Hour 1: Michigan/UConn Preview, UCLA Routs South Carolina, plus ESPN’s Seth Greenberg

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0:16Rich Eisen:Every soda's got something to say. Colas brag. Probiotics give TED Talks. Then there's Mr. Pibb. No pitch, no promises, just bold cherry bringing the flavor. Bold kick of cherry. Hey yo, Mr. Pibb. This is the Rich Eisen Show. Hey, everybody. Can't get enough of the Rich Eisen Show? You're in luck. You can find us everywhere. Watch us weekdays on Disney Plus from noon to 3 Eastern. Miss the show? We've got a podcast so you can listen anytime. But here's the best part. Our YouTube channel. Subscribe at youtube.com slash Rich Eisen Show and you'll never miss a moment. Now, on with the show. And the Michigan Wolverines are on their way.

1:04This is the Rich Eisen Show. UConn will head to the national championship. The Rich Eisen Show. The UCLA Bruins have won the women's basketball national championship. Today's guest.

1:16Rich Eisen:ESPN college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg. The Ringer NFL draft analyst Todd McShay. Comedian Jeff Ross. And now Rich Eisen. Well, hey, everybody. Welcome to this edition of the Rich Eisen Show right here in Los Angeles, California. City of champions. Congrats to our friends in Westwood. The UCLA Bruins just absolutely destroying South Carolina to take the women's basketball championship and cut down the nets in Phoenix. We'll talk about it. Corey Close's team, one of our friends of the program, is celebrating last night and today. Congratulations to the UCLA women for making history. We'll see who cuts down the nets tonight.

2:01Rich Eisen:And I'm nervous as a cat. 844-204-RICH is the number to dial on that front. Seth Greenberg is going to talk about what we saw this weekend on the men's side of things. We're also going to have, as you know, football is always on the brain here. It's getting ready for the NFL draft. It is draft month and our first full week here in April. Todd McShay of the Ringer is going to join us for the latest of his thoughts on what we're going to see in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania later on this month. We're going to do our show from the great Steel City for draft week later on this month. And then we throw open our in-studio doors for the Roastmaster General himself, Jeffrey Ross will give us a few laughs.

2:42Rich Eisen:He has got a great show for you to see. It is the television version or of, I guess, the live presentation that he had on Broadway way of his incredible one-man show take a banana for the ride it's available now on netflix he also announced late last month that in may the latest roast is going down here in los angeles in may kevin hart will be roasted and we'll talk about all that with jeffrey ross 844-204-rich is the number to dial right here on this program good to see you christopher brockman how are you hey rich nervous michigan's eight point favorites tonight that's why i'm nervous overreaction monday you and I recorded that prior to the show that's out there for everybody to take in on our YouTube channel whenever you wish the first one of the month of April with the draft coming up later on this month good to see you Mike Del Tufo I remember you yes how are you how you doing good to see you how are you TJ Jefferson what's going on sir candles lit you know candles lit I'm not I'm just okay very good uh 844-204-RICH as I mentioned is the number to dial right here on the program Okay, so this past weekend, Susie took Taylor to the women's final four in Phoenix.

3:56Rich Eisen:My two boys were out and about for their spring breaking, hanging out with friends on the East Coast. So I was all by myself watching Michigan take on Arizona after UConn made the national championship game again, taking care of Illinois. Sitting there watching the game by myself. and Michigan tips it off with Arizona in one of the most anticipated matchups, not just of the year, but you could say in the history of the final four. I don't know who this Ken Palm is. Ken Palm. I don't know who Ken Palm is. I don't know if it's short for anything. I have no idea. Who you are, Ken Palm. I don't know what it is.

4:37Rich Eisen:I don't know who it is, but all I keep hearing is this is one of the biggest Ken Palm matchups in the history of analytics. These are two great Ken Palm teams. Kenny P. That's all I kept hearing about this Kenny P fellow. I'm like, okay, good to know. Michigan tips it off, and I began to get tipsy. 10-1 run to start the game. Bottles of red? I looked down at my phone, and some individual in my life texts me in invisible ink. Not you. I texted the group in invisible ink. Also a warning, Rich, you shouldn't. Don't look at this. Don't look. I told you what to do. The coolest of the coolers in Invisible Inc says this is over.

5:24Rich Eisen:In his defense, though, he did tell you not to look. I told you not to look. This is over. But you're telling someone not to look makes you want to look. I wouldn't have. And within seconds of that happening, the Big Ten Player of the Year, Yaxa Lendeborg picks up 2 ,005 seconds. And I'm like, what do I do with this moron in my life? How many syllables? Putting that out there. How many syllables was the curse word? The cooler. And then he comes back in the game because Dusty doesn't just let the dust settle on a player who is in foul trouble. He trusts his players to do the right thing. Puts him back out on the floor.

6:05Rich Eisen:And all he does is drive the lane and have his leg and foot find the biggest foot on the floor for Arizona. This Krivas fella. Seven foot two in all. I imagine his foot is proportionate. 16-17, no doubt. And Yaxel's leg and ankle finds that foot and it turns. And I'm thinking to myself, are you kidding me? as he's now limping off the floor. My fellow Wolverine, although she probably feels like I do when I call jet games. Don't talk about that. But Tracy Wolfson's giving reports. I almost texted her. I know you're busy, Tracy. Are you saying it's the knee too? It's not the ankle. It's the knee on top of it.

6:58Rich Eisen:Yaxel's limping around. He goes back to the locker room. He comes back out for a couple minutes limping with a towel over his head and then goes limping back to the locker room. And I'm like, what in the hell is happening as Arizona goes on a 9-0 run? I wanted to call you, Brockman. At that point in time. Yeah, and then that's the closest the game ever was. 28-23. Yeah. Arizona makes a 9-0 run. And this is when Michigan, without Yaxel, a perfect pass to Roddy Gale, who comes in and throws one down on the aforementioned 7 '2 Krivas for what should have been an and one. But he jams it down to make it a 30-23 game.

7:46Rich Eisen:And Arizona wasn't even in their wildest dreams as close as five points the rest of the way. As you know, I like sitting in a rocking chair if I can while rooting for my teams that actually affect my emotions, which Michigan basketball is one of the few left in my life to do so. I had no idea. I'll say this. I had no idea that the three letters BTA would be applicable to this game. And I've been talking about this team since jump, seeing how versatile Michigan's basketball team is. I was talking about this back in November and December. So I'm not just late to the party here. I was on this just when the rest of the country was watching them dominate teams like Gonzaga by 30 points in that Vegas tournament thingy in December.

8:41Rich Eisen:and we all know Tommy Young comes from Gonzaga and Arizona playing that style of game and Michigan beating up on Arizona by 18 points it is tied for the biggest BTA one seed to one seed in the history of the men's tournament and it wasn't even that close this game was over with eight minutes to go and Arizona was scoring to make it as close as it appeared. This thing was a wrap and it was without the Big Ten player of the year in the first half. And somehow, I mean, Trey McKinney doing his thing and a Di Mara, grown ass man, speaking of UCLA, which again, congrats to the women. The men's team last year had a Di Mara and Michigan takes him in the portal and has turned him into a 7 '3 monster with post-action and soft touches around the rim and Big Ten, the Big Ten player, defensive player of the year.

9:51Rich Eisen:His stat line is something to behold. 26 points, 9 rebounds, and a couple of blocks. Unbelievable. Performance by Michigan. And Yaxel comes back in the game and nails two threes just when the crew is talking about how he's limping around and looks like the shadow of his former self. After the game, Dusty was asked, why'd you put him back in? And his answer is classic. Well, apparently you guys missed the UConn-Duke game. The game was where I decided that we were playing Duke tomorrow. They were up 19, correct, in the second half. and who won? So these, being out, and you're playing Arizona, one of the best teams, I mean, statistically, the number one or two team all year in the country with, and you're up 20 with 10 minutes left, with eight and a half minutes left.

10:47We didn't feel quite as confident as you guys did that we could just hang, you know, put the kids to bed. And he came in and just, Elliot was in foul trouble and so he just held it down. So yeah, we, obviously, we felt like the game was still in hand.

11:04Rich Eisen:I mean, there's few guys that represent what I love that I can't love more than this guy and how he holds himself and how much I trust him. There's so many other coaches or managers. I'm like, really? Is he really doing that? Even when you're hitting here and saying, are we playing Duke tomorrow? You might be like, well, actually, it's Monday and this was Saturday night. No, because of the chain smokers, this thing didn't start until 920, but that's for another segment in this program. And by the time he's talking, it's after midnight. Another thing that Michigan, I'm like, can this game start?

11:41Rich Eisen:That'll be later on when I get on the porch and yell at those on my front lawn. That's later on. But this team coming out as red hot as it did against Arizona and then not taking the pedal off the metal, you don't usually see this in a Final Four game for various reasons. One of them is because these kids are playing inside basketball arenas the entire season, and now they show up in a football stadium, and it's tough to shoot. I don't know if you saw this during the game. Did you see this report during the game? I have the photograph straight from Michigan basketball. Dusty May, before getting on a plane to Indianapolis with the team, took the team outside and put a basket on the field at Michigan Stadium.

12:27Rich Eisen:A temporary hoop, put it on the field at Michigan Stadium and had them shoot at it to try and get some sort of perspective of what it might be like to be shooting in a football stadium. And Michigan came out on fire and shot 48 % from the field against Arizona. 48 % from the field. God bless this man and what he has done for this team and school. and I can't tell you how happy I am with what he's done with everybody at his disposal and how he's comporting himself in the process. Now then, this is why I'm nervous because who are they facing? It's not Duke who they've already faced this year. It's not a Big Ten team, which was possible because of how many Big Ten teams made it And Michigan became the first team in the history of the Big Ten to beat everybody else this year.

13:28Rich Eisen:They beat every other Big Ten team in the conference. It's amazing how in this day and age they play everybody. Now that it's expanded to, what, 25 teams in the Big Ten? But it's UConn. And Danny Hurley, who is right now the modern-day Coach K. Yeah, the best tournament team in the last few years. Let me say this. they have since they've gone on this streak since Danny Hurley at 2020 sort of pulled a D on before D on did say get us now because you're not going to be able to get us from here on out they don't lose when they hit the Sweet 16 if they hit the Sweet 16 they hit the pedal to the metal and they cut down everybody's nets and this kid Alex Caraban I don't know if did you see this tonight he will join four other individuals who have played and started in three men's national championship games in four years.

14:25Rich Eisen:The other four are named Patrick Ewing, 82, 84, and 85. Christian Laettner, 90, 91, 92. Grant Hill probably, right? 91, 92, 94. And Danny's brother, Bobby, who played alongside Laettner and started in 90, 91, 92. two. That's who they're taking on tonight. Taris Reid, who played for Michigan. 6 '11". And solo ball, he's hurt himself, but he says he's playing with that mid-foot sprain. Yaxl's supposed to be playing tonight, too. And Danny Hurley knows, Danny Hurley knows, doesn't matter that Michigan just put BTA to Arizona's wagon. caboose I guess I should say doesn't matter all you got to do is tip it off tonight and be better in the 40 minutes that the clock is ticking you don't have to be the best team you don't have to have the best season to win this tournament you know these are all one games game seven single game elimination there's been plenty of times in the history of this tournament where the best team hasn't won it You know, you just got to be better for one night.

15:47And obviously, you know, for us, we need to play the game a certain type of way. You know, we obviously can't get into a certain type of game with Michigan. They're, you know, incredibly dominant team, you know, incredibly well coached, talent up and down the roster, physically imposing, you know, all those things.

16:09Rich Eisen:So, you know, the good thing for us, it's not a seven-game series. Just got to play one game on Monday night. That's right. And he's the perfect kind of crazy, as you know. As you know. You think he's tight? The only thing that might be tight is his lucky suit that he keeps wearing. You hear about this? He's wearing the same suit. He's not. He doesn't get beat in this suit. It's stench to it. is what he had to say about his lucky suit falling apart. Suits in bad shape. You know, I'm not going to lie to you guys. You know, the pants, the pants are fine. It's the jacket that is really, the lining is a problem.

16:53There's like three holes when I stick my arm in the right. There's like three different places. And if you could see it, it's like the lining is coming through. It's actually going past the dress shirt. I'd say my biggest problem is that the lining in the jacket is a complete mess. So I'm going to have to get a tailor in the offseason. Yeah.

17:19Rich Eisen:First class problems. Sounds worried, doesn't he? I love this guy. Sounds like a guy has won 99 and 74 in his record at UConn. That's preposterous. Here's the thing, though. Dusty May's record at Michigan. and he's now 50 games above 500 since taking over 63 and 13. And as you saw last Saturday night, who was sitting courtside scouting UConn and Illinois. Oh, my goodness. Everybody getting ready to just heap abuse on Dusty May prior to taking on Arizona. Oh, you're scouting your next opponent. You got to beat Arizona first, and you're spending your time before the game. It's because everything, the cake was baked, people.

18:02Rich Eisen:the only thing he had to overcome was the Chainsmokers concert because Tip took 15 minutes longer than expected and he's also pretty chill himself did you see this moment he and Danny Hurley had when they sat down I believe for CBS and Turner rubbing heads with him too let's go some crazy ass Jersey guy who's impossible to beat this time of year in UConn, taking on the kid from Indiana. Two totally different guys, like the odd couple right there. That's like Felix and Oscar of coaches. Let's go. And all I'm saying is this in advance is I'm getting ready for this game tonight. Can we not have a rock concert for 15 minutes?

19:00Rich Eisen:We don't want it. Nobody wants it. Nobody. Tip it before 9 o 'clock Eastern. Can we do that? All right. There's a front lawn, and I want you off it. A ball goes up. I'm trying to find out if there's a concert tonight. I don't want it. I'm going Indiana to perform. I don't want it. Nobody wants it. Rich, what if it's Billy Joel? I couldn't believe that. Tip is supposed to be 850. No, it's 20 after nine. Why? And I like to change smokers. I almost took up change smoking. There you go. Rich. Let's take a break. Seth Greenberg coming up right here on the Rich Eisen Show. I'm fired up. Let's talk about this.

19:51Rich Eisen:talk about UCLA cutting down a net in Phoenix. Let's do it. The Rich Eisen Show Podcast.

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22:17Rich Eisen:seth greenberg here on the rich eisen show our friend from espn kicking off of this segment right here live on the rich eisen show on espn radio and espn and disney plus good to see you how are you sir doing great that interview was incredible with cory close absolutely incredible I'm going to give you a Coach Wooden story real quickly My wife went to UCLA My brother-in-law played golf there But I guess When Coach Harick won his National Championship, we're at the airport I go to the game And I come back a day early My wife comes to pick me up And there's this eminent gentleman Sitting on a bench Outside the airport Waiting to get picked up It's Coach Wooden So my wife gets out of the car and she had met Coach Wooden like when she was a student doing some community service type things and she introduced herself and he said to her, oh yes, I remember Karen.

23:18He remembered her name. He remembered her name. And then we saw him again another time in the airport and at that point we had a child and he goes, didn't you just have a child a year ago? Most incredible thing in the world. So that interview was priceless. It's the little thing. What a great job she did.

23:40Rich Eisen:No doubt. And her players were dynamite. And you could see when you go to a Final Four, this is what you have to do. You have to dominate. You have to succeed. But you also have to just take off. And you saw UCLA take off and beat Texas and then beat up South Carolina, which really took it to UConn. So they are the true champs. There's no question about it, Seth. Incredible. Absolutely incredible. And Lauren Betts, their best player, her dad actually went and played at Long Beach State after I was there. who was a very, very good player at Long Beach State, which is just a small world. Right. And now Corey's got Lauren's sister, Siena, to maybe try and build another team with as all of these seniors move on.

24:31Rich Eisen:And I'll talk about this later on here in this hour. Let's just jump to the men's side of things. Your impressions of the weekend were what, Seth? You know, I mean, one game was overwhelming. The other game was what we expected to be. The Illinois UConn game was a grind. I thought Danny's team did enough things to find a way to win. Taking care of the basketball was at the top of the list. And then Michigan did what they've done most of the season. Let's be honest. I know, Jerome, but I mean, they've treated the NCAA tournament like a bunch of guarantee games. I mean, the teams that have gotten beat should get like$100 ,000 checks and move on.

25:09Because, I mean, that's pretty much how they've treated the NCAA tournament. Just dominating with Yaxville, without Yaxville, made no difference. the size, the length, the physicality, the ability to protect the airspace, I call it, which means whether it's lob dunks tomorrow or whether it's protecting the front of the rim. And then the ground game to me was Elliott Cadeau and the force and the confidence that he played with. They were absolutely spectacular. But, you know, UConn did some spectacular things as well. Starting the game, getting to Mullen Paris-Reed. Mullen's getting off to that great start.

25:42And then Mullen's, you know, he made another pretty big shot. Dan Hurley made two great decisions coming out of timeouts. He got the ball to Tyrus on the block when they were struggling, and then Mullins makes that big shot. So I'm excited about tonight. It's going to be a big-time game.

25:57Rich Eisen:Yeah, I mean, you were talking about how Michigan's treating the NCAA tournament. It reminds me of UConn a couple years ago. As a matter of fact, Michigan does have to come up with a big win tonight to even match or surpass UConn's margin of victory in cutting down the nets a couple of years ago as Danny started this ascension to make the final game three times in four years. So I give you the floor on how UConn can cut down a net again tonight, Seth. Well, first it starts with how you're going to guard Elliott Cano. And it sounds silly, but you've got to make him a scorer. You've got to take the assist out of his hands.

26:35And what I mean by that is because if you don't take the assist out of his hands and you overhelp, it's a lob tomorrow. It's a kick out and spray out to three. It's an angle because you're in rotation because you're helping on, say, the ball screen or the drive. And now they're on the offensive glass. So I think the first thing is you've got to make him a scorer. You can't let him score and make plays for other people. And that's going to be interesting. The second thing is Yaxo. How healthy is he and how much does he play? Now, if he plays and he's 80 to 100 percent, UConn doesn't have a matchup for them the way they start the game.

27:11So I expect early in the game, Jaden Ross and Jalen Stewart to come in because they need to defend him with size. They need to defend him with length. They need to keep him off the glass. The third thing they got to do, I think, is UConn's going to have to make nine threes. I think they've got to make nine threes. Wisconsin made 15. I think they've got to make nine because they have to play this game in the 60s. This has got to be a possession game. So you've got multiple actions. I call it actions over actions. move the Michigan defense. And part of moving the Michigan defense is inverting it.

27:44And what I mean by that is you've got to bring those bigs from Michigan away from the basket to create some driving lanes and then post them up. So if you can bring them away and make them two-way, so they've got to come out and help on the dribble handoffs, the spread ball screens, all those type of things, and then bring Tyra Street into the block. After you've moved them, that will be really pivotal. And then finish possessions with a rebound. If I was drawing on a whiteboard before the game, those are the things that I would remind our guys. Take Elliott Cano out of the game, which is so, so important.