Bowling Green State University Athletics
Miller's Monday Media Meeting
January 23, 2006 | Women's Basketball
Jan. 23, 2006
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University women's basketball team, 14-2 overall and 5-0 in Mid-American Conference play, prepares to face Central Michigan University in Wednesday (Jan. 25) action in Mount Pleasant, Mich. On Monday afternoon (Jan. 23), Falcon head coach Curt Miller sat down with the media to discuss the CMU game and the BGSU season to date ...
(Opening statement)
"We're excited with our start. We broke the season up, with the new scheduling format, and looked at that first five-game stretch vs. the East (Division opponents) as a big stretch. We're ecstatic to be 14-2 overall and 5-0 in the MAC as we enter a brutal six-game stretch against the West. We have a very, very difficult game up at Rose Arena in a couple days. We are preparing very hard, as we speak, to get ready for a very physical, talented and underrated Central Michigan team."
(In preparing for Central, what have you seen so far?)
"Well, the first thing that jumps off the page is that Central Michigan has six seniors, and they seem to have a sense of urgency about this year. They had a very successful non-conference season at 9-2, including a road win over Michigan. They are a team that's learning how to win, and I think that comes from their experience. This is the first time in a while that they have had so much experience. They are a very veteran crew, very physical and very fundamental. They have always played at a pace that the rest of the league doesn't really like to play at. They want to keep the games very, very low scoring -- they have kept all five MAC opponents under 60 points. You have to be patient, take your opportunities and not get frustrated that the game, potentially, could be very low scoring."
(How do you make sure that your team keeps improving?)
"The first thing is that we try to focus on one game at a time, and not to get ahead of ourselves. We can't look to the last five games (of the regular season) against the East, or we could have a very rough stretch against the West teams in the next three weeks. And, with our execution, I still think there is room for improvement, both offensively and defensively. We are starting to shoot the ball better; for the most part, we have really handled the ball well. I like the fact that we have the fewest turnovers in the league. And so, execution continues to be a main focus for us offensively. Because, as we go on, every team knows our plays, knows our play calls, just as we know their plays and play calls. Even though everyone knows a lot about each other in conference play, it comes down to who executes better on a given night, so execution continues to be the name of the game."
(After winning the league last year, and experiencing the success that you have so far this season, how hard is it to keep the kids motivated?)
"Well, that's my luxury, coaching this team -- they are very motivated. That NCAA trip last year was great for us, but they want to get back. It's a very mature team in that, every game they come in, prepare hard and listen to the scouting reports. They know that we have to execute the game plan, or we can get beat by any team in this league. It's a luxury that our coaching staff has, to have a team that takes every scouting report and every game very seriously."
(With the target of 'defending MAC champions' on your back, have you been surprised at the success that you have had so far this year?)
"Well, I have been surprised with our record, but I've not been surprised by our kids' preparation and mental attitude, going into every game. The non-conference schedule was very difficult, and for us to get out of it at 9-2 really gave us a lot of confidence going into conference play. And then, to get the monkey off our back with a win at Kent State was another big milestone for us. But, right now, we're in game mode. We're going from game to game to game, and there's not a lot of time to look back on what you've done. We are always looking forward to what we have to continue to do. We are ecstatic, and we hope that people are taking note of our success, and that it correlates into big fan support for our home games down the stretch."
(Is the preparation something that makes this team special?)
"Well, I think that's one of the staples of our program; the kids come to practice every day to get better. Whether that is in the film room, in the weight room or on the practice floor, they are here to get better. Today is a good example. Today, we'll watch an hour of film on Central Michigan, we'll practice, and then we'll go to the weight room. And, in all three areas, they will attack, to try to make themselves better as individuals and as a team. And, that preparation has really served us well over the last few years."
(How does the West compare to the East?)
"The MAC West is brutal, and very, very deep. One of the things our fans will find out right away is that it is more physical in the West, and I say that after playing some very physical games against (teams in) the East. You have to be prepared for a physical game, and you have to keep the other team from making a run. There are multiple West teams that are very explosive and can score in bunches, but, as a whole, the main difference is that the West is very, very physical."
