Bowling Green State University Athletics
Q & A With Curt Miller: Part One
October 19, 2006 | Women's Basketball
Oct. 19, 2006
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Bowling Green State University women's basketball team is coming off one of the most successful seasons in school and Mid-American Conference history. In 2005-06, the Falcons went 28-3 overall, setting school and league records for victories, and posted a perfect 16-0 MAC ledger en route to conference regular-season and tournament titles. Just prior to the beginning of official practices for the 2006-07 campaign, Falcon head coach Curt Miller sat down for a conversation about this year's edition of the Brown and Orange.
You have all five starters back from the team that posted the most wins in MAC history. Expectations, obviously, must be pretty high. How have you and the team been dealing with those expectations?
"We want to approach it the same way we did last year. Obviously, as you said, there are heightened expectations, and even more anticipation for this season around our program. But, the expectations haven't changed for us. Our goals are to go out there and try to win every night, to compete for a MAC regular-season championship, and to be playing our best basketball come MAC Tournament time.
"Our success last year came because we didn't get ahead of ourselves. We had the bull's-eye on our back last year, but we didn't read our newspaper clippings, and we went out there and took it game by game. That's the approach that this team seems to have in the preseason, and I hope it continues. It will be a challenge; our non-conference schedule has increased in difficulty. We just need to take it one game at a time, and try to be playing our best basketball at tournament time."
You mentioned that the non-conference schedule has increased in difficulty. With the caliber of opponents on that schedule, it is possible that you could be a better team than last year, but could have three or more losses before the MAC season starts after having only three losses during all of last season, isn't it?
Our schedule took on an interesting life of its own. A lot of elements went into this year's non-conference schedule. One, I wanted to reward this year's senior class, and be able to go to some neat locations in their final year. This senior class has done a tremendous amount for this program, and has returned Bowling Green to the level of a championship team. So, we made a concerted effort to find some fun places to take them, including the Central Florida Tournament and the Cancun trip.
"We knew that there was an opportunity to be matched up against some very good teams in Cancun, and when asked if we would be willing to play Duke, I took the opportunity. And then, we play another high-quality team, one of the best defensive teams in the entire country in Texas-Arlington, and all of a sudden that becomes a loaded tournament.
"Another aspect of the schedule that a lot of people might not be aware of is that the NCAA added two regular-season games late last season. So, all of a sudden, all Division-I schools were left scrambling, trying to find games. One of those late additions for us was the game at Notre Dame. So, late in the scheduling game, we suddenly had both Notre Dame and Duke on our schedule. So, yes, there is the real possibility that we could have more losses by early December than we had all last year. But, I have the backing of the players - in fact, they have made comments that they can't wait for these games, and that they will remember this type of schedule for the rest of their lives. They would prefer to look back and know that those are the types of teams they played. We are all very excited to play this type of a schedule."
Your team, and the senior class in particular, has had tremendous success over the past few years. Is it hard to keep them motivated, since they have already won multiple MAC titles? Or, is it easy to motivate them, because they want to be remembered as being a part of one of the greatest eras in school history?
"Certainly, this year's team is looking to prepare the same way we have the last two years, to work hard every game. For the seniors, though, the conversation has been about leaving a legacy. The rallying cry is, 'What is your legacy going to be?' These six seniors have the opportunity to really make a statement.
"I thought they had great summers. A large portion of the team elected to stay in town, attend summer school and train with each other, and they came back in tremendous shape and with very good attitudes. I think this senior class is motivated to go out as winners and create that legacy that people will be talking about for years to come."
Can you give us a position-by-position look at your 2006-07 team?
"We have nine returning veterans, so it is a very experienced team. People talk about the five returning starters, but there are nine returning players that all have a chance to impact this program, and have impacted this program already. They will help infuse the three freshmen into the rotation.
"One of our strengths, in terms of both veteran leadership and our play on the floor, is our post game. When you talk about Bowling Green and our program right now, two people you think of right away are Ali Mann and Liz Honegger. Ali is, without question, the leader of this team, on and off the floor. She has become one of the best players in the MAC, and has a chance to graduate as one of the top all-time players in BG history.
"Ali is a versatile player that creates matchup problems for many teams. She has guard skills, but predominantly plays a power forward in our system. Last year, we experimented with her at the 3 periodically, and I think you will still see her at the 3 during portions of games again this season. But, clearly she is our starting 4 player. She has the versatility to score on the perimeter or drive by you from the perimeter. But, she is rugged enough to not only score inside but defend inside at the other end of the court.
"Liz Honegger, in my opinion, is the best three-point shooting center in the country. Because of that, she allows our offense to run the way we like to run. She creates spacing for us with her ability to step out and shoot, and helps opens up driving lanes. As an opponent, you've got to respect her range, and her ability to score facing the basket.
"Throughout her four years, the biggest improvement Liz has made has been her ability to score inside consistently against bigger, taller kids. She continues to get better and better with her back to the basket. Liz is a real physical presence down low, and is a tremendous passer out of double teams in the low post. It creates a lot of problems for teams to know what to do: should we double or not when she's down in the low post? She's the anchor to everything we do. It's foreseeable to think that Liz Honegger is going to graduate as the all-time leader in blocked shots in school history. She has unbelievable timing and very, very long arms, and plays bigger than her height would indicate. She continues to anchor the defensive system that we run.
"I believe the person that has the chance to be the biggest surprise, and a huge contributor throughout this season, is Amber Flynn. She is versatile enough to play the 4 and drive it by you off the dribble, but also is a very solid 5 player. Amber is an undersized, quick, high-percentage finisher in the post. She has dedicated herself to better strength and conditioning over the last two years, and is in the best shape of her life. She gives us the flexibility of moving Ali Mann to the 3 and playing Ali, Amber and Liz on the floor at the same time, giving us a very veteran strong post game. We expect huge things out of Amber this year, after a breakthrough season in 2005-06.
"In addition to the three seniors, we have two freshman posts in our program. Tara Breske, out of Bedford, Mich., is a great athlete who has impressed us early with her ability to rebound; her ability to get off the floor and her timing and strength for rebounding. Tara gives us quality depth in the post, and will be predominantly used as a 4 player her freshman year.
"Tara has rehabbed after two consecutive knee injuries, and therefore was limited in the amount of games she played in her junior and senior years. When healthy, she has always been regarded as one of the highest-level recruits in the Midwest, and we are very happy to have her. I think, as she gets some games under her belt, her timing will return to game competition level. Tara will benefit from the ability to learn each and every day from the 3 very talented post players in the senior class.
"Laura Bugher, another freshman power forward, will also benefit directly from the three talented senior post players, playing and practicing behind them every day. Laura's got good athleticism at 6-foot-1. She was brought into the program because we like her ability to face the basket and not only attack you off the dribble, but also to shoot and score from 15 feet and out. Her range extends all the way out to three-point range, and she fits the way we want to play, as a post player that can play both inside and outside. Laura has impressed the coaching staff early on with her ability to pick up the system."
(Tomorrow: Part two of the conversation with Curt Miller)
