Boise State 71 SMU 62
Nov. 30, 2016
Boise, Idaho| Taco Bell Arena
Postgame Quotes
Boise State Head Coach Leon Rice
On the game…
“First of all we beat a really, really good team tonight. A really well coached team, and they’re tough.
The way our guys came out and responded after playing Monday and travelling, we got back here and
they responded great yesterday and then today. We played probably the best half of basketball so far
this year and the wheels kind of came off a little bit in the second half, but we regrouped and put them
back on just enough to hold them off.”
On Chandler Hutchison’s growth…
“I credit my staff. He and Phil have been doing a lot together, and Phil has really helped him with his
mindset of how to be more in attack, and how to be that guy that has the toughness to do what he is
doing. It takes a lot of toughness and finishing soft against those guys (SMU), that’s not going to work.
He went in there and got some stuff done. I credit Chandler, his hard work is paying off for him and he’s
grown up, being a leader, and he’s a guy you can hang your hat on.”
On closing out this game after Monday’s late loss at Oregon…
“This one didn’t slip away, we won this game. It was a great finish, and when you play great teams that’s
how they are going to respond. Good teams don’t get beat by 30. Oregon is picked to win the Pac-12,
they’re a really good basketball team, and the team we played tonight is a really good basketball team.
If somebody thought they were going to pack up and leave at halftime, they haven’t watched enough
basketball because that’s a good team, and they’re going to win a lot of games.”
Junior guard Chandler Hutchison
On learning from Monday’s late loss at Oregon…
“We try not to really focus on that. We tried to go into halftime like it was 0-0. We knew if we came out
and took care of the first half, we would have a cushion so if they did make a run we’d be able to battle.
We never expected them to come back from 20, or even us to be up by 20 at the half. We just wanted to
stay at it. It got close there at the end, but it just shows our will to get it done in a game like this because
it was so emotionally draining to play so well at Oregon and come up short, so we really wanted to finish
strong. I’m really proud of our guys and how we ended this game.”
On his growth…
“I’m just trying to lead our younger guys, because we have guys who are going to come in and
contribute to our team, so you can’t be scared or shy out there as an upperclassmen, even a guy like me
or James Reid stepping into this big-time role, we have to be out there and set an example for those
guys. Just confidence and working on our game, and continuing to try to develop and be that role model
for our younger guys.”
“I would say mindset. Just making up my mind on the player that I want to be. Not making excuses, and
just working towards that goal that I have to keep playing and be the best player I can be.”
Freshman guard Justinian Jessup
On playing well after a short turnaround…
“Our coaches did a great job of preparing us for SMU. We knew coming in that they were a great
rebounding team, so that was a big focus. We just got off to a great start executing on offense and
playing great defense.”
On being a go-to option late in the game…
“Kind of, but I know these guys (fellow players) have confidence in me and I know the coaches have
confidence in me, so at the end it’s just about shooting it and letting it fly.”
Redshirt senior guard James Reid
On rebounding from Monday’s loss at Oregon…
“It was tough. You never want moral victories and we never want them, but there were definitely
positives that came from the game. When we have quick turnarounds like that – good of bad – you can’t
dwell on either. You just got to keep pushing and start preparing right away for SMU, who is a very good
team, coming into our house 48 hours later.”
On hitting shots and getting in a rhythm…
“Coming off a redshirt year I knew it was going to be a transition period of getting back on the court, and
when you’re a shooter and the shots don’t go to start the year it can add to the challenge. I don’t like to
just predicate my game on just hitting threes, but like you said, tonight when the first couple go in that
basket gets big fast.”