NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST FOUR

March 19, 2024

Max Rice

Chibuzo Agbo

O'Mar Stanley

Tyson Degenhart

UD Arena

Boise State Broncos

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by Boise State.

Q. O'Mar, talk about your excitement of being here in the First Four?

O'MAR STANLEY: It's definitely exciting. Me personally, this is my first time playing in a tournament with these guys. Have the experience, but for me it's every kid's dream to play in March Madness. I'm definitely excited.

Q. Same question, Chibuzo?

CHIBUZO AGBO: I mean, this is a huge stage. A lot of teams wanted to be here. We're very grateful to be here and ready to compete.

TYSON DEGENHART: Very, very excited to be here. First time to do three straight tournaments. Hoping to get this first win for the program.

MAX RICE: Same.

Q. Max and Tyson, you guys have been here twice before and you got down early holes in both games, playing from behind. How important is a good start tomorrow and maybe trying to get off to a better start?

MAX RICE: Considering you already got the Dayton fans against us, that will be important to get off to a great start. And we're really looking forward to it. We know we can't get down early in this tournament. So we've just got to come out and play at the very start.

TYSON DEGENHART: To reiterate what Max said, we dug ourselves a 19-point hole against Memphis. We played really well in the second half, we just couldn't dig ourselves out of it. Really important to keep the game close and take an early lead.

Q. Max, what is it like to be back in Dayton and what are your first memories of this place?

MAX RICE: The last time I was here it was a road game against Dayton. I just remember getting really loud. It's a great arena. I know it's a good shooting gym, too.

So it's awesome to be back here. I know this town loves hoops. So it's a great place to have the First Four. I'm super excited to be here and get to participate in the NCAA Tournament in a great city.

Q. Obviously you know Tad pretty well. He was complimentary of your game. What is it like, being a basketball family, growing up around the game, to have somebody that's so close to your dad going against you in such a meaningful tournament?

LEON RICE: Both coaches are very familiar with each other just because they coached together in USA this last couple of summers. So they know our system. We know theirs. We played them last year.

We have a lot of respect for how he runs his program as well. It will be interesting competing against someone we grew up with and I really look up to as a coach. But it will also be just fun to go out there and compete. I think a lot of people are looking forward to this game.

Q. Everybody talks about getting off to a better start this year. How do you go about doing that? Are there some things you've got to focus in on the first three, four minutes to make sure you get off to a better start?

O'MAR STANLEY: I think it's just we have to make our own energy. Obviously we're not going to be at home. And we have been able to make energy with our team. I think this is just another test for us to do that.

CHIBUZO AGBO: I think personally for me, in the past I've tried to let my nerves settle, tried to just like smooth my way into the game. But now I realize you've just gotta go for it, go get some O boards and rebound and things like that to really get yourself started. I think that's going to be really big for us.

Q. O'Mar, these three guys have played in the NCAA Tournament for Boise State, you haven't. What have they told you over the last couple of days? I know you touched on it off the top, how excited are you to partake in March Madness?

O'MAR STANLEY: It's electric, you know what I mean? That's just one of the words. But there's really no words to put into it like how amazing this is. The opportunity for me to be here and for us to be here competing as a team, you know what I mean? We went through a lot of adversity, a lot of disrespect.

I feel like I'm excited to prove people wrong, and this is a great place to do it, playing in March Madness, playing in Dayton.

Q. Just as you've watched tape on Colorado and you see what KJ Simpson has become, I know you guys saw him last year, but he's grown and as Tad Boyle talked about, he's an All-American type candidate, just your impressions of him as a player and the challenge of facing him tomorrow?

TYSON DEGENHART: He's an incredible player. I think it's been first-team back to back years. Just puts a lot of pressure on your defense, whether its his passing, his scoring ability from 3, from the mid-range, from attacking the rim. So he'll provide a great challenge for us defensively.

MAX RICE: Just from last year, I remember him being super quick. Like, he was super shifty, him and Shaver had a little battle there last year. And you can't foul him because he's a great free-throw shooter as well and he's good at drawing fouls.

I think it will be very difficult for us to keep him out of the box just because of how quick he is. But that's something that we're focused on and hopefully we can try our best to contain him a little bit.

Q. We saw your reactions Sunday after finding out where you guys were going. Tyson talked about it a little bit after, and Leon talked about, yeah, it was a shock, but you guys still have all your goals ahead of you. Just how long did it take for you to kind of compartmentalize that and realize that, yeah, you still had something to play for?

O'MAR STANLEY: Obviously it was a quick turnaround. We had to leave the next day after finding that out. And so we really don't have time to kind of dwell on it or kind of, you know what I mean, we should have been in this situation or we should have been in whatever situation.

We're all mature. We all understand that it's bigger than what people are writing for us. So we're just ready to play.

CHIBUZO AGBO: What O'Mar just said, we're just ready to play. We saw where we were, we saw who we were playing. We were shocked for a second but I feel right after that our minds flipped to, all right, how are we going to get this W. I think we're just ready to go.

Q. Do you think that it adds a chip to your shoulder, or a chip on your shoulder?

O'MAR STANLEY: Definitely, like I said early, we've gone through a lot of adversity this year. We faced a lot of disrespect. So we always go into our games with chips on our shoulder. We've done it all year.

Q. Max, every day you guys are fighting for tomorrow. You specifically, you're one of the guys up here without any eligibility left. How does that sit with you? How are you approaching that?

MAX RICE: I think just staying alive at this point, it's survive and advance. It's do whatever you can to be able to play another game with these guys that I love. I don't want this to end yet. I'm not ready for it to end. I'm going to go out there and play my absolute hardest no matter what.

It doesn't matter who we're playing or what. You've just got to survive, you gotta advance.

Q. What has Max meant to this program? And it's probably an obvious answer, but how hard are you going to fight to play another day with this guy?

TYSON DEGENHART: Max has meant a lot to this program. He's been a part of these three tournament teams, really led the program to where it's at right now.

And we're just going to play our tails off. We realize that we're only guaranteed one game in this tournament, and it's all about surviving and advancing. And so we're just going to play to that last whistle and give it our all.

Q. Being a Mountain West team, a lot of people on this side of the country probably haven't seen you play. So what are you excited to show the country about Boise State basketball?

CHIBUZO AGBO: I mean, for me, just our culture of unselfishness, how hard we play, how hard we play for each other. Everything we just worked on all year to come together as a team. But mostly just our toughness. I want to show everyone that we're a really tough program, that we really have the will to win.

O'MAR STANLEY: The Mountain West is really underrated. I've said it all year long. But along with what Chibuzo said, to show our toughness. I think we're a really, really tough conference. And we're a really, really tough team so we're excited to go out there and show that.

Q. Obviously the Mountain West hasn't done significantly well in March lately, other than San Diego State. What do you want to prove to the nation that the Mountain West is here, they're here to stay?

MAX RICE: I mean, "other than" is kind of interesting because they are part of the Mountain West. I hear what you're saying, but this is -- obviously people have been calling it a banner year for the Mountain West. I know we were underseeded, a lot of teams in our conference were underseeded.

But I think we could flip that switch this year with a couple of good runs from some teams. And I think with a good run this year, too, maybe that will set us up for better seeding in the future.

Q. Max, you've always worn your heart on your sleeve. Had a chip on your shoulder. I think those are two important components when it comes to winning in March. How ready are you for this moment?

MAX RICE: Yeah, I'm very ready. I know we've had some tough trials in the past, and this is definitely no simple draw either, but teams that are still playing now, they're all going to be good teams. It's just a matter of focusing on your team and what you can do to win that match-up.

But just knowing that this could be our last game just, I think, is going to motivate, it's all the motivation we need right now. And with the opportunity to create history is huge. And we could go down in history as one of the best Boise State teams of all time if we can just put together a little run here.

Just kind of staying in the moment and realizing all that's at stake, I think that's a huge motivating factor for me, at least.

Q. Max, you were talking a little earlier about your family's relationship with the Boyles and I know this game is much more than the Rices versus the Boyles, but to have it in this stage how special does it make it at this moment?

MAX RICE: I think when I look back at this, it will be even cooler to look back at after. But right now I'm focused on like what's going on with my team and how we're going to win this game. But also playing in Dayton is super cool because no one else is really playing right now.

I know it will be a very watched game. I think both teams are set for a great game. And I think we match up really well with each other. So it should be a great watch, too.

Q. Tyson, how has this trip different for you? You're now kind of the focus of opposing scouting reports and things like that. How is this trip different for you to the NCAA Tournament?

TYSON DEGENHART: It's really not that different. Main thing for me is just to focus on what we can do as a team to really get ourselves in the position to win, whether it's watching film, having a great practice out there. It's all about the team, though. It's not about one individual.

I think our team's a great example of sum of our parts is greater than the whole, or however that's phrased. I know Coach Rice says it a lot. But us as a group is way stronger than any of us as individuals. I think that's really what's important this week.

Q. Chibuzo, for you, Max alluded to it. It's only one win, but it's the one win and really the one thing that's eluded this program. How much do you guys talk about getting the first NCAA Tournament win in program history?

CHIBUZO AGBO: That was one of the first things we talked about during our team meetings during the summer a couple months ago. It's been on our list as something we want to do. And it's right here in front of us.

I feel like we're really motivated and locked in to go get this done and make some Boise State history.

Plus getting this first one, really get the monkey off our back and get some momentum going forward, that would be great.

Q. O'Mar, your favorite March Madness moment?

O'MAR STANLEY: My favorite March Madness moment, we were talking about this before, definitely was Taurean Prince coming in after the game and he explained what a rebound was. I thought that was pretty great.

No, besides that, I would say one of my favorite March Madness moments, probably be FDU last year when they beat Purdue. And then just the ripple effects of that. Their coach being able to get a job and that program being able to get some national attention. Just the underdog story, it's amazing, it's amazing what God can do. That's probably my favorite March Madness moment.

Q. Follow-up question to that, is there any inspiration -- I know it's a different seed, but FDU being in this building a year ago and you want to take that similar path?

O'MAR STANLEY: We want to go all the way. I think that's just how simple it is. Also with FDU, us, Boise State Broncos, we want to go all the way, do the best we can for this program.

CHIBUZO AGBO: I'm going to make it personal for me. For me, it was my sophomore year. We got to play Texas Tech. Got to play San Diego State. I believe we played Montana State. But my friends and family were there. It was filled up. It was a great environment. It was my first time playing in March Madness. Personally for me that was a great moment.

TYSON DEGENHART: It's got to be Selection Sunday two years ago after winning the conference tournament, just the satisfaction knowing that one of our goals was accomplished there was really cool and just being able to play in that first March Madness experience. That's something I've always dreamed of.

MAX RICE: One that sticks out to me that I remember is, I think, it was when my dad was at GU, we were playing Western Kentucky and Demetri Goodson went the length of the floor, floater for the win. That one popped in my head, but I remember that one as a buzzer beater. And I think that was my favorite moment in March Madness history for me.

Q. O'Mar, I want to go back to you, you mentioned going all the way. The Mountain West has become a power. What San Diego State was able to do last year, in that role as being in the championship game, did you watch that game thinking like, no, this is real, and being able to then step in the locker room, step on the floor and fight with that sort of Mountain West like banner, that flag?

O'MAR STANLEY: I think it kind of goes to show that anybody can get there. They're a really, really tough team, and we are too. But it kind of goes to show that anybody can do it as long as you stay connected and you do it together and you lean on your teammates and you believe in what the coaches are saying. But I think it kind of goes to show that anybody can get there.

Q. O'Mar, the guys to your side, this is their third tournament. This is obviously your first what's that moment going to be like when you step on the court and play in this tournament?

O'MAR STANLEY: I'm just really, really thankful to be in that situation. I thank God for this team and for the journey and to be able to play with these guys, I've been able to lean on each and every one of those guys. It's definitely been a blessing. I'm excited to go out there and compete with them.