NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST FOUR

March 19, 2024

Robert Ford

Brian Goracke

Tyler Patterson

UD Arena

Montana State Bobcats

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Montana State.

Q. Robert, just talk about your excitement being back in the NCAA Tournament.

ROBERT FORD: For me, it's my second time here. It just feels amazing.

Q. Brian, the same question.

BRIAN GORACKE: This is my first time here at the Division I level. We made the tournament last year and hosted a regional at Point Loma, which was a great experience. But it's cool to be here on the big stage.

TYLER PATTERSON: This is my third year, just trying to take it all in.

Q. Brian, you mentioned your jump from Point Loma to Montana State. What's the experience been like sharing it with Coach Logie on this stage?

BRIAN GORACKE: It's been really special. When you get to follow Coach, it's a unique experience. Some of the guys that were here last year got to do that with Utah State.

I'm really thankful that he believed in me. I trusted his vision for this program and we've made it to this point in the year. I'd say it's successful so far.

Q. You guys got so hot at the end of the regular season and into the tournament. What clicked in March, Brian?

BRIAN GORACKE: The whole season, you're building towards the end of the year. We just want to make sure we're at our best when it counts. And especially in a conference that has a single bid -- is a single-bid conference like the Big Sky, we just want to give ourselves the best chance to make this run at the end and win those three games in March and make it here.

Q. Can you speak to what the preparation for Grambling State has been in the last two days or so since Sunday?

ROBERT FORD: Like Tyler said, just staying in the moment. And then following our scout on what we have prepared for them.

TYLER PATTERSON: Just been watching a lot of film and seeing their actions, stuff like that, getting familiar with them.

Q. Are there any players that stick out or any kind of tendencies that they have that you know you're going to have to be mindful of?

TYLER PATTERSON: They play really aggressive defense. That's one thing we've seen that stands out. We've just got to take care of the ball and be us.

Q. Rob, I know you had your two previous championship rings with you on Sunday. I see you have one here now. Do they just go everywhere with you now? And how much of a motivating thing is it to have it here with you?

ROBERT FORD: Just understanding I guess the process and always being remembered of it. I guess it's a big thing, but just right now we're just one game at a time. We're just trying to focus on Wednesday.

Q. Tyler, can you talk about maybe the difference of playing a First Four game this time around, what the experience in Dayton has been like looking ahead to tomorrow night?

TYLER PATTERSON: It's been awesome. Been a little different, obviously this is a different circumstance than last year. But you just try to take it a day at a time and do your same preparation for a team that you would as if it were last year and then try to get a win.

Q. Playing in the First Four is a little different than the experience you had the last couple of years. What do you think of the opportunity of this? You're obviously putting your program on a big stage, but this is a game that everybody in the country is sort of focused in on watching singularly. What do you think of that opportunity, what do you think of this chance for Montana State?

TYLER PATTERSON: Yeah, it's a great opportunity, for sure. We think it's a winnable game and something that we can hopefully get an advance on.

ROBERT FORD: Kind of like Tyler said, it's a great opportunity, and we're just focused on the game, I would say.

Q. Rob, from last year to this year, your role has grown so much. What has that experience been like; you're kind of like the man for this team now?

ROBERT FORD: I mean, it's been a big change. I had to step into a leader role right away. But I feel like we have a lot of weapons. There's a lot of people on our team that can show up any given day. Me knowing that we have that, it helps.

Q. Brian, you've spoken at length this season of you're all in transition from D-II to Division I. Having played for Coach Logie before, have you seen any changes in him whether that's his process or his demeanor? Or has he stayed consistent in any kind of way? Just what are you seen from him in the last 11 months?

BRIAN GORACKE: He's stayed true to himself and his principles. Every team you have different personnel so you have to adapt your style of play a little bit to best suit the team.

But overall his philosophy really hasn't changed. I think you've seen that; he's had success at the Division III level, Division II and Division I.

Q. You've been here before, the last couple of years, but what sticks out about this team compared to maybe the last two?

TYLER PATTERSON: I think we're very balanced. I think we have a system that allows certain players to fit differently than in the past. And I think that sticks out in terms of how other teams guard us. And so I think that's something that we're well-balanced.

ROBERT FORD: I just think we have just a different type of game plan. But Coach Logie's philosophies come into it with our defensive principles. I think it's going to help us.

Q. Brian, when it comes to Coach Logie, you've been in a lot of championship environments with him, what stands out about how he handles the championship environments? What do you value for these types of coaching environments?

BRIAN GORACKE: The process never changes. Winning takes what it takes. We prepare for every game like we want to win it. When we get to the playoffs, it's the same. It's the same, same scout, same prep, same everything. Just try to win the game.

Q. It's obviously been a roller coaster ride this season. What would you guys say was the low point of the year, and how did you guys bounce back from that?

BRIAN GORACKE: I would say there were probably two. We had a road trip, we went to South Dakota, got beat up pretty bad. It was a wake-up call that we need to get a lot better.

And then just recently in February we had a stretch where we lost four games in a row. So one thing I've really appreciated about this group is that we always bounce back from adversity. Every time we've had a low point followed by a high. I think that really showed the way we ended the season, had a lot of urgency to get to that championship in the Big Sky and then win it.

ROBERT FORD: I would say, yeah, that low point would be probably that four-game stretch. It got tough and we didn't know really what to expect. But every day our team came in looking to get better. I think that's what helped us (indiscernible) and get past it.

TYLER PATTERSON: I would agree that four-game stretch was probably the low point. And us being able to get back in the gym every day and come back with the same attitude that Coach preaches and get hot at the end of the year.

Q. Tyler, you've been here the longest. Seems like this week your team coined the motto "the good old days" because how dominant you guys have been the past three to four years. Why is Montana State basketball so dominant in this decade, and what does that speak to the culture of your program?

TYLER PATTERSON: I think it has to do with everything with culture. It starts with administration and the way that they have hired the last two coaches, and the visions that both of them had and the way that they helped us execute their plan. And thankful for us it's been three really good years.

Q. Brian, we heard a couple of stories yesterday, Division II, talking with Colorado State, head coach of Grambling was talking about sort of D-III/D-II and sort of living in it and playing in it and being able to excel with basketball. Could you sort of talk about the journey of winning from last year and then coming here and performing at a high level and being in the NCAA Tournament of the Division I ranks?

BRIAN GORACKE: I want to give a lot of credit to -- there's a lot of really good small-college basketball players out there. And winning takes what it takes, and at any level it's hard. So whether it's Division III, NAIA, Division II, winners are winners and that's how it is.

So when we get opportunities like this to move up and we take them, we just keep doing what we're doing, keep doing what got us here, and that's how we'll be successful and just trust the process.

Q. There's been a lot of talk in recent months or years about the possibility of this tournament expanding to be more than 68 teams. Do you guys have any kind of opinion on that? Because it seems like it might be something that may not benefit the Big Sky, but would benefit a lot of other teams. You guys playing at this level, does that impact you guys much?

BRIAN GORACKE: I didn't even know there were talks of that.

ROBERT FORD: I think it will speak to, it allows more teams to get in, allows more people to be seen. I think it could be a good thing.

Q. The Big Sky over the past few years has had some of the biggest name transfers come out of it. How do you guys, being the face of the league lately, recruit those talents to stay in conference?

ROBERT FORD: I think it's tough, but ultimately just building a family. I think we had a lot of players come through here that stayed. One, Jubrile, he had a good season. He ended up staying. The thing that stuck out to him the most, he told me, it felt like family, a place he couldn't leave. That was the biggest thing.

TYLER PATTERSON: I think for us at Montana State, that culture. That started with Jubrile my first year and it trickled on its way down and for us it's that culture that we built and, yeah, that really helps.

BRIAN GORACKE: I'll talk about that, the feeling and culture when you pour a lot of effort into something, you want to stick with it and respect it. I would say that's probably a big reason that people would want to stay.

Q. I'll follow up on that question. I thought it was really well thought out. Curious, as far as being the faces of the Big Sky, anybody tuning into the tournament has seen this program for the last three years, or will, how seriously do you guys take that knowing that you are representing this one good league, maybe especially as a 16 seed now?

TYLER PATTERSON: I think we take great pride in that. I think going back on the previous question, one of the things that helps us keep players is the opportunities that we've been getting the last three years making the tournament. I think that's something that is really valuable for players to see. So, yeah, we take great pride in that.

ROBERT FORD: I'll agree with Tyler. Just taking good pride in that and understanding that, you know, some stuff is bigger than us, you know.

BRIAN GORACKE: I think it's important to keep in mind everybody else that we competed against that helped us get to this level, right? Like we grew throughout the year playing against these other Big Sky teams. So it's also a credit to the conference as a whole that we've made it.

Q. Going back to that tough four-game stretch. The shooting was a little cold as well. Then you guys turned it around and got really hot. So what changed, if anything, leading up to the tournament and during the tournament?

TYLER PATTERSON: I wouldn't say a ton changed. I think the coaches always have had the belief in us as players, and so we just stick through the hard times and the good. And then get hot at the right time. I wouldn't say anything really changed. I would just say we get back in the gym, stuff like that, getting reps up, and it translates.

ROBERT FORD: I would say just being confident. I think that was one thing that I saw that changed a little bit, especially about myself going into the tournament. I understood that I had to be confident to have everyone else follow behind me. So doing that, I feel everyone else stepped up, made really good shots. Especially these two guys to my right and left.

BRIAN GORACKE: Yeah, I mean, it's partially law of percentages. You put in the work. You're confident in your shot. You miss some shots, make some shots, the game, but it all balances out in the end.