This guy has been.
00:07:08
Speaker 2: Out at everything imaginable.
00:07:10
Speaker 3: I'm starting to wonder if he's got a twin or a double that's doing some work that i had to miss because i was heading up for something at media day the night before an event and i wake up the next morning our guys roll into media day and he's there at that two two hours away in indianapolis so uh unbelievable connecting with people great energy a ton of creative ideas for not only generating revenue and things like that are.
00:07:37
Speaker 2: Important but yes we talked about.
00:07:38
Speaker 3: Game atmosphere and and getting people in the building as you're know, Lance, it's really a special place when you can get the right amount of people in there. We're not going to sell it out every night like we have for Cincinnati games. Uh, but you know, you, you get four or 5,000 in that building and it's a, it's a great college basketball atmosphere and a pretty, uh, tremendous home court advantage for us.
00:07:58
Speaker 2: Uh, interest arena is rocking. I love it.
00:08:00
Speaker 1: I love it. I love talking hoops with you. You know, you're welcome on the show.
00:08:03
Speaker 2: Anytime.
00:08:03
Speaker 1: I look forward to talking with you during the season as well.
00:08:07
Speaker 2: All right, thanks so much for having me on, Lance. Appreciate you.
00:08:09
Speaker 1: Thanks, Coach. Take care. There you go. Darren Horn, Norris up. Again, Tuesday night. Tuesday night, scoops for hoops at NKU. That's come one, come all. Fans, students, families. Truist Arena, it's not a hoops. Free wits, frozen custard, inflatables, face painting. Maybe I should have told Darren he should paint his face. And much more doors open at 6. Players for the men's and women's teams will be introduced. Both coaches will talk to the crowd of men. The announcement yesterday circled October the 14th on your calendar at Truist Arena, an early look at the Norse with the men's team at a public exhibition game, Division I. It's been a while since they had a Division I opponent for their exhibition game against UT Martin set for 530 on October the 14th. And I really like what he said. I didn't know about the details for their opening night of the regular season. That sounded cool. As well, all your ticket information, of course, nkunorse.com. All right, still ahead. I'm going to ask for your help because I'm in an odd position related to the Bengals. And my feelings about the Bengals from Sunday at about 4 o'clock last week through the week and where I sit tonight, and I want to maybe match, compare notes, and get a sense of where you are with how you feel about this team. So we'll open up those lines and we'll start kind of down the track of that conversation. And I asked Tony Pike a question on Monday night during Bengals line. I want you to hear the question and the answer. As I told him, I stole it from Dan Hoard because he asked Tony the same question, but I thought it was a great one based on the circumstances of last Sunday. We'll get into that next. It's R & L Carrier Sports Talk presented by Kelsey Chevrolet, 700 WLW.
00:09:53
Speaker 4: There will be claws and chaos when the football bear cats wrestle with the wild cats in a big 12 conference clash will you see annihilate arizona or will the cats from the canyon scratch out a win find out saturday night at 10 p.m on 700 wlw or stream for free on the new and improved iheart radio app for 50 years sharon brown voted how he was
