'Veteran' Durham Leads Bobcats Today
2/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Casey Durham had to chuckle just to himself.
A freshman guard and part of a very young Montana State basketball team, Durham was amused during most of the week leading up to Montana State's earlier matchup this season against Montana listening to experts that talked about MSU's inexperience in 'Cat-Griz encounters.
"Yeah, I thought that was kind of funny," said Durham, who, as the son of MSU's 15th-year head coach Mick Durham had lived through the intensity of the rivalry for most of his life. "I'd been through a lot of these."
Durham survived his first Bobcat-Grizzly game, a heart-stopping 62-60 MSU win in Missoula, but barely. He took a vicious elbow to the forehead, which gave him a mild concussion. He didn't score that day, but played a solid floor game.
Much easier to deal with than shots to the noggin on that day was the treatment Durham received from the Grizzly crowd. "I knew what to expect," he said, "I knew how they would react. But it's hard to know how intense that game is until you actually step on the floor."
Certainly, Durham had been on the floor for several Bobcat-Grizzly games previously. During his grade school and middle school years, Casey Durham served as a Bobcat ball boy. He also spent time on or behind the Bobcat bench as his father was ringing up more wins than any coach in Big Sky history.
The younger Durham said that after playing in one Cat-Griz game, today's encounter should be just another game. "Since I've been through one, I'm just ready to play the next one."
Sunday's Cat-Griz contest begins at 2:05 pm. Good tickets remain, call the Bobcat Ticket Office at 406/994-2287 for information.
A freshman guard and part of a very young Montana State basketball team, Durham was amused during most of the week leading up to Montana State's earlier matchup this season against Montana listening to experts that talked about MSU's inexperience in 'Cat-Griz encounters.
"Yeah, I thought that was kind of funny," said Durham, who, as the son of MSU's 15th-year head coach Mick Durham had lived through the intensity of the rivalry for most of his life. "I'd been through a lot of these."
Durham survived his first Bobcat-Grizzly game, a heart-stopping 62-60 MSU win in Missoula, but barely. He took a vicious elbow to the forehead, which gave him a mild concussion. He didn't score that day, but played a solid floor game.
Much easier to deal with than shots to the noggin on that day was the treatment Durham received from the Grizzly crowd. "I knew what to expect," he said, "I knew how they would react. But it's hard to know how intense that game is until you actually step on the floor."
Certainly, Durham had been on the floor for several Bobcat-Grizzly games previously. During his grade school and middle school years, Casey Durham served as a Bobcat ball boy. He also spent time on or behind the Bobcat bench as his father was ringing up more wins than any coach in Big Sky history.
The younger Durham said that after playing in one Cat-Griz game, today's encounter should be just another game. "Since I've been through one, I'm just ready to play the next one."
Sunday's Cat-Griz contest begins at 2:05 pm. Good tickets remain, call the Bobcat Ticket Office at 406/994-2287 for information.
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