Casey Mighty in Cat-Griz Encounter
2/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Casey Durham had waited for Sunday afternoon his whole life.
He bided his team for a year away from Bozeman, working for a living and working on his game. He spent a year in the peculiar quasi-exile existence known as redshirt, practicing with the team but not playing in games or traveling. And he spent the preseason proving himself, proving that he belonged in the Bobcat basketball program.
On Sunday afternoon, after the MSU student section had the Fieldhouse awash in "CA-sey DUR-ham, CA-sey DUR-ham" chants, the day's star was clearly aware of the significance of the moment. "For my family and my close friends, this is waht we live for, Bobcat-Grizzly games.
"This was definitely a dream game."
Durham's father Mick, the current Bobcat head coach who had more than his share of success in the Cat-Griz rivalry as a player when the University of Montana enjoyed its hey-day under Jud Heathcoate and then Mike Montgomery, won for the sixth time in his last nine meetings against the Grizzlies. He knew his son had a pretty big hand in the day's affairs.
"Casey did what he does -- make threes and be a pest on defense," the elder Durham said. "For him to have this kind of game on a spotlight Sunday afternoon is unbelievable."
Just as unbelievable may be MSU's status in the Big Sky Conference race. The Bobcats were picked to finish eighth -- dead last -- which would be the first time since 1983, when Mick Durham was a first-year grad assistant under Bruce Haroldson, that MSU had a share of the league basement. Durham said privately in September that he knew he wasn't coaching a last-place outfit, and the Bobcats enter the season's last two weeks in hot pursuit of league-leading Portland State.
"The guys know we have a chance to accomplish something special," Durham said after Sunday's stunning win. "The atmosphere in the Fieldhouse was great today, and we know we have a chance to have a full building that last weekend (when PSU and Eastern Washington come to visit)."
Whatever happens the rest of the way, Sunday afternoon will be a special day, a day when one of Bozeman's own, who has lived and breathed Bobcat basketball his whole life, stole the show.
"It means a lot to him," Mick Durham said simply.
He bided his team for a year away from Bozeman, working for a living and working on his game. He spent a year in the peculiar quasi-exile existence known as redshirt, practicing with the team but not playing in games or traveling. And he spent the preseason proving himself, proving that he belonged in the Bobcat basketball program.
On Sunday afternoon, after the MSU student section had the Fieldhouse awash in "CA-sey DUR-ham, CA-sey DUR-ham" chants, the day's star was clearly aware of the significance of the moment. "For my family and my close friends, this is waht we live for, Bobcat-Grizzly games.
"This was definitely a dream game."
Durham's father Mick, the current Bobcat head coach who had more than his share of success in the Cat-Griz rivalry as a player when the University of Montana enjoyed its hey-day under Jud Heathcoate and then Mike Montgomery, won for the sixth time in his last nine meetings against the Grizzlies. He knew his son had a pretty big hand in the day's affairs.
"Casey did what he does -- make threes and be a pest on defense," the elder Durham said. "For him to have this kind of game on a spotlight Sunday afternoon is unbelievable."
Just as unbelievable may be MSU's status in the Big Sky Conference race. The Bobcats were picked to finish eighth -- dead last -- which would be the first time since 1983, when Mick Durham was a first-year grad assistant under Bruce Haroldson, that MSU had a share of the league basement. Durham said privately in September that he knew he wasn't coaching a last-place outfit, and the Bobcats enter the season's last two weeks in hot pursuit of league-leading Portland State.
"The guys know we have a chance to accomplish something special," Durham said after Sunday's stunning win. "The atmosphere in the Fieldhouse was great today, and we know we have a chance to have a full building that last weekend (when PSU and Eastern Washington come to visit)."
Whatever happens the rest of the way, Sunday afternoon will be a special day, a day when one of Bozeman's own, who has lived and breathed Bobcat basketball his whole life, stole the show.
"It means a lot to him," Mick Durham said simply.
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