Jan. 8, 2008
SAN DIEGO -
MWC Teleconference
Monday, Jan. 7, 2008
SDSU Head Coach Steve Fisher:
Opening comments:
"We are like everyone excited about the beginning of our MWC season. I think our non-conference has proved interesting for all of us and now we look forward to a great competitive league (season). We had some nice non-conference wins which was good to see. New Mexico beating Texas Tech, Utah beating Cal, BYU beating Louisville. Some really, really good wins out of league play and now we are going to beat up on one another. So now we are like everyone, excited and looking forward to it."
Q: How is the loss of Richie Williams going to affect the team:
"He's a three year starting point guard. When you take a critical piece out it always has some impact and yet we feel like we have adequate people who are there. D.J. Gay, a freshman guard, started when Richie didn't play the first three games of the season. Matt Thomas who missed (a majority) of last season with an injury coming off of major back surgery started some as a freshman and sophomore. He had been the odd man out and will get opportunities. Rather than carp about who you don't have, you just have to find a way to make good of who you do have.
Q: You expect Williams to miss four weeks?
"That's what we are hoping for. He broke two bones in that wrist so it's not like we can pick him up and spit on it and he will be ok, he's going to have to miss some time."
Q: Have you had the opportunity to see different teams in the league play?
"We have not done that at all. We are now getting ready for New Mexico. We have had the opportunity to watch UNLV because we have played a couple of teams that they have played but other than that, casually, we have seen a little bit. We watched some this weekend prior to our game against TCU, but we followed only scores and we have not followed or really watched teams. We have been worried about making our way through the non-conference season, but now we will be all about preparing for us for New Mexico. From your point with five new coaches in this league, it will be a change and an adjustment for all of us."
Q: How has Ryan Amoroso played thus far?
"He's done a good job. As you know he sat out last year, he was at San Diego State, after transferring from Marquette . He is a big body which is what we haven't had a lot of and is a nice presence inside. He has been a bit inconsistent with his offensive production, but we really do like Ryan and what he is bringing to the table. We feel that he will bode well for us as we move on into conference play."
Q: Have you seen improvement in (New Mexico's) J.R. Giddens this season?
"I have not watched them play at all so for me to comment other than looking at a stat sheet, I really couldn't. I know what we saw last year and he was a very talented player so I am assuming that, like everyone, he has made progress between his junior year and this year. He was very, very good last year. He's a force. He is a very, very good player."