TJT E17: Voice of the Utes, Bill Riley

That would be fantastic.

There's a lot of question marks from the previous basketball season going into this season.

Some new faces, as always.

It'll be really interesting to see what Alex does with this second iteration of Utah basketball.

I think he's hoping that they're a little bit more what he wants them to be, meaning recruiting with the second time around and not getting a late start on recruiting.

I think they feel like they've got... more players that fit the style of play they want to play.

Alex is always going to be a defensive first coach because that's what he came up with.

And that's how he always coached, whether it was in the NBA or internationally.

He's a defense and toughness and rebounding type of a guy.

And I think this year's team will probably reflect that style and that philosophy just a little bit better.

Now, from what I recall, Utah's basketball squad last season struggled defensively, but now with Alex having his second turn at the helm, hopefully he can, I mean, from what I've heard, he's been able to recruit some more defensive players minded players and kind of built the team that he wants to, just like you were saying.

Yeah, well, I think that's the hope.

You never really know until you get it out on the floor, but you try and go after guys that have a little bit more toughness or better rebounders, can guard a little bit better.

And I've been out to practice a few times to watch them, and it appears that they're they're a little bit bigger, more physical than they were a year ago.

So it'll be interesting to see.

As I mentioned, UNLV will be a good preseason test.

They'll have Nevada next week as a preseason test.

And then they'll have one more exhibition game against Oregon coming up at the 21st at the Huntsman Center.

So I think with the new roster and having three exhibition games against good programs, I think Alex and his staff will have a pretty good feel for where they are early excuse me, early on in the season before the season actually begins.

That would be really, really neat, at least before the non-conference slate.

But I guess thinking back this season – a little more physical.

I think that's what we need as a squad in the Big 12.

Yeah, the Big 12 is an athletic physical conference.

And you're not going to succeed night in and night out in that league when 75%, 80%, 85% of the teams are big, tough, athletic, physical.

You've got to be able to match that.