Lindenwood University Basketball Talk with Coach Kyle Gerdeman

Gary (00:02.033)
Welcome back to basketball talk with Linda Wood University head men's basketball coach Kyle Gerteman where each week we talk of course Linda Wood University basketball and much much more coach. Good to see again nice big win last night.

Kyle Gerdeman (00:15.788)
Yeah, yeah, it was good for us. I think we're kind of getting close here to wrapping up the non-conference. And I think our guys have done good to that point of finishing the game last night. And we have one more on Saturday. But it was a good one for us to build some confidence and head on into Saturday.

Gary (00:34.793)
So as we look at the schedule today, it's the pre-conference schedule, 3-0 at home. You had three games against Power Five schools, although they're always going be difficult to win, just want to be competitive. And you only had three or four games in Pennsylvania and I think Valparaiso that were winnable, but they all didn't follow your way. Are you pleased with what you've seen so far?

Kyle Gerdeman (00:55.562)
Yeah, I think so. think that, you know, when we get through Saturday.

When we get through Saturday against IU Indy, I think win or lose that. think we've had a good non-conference. I think we've gotten better week by week, game to game, which is what we put a big emphasis on is how we improve from one game to the next, whether that's a week apart or even just two days apart, trying to maximize that improvement to get ourselves ready for conference play. I think our schedule is gonna end up working out really good. Like you said, had.

We had basically four guaranteed games. played three non-division one teams and then we'll have played four, I like to say, kind of comparable opponent games, teams that were similar to our league, the teams we played in Pittsburgh and then the game on Saturday. So I think it gave us a little bit of everything. It gave us some challenges, it gave us some confidence wins, and it gave us some examples of what I think our league play will be like and we've been okay.

Gary (01:58.651)
And so you know, of course, that I'm a data nerd. And so I'm going to jump to the stats on this. And I looked at the year to date stats. You've got three guys in double figures and six with at least five points per game. How pleased are you with that balance?

Kyle Gerdeman (02:12.376)
Well, I think it's not exactly where we want it to be, but I think we're getting closer. I like the fact that we have the three guys in double figures. I like maybe a little bit more the fact that we have more guys there around five or six because I think those are the guys that can get to double figures. And what we talk a lot about with the team is, can you strive to find five guys in double figures, which is really, really hard to do. But I think it's doable for this team, I think with the way we're playing.

offensively with a little faster pace and really trying to emphasize ball movement in the half court. I think we can get there with this team. And so when I look at those numbers, I look at the same thing you do and I'm pleased that we have the three guys in double figures, but I'm constantly looking to see how we can get two more guys in double figures to really give us a better offense.

Gary (03:03.741)
Interesting. And of course, Jadis Jones, the freshman from Southern Missouri, that correct? From Southern Missouri, leads the team in both minutes and points per game. Would you have expected that back in August?

Kyle Gerdeman (03:08.236)
Yep, yep, matter.

Kyle Gerdeman (03:15.726)
The minutes probably doesn't surprise me, but the points does a little bit, just because I wasn't sure how he was gonna adjust just to Division I basketball.

And you know how he can adjust to play against Oklahoma's first game and in Missouri and those games are sometimes really, really challenging for freshmen specifically. And he's been pretty steady through all of them. So I think what we figured out really quick though is that he's just an efficient guy. And you know, on the offensive end of the floor, he kind of just gets things done on his own and not in a selfish way. Like we don't we don't really run many plays for him, which is to his credit that

He gets himself in the right spots, he runs the floor and transition hard, he offensive rebounds it. He gets catches where he needs him to be successful. He doesn't try to do a whole lot of things that he can't do, which a lot of guys struggle with that. And so I think that's why he's been able to have some success here early in the year and we're excited for him.

Gary (04:17.277)
Excellent. And it's of course finals week across the country and that includes Lyndenwood University. How are the gentlemen on your team doing with academics this year?

Kyle Gerdeman (04:26.208)
Hopefully good. you know, think, no, I think we're keeping a pretty, pretty good eye on them. And you know, they're doing, they're doing fine. You know, I think, you know, when we talk about academics a lot, and really it's not about for us, it's not about.

Gary (04:28.541)
Ha ha ha.

Kyle Gerdeman (04:41.824)
A specific grade point average or even a specific letter grade, it's about making sure that you're doing the best that you can do. Are you focused on your classes? Are you turning in all your assignments, which seems simple but sometimes isn't? Organization and time management coming to play on those type of things. So I think that's the biggest challenge that we make, Farman. And then as we get to the end, like what we've talked about the last couple of weeks is, can you make a final push here to either keep your grades where they're at, so guys that have As and Bs.

making sure that they finish the week off right and keep their A or B and make sure that doesn't drop to a C or something like that. And if you have a C, can you make a push to get it up to a B? We just try to challenge them that way and for the most part, they're pretty locked in academically and doing some good things. So it's been good to see.

Gary (05:31.997)
So last pre-conference game on Saturday, and it is the newly named Indiana University at Indianapolis, which of course used to be IUPUI, which of course is not the same as the University of Indianapolis. And we want to thank the marketing firm that provided that confusion for us. What are expecting to see on Saturday afternoon?

Kyle Gerdeman (05:46.658)
Yeah.

Kyle Gerdeman (05:54.412)
Yeah, it's going to be a good game for us. They're really good.

We know a little bit about him, they're coaches that does a great job. he was actually, this is his first year there and he was the head coach at UND who was in the GOVC. So we played against them when we were in the GOVC and does a good job. They're gonna be tough, they're gonna be well coached. They'll be good offensively and defensively. So I think it's a really good challenge for us to wrap up the non-conference with and kind of give us an example again, like we said, the teams we played at Robert Morris.

were great examples of what I think the OVC is. And I think these guys will be that and then some because in the Horizon League, think their league is probably top to bottom, a little bit better than ours. And they've already played a couple of conference games and had a win. So I think it'll be a good challenge for us. And I'm excited to see how we play on Saturday.

Gary (06:50.365)
And of course, big picture of the pre-conference season is almost over. What have you learned about your team?

Kyle Gerdeman (06:57.237)
You know, I think that

I think that we've got a group of guys that have really had great focus to be honest with you. They've really locked in on the things that we work on every day in practice. Sometimes you can look up and it feels like your weeks are just dragging by. And that's not a positive when that happens in November and December. Sometimes that happens in late January, February. But we haven't had many days like that. I told the guys Tuesday actually before the game. said, one thing I'll give you guys credit for is

We haven't sat in many staff meetings and said, guys, I feel like we took a couple steps back today or we took a couple steps backwards this week. I think we've been on a steady climb of improvement. And I mean that, and they get a lot of credit for that because of the way they've kind of come together as a group and the focus that they have. And I think we've got a couple more steps to take in that area, which is good. But I'm just excited about how we've handled the non-conference season to this point.

Gary (07:59.407)
And you and I talked before we turned on the record button today about the women had a team in from Alabama over the weekend, had 12 seniors. And of course, that brings up the question, how do college coaches balance the freshmen, sophomore, junior, senior numbers on their teams? You're in now, especially in the era of NIL and the transfer portal.

Kyle Gerdeman (08:18.988)
Yeah, think there's, I think for us, I think there's a fine line there because you have to be able to take the best players that you can get.

You know, and so at times you want to balance your classes out. You'd like to say, hey, you let's get a couple of freshmen and let's get a couple of junior college transfers. And, know, maybe one of those guys has three years left to play and most of them usually only have two and hey, let's see if we can get a couple of grad transfers to get us, you know, a little experience. And I mean, I think that's the ideal way to do it. And we kind of, we kind of did that with last recruiting class, you know, with the freshmen we brought in, the JUCO kids and grad transfer. So I don't, I don't know if you can.

Gary (08:57.767)
Yep, I saw that.

Kyle Gerdeman (09:00.848)
necessarily do that every year though. I mean, I think that would be ideal. But I think that when you're looking at it, and you know, because the flip side of that is I think that, you know, when we talk about recruiting, we're probably planning on replacing, we're gonna plan on replacing six to eight players every year with the transfer portal and the opportunities that are out there for guys to transfer and get in I own money or just want to go play somewhere else. It's just so common. so I think when you're looking at six, seven, eight guys a year,

If you can balance those classes out, great. But at the same time, you've got to just be able to take the guys that fit your program. And I think there was probably a time where I probably looked up and said, hey, I don't want six one-year guys. And I don't think I do. But if it came down to it and those guys fit your program in all the characteristics that you're looking for, talent, character, playing, things like that, I'm not sure you could say no to it.

Gary (09:32.797)
interesting.

Gary (09:45.01)
Yeah.

Kyle Gerdeman (09:57.674)
Exactly either. You know, so I think what I look at anymore is, you know, we're going to have a lot of turnaround year to year. And if we could balance classes, great, but let's not, let's not hold our feet to the fire and say, we've got to have four freshmen and we've got to have three sophomores and we've got to have three juniors and you know, on down the line, you know, I think we've got to piece our teams together to put the most talented roster together that we can. And that's kind of the way I think men's college basketball has probably changed quite a bit over the last couple of years.

Gary (10:27.057)
Yeah, I'm into that. And then finally, a big picture question again, coach. And you've played what? Three power 4.5 teams so far this year. Do you, and then we saw the 12 teams selected for the college football playoffs over the weekend. And I noted that the Alabama athletic director kind of questioned whether he was going to continue playing, how do I put this nicely, games he was guaranteed to win.

Kyle Gerdeman (10:51.715)
Yeah.

Gary (10:52.367)
in the future, do you think that could extend into college basketball in the future?

Kyle Gerdeman (10:57.506)
Yeah, think it's interesting. I think the one, obviously the one big thing that stands out is we play so many more games.

you know, obviously, and so there's a, there's a greater, need for, non-conference games. so I think that, I think, I think those games will continue. but what wouldn't surprise me, you know, over the next, you know, year, two, three years is that they become less and less, you know, I mean, I think there's a lot of thought that maybe, you know, the power five schools and a handful of others kind of break off and start their own league at some point, you know, you hear that chatter, you hear that

Gary (11:16.124)
Yeah.

Kyle Gerdeman (11:37.202)
talk I think if that would happen then you know I think definitely they would I think those guarantee games would drop there wouldn't be that many of them and I think the only other thing that would change that is if you know if the NCAA selection committee you know for the tournament if they put a bigger emphasis on the strength of schedule then obviously these games would go away a little bit so you know it's a it's an interesting climate right now I think from from all standpoints but but I think the scheduling piece is something that's interesting because you know I mean we

needed from a financial standpoint to help raise money for the athletic department as everybody does across the country at this level. There's nothing unique. So I think it's an interesting time for that.

Gary (12:19.869)
Yeah, interesting. it's gonna be fascinating to watch the business component of that. Because the market always adapts. And would that be the right move or not? I have no idea. But it's always fascinating to watch that business stuff. So let's call that a wrap, coach. And of course, this has been Linda Wood University head men's basketball coach Kyle Gooderman. Kyle, best of luck on Saturday. And we'll look forward to seeing the conference game starting a week from tomorrow. I guess it is.

Kyle Gerdeman (12:43.318)
Yeah, I'm excited about it and I just want to tell you I've got some cinnamon rolls I'm getting ready to go warm up that that you left on my desk and I cannot wait to eat them. They are the best.

Gary (12:52.615)
So that's good to hear. And again, for those listening to podcast, please feel free to share that with friends and family, relatives, and of course, the best basketball players on your email distribution list. Coach will talk again next week. Thanks for taking time.

Kyle Gerdeman (13:05.922)
Sounds good, thanks.