The fellas sit down with DeLisha Milton-Jones, Head Coach of Old Dominion Women's Basketball, to talk about a 3-0 conference start, what stats Coach looks first to in evaluating her team's defensive and offensive performance, and their next two opponents - Coastal Carolina and Marshall. Coach also answers what her ideal NIL deal would have been when she was playing in college.

The following presentation is brought to you by the pride of ODU.

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The official NIL collective

of Old Dominion Athletics.

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Be a Monarchist.

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Join the pride.

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Monarch Nation, welcome back to

the Monarchist Basketball Show.

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We are here with coach

DeLisha Milton Jones.

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of the 11 and four Old Dominion

women's basketball team, uh,

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off to an unbeaten three, no

unbeaten start in conference play.

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But before we get to conference play, I

want to talk about this Virginia State

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game just because it's so interesting.

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I mean, you originally

had Delaware scheduled.

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DeLisha: Yes.

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Mike: They had to cancel late because of

injuries or players available to them.

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DeLisha: Mm hmm.

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Mike: I'm more interested

in the scheduling aspect.

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How did you, how did you guys

manage to get this game so late

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and add it onto the schedule?

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DeLisha: Well, we had to scramble

around to see, um, who within close

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proximity had openings on this schedule.

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And we thought it was wise

to hit Virginia State.

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I know Coach Nadine over there.

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This is her second year there.

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She had a long tenure at Rutgers

University, and we became friends

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throughout the recruitment process.

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And when she got the job there,

we always said that we would

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look out for one another.

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And so I thought she would

make good on that offer.

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And she's.

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change some things around for

us to be able to play them

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here at ODU on our home court.

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And we're very appreciative of those

efforts because had it not been for

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her, we would not have had that game.

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I also know that with Delaware, they're

just struggling with an injury bug.

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They had five players available to play

and obviously you can't play a game.

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You can play a game with that many,

but it wouldn't be fair, uh, based

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off of the, you know, keeping with

the integrity of the game and making

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sure that it's a fair competition

for both sides and even safe for your

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players from an injury perspective.

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And, uh, she was dealt a raw deal

that she's still struggling with.

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I believe they've had

to postpone other games.

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After hours, and we're looking to

reschedule with them for next season for

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them to come out and we can make good on

that deal that we had initially with them.

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Aaron: Okay, so after that,

that when you started the 1st

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of 3 conference wins in a row.

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The first one South Alabama kicks off

play you guys have a really fast start

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to the first and third quarters 11

points going into the second quarter

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and then going to the third quarter.

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You got a 24 point lead.

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Talk a little bit about that game.

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DeLisha: Well, uh the South Alabama game

It was one we were biting at the bit to

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be able to play opening up our conference

play against them Uh, Kelsey Thompson,

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we acquired her via the transport

portal and she is a native of Alabama

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You And she was a homegrown talent for

them that decided to set sail, bet on

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herself and find something different.

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So it was an emotional game for her, uh,

being able to play against her former

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team, who she was the freshman of the

year within the conference with them.

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And she really did a bulk of the

scoring for them even as a sophomore.

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So going into that game, we were

energized and ready to play for her.

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We want it to come away, not

just for a great conference win

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for ourselves, but for Kelsey.

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And we wanted to set sail on something

amazing for our season, uh, for the 24

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25 season in the Sun Belt Conference

by getting that first coveted win

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to get a taste of victory so that

we can continue our forward progress

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towards winning a championship.

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Mike: Alright, following up South Alabama.

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Yes.

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You took a road trip to

Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

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Southern Miss and you guys took over

early and never really looked back.

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I'm most interested in with

Southern Miss and ULM, they have

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almost the exact same stadium

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DeLisha: set up, but

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Mike: they also have similar fan

support for women's basketball,

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DeLisha: and I'm

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Mike: wondering with.

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A cavernous stadium like that where

the crowd is already kind of far

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away from you because it's rounded?

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DeLisha: Yeah.

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Mike: How different is that playing

in that type of environment versus

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playing somewhere like Chartway?

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DeLisha: Well, there are pros and cons.

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The pros is that their fans

won't be right on top of you.

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And normally your opposing team will

put their band or the cheerleaders,

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you know, or their pep squad right next

adjacent to your bench so that it would

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be loud and they would be obnoxious

and just constantly in your ear.

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So that was a benefit of that.

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But the, um, other, um, cons I would

say is that it sucks that those programs

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don't get the support that women's

basketball deserves because they play,

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their teams play hard and they have good

products that they put out on the floor.

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And it's important for their

community, their sporting

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community to come out and support.

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There's a tremendous movement

behind women's basketball now.

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So why not dig your heels in and be a

part of everything good that is happening.

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I felt that although Their fans

didn't come out in support.

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They had a faithful few, but we had

a lot of friends and family of our

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players that came out by the droves and

they filled the stands and it was very

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supportive and an energetic atmosphere

for ODU while we were on the road

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Aaron: and then immediately you

take the second game in that Monroe.

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Now that's this game's closer.

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Pretty much throughout.

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Obviously they called

back in the end and Mhm.

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three three pointers within a

really short period of time.

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DeLisha: Yes, kind

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Aaron: of for them to keep it in.

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But then clutch end of game free throw

shooting by En'Dya, Simone, and Kelsey.

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What did you feel that

the players come on?

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How were they feeling on the bench

there towards the end as things were

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kind of, you know, touch and go.

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DeLisha: Well, I think we all were

calm and we understand clearly

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that the game is filled with runs.

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And you try to, you try your best to

minimize how long a team goes on a run.

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And we knew that they were a high

powered offensive team, especially

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beyond the three point line.

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And they started to hit some,

throw some Hail Marys out there

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and they connected on a few.

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Uh, we still weren't nervous

because we knew that a lot of

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those things were in our control.

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We made some defensive

mistakes late in the game.

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Thankfully, thankfully enough, we had

a consider a considerate, uh, lead.

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And it was able to kind of buffer us

within the choppy waters that we were in

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in those late moments within the game.

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Nya Valentine did what Nya Valentine does.

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She lives for the big

shot in the big moments.

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Um, Meloney Thames, she found the rim

as well in the clutch moments for them.

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Yet and still clutch free throw shooting

on our behalf allowed us to be on the

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sidelines in a celebratory pattern and,

um, not nervous or shaken by the moment,

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understanding clearly that if we make

the proper adjustments, we will still

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be fine because we had good control

of the game for the duration of it.

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Mike: Now we know this is a defensive

first team because they're coached by you.

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When you are evaluating the games,

what is the first stat you go to to

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judge how well you played defensively?

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DeLisha: Uh, the first step that I'm

always looking at is, um, um, our

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rebounding, you know, because anything

that we do on the defensive end,

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um, that's, that's definitely going

to, well, not necessarily rebound.

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And I'm sorry, the three point

line, I have to make sure that we've

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taken away the three point line.

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If we've done that, then

we've given ourselves a great

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chance at winning a ball game.

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If you're going to allow everyone

to play within the trends.

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Of the game nowadays, it's shoot

threes, space the floor out,

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shoot threes and get layups.

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Uh, so we design our defense, um,

everything that I've put into play for

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our program has been based off of us

eliminating the trends, eliminating

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all the things that teams like to do.

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And we want to take those away to

try our best to dictate the type of

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shots that we do allow them to take.

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So we load up help side.

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We load up gaps.

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Um, to make people take contested jump

shots and if they happen to get to

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the room, we'll meet you there either

either in the air or to take charges.

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Um, if you do take a three, it's going

to have to be one under duress, late

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shot clock, and hopefully the ball

is in hands of individuals that we

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would prefer it to be in and not the

ones that can really get the job done.

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So the first step would definitely

be the three point line.

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The second one would be how well

are we defending without fouling?

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Are we keeping our opponents out

of the bonus and getting these free

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looks at the rim with five minutes?

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home left in the quarter.

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Or are we are we fouling them at a high

rate to where they're penalizing us and

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punishing us by getting free points for

that duration of time within a quarter.

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When we're doing those things,

then every night that we suit up

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ODU women's basketball can crown

themselves a winner for that battle.

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Aaron: So before we get the coastal,

I kind of a tangential question.

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Off of what Mike just asked.

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So the three pointers been

around since what, 40 plus years,

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like the late 70s, early 80s.

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At what, at what point though, did

coaching really have to change to like

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what you're talking about of the game

becoming a three pointer, three points

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in layups or three points in dunks?

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Like, even though it came around like that

long ago, the game didn't turn that fast.

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DeLisha: Right, right.

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But you saw the trends of it.

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I think everything happens within

how the NBA game changes when you

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started to see more threes being put

up and they spaced the floor out.

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People became positionless or there

were hybrid players all over the floor.

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Then, uh, defense no longer was sexy.

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Defense was no longer the thing

that would really reinforce a win.

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Or even a championship for your team.

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Everyone polarized their viewpoints

on the offensive end of the game.

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Now, all kids that were watching

coaches that were watching trainers

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that were watching, they would be in

the gym, trying to create all these

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hybrid players that didn't really have

a position, everyone handling the ball

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and everyone shooting the deep three.

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Everyone wanted to be Steph

Curry, KD, James Harden, uh,

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Ray Allen, uh, to name a few.

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And then you started to see the

needle move towards those type

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of trends, uh, because you could

put more points on the board.

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It was more attractive

and exciting for the fans.

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And now more people are buying

tickets, having butts in seats,

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cheering on because they want to

see more offense being played.

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So I think it was then when those

movements were made based off of how the

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NBA, you know, Kind of shifted towards how

they wanted to sell tickets and get more

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fans involved and excited about the games.

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Now on the collegiate

ranks, you see that change.

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The players come in, they're skilled up.

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You guys, they have tremendous skills

and they can shoot the ball, but

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not many of them know how to play

the game and play the game with

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four other people on the court.

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And not just depending on

their individualized talents.

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How can you work your talents within

what the coach has woven into the fabric

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of her system and philosophy for your

best to shine through while you're still

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working for the greater good of the team?

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Mike: No, analytically, it makes sense.

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And mathematically, it makes sense

why people like shooting threes.

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Okay.

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You hit three threes in 10 shots.

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You got nine points.

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Mm hmm.

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You're going to need to shoot over 50%.

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We're close to 50 percent on those 10

shots from two to equal that or pass it.

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It's true.

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It's just percentage wise.

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It it's a higher percentage shot, right?

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Yes.

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That's why it's layups or threes

because the layup is going to give

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a much higher percentage shot.

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Now I asked you that question about

how you evaluate your, your defense.

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DeLisha: Okay.

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Mike: There's a lot of statistics

you can look at, but what is your

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first, most important stat for you?

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DeLisha: Offensively

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Mike: to evaluate.

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Yes,

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DeLisha: it would have to be, um, our

assist, our assist and then how our assist

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means how well are we moving the ball?

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Are we moving the ball?

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And are we moving bodies?

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If you can move the ball and

you can move bodies and you can

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get Wide open uncontested shots.

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That's our goal.

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Whether it's a three point shot, a mid

range shot via off the bounce or catching

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shoot or anything within the paint via,

uh, driving to the rim front by guards or

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bigs or post posting up around the rim.

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Uh, if the ball is moving and bodies are

moving, then the ball will find the open

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player and you will get uncontested looks.

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Whether, um, there are lesser percentage

shot like the three or a higher percentage

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shot like the layup around the rim.

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So the assist will tell me if the ball is

really moving at the rate that it should.

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And once I look at that, then I look

at our ability to score in transition.

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Are we getting the looks and the points

that our defense should be generating for

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us based off of us giving our opponents?

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One attempt and an opportunity to score.

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And if we're doing that, then we can

rebound the ball, get out and run.

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And now that will allow not just

the offensive side of the ball to

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produce offense, but our defense

will take the brunt of that as well.

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Aaron: That's a great segue.

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All right.

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So tomorrow, Coastal

Carolina is coming in.

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They're 11 and

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DeLisha: 2.

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Yeah.

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Aaron: 7 0 home, 4 2 on the road.

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DeLisha: Losses

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Aaron: to NC State.

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Very good NC State squad that

you guys have obviously played.

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And in conference opponent in Troy,

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Mike: you

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Aaron: were just talking about assist

and you were talking about some other

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items, assist coastal, they have over

15 assists a game, uh, more than two

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a game more than their opponents.

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So obviously that'll be an interesting

one, uh, to watch, but in talking about

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transition and getting easy baskets.

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They're getting, uh, 13 steals a game,

which is six more than their opponents.

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So obviously that's something

that they want to do.

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Talk to us a little bit about Coastal and

what Monarch fans should be watching out

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for tomorrow when they go to Chartway.

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DeLisha: Uh, Coastal, they,

they revamped everything.

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They revamped their offensive system.

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They have a very good coach in Kevin.

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And, um, I think they have

an influx of new players and

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they've adopted the system.

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They, they look very similar to Marshall

who won the conference last year

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where they platoon sub, um, they're

shooting a high amount of three point

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shots within the game, whether it's in

the half court or within transition.

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And they're trying to speed the game up

by randomly trapping you in a full court.

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three quarter court or the half court.

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So they're going to, they're producing

a type of energy surrounding the

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game to where they're banking on the

fact that if we make you play faster,

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we'll turn you over in hopes of us

getting easier opportunities for

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ourself at the rim or within the three

point shots that they want to take.

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We can expect them to come out

and play an aggressive style

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offensively and defensively.

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So it's going to take a matter of poise.

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And posture and positioning the three

P's boys, posture and positioning.

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When you're playing a team like

that, if you allow their full

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court press to speed you up, then

something bad is going to happen.

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If you allow their traps in the half

court that may come randomly, whether

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it's guard to guard, it will seem guard to

guard because they will even put a guard.

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like player at the four spot for

them, which allows them to cover more

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space, do more things defensively.

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If you allow all of that to speed you

up, then it's only going to create

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fast break opportunities for them.

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So for us to walk away with the wind,

we have to be there on the catch.

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limit their opportunities to be able

to see the rim and keep a high hand

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of contest up because they'll pull

it because they're accustomed to it.

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They all have that freedom and that green

light to do so and that's their system.

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So if they're not taking those shots,

then now that means we're running

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them off the three point line.

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So how good is our second line of defense

in terms of being in the gaps and making

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them take pull up jump shots or making an

extra pass and now we can Um, we can move

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with the flight and speed of the ball, be

there on the catch to take away these easy

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opportunities for them in hopes of them

missing so that we can get the rebound.

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And now we can give them a taste of their

own medicine in terms of how aggressively

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we push the ball in transition.

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Mike: All right, so this is, that's

the first of two home games this week.

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And if you're trying to pick one

game to go to, I think tomorrow

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night's game is the one to go to

because Both teams are having very,

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very fantastic starts to the season.

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It's a pretty much a top 100 matchup.

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It's going to be a good game.

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Saturday though, we face Marshall.

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They are, uh, they have

a new coaching staff.

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Kim Caldwell parlayed her success

into the job at Tennessee.

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Yes.

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And the new coaching staff,

um, we wish them luck, but

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they are struggling right now.

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They're five and nine on the season.

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Oh, and three in conference.

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Yeah.

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What can you tell us about

this new look, uh, her,

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DeLisha: uh, the new look, her, they have

some similarities to the old Marshall

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team, but when you have a new coach

and you're coming into a conference

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that is tough, you got seasoned vets

as coaches and you have, uh, seasoned

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mature players, uh, on, on the team.

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All of these rosters, you're, you're

going to have to take your bumps and

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bruises before you kind of figure things

out and really get your team going.

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The non conference schedule is supposed

to be designed in a way where you

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can ready your squad for anything

that's to come within conference

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play with her being a new coach.

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The schedule already being

set, there was a lot of things

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that were out of her control.

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So I think in her position, she's

probably just trying to make sure that

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on a daily basis they are building for

the now and for the future in hopes

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of them gelling together so that they

can make a run in the most important

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moments towards the end of the year.

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Everyone gets to go to

the conference tournament.

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So whether you're in that bottom group

and you have to play five games to get

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to the championship game or you're in

that top two where you only have to

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play two to get to, um, to, to be able

to go dancing within the tournament.

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You're going to fight for whatever

you can within, um, whatever

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points you're at in the season.

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Aaron: All right.

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I think everybody needs to get

out the chart way this week.

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There are two opportunities.

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You just heard about it.

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But before I let Mike close this out,

I want to ask you one fun question,

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coach, because we talk about NIL so

much, and obviously this show is,

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, made available by the Pride of ODU

back when you were playing college.

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Mike: Obviously,

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Aaron: NIL wasn't a thing

when we were all in school,

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Mike: but

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Aaron: if it was, what would you,

what, what company or what product,

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what would have been the ideal fit?

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NIL partnership for DeLisha.

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DeLisha: That's a good question.

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Wow.

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Let's see.

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Oh,

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that's a good one.

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I ate like a football player.

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So any company that sold food of

any manner, they could have named

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a sandwich or something after me.

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We could have made some money

off of something like that.

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With that defense,

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Aaron: it could have been some sort

of a smash sandwich probably, right?

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DeLisha: You know, something like that.

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I don't know.

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You know, I could have, you know,

Uh, got to deal with Ace Hardware or

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something like that because, you know,

I put on my, my, my, I put on the blue

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collar hat, you know, to go to work

every single day and I grinded it out.

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I didn't really have a tremendous

skill set going in outside of being

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able to play hard and run the floor

hard and rebound like the Dickens.

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Um, I did all the tough stuff.

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So hardware store could have

shown me some love and we could

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have done some things, you know,

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Mike: That's a good, uh, selling point.

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We have some hard playing

defenders on this team.

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So if you are a business owner,

especially a hardware business

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owner, reach out to The Pride of

ODU and coach DeLisha Milton- Jones.

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DeLisha: Yes.

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Or we can have the Pentagon, the

Pentagon's up the street, you know,

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that's the best defense in the world.

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Right?

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Yeah.

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Well, there are

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Mike: three other college NIL programs

and Navy, Air Force, and the Army.

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Yeah.

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so much for joining us.

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Get out to Chartway Arena to

cheer on these ladies this week.

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Uh, we can't wait to talk again.

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Go Monarchs.

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DeLisha: Awesome.

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Thank you guys so much.

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Mike: Go Monarchs.