GREELEY, Colo.- It's game day in Greeley, Colo. The Idaho State men's basketball team is about to face the top team in the Big Sky Conference in Northern Colorado. The Bears come into today's game with a 4-0 conference mark while the Bengals are 1-2.
The Bengals left Pocatello on Wednesday morning and headed to Salt Lake City to catch a flight to Denver. ISU arrived in Salt Lake about 9:30 a.m. The Southwest flight was originally scheduled for 11:15 a.m. but it was delayed an hour so we didn't take off until 12:15 p.m. After arriving in Denver a little after 1:30 p.m. we got our bags and boarded our bus to Greeley. The ride was about 45 minutes to the Hampton Inn.
The team practiced and watched film Wednesday evening and then was able to do its own thing for dinner.
This morning it was breakfast at 9:30 a.m. and then they left for shoot around at 1:10 p.m. Tonight is a double header as the Northern Colorado women play host to Portland State. Portland State is also staying in our hotel.
Portland State had shoot around from 12:30-1:30 p.m. and we followed. The players had pregame meal at Perkins at 3 p.m. and is scheduled to leave for the arena at 6:10 p.m.
During shoot around I was able to talk to our bus driver for an hour about all the sports teams he has driven to games. Our bus driver, Mark Bowers, is from Wheatland, Wyoming and he was a rancher before he started driving buses his junior year in college.
For the last 13 years he has driven almost every Division I sports team that has come to the Denver/Wyoming area. When Roy Williams was at Kansas he always drove the Jayhawks around. So when Williams went to North Carolina Williams requested him when they went to the NCAA tournament.
He has had dinner with Bobby Knight and his staff and driven the likes of Bill Self and Mack Brown and their programs around. While driving Texas Tech around, Bowers has heard the legendary coach share experiences of Phog Allen, the legendary Kansas coach. One of the most inspirational speeches he heard a coach give was also from Knight where he talked about having heart and passion when competing.
Bowers also drove the Bengals around when ISU played at Colorado to open the season. He was requested by the coaching staff again for this trip.
Fans can listen to the game live on 930 am with Jerry Miller calling the action. Stay tuned to isubengals.com for up to date information on the game.
7:12 p.m.- We are less than 10 minutes away from tipoff. Both teams are in the locker room getting last minute instruction from their coaches. Fans are starting to fill into the Butler Hancock Sports Pavilion. The band is currently playing and the starting lineup is in the books. Starting for the Bengals is their regular starting lineup; David Busma, Chase Grabau, Broderick Gilchrest, Phyllip Taylor and Mike Lacey.
7:20 p.m.- Both teams are back on the court and we are minutes away from the starting line up. Jerry Miller is on the radio. For the second time this season Chase Grabau is playing in front of a lot of family as he is from Boulder. There is a handful of fans wearing the black and orange tonight.
7:40 p.m. The Bengals are off to a slow start as they have managed only two field goals in the first nine minutes of the game. ISU trails 15-6 against the top team in the Big Sky Conference.
8:08 p.m. Idaho State trails 34-17 at halftime. The Phyllip Taylor leads the Bengals in scoring with six points. ISU is only shooting 23 percent from the field. Deividas Busma picked up his second foul early in the game and has only played nine minutes.
11:45 p.m. It was a long game as Idaho State lost 57-37 on Thursday evening. Kenny McGowen led the Bengals with 12 points. Idaho State will depart Greeley tomorrow morning around 9 a.m. and head to Denver. The team's flight to Salt Lake City departs at 11:55 a.m. Once we arrive in Salt Lake the team will bus to Ogden where it will stay at the Marriott Ogden as it prepares for Saturday nights contest at Weber State. Coach Joe O'Brien will take his team through a practice at the Dee Events Center Friday night from 7 to 9 p.m.
Stay tuned to isubengals.com for up to date information on Idaho State athletics.
Go night and Go Bengals!!!
Friday, January, 14, 2011
7:20 p.m. It's been a long day of travel. The team left the hotel in Greeley at 9 a.m. for the 45 minute bus ride to Denver. The flight from Denver to Salt Lake City took off at 11:55 a.m. Once we got our bags we boarded the bus and stopped for lunch halfway between Salt Lake and Ogden. The team is staying at the Marriott Hotel in Ogden. They had a few hours to relax. They watched film at 5:30 p.m. and are currently practicing at the Dee Events Center, where tomorrow's game will be held.
As the team was getting ready for practice on the court a lot of bugs were noticed on center court. Coach Geoff Alexander got the broom and swept all the bugs away. The team is going to practice until around 8:30 p.m. They will then head back to the hotel and stop for dinner somewhere along the way.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
5:50 p.m.- It's game day at Weber State. The team is in the arena shooting. We left the hotel at 5:15 p.m. to go to the game. Earlier today we ate breakfast at 9 a.m. and then left for shoot around at 10:05 a.m. We got back to the hotel close Noon. The team then had time to themselves until 2:30 p.m. when they ate pregame meal in the hotel.
Radio play by play announcer Jerry Miller is in the arena and set up to call the game. He just finished his pregame interview with head coach Joe O'Brien. An assistant Weber State coach is currently sweeping the court trying to get all the bugs off the floor. I hear this has been a consistent problem, bugs on the court, all year.
Following the game the team will bus back to Pocatello and sleep in their own beds for the first time since Tuesday night.
6:45 p.m. Fans are starting to fill into the Dee Events Center. It's Whiteout night for the game as all the fans are wearing white shirts. The Jazz Bear is also going to be at the game. The Ogden Standard Examiner also had a family deal for the game on tickets. A good crowd is expected.
Both teams are on the court warming up and the band is playing music. Idaho State and Weber State games have always been entertaining. Tonight should be no different.
Stay tuned to ISUbengals.com for up to date information on Idaho State Athletics.
