Last Friday Boise State lost to Utah State 72-62 in the MWC tourney semifinals but still earned an at-large bid to this week’s NCAA tournament. The Broncos were an 8 seed last year and are a 10 seed this year after clinching the school’s 2nd straight NCAA tourney bid. Earlier today HoopsHD’s Jon Teitel got to speak with Boise State SO F Tyson Degenhart about all of the fellow tourney teams he faced this season.
You grew up in Washington: what made you choose Boise State? There were a couple of reasons. It is close to home and my dad told me about how homesick he got while attending college at Clemson. It is also a perfect fit in terms of the coaching staff/style of play.
You graduated as valedictorian of Mt. Spokane High School with a 4.0 GPA: how do you balance your work on the court with your work in the classroom? Both of my parents are teachers so good grades were always expected out of me. You need to be a good time manager and be proactive rather than procrastinating until the last minute.
You play for Coach Leon Rice: what makes him such a good coach, and what is the most important thing that you have learned from him so far? He has a great feel for what his team is and always plays to our strengths. Last year we were a good defensive team and this year we are a better offensive team. He has a 1-game-at-a-time mentality and teaches us to always stay present and make each day the best day possible.
Last year you only scored 12 PTS off the bench in the 1st 6 games but ended up being named conference ROY: what did it mean to you to receive such an outstanding honor? It is a tremendous honor but is a team award because my teammates/coaches put me in the right position to be successful.
Last March in the MWC tourney title game you scored a team-high 13 points in a 1-PT win over San Diego State: where does that rank among the highlights of your career so far? That probably has to be #1. To be in the title game and then win the MWC tourney (which was something that Boise State had never done before) was a super-special moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
In the NCAA tourney you scored 8 PTS in a loss to Memphis: what did you learn from that game that you think will help you this time around? Just going through the whole experience was huge for us because none of us had been there before. You hear stories about it but you do not truly understand it until you have been through it. We cannot start off slow or dig ourselves into a 20-PT hole and then expect to come back.
You played several NCAA fellow tourney teams this year including Nevada/San Diego State/Texas A&M/Utah State: which of them impressed you the most? I think that Utah State has played some really good basketball over the past month and gotten hot at the right time. San Diego State is a 5 seed and is a lot better offensively than they were last year. I am also happy that Nevada got in because it is good for our league, and I think that Texas A&M was underseeded a bit.
Your PPG/RPG have improved from last year but your 3P%/FT% have decreased: how have you changed as a player from freshman year to sophomore year? I am a more mature player this year. Last year I did not know how fast the game was but I have more of an understanding now. There was also a position change: last year I played the 4 most of the time but this year I am a 5.
Your 4 fellow starters include 1 junior/3 seniors: how crucial has all of that experience been to your team’s success? Having veteran leadership is always super-important. Last year as a freshman I had 4 seniors in the starting lineup. They have been a huge help to me and the younger guys.
How do you feel about being a 10 seed, and what do you know about Northwestern? I am excited to be a 10 seed and am just glad that we got in this year. I know that Northwestern is very good defensively so it will be a good challenge for us.