Big Sky Men's BBall Media Conference Call

[kmax]

Media call questions/answers with Durham:

Mick Durham, Montana State

With the change of the 5-8 rule, do you remember when there was a time when there was this new such blood in the league?
Well, I think you’re seeing it all over college basketball. I don’t think it’s just the Big sky. I really think the mid-majors were really being stung by the 5-8. We were definitely one of those programs. We were going to have nine on scholarships and then all of a sudden they changed the rule and have four more scholarships. Obviously we went out and used them. I think we put together a pretty good recruiting class and it was because of the 5-8 being removed. It’s going to keep things pretty unknown for awhile.


On playing Washington State early:
We start Washington State, SMU, San Jose on Friday, Monday, Wednesday so we have three in a row there. I think most Big Sky schools are that way. Right now we’re looking a polls of the Big Sky race and I think that’s the last thing that’s on anybody’s mind right now. As Big Sky coaches, we’re just trying to survive the non-conference. Speaking for myself we’ve got 13 games and I think it’s a pretty difficult schedule.’’
Right now the last thing on my mind is the seven other Big Sky schools. We have to somehow try to survive the non-conference and give ourselves a chance. Our mindset has been to go in and try to play well early and hang around and see what happens. Two years ago we opened with Washington and knocked them off. This year it happens to be Washington State. Our league should be used to be playing big schools early because that’s what happens.

Who will step up and be your shooters?
We have four seniors. We tied for sixth and kind of got the odd-man-out deal in that tight race for the last spots. We have five junior college guys. When you hear that you cringe, but I really think they are a unique bunch. I’ve been really impressed with them, their character. We probably pretty fortunate. When you bring in that many they all seem to be buying in and doing the right thing. Brandon Miller is the off-guard junior college kid from Colby, Kan. He made 90-some threes last year for Colby. He can shoot the basketball. Nick Dissly will start at small forward. He’s the Bozeman High kid who played a lot last year. He’s capable of shooting it a little bit. I do think we have improved our shooting from a year ago. Last year it was pretty much (Jason) Erickson and a pretty young cast.

Who do you expect is going to have to step up in the non-conference schedule?
We’re starting three junior college guys. We’re starting Frank Brown at the point and Nick Dissly at the three. Then we’re starting Brandon Miller. Marvin Moss is another capable kid, a kid who played in junior college in California. He averaged 20 (points) and 10 (rebounds), so he can score a little bit, too. We’re starting a big kid inside, real slender – Al Beye, he’s from the Senegal. So those three junior college kids are coming. We’re bringing Ja’Ron Jefferson and Taylor Pratt, the other two off the bench. I think Moss and Miller are the two who could come in and score. Dissly had 18 in the scrimmage and 20 in our first exhibition game, so I see Dissly improving himself a little bit in scoring.

Update on Matt Towsley
He had back surgery last spring. Right now looking at our squad, like everyone you never have enough centers, so we desperately need Matt back. We’ll have two 6-11 guys who we think are very capable. He had an MRI and we thought he was going to have back surgery again and be back league time if at all. It’s just a little bit of a tear in the disk. He’s just going to rehab it. He’s just getting back on the court now. We kind of are targeting him back Dec. 2, so he’ll miss three games.

Question/Answer transcript for all coaches around the Big Sky can be found at http://www.bigskyconf.com/article.asp?articleid=63346 .

[mslacat]

That was great! Thanks!

Perdiction on Towsley: This is not based on any medical knowledge, or back ground, but on my knowledge of the Bobcat center jinx! He will play some but be gone by 1/3 to 1/2 way through conference.