Kyle Gerdemen for January 6 2025
TWICV For January 6 2025 (00:01.954)
Welcome back to the first podcast episode in 2025 of Basketball Talk with Linwood University head men's basketball coach Kyle Gooderman. Coach, welcome back. Happy New Year to you and your family.
Kyle Gerdeman (00:13.282)
Yeah. Happy new year. It's been a couple of weeks since we've talked, but, looking forward to catching up.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (00:18.455)
Okay, so let's talk injuries. And I was at the game on Saturday afternoon. You had a tough one. Tell us about what happened and the status of the young.
Kyle Gerdeman (00:28.419)
Hang on. Sorry, I think I got cut in there with a phone call. I'm sorry.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (00:30.21)
Did I lose you?
TWICV For January 6 2025 (00:34.146)
I'm going ask that question again. So let's start off.
Kyle Gerdeman (00:35.35)
Yeah, I got you. Sorry.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (00:41.57)
I'm making it where I need to do edits.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (00:47.234)
So let's start off with injuries. I was at the game on Saturday afternoon and you had a tough injury. Tell us about what happened and the status of that.
Kyle Gerdeman (00:53.902)
Yeah, well, yeah, we had Jordan, you know, while he was, you know, going after a loose ball and do for it on the floor and kind of simultaneously one of the one of the other teams players did as well and they kind of kind of hit each other and. You know, he had he had a concussion basically at the end of the day, they took him to the hospital for, know, for treatment and just to do scans and CT scans just to make sure everything was stable and intact and all those came out really positive.
I went to the hospital to see him after the game and he was in good spirits and very talkative and just kind of talking his way through what happened, which was scary for him, I think, for quite a few minutes because I think he was out and when he came to, he wasn't quite sure what was going on and was kind of nervous and scared and everything you could think of. it was a...
It was a sticky situation there for a few minutes, but I thought the training staffs from not only our trainers, Zach and the training staff and the doctors from SIUE really did a good job of helping them and kind of getting them calmed down. And obviously once they got him to the hospital, everything was good. So he was actually released the same night and he was released from the hospital that night. And I dropped him off at his apartment, probably around eight 30, nine o'clock. And he just kind of had a headache and a sore neck. And they told him that'd probably be the case for a couple more days.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (02:05.451)
Okay.
Kyle Gerdeman (02:16.663)
You know, hopefully from that point things will progress, but he's doing fine.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (02:20.674)
Well, I noted there were a couple thousand folks at that game. It got really, really quiet because even the players on the floor reaction, you could see, don't always often see them. There must've been some look on Jordan's face because they were scared right off the bat.
Kyle Gerdeman (02:25.037)
Yeah.
Kyle Gerdeman (02:33.568)
Yeah, I think that's the thing that kind of got me right away was the reaction from the players because you don't know what that means. he something broke? Is he knocked out? Is he bleeding? Usually when you get that reaction, know there's something serious. But like I said, I think it was just kind of nerve wracking for everybody for a couple minutes. then fortunately we came out with probably the best news we could get out of it. So that was good.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (03:03.642)
I noticed as I sat there that you had a couple players on the bench with injuries that have taken away a lot of points, a lot of rebounds from your team.
Kyle Gerdeman (03:10.517)
Yeah, yeah, I think that obviously we have, know, we've got, you know, Jalen McDaniel has been sidelined with a knee injury and, you know, he's working through that. He's day to day, you know, he missed the Eastern Illinois game on Thursday. And then he tried to play, tried to play Saturday to see how it felt because it was feeling better. But obviously once he got out there, it wasn't gonna, it wasn't gonna work for him. And then obviously Reggie Bass.
He's been out since the end of the Western Illinois game. So since the last game before the break and he's got some back issues that he's dealing with. But again, progressing and getting back healthy. those things, they matter as much as coaches. We don't make a lot of excuses. We just try to keep moving forward and plugging next guys into play. And we've got a lot of guys on the roster that are ready to play and want to play and they're getting an opportunity and they're doing the best that they can.
And that's all that we asked for him. But yeah, I think sometimes reality catches up with you. And you know, you're missing some really good players. Reggie, unfortunately for Reggie, he was playing really well, the handful of games before the injury and was really making an impact on our team. So I think him being out is really kind of made us re-re-evaluate our offense a little bit, play a little bit different than we were. We still got to work on some of that stuff this week, probably to put ourselves in a better situation.
offensively to be successful, but those things take a little bit of time. And as long as they stay on the right track of progress to get healthy, hopefully we'll be fine in a week or so maybe and have everybody back, but we'll see.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (04:47.846)
Yeah, was on that end of the floor when Reggie bounced off the floor of that game against Western Illinois. I mean, he almost landed flat on his back. then you could just a thud on the floor was with that. And let's go back to the SIU-Edwardsville game. You the road is always tough. doesn't matter what level it is. And I teased before we started recording that, mama said there will be days like this. The ball did not go in the hoop on Saturday.
Kyle Gerdeman (05:09.116)
Yeah, yeah, that was that was one of those days. And you know, I thought I think that I thought we were doing a lot of positive things. I'm disappointed with with our turnovers, not only in the SAUE game, but also Thursday night, because that's kind of uncharacteristic for us. But again, I think some of that has to do maybe with with Reggie being out and guys playing more minutes in different positions. Some of that is some of that has to do with that. Some of that we just have to be better. But yeah, I think that
I thought we did a really good job of getting back into the game late in the first half. I think we finished the half on a 10 or 12 run, which was good. It got us in the game and then we were right there for a long time. But I think between the shooting numbers being low and a few more turnovers in the second half, it just really got hard for us to score. And I give us a little bit of credit for that. They've got, think, one of the better defenses in the conference. And I thought they were doing a good job, but I thought we were.
I thought we were defensively also, I think I don't remember the exact numbers, but I think they shot like 37 % for the game and we shot 35 % for the game, something like that. So that's two really low percentages obviously, but I do think that our defense and their defense had a little bit to do with that, especially in the second half. But a couple more plays, we probably hang in there a little bit longer, but we just weren't able to get it done on Saturday.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (06:32.386)
You talked about statistics for a second. You know I'm a data nerd on this end of the podcast. And I looked at the stats to date, year to date, and the Linda Wood Men's team has scored more points, more points per game than their opponents. They're out rebounding their opponents and they have fewer turnovers. Now know there have been some big point wins and some close losses. Talk about what you see with still scoring at a decent clip, but just can't get some of those close wins.
Kyle Gerdeman (06:57.552)
Yeah, think that's what keeps us excited about this team is that we're doing a lot of positive things all around. I think our defense is much improved. It's what we wanted to be doing. It's what we were planning on doing, being able to pressure the ball, being able to force turnovers, being able to get points off turnovers. We're doing those things. Offensively, we're playing a more up-tempo style, so we're scoring more points. And that's what we were hoping for the entire time.
And the rebounding is much improved from a year or two ago to where we were, I think last year we were probably getting beat on the boards eight, 10 rebounds a game. And now we're either winning the rebounding battle or we're maybe missing out losing by one or two. But and then especially on the offensive rebounding, what we've been able to do there has been a positive. So we're doing a lot of the things that we've talked about, a lot of things that are making our team better.
You know like and then you look at the wins and the losses and yeah You come up short sometimes and you just don't don't get it done You know, I mean on Thursday night at Eastern Illinois were literally, you You're two seconds away from winning and that's how that's how fine a line it is and in college basketball and in sports is that You know, we come all the way back from a from being down by 16 points. We take a two-point lead You know ball rolls around on the floor for a couple seconds. They pick it up going in we lose an overtime man, you know if
If that doesn't happen, you feel really good about it and they do make it and win in overtime so you feel bad about it. But the one thing we always tell our guys is in those situations, those close wins or those close losses, you've got to keep learning from that because the film is still the same. Just one shot might have went in or went out and you just feel better about it, but you still have the same mistakes to watch. You still have the same positives.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (08:43.062)
Yeah. Yeah.
Kyle Gerdeman (08:48.002)
It's just the feeling of learning and improving sometimes is easier when you're winning, obviously. But we've got to continue to push through this stretch here and keep getting better. And I think we will and I think we'll come out ahead of it at the end.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (09:00.994)
And then the other stat is, and I remember you and I chatted before, I think even before the season started and you shared with me your thoughts on shooting and you shared, think Kyle, coach, that shooting is all about rhythm and your mind. And that really ties in with the three point and free throw shooting, probably not where you want them to be right now.
Kyle Gerdeman (09:17.037)
Yeah, I don't think so. think both have gone up a little bit over the last few weeks, which is good. And I think when we look at the three point line now, for us, it's about just taking good shots. When we take good open threes, our percentages are much better. When we take quick ones or when we take contested ones, ones that maybe aren't as open as they need to be, those are where we definitely are shooting a lower percentage. And so we kind of started to track.
How good of a shot are we taking from three? And when are we taking it? And so what we're seeing, like I say, what we see is that when we take good ones, what we define as a good one anyway, we're shooting a better percentage on those. And we just have to stay out of that trap with a quick one or the contested one, the one that looks good, but may not be as good as it needs to be. And I think the free throws are kind of the same. I think we've had guys take a lot of ownership.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (10:05.484)
Ha ha ha.
Kyle Gerdeman (10:14.135)
personally in their free throw percentage. And that's what I always encourage. That's what we always talk about as a staff, as coaches, is you're not going to put pressure on guys. And some people say they never want to talk about it and this and that, but we don't. address it head on because I think that's the best way to do it is, hey, you're not doing it good enough. And what we mean by that is, are you practicing enough? Are you getting up extra free throws before practice? Are you getting up extra free throws after practice?
Do you have somebody standing there putting a little pressure on you every now and then? Because those things work. And I think you look at a guy like Jadis Jones, his free throw percentage has gone up. And that's what you want to see. And he's in the gym before practice working on it. He's asked for advice on his form. We've helped him. We've tweaked a couple things with him. And he's committed to getting better at it. And I think that's what we're after is that when they're doing that, I think you'll see those numbers go up.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (11:10.594)
I think the last question of today is still a numbers question, but not really directly in the control of coaches or players, and that is attendance. And the men's attendance at Lindenwood is okay, but I noted that a lot of other places draw better. What does it take to get more folks in the Highland Center for both men's and women's basketball?
Kyle Gerdeman (11:28.723)
Well, think that, you know, I think it starts with, I know this sounds a little bit simple, but just getting them in the door because I think when we get them in here and I think you make a good point, not just the men's team, but the women's team. I think you've got two exciting programs. You know, I think the style of play that we have, I think as hard as we play, you know, I think people in the area will like the way that we play basketball. I think they'll appreciate it. You know, we've got, you know, a lot of hard workers. We play with some toughness. We've got some blue collar to us.
That I think that I think people enjoy to watch and I think our women's program does too, you know, I think they play an exciting style They play, you know up-tempo basketball You know very well coached, you know run good offense in a half court and I think I think people like to see those things And so I think once we get people in the gym, I think they'll return because they're gonna see two good products You know in those double headers and you know, I think that that's what I would just encourage people is when you get a chance to come out Just you know come out and see it
See it for yourself on a Saturday afternoon and see what you think because like I said, I truly believe that we both put a product out there that I think fans would appreciate.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (12:38.914)
And I noted that Lindewood has an interesting social media promo associated with the snowstorm. I know if you saw that or not, but for this Thursday and Saturday's game against UT Martin and Tennessee State, that whatever number, inches of snow fall at Lambert Airport yesterday and today, that's going to be the ticket price for Thursday and Saturday. So it's good to see the administration. They've been creative for a long time, but finding ways to at least get that word out there that Lindewood has some stuff. They're creative on that kind of stuff. And then finally, Coach, Tennessee State.
Kyle Gerdeman (12:43.463)
Yeah.
Kyle Gerdeman (13:00.104)
Yeah.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (13:08.93)
Do I have that right? Tennessee State and UT Martin this week, what you looking for?
Kyle Gerdeman (13:10.103)
Yep. Yeah, you know, it's just going to be, you know, typical two good teams in the league. You know, if you look at the commerce standings, you know, I think they said the other day, I think there's two games separating, you know, first place from last place. know, Tennessee State's had good wins in the non-conference. They've had some tough losses, just had a big win on Saturday against Little Rock, a really high scoring game, which they hadn't had, you know, games that they've scored that amount of points before. So.
They might be figuring some things out like everybody does, four or five games into it. And I think Tennessee Martin's the same thing. They've got a new coach, they've got a lot of new players, but I've known their coach for a long time and he does a great job. And their style of play is a little bit tricky. I think they try to shoot a lot of threes and when they get it going, they're really hard to guard. So, like I say, two good teams and we're at home and we hope that helps us a little bit, but we'll be ready for the challenge.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (14:07.106)
Let's hope the snowfall amounts stay low so the folks can get into the games for a cheaper price.
Kyle Gerdeman (14:11.087)
Yeah, I think the ticket prices should be pretty reasonable.
TWICV For January 6 2025 (14:14.53)
Let's call that a wrap for this episode of Basketball Talk with Lyndenwood University head men's basketball coach Kyle Gerdeman. Kyle, always a pleasure. Let's do this again next Monday.
Kyle Gerdeman (14:23.142)
Sounds good, thank you.
