THANK YOU

I want to thank Ellen Kreighbaum for her generous endowment to the Women's Basketball Program.

Ellen has been a pioneer at Montana State University not only in the athletic community but the academic community as well. She is currently the President of our Fast Break Club, a booster club that specifically supports women's basketball.

The legacy Ellen leaves at MSU is incredible. She has a stamp on the past, the present, and now the future of MSU's success.

Why did Ellen do this? If you have met her, you will see her passion for women's basketball.

This week we play at University of Montana, our biggest rivalry in the conference. The last time we beat the Griz she came into our locker room swatting players and coaches with her game program in excitement! I think she could have actually been happier about the win than we were.

Here's to you Ellen. Maybe we can add a few more swats for each other this weekend. We will do our best.

Thank you again,

Coach Bin

Smart Water

I was traveling back to Bozeman after recruiting on Friday and saw a "Smart" bottle of water left in the bathroom stall.

I suppose if they had drank more water they wouldn't have forgotten it.

Coach Bin

President's Day

I typically don't do multiple blogs in a day, but could not pass this story up.

As I am getting ready for work this morning, my son asks me if I can help him wrap a present for his sister.

Thinking that's an unusual request, I ask, why are you wrapping her a present?

It's "Presents Day Mom."

I guess I should articulate more.

Coach Bin

Senior Night

Saturday evening was our Senior Night for Erica Perry and Jamie Thornton. You always want to have a great game in front of your fans but more importantly for your senior's last time on their home court.

I don't want to reflect too much on their careers as we have so much season left, but I will say these two seniors will walk away knowing they rebuilt the program.

As for the evening, I couldn't have asked for anything more as we played one of our most complete games of the year, beating a very good Portland State team and having 6players score in double figures.

Oh, I guess I could have run a 3 point play for Jamie, and told Erica to have one less steal so she didn't surpass MY steal record in the Big Sky record book. HA!


Coach Bin

ROAD TRIP

MSU Women's Basketball last week's adventure.

Pulled into Pocatello, ID around 6:00p.m. to have dinner at the Texas Road House. I walked in and said hi to Robin Selvig and the other University of Montana assistant coaches. My husband later tells me, "our bus is bigger than theirs."

Still at Texas Road House, I hear a scream by starting center Rachel Semansky and look back to see Coach Saneholtz giving her an "I'm Sorry" hug. I guess Coach Saneholtz threw a roll at her but had better aim than she anticipated and hit her in the eye. Our first black eye of the trip, jk.

Red Lion Hotel, Coach Scanson and his wife Shannon invite my kids over for a minature birthday party for their daughter Camryn. She opens 5 or 6 toys with some enjoyment and then unwraps clothes and yells out, "YES!"


ISU Game Time: The players and coaches run up and down the stairs as the bathrooms are in a separate room than the pregame room with the white boards. Whoever set it up this way must not understand the anxiety that goes on before games. "Next time, Beata Bak, knock before you enter."

WSU Shootaround: Instead of taking our full hour on the court we decide it's better to get ice baths and fresh legs for the game. I walk into the training room and see half our team in one ice bath. That must be a Guinness Book of Records.

We finish up our weekend with a much needed road sweep and get on the bus to finish the "Friday Night Lights" first season. My son tells me there isn't enough football in the show as I have to cover his eyes for the rest of the soap opera series.

At least the kids got to watch Finding Nemo and Imagination Movers in the morning when our players were asleep.

Coach Bin

The Night of Surprises

Saturday's Game vs UNC

1) Janette Jackson gets her first collegiate start and jumps for the tip. She immediately runs over to me holding her hand. I yell at her "why aren't you guarding anyone?" as Coach Close nearly throws up witnessing Janette's finger pointing sideways. Janette, however, reinserts the dislocated finger and plays the rest of the game with it taped. I suppose the humor isthat I told Janette she had an excuse for not winning the tip.

2) First media timeout the officials see a leak in the Fieldhouse roof. Both teams head to their benches as 20 minutes produce 3 more leaks and no way of stopping them.

3) Teams head over to Shroyer Gym, home to volleyball where bleachers are pulled out, fans, football players, administration, and facilities crews reinvent the gymnasium for a basketball game.

4) Our game begins 1 hour and 15 minutes later with a few additional lines, and an atmosphere nearly as loud as a Hoosier's game.

5) I look at the scorer's table as Bay slides underneathe it before checkin. It's not quite as spacious for a basketball game.

6) Erica forces a turnover in the back court and celebrates with her teammates before patting an official on the bottom. I asked Coach Scanson, "Will we get a technical for that?"

Coach Bin