MONSTER ENERGY BIG 12 MEN'S BASKETBALL MEDIA DAYS

October 20, 2026

Jerrod Calhoun

Myles Colvin

Jayden Hastings

Tylen Riley

Cincinnati Bearcats

Media Day Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by Cincinnati.

Coach, this is an obvious challenge to build cohesion, all the players new to each other.

JERROD CALHOUN: First of all, I think we've recruited really good people. They like each other. I think every other team in the country is dealing with the same thing. We're not at a disadvantage at all.

THE MODERATOR: What has been maybe the most eye-opening thing you've encountered in this new job at Cincinnati?

JERROD CALHOUN: Yeah, I would say just the number of things you have to do outside of basketball. Just the commitments and different things, the time commitments. Having three young daughters, trying to balance all that, has been a little difficult because I don't tell a lot of people No. I'm figuring that out.

THE MODERATOR: Tylen, your new teammates, all transfers. Through observation, seems like all three of you like each other and enjoy spending time with each other. What has that process been like for you coming to a new program?

TYLEN RILEY: I just feel like when I came into a new program with a group of great guys, it was easy to mesh with them.

Yeah, we all like each other, you're right. That just transfers onto the court. We just go at each other. When you like somebody, you want to see them do better. You want to see them do better in life.

I feel like that's what we do every day.

THE MODERATOR: Myles, what would you say is the identity of Cincinnati basketball right now? What are your core principles?

MYLES COLVIN: I think it's just being unselfish is one of our biggest things, especially on offense. On defense, being disruptive. We have a lot of length, elite size. I think that's just big for us, to get the easy points, defense to offense. Like I said, being unselfish on offense, sharing the ball, getting the best shots we can.

THE MODERATOR: Jayden, you come from Boston College, now in the Big 12. What do you think will be different about Big 12 basketball?

JAYDEN HASTINGS: The biggest difference is the physicality, playing against some bigger, faster bigs. Just even more talent. Big 12 is the best basketball conference in the NCAA. I think it's going to be hard. We're going to compete every game.

THE MODERATOR: When you assess your coach, why was Coach Calhoun and Cincinnati the right destination for all of you?

TYLEN RILEY: First and foremost, I like being surrounded by winners. I also like to win. That was, like, a no-brainer for me. Just the overall environment from not only him, the entire coaching staff. It seems like everybody knew what they were talking about. Everybody has a goal that they want to achieve. They're going to do anything to achieve it. I feel like I'm the same way.

I just feel like we're compatible in that sense.

THE MODERATOR: Myles, why is Coach Calhoun the coach for you right now?

MYLES COLVIN: I would have to say his attitude, the way he carries himself. I think that's the biggest thing for me. A team usually takes on the attitude and the characteristics of their coach. That's a big thing for me. Being in a winning program, he's a winner. I think it was somewhere I wanted to be around winning people and a winning program.

TYLEN RILEY: One thing that stood out, I ain't going to lie, that certain swagger to him. Doesn't matter who we about to play, whether it's the No. 3 team in the country, whether it's the worst team in the country, we going to prep the same, we're going to go in the game with the same mindset.

It's not that like he thinks, because I know, he knows he's like the best coach in this game, and he's going to go out there and prove it every game. I like that. That just attracts me. Yeah, that's what I wanted to see for real.

THE MODERATOR: Coach, what is it like to say you have swagger, as a family man no less?

JERROD CALHOUN: You have to have that, right? You have to have that internal belief. Each guy on our team does. I don't know, somebody told we were picked eighth. I don't have social media, don't pay much attention to people's opinions. That's what the coaches said, we're the eighth team.

More importantly, we got to restore the program. I think you have to do that with a blue-collar mentality every single day. Our fans deserve to see our team play in the NCAA tournament. When you're recruiting a guy from Tulsa that led his team to the NIT championship, he wants more, right? I think throughout the process you got to find guys that want that.

THE MODERATOR: Jayden, why was Coach Calhoun the man that you wanted to play for?

JAYDEN HASTINGS: I think it was his honesty. I think he challenges his players where it gives them confidence. I think that's something I needed as a player. Playing for him is pretty easy, you just got to execute and play hard on defense. He has that swagger. It's undeniable (smiling).

THE MODERATOR: Coach, you understand home-court advantage. You said you want to deliver a similar product because your fans deserve it in Cincinnati. What do you feel has to happen for you to develop that type of home-court advantage?

JERROD CALHOUN: I mean, you got to win. The bottom line is people pay to win. We have to put a good product on the floor. We had a chance to play Ohio State. We had a great crowd. We beat them. We had a chance to play Illinois. Took them to the last seven or eight minutes.

We're going to win. We have a good team. We're going to win games. The place is going to sell out every night. I fully expect that.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open things up for questions.

Q. I talked to Myles. He said it felt really good that you were drawing up plays for him even though he was missing shots.

JERROD CALHOUN: He didn't make any. I think I drew four of them for him (smiling).

Q. How much of building a successful program is having faith in your players no matter what they're doing on the court?

JERROD CALHOUN: I've said this publicly. I think Myles Colvin is one of the best shooters in the country. He can have a breakout -- I mean a breakout -- year this year. I truly believe that. The last thing I should do as a coach, if he misses a shot, is say something negative.

I think players in the transfer portal, they now have the ability to go find a coach that lets you play your game. A lot of coaches say that, but what does that mean? To me it's playing green. We have a play green mentality, right? If you miss a shot, don't play red, don't stop, keep playing.

I want just not Myles but all of our guys. Jayden made his first career three. He banked it, he should have called it. I want Jayden to shoot it if he's open.

THE MODERATOR: Myles, at Wake Forest, a guy who scored 26 points in one half. We know he can light it up.

Q. Jayden, you led the team last season in blocks at Boston College. What are you doing now to ensure that you're still effective on defense?

JAYDEN HASTINGS: Honestly, it's just watching a lot of film with the coaches. I think our defensive coaches are the best in the country. Just being in the right position where I can turn my fouls into blocks, just being on the court where I have more minutes to have those blocks and those defensive possessions.

Q. Tylen, you played well against Ohio State. Against Illinois. What is about Coach Calhoun's offense that has made this a seamless transition for you?

TYLEN RILEY: I just think it's a lot more simpler than it looks. I think if you have the ability to think and you have creativity and you have good vision to see advantages on the floor, even when the ball's not in your hands, I feel like the game opens up.

Also, most importantly, you need great teammates around you. Like he said, I have the best shooter in the country to my left here. That's enough gravity of its own. The game opens up. Pick-and-rolls with the 13 assists. Finding Jayden, he brings a lot of gravity when he rolls to the basket.

I think playing with a great team, having a great staff, the game opens up and it comes very easy.

Q. Coach, with the transfer portal and NIL being what it was, how have you seen that affect how you need to recruit players to your team?

JERROD CALHOUN: Yeah, I mean, I think every roster you inherit is different, right? We didn't inherit a roster. We had no players. We met with the guys. We were starting over. So we were in a very, very unique spot.

I think every year it's going to be a little bit different, right? Sometimes you're going to retain guys. Sometimes you're going to bring in the high school recruits. It's really what your roster needs.

Typically how we've built it, we've won 101 games in four years. We want to get old and stay old. That's the primary focus. But you can't get old and stay old forever. You do have to build a program. How you do that is get the guys underneath them. I think we got one of the best sophomore classes in the country. I think they're the foundation for the future when these guys decide to leave Cincinnati.

It's a good balance. I think it's ever-changing. Year to year it will be a little bit different.

THE MODERATOR: That will wrap things up with Cincinnati. Thank you.