End of Season Interview with Trish Binford?

[aucat]

Is Colter going to do such an interview? There was one in the Chronicle the other day but to me the most important question to her was the one that was not asked. I would love to see this question asked and see what her answer would be: "What will you consider to be a successful season in 2014-15?"

That question was not asked in the Bozeman Chronicle. Rather there was something to the effect of "How do you look at the current
state of the program?" You can ramble off a pretty general answer with that which she did.

I don't know, but it seems to me with only one senior this year and new recruits coming in, shouldn't the expectations be very high? I would like to know what Trish's expectations are for next year.

Is it to merely make the Big Sky tournament? Is it to win 20 games? Is it to win the Big Sky and host the tournament
for the first time since whenever? What???

[Hawks86]

Tricia Binford
Head Women's Basketball Coach

Phone: 406.994.4442
Email: tbinford@msubobcats.com

[Colter_Nuanez]

The page hits and general interest in the women didn't seem very high this winter, so I covered their games and wrote a profile on Ashley Brumwell and that was about it. If you would like an interview with Binford, I can certainly facilitate. I just want to make sure enough people want to read it to make it worth my time. I'll check back to gage interest.

[HelenaCat]

You bet Colter. I will read any interviews you have regarding Bobcat sports. A few years ago it seemed Tricia had the Lady Cats improving each year, but they have sure backtracked the alst few. So how she turn that around again and improve each year?

[wbtfg]

2nd

[bpcats20]

3rd. I think that there are a lot questions that I would have if you do decide to do the interview.

1) Parity of the league - can beat N. Dakota twice who wins the conference, but struggle...

2) Mental toughness of team - to me it seemed like this team (all together) seemed to believe that they could/should win each and every game

3) How do you get your team to play better as the season goes on ( Lady Griz always start of somewhat slow but are a machine by tournament play)

4) Looking to the future with Margreet Barhoum, Kayla DeWitt, Hommes, Stockton, Dawkins...

5) Just how close is this team to overcoming the mental hurdles to challenge for conference championship... I believe the talent is there for the most part.

[Helcat72]

I'm also interested in hearing what Trish has to say. I live in Helena but I go to all their games

I would like to know why we don't seem to have a home court advantage.

I also think it's time for Jackie Elliott to start being an offensive force. It appears as though she's waiting for somebody to give her permission. she has the ability to replace Ashley Brumwell if she will just come out of her shell.

I think losing Ashley Brumwell is addition by subtraction. She was a good player but she will allow Kayla De Wit to take over the center position, post up and add physicality, and Jasmine Hommes to move to the 4.

[aucat]

I too greatly appreciate Colter and I understand the points he made.

The Lady Cats are just a huge mystery to me these last two years.

At times they look good but at other times they seem to lack the basic fundamentals, like boxing out and not allowing the opponent to get offensive rebounds. It also at times looks like they seriously lack a physical presence.

I thought Jasmine came on strong this year and I agree that Kayla DeWitt will be a key next year.

However, Binford needs to recruit some big tough girls who can battle inside.

But, the bottom line is, MSU is not competing for BSC championships anymore than are the men.

Both programs are mired in mediocrity and declining fan interest.

The coaches have been here for awhile so they own the program, the team and the results. Huse could not
get it done. Does Fields have the ability to identify a coach with fire, energy, passion, and the work ethic
to turn the men's program around??? We'll see.

Frankly if Binford cannot have MSU in the mix for the BS conference title next year as we move
LATE IN THE SEASON (not at the midway point), then I will begin to think the women's program
needs a change as well.

[Colter_Nuanez]

I'm sitting down with Binford on Friday. I'll have the audio and text from the full interview posted this weekend.

[desmond1957]

Great post, aucat! As one who has watched the Ladies BB program decline in both win-loss and attendance can't help but wonder why Trish has gotten a pass on this site while we have all screamed for Huses scalp (for good reason). Especially seeing what her salary is and the fact womens bb loses $180,000 a year. Her recruiting seems to focus on undersized guards and rarely players with the size and aggressiveness to compete with Selveys team of amazons. Not to be chauvinistic but maybe we need a top male assistant to install that bb is a CONTACT sport???

[aucat]

I'm sitting down with Binford on Friday. I'll have the audio and text from the full interview posted this weekend.

Colter, we really appreciate you doing this. We look forward to it. There are lots of Cat fans who love women's hoops, and I'm one of them.

Frankly, from a fan's standpoint I have found women's basketball to be more enjoyable than the men's game, because when the team is properly coached, you get to watch true team basketball. You don't tend to get as much of the one-on-one dribbling as you do with the men. You tend to get more passing. Sure dunks can be exciting and fire up the crowd, but I first and foremost appreciate a team that knows how to pass, shoot, box out and get rebounds, and play great D.

Whether it be football, or hoops, it is imperative that the coaching staff develop the players. Binford certainly has the pedigree to get the job done given her experience as a player and coach, but the results have been disappointing. I really thought that by this time in her tenure the Cats would be a BSC contender year in and year out (of course, that's what we said when Huse came to town).

I have season tickets and go to each game and at times I'm mystified as to how different the team and players perform from one game to the next. I was also disappointed with the play of Lindsey Stockton, another player with a heck of a pedigree. Last year Stockton had a great year I thought for a true freshman, but I thought she went backwards for some reason this year. It appeared to me that she had lost a lot of her confidence.

So Colter, ask some tough questions. and Thanks.

[Colter_Nuanez]

Here you are. I'll post the audio once I can splice it all together. It's three different files because I wanted to eat and not talk with our mouths full haha.

POST-SEASON Q&A: Tricia Binford
viewtopic.php?f=26&t=32976" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[bpcats20]

Thanks Colter for a great interview. Coach Binford at least understands her program and what it needs and where it is at. From the games I watched she hit the nail on the head in regards to having the mentality to win every night. Hardest part to coach when you haven't taken a team there before.

[aucat]

Very thorough interview and I thought Coach Binford had good answers.

It gives me reason to have optimism for next year with so many starters and also good recruits coming on.

Thanks Colter!

[wbtfg]

Good interview, colter.

[John K]

Thanks Colter for a great interview. Coach Binford at least understands her program and what it needs and where it is at. From the games I watched she hit the nail on the head in regards to having the mentality to win every night. Hardest part to coach when you haven't taken a team there before.

She's been the coach for nine seasons. If she hasn't been able to ingrain that attitude within her players, then she's either been recruiting the wrong types of players, or else her approach in attempting to instill that mentality has not been working. That excuse/rationale might fly if she had only been on the job for a few years, but not after almost a full decade at the helm.