MSU Weekly Media Conference Quotes, Week #1
1/4/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Brad Huse, Bobcat Head Coach
Describe the emotions after the win over Oregon State. “It was exciting. Certainly the guys were really thrilled. We’ve been in so many games in the preseason. Winning at Wyoming was big, playing to the wire with Arizona State gave us a lot of confidence, and I think this is kind of the exclamation point to what’s been a good preseason for our guys. For them to find a way to grit this one out is a real plus heading into conference.”
Is this team playing better than the fourth or fifth place preseason predictions for it? “Yeah, I feel like we’re a team you’re going to have to beat, it’s not going to be an easy deal. When you talk about our conference and the teams that are going to contend I hope that our name is in there somewhere, but that doesn’t mean anything at this point. Our guys understand that. The slate is wiped clean and we’re starting from ground zero and the preseason means absolutely nothing. We have to take what we’ve learned through the preseason, certainly. The win-loss thing is nice, to be sitting at 8-5, but it doesn’t do you a lot of good. You’ve got to look forward to the conference and get ready for those games.”
What does Montana do well? “Number one, they lead the league in defense. They’re really defending well. They do have experienced guys that have experienced big wins and championships. Their leaders are their big kids, and they’re getting great play from the backcourt, too. They’ve got good balance. Their a team that has played very well within their style, and it’s been very effective. They’re about three baskets away from being 9-4 or 8-5 in non-league. Everybody looks at the win-loss deal, I think you need to look at the context of how you get to those points. We made some game-winning shots, if we don’t make those we’re sitting in a little different situation from a win-loss scenario. That’s the difference as we head into conference.”
Does Cat-Griz mean anything different to you? “It’s a big rivalry in our state, and that’s just how it is. It amounts to two league games for us, at the same time people want to talk about this game. It’s an important game for our fan base and I know our players are excited. They know we’ll have a good crowd, and when we go to Missoula they’ll have a good crowd there. There is that added part of the whole deal, you can’t deny that, it’s going to be there and it always has been. At the same time, I feel like Montana’s a team that was picked at the top of our league, so if you want to get to the top of that mountain you have to knock them off.”
How important is experience in a Cat-Griz game? “I think it’s huge for those guys that have been there. Now, our new guys are hearing about the crowd and hearing about the excitement and all that stuff. You go into a game like that if you’re a new guy not understanding fully what that atmosphere is like and having to learn on the fly, where an experienced kid has been a part of that. I think there’s benefits to both, maybe. I’ve seen newcomers and young guys have big games in these games because they’re maybe not quite as wide-eyed, and (they’re) uncertain of what the situation’s like. It can cut both ways.”
Can you comment on what Casey Durham brings to this game? “For someone like Casey who’s grown up with this rivalry, it’s been a part of his youth, and certainly as a player now it’s a big game for him. He’s managed to play pretty well in these games. I’ve seen every one of them on both sides of the ledger. I’m really impressed with how Casey’s played thus far this year. He’s played like a senior should play. He’s very determined, and he’s been a great leader for our team.”
Casey Durham, senior guard
What did the team accomplish in the non-conference season? “I think we accomplished that we maybe are better than fourth or fifth, (where) we were picked in the coaches and media polls at the beginning of the season. We had a great win at Oregon State, but still that means nothing in Big Sky play, and Saturday should be fun and interesting.”
Talk about the win at Oregon State. “The whole season our motto has been stay together and grind it out, and that’s exactly what we did. We got lucky and Carlos hit a great shot with three seconds left and we came away with the win.”
How important has the Cat-Griz game been in your life? “Cat-Griz is what every player looks forward to, you’ve got to highlight it on your schedule from day one. Me personally, I’ve been to so many of them - I’ve sat in the stands, I’ve sat on the bench. It’s just so much fun as a player.”
Have you looked at Montana yet? “This is our only game this week, so it gives us a long time to prepare for Montana. The coaches have done a great job already, putting things in slow and working toward Saturday.”
What does Montana do well? “They’ve got two great big guys, probably the best big guys in the league and probably the best big guys we might face all year, with (Andrew) Strait and (Jordan) Hasquet. Hasquet can shoot it and Strait is a beast inside. (The coaches) talked to the big guys, and we know we’ve got our work cut out inside.”
What are your expectations for the Big Sky season? “In the summer all the guys got together and we (decided) if we stick together we can make a run at this. In the coaches poll and the media poll we weren’t anywhere in the top two or three, but if we keep doing what we’re doing we think we can do something in the Big Sky.”
Describe the emotions after the win over Oregon State. “It was exciting. Certainly the guys were really thrilled. We’ve been in so many games in the preseason. Winning at Wyoming was big, playing to the wire with Arizona State gave us a lot of confidence, and I think this is kind of the exclamation point to what’s been a good preseason for our guys. For them to find a way to grit this one out is a real plus heading into conference.”
Is this team playing better than the fourth or fifth place preseason predictions for it? “Yeah, I feel like we’re a team you’re going to have to beat, it’s not going to be an easy deal. When you talk about our conference and the teams that are going to contend I hope that our name is in there somewhere, but that doesn’t mean anything at this point. Our guys understand that. The slate is wiped clean and we’re starting from ground zero and the preseason means absolutely nothing. We have to take what we’ve learned through the preseason, certainly. The win-loss thing is nice, to be sitting at 8-5, but it doesn’t do you a lot of good. You’ve got to look forward to the conference and get ready for those games.”
What does Montana do well? “Number one, they lead the league in defense. They’re really defending well. They do have experienced guys that have experienced big wins and championships. Their leaders are their big kids, and they’re getting great play from the backcourt, too. They’ve got good balance. Their a team that has played very well within their style, and it’s been very effective. They’re about three baskets away from being 9-4 or 8-5 in non-league. Everybody looks at the win-loss deal, I think you need to look at the context of how you get to those points. We made some game-winning shots, if we don’t make those we’re sitting in a little different situation from a win-loss scenario. That’s the difference as we head into conference.”
Does Cat-Griz mean anything different to you? “It’s a big rivalry in our state, and that’s just how it is. It amounts to two league games for us, at the same time people want to talk about this game. It’s an important game for our fan base and I know our players are excited. They know we’ll have a good crowd, and when we go to Missoula they’ll have a good crowd there. There is that added part of the whole deal, you can’t deny that, it’s going to be there and it always has been. At the same time, I feel like Montana’s a team that was picked at the top of our league, so if you want to get to the top of that mountain you have to knock them off.”
How important is experience in a Cat-Griz game? “I think it’s huge for those guys that have been there. Now, our new guys are hearing about the crowd and hearing about the excitement and all that stuff. You go into a game like that if you’re a new guy not understanding fully what that atmosphere is like and having to learn on the fly, where an experienced kid has been a part of that. I think there’s benefits to both, maybe. I’ve seen newcomers and young guys have big games in these games because they’re maybe not quite as wide-eyed, and (they’re) uncertain of what the situation’s like. It can cut both ways.”
Can you comment on what Casey Durham brings to this game? “For someone like Casey who’s grown up with this rivalry, it’s been a part of his youth, and certainly as a player now it’s a big game for him. He’s managed to play pretty well in these games. I’ve seen every one of them on both sides of the ledger. I’m really impressed with how Casey’s played thus far this year. He’s played like a senior should play. He’s very determined, and he’s been a great leader for our team.”
Casey Durham, senior guard
What did the team accomplish in the non-conference season? “I think we accomplished that we maybe are better than fourth or fifth, (where) we were picked in the coaches and media polls at the beginning of the season. We had a great win at Oregon State, but still that means nothing in Big Sky play, and Saturday should be fun and interesting.”
Talk about the win at Oregon State. “The whole season our motto has been stay together and grind it out, and that’s exactly what we did. We got lucky and Carlos hit a great shot with three seconds left and we came away with the win.”
How important has the Cat-Griz game been in your life? “Cat-Griz is what every player looks forward to, you’ve got to highlight it on your schedule from day one. Me personally, I’ve been to so many of them - I’ve sat in the stands, I’ve sat on the bench. It’s just so much fun as a player.”
Have you looked at Montana yet? “This is our only game this week, so it gives us a long time to prepare for Montana. The coaches have done a great job already, putting things in slow and working toward Saturday.”
What does Montana do well? “They’ve got two great big guys, probably the best big guys in the league and probably the best big guys we might face all year, with (Andrew) Strait and (Jordan) Hasquet. Hasquet can shoot it and Strait is a beast inside. (The coaches) talked to the big guys, and we know we’ve got our work cut out inside.”
What are your expectations for the Big Sky season? “In the summer all the guys got together and we (decided) if we stick together we can make a run at this. In the coaches poll and the media poll we weren’t anywhere in the top two or three, but if we keep doing what we’re doing we think we can do something in the Big Sky.”
Wednesday, June 10
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Monday, March 23
Friday, March 13
