Jan. 21, 2004
Opening comments:
"Well, we're ready to find out what life on the road is all about in our league (Mountain West Conference) this year. We are headed to two places that are like most of the others in this league, are tough places to win. The nice thing about this weekend is we have won there before, so we're going to go with the attitude that we're going to do it again. Colorado State, as everybody knows, is playing shorthanded, but I think they will have the opportunity to have all their guys on the court for the first time in a while and they'll be in a state of desperation. They've lost four in a row, 0-3 in the league, playing at home as a team expected to contend for the title. I know we'll get their best shot. Even though they've lost four in a row, this is a team that believes that they're really, really good. They think they're as good or better than anybody in this league and at times they are. This will be an interesting trip for us. We're going in with the feeling that if we play well, we'll have a great chance to be successful. And we've been playing fairly efficient basketball."
On former Colorado State players Brian Greene and Andy Birley:
"Greene and Birley were fixtures in that starting lineup and you don't appreciate all they bring to the table until they're not there. It's more than just how many points and rebounds that they had. They know how to play, they cover for other people at the defensive end, they make the pass at the right time at the offensive end because they've been there, done that. There's no question that those two guys are missed tremendously. And they could score. Greene could score on anybody and Birley, when he had an ounce of daylight, was going to make that shot. They've got guys who can do that, but they haven't done it over the years as Greene and Birley did. They're probably a little better athletically up and down the line, but they would probably love to have those guys back."
On SDSU recording many steals:
"We had 12 steals against Vegas and a lot of it comes with the fact you've got five guys who are willing to and able to put pressure on the ball and it makes it harder for people to make quick point-to-wing passes. As soon as a guy is open, he doesn't always get the ball because the guy that has the ball is being guarded. That's kind of been a key step for steal opportunities for our players."
On whether the team needs to play differently on the road:
"I think we've got a nice feel and belief that we can go on the road and win. We haven't had people say we haven't won in 27 road games. We've been able to go on the road and win. Yet if you look at us this year, we have struggled at times. That doesn't bother me. I think we'll have the ability to go and play well. The thing we have to make sure that we stop their runs. Your offensive runs usually go a little longer if you're the home team. We've got to be able to, if they get on a run, find a way to stop the crowd and right the ship a little bit. I really believe that we've got enough savvy and confidence that we will go on the road and have an opportunity with three or four minutes to go to win."
On Colorado State's Matt Nelson:
"He's good. I'd like to not have him on the floor last year when he went 17-for-18 from the field in two games and made 14-of-19 free throws in the second game and fouled three of our guys out. He's hard to guard. He's big. He knows how to use his body and make contact and pivot and turn and they keep looking for him. He's good. He's very good. He's a 7-footer that can score. He can really, really score."
On playing on the road:
"We're really excited about proving that we can go on the road and do what everybody hopes to do at home and that's win. I'll be shocked out of my mind if we don't see all of them in uniform including (Ram guard Michael) Morris, who has not dressed the last few games. I do think that if (center Matt) Nelson needed to, he could have played seven, eight or nine more minutes against Utah on Monday. He played 13 out of 20 minutes in the first half, so Nelson's going to be out there without question. Now whether Morris, the other starter that they missed, plays, I'm not sure, but with what I read and hear, I think they'll have him in uniform and I would not be at all surprised if they have him out there too."
On guard Travis Hanour:
"Travis is not going to make the trip. He's still in an ankle boot, and can't walk on that ankle yet, so he will not travel with us. We're hopeful that when we come back next Tuesday that he will at least be able to do some light stuff with us at practice-we're hoping."
Senior Aerick Sanders
On Colorado State:
"They have lost a couple of games in a row so they will be in kamikaze mode where they will do anything to get a win. All of their players are back healthy and we have to realize that they are playing home and they are going to do anything to get the win."
On Colorado State's record over the Aztecs at home:
"Every team is different every year. I just remember what happened there last year. They embarrassed us right before the MWC tournament, and I always have that in the back of my head. Every team is different and every year is different. Hopefully, we can learn from our mistakes that we made last year and try to changes things when we go out there this weekend."
On if there is a revenge factor going to Colorado State:
"It is always personal when you are playing in conference because every game is so important. I always look forward to going out there and having a good showing and coming out victorious no matter of where we are playing. There is a lot riding on this game both for us to continue our winning streak and for Colorado State to get a win. There will be a lot of emotion out on the court this Saturday."
Junior Chris Walton
On how the team is coming together
"This team is really starting to come together at the right time. Unfortunately we had six losses in the preseason and we would have liked to have that number a little less but the conference is the most important thing in college basketball. For our team to be coming together right now is really important for us because you don't want to peak too early in the season. You want to be getting better and better and hopefully peaking when March comes around and it is tournament time, when it really counts. We have great guys on this team and a lot of new guys that haven't played with each other very much and now everybody is starting to come together."
On a break before a road trip
"It is nice to have a break. The day after a game you are thinking about the night before. After a loss you are thinking about what you could have done to win, but after a win it is nice to sit and enjoy it for a little bit. Then we have four or five days to back into the swing of things to get ready for the next weekend. It is nice to have that gap where we can really refocus and not be satisfied with what we did before."