Scott

[velochat]

Gotta give the other Bobcats equal time. You'd never know Hillary lacked confidence by watching her play:

MSU women's basketball: Scott finds strength in her faith

By PATRICK GURCZYNSKI, Chronicle Sports Writer

It's hard to imagine Bozeman a city of temptation.

Las Vegas ... yes.

Bozeman ... no.

Unless you're Hillary Scott.

Scott grew up in the Salt Lake City suburb of West Jordan, Utah.

A city of 70,000 with one tavern, no liquor stores and a heavy Morman majority.

She was raised in a devout Mormon household, surrounded by people with similar beliefs, and rarely ventured outside of her Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints dominated world.

When she graduated from West Jordan High School, she stayed in state on a basketball scholarship to Snow College.

Her dream was to play for Brigham Young University, but that all changed when Montana State came calling after her second season.

That's when Scott's entire world changed.

She bid farewell to the predominantly "dry" state of Utah, and said hello to a town affectionately referred to as "Boozeman."

A college town with four liquor stores, 15 bars and a minority Mormon population.

"At the time, I didn't know why I wanted to go to Bozeman," Scott said. "Now, I see why.

"This was the place I'd grow the most."

As a Bobcat, Scott has grown from a junior-college transfer to an integral part of this season's success.

As a person, she's become an inspiration and foundation of support for young Mormons in the community.

"I look up to her," said Scott's roommate Caroline Stovall, a freshman and a Mormon. "When people are going to parties and doing things we wouldn't, it's nice to have someone there."

College can be a difficult time for young Mormons as the temptations their religion forbids becomes more prevalent.

When Scott arrived in Bozeman, she wondered where she would find the strength to resist.

She wondered if she would find a group of like-minded, college-aged Mormons.

What she found was the Institute of Religion.

Located a block east of the MSU campus, the Institute of Religion is a popular hangout for LDS students.

It's there that Scott found a support group to help her through her final two years of college.

"They are the coolest people," Scott said. "They are my family away from home."

They attend nearly every MSU home game.

Their cheers often echo throughout Worthington Arena, resulting in a smile from Scott.

This season, she has given them plenty to cheer about.

Scott is second on the team in scoring at 9.8 points per game, and is averaging over a steal per game.

With her hesitation dribble and patented spin move, she gives the Bobcats a spark.

Her in-your-face defense and constant hustle inspires her teammates.

"She has so much ability," MSU coach Greg Kudrna said. "I just don't think she's played the game long enough to use it all."

Scott didn't start playing basketball till she was a freshman in high school.

Her parents were reluctant to let her play after her older sister developed issues with the high school coach.

Scott wasn't allowed to play growing up, but her parents loosened their stance the summer before her freshman year.

She tried out for the team on the hunch that if she could make a left-handed layup she'd be a lock.

She made the sophomore team not because of her left-handed layup, but because the coach saw potential Scott never did.

Scott has never been a big fan of herself.

Despite the all-state accolades she earned in high school, and the college scholarships from Snow and MSU, Scott has never seen herself as a dominant player.

This season, when the MSU coaches designed a play for her near the end of the University of Portland game, Scott was stoked.

And shocked.

"I've never been a go-to player," Scott said. "A couple people have told me that I am, but I've never seen myself as that person."

At times, Scott has displayed the physical ability to dominate a game.

It seems the only thing keeping her from doing so ... is herself.

"Hands down, confidence has always been a problem," she said.

The remedy may come from her faith.

Scott's support group has helped put basketball in perspective, and let her know how much of a role model she is.

Stovall admits that when she's put in a tough situation, she often wonders, 'What would Scott do?'

This influence isn't lost on Scott, or those around her.

"Sometimes young people are just content to settle for mediocrity," said David Heap, instructor at the Institute of Religion. "(Hillary) is looking for ways to improve her game and as a person."

In the end, it won't matter how many Big Sky titles Scott has won or how many all-conference teams she's made.

Her biggest challenge will come resisting the temptations of the world around her, and satisfying her toughest critic.

Herself.