March 7, 1999
Columbia, Missouri - After being selected for their first NCAA Tournament since 1995, the Missouri Tiger basketball team had plenty to talk about. Head coach Norm Stewart and the No. 8 seeded Tigers head to Denver, Colorado to take on the No. 9 seeded Lobos of New Mexico in the NCAA West region on Thursday. Here's what the Tigers are saying about their team, their opponent and the NCAA Tournament.
HEAD COACH NORM STEWART
On Receiving a Bid: "We're very happy for the ball club. We worked hard all year and this is a great time of year in basketball when you get to post-season play it is an exciting time of year."
On New Mexico: "Of course Dave Bliss was in this league at Oklahoma and has done an outstanding job at New Mexico. They are a very good basketball team, outstanding players, and well coached."
On Playing in the West Region: "Seemingly we've been sent west the last few times. At least this is somewhat in the area, and its located near to one of our teams in the Big 12 and formerly of the Big 8 in Colorado, so we should pick up a few fans there.
JUNIOR, ALL-BIG 12 FORWARD, ALBERT WHITE
On Receiving the Bid: "This is a great confidence builder for us, especially coming from last year when we didn't play that well or that we should have. To turn around and make the improvement is a big improvement for us."
On Missouri's Chances to Get In Before the Announcement: "In the end it got kind of scary, it came down to the last bracket, but we felt pretty confident coming in that we would get in."
On the Big 12 Conference receiving five bids: "The Big 12 Conference is definitely tougher than what it seems. I think we are going to represent it well and we're are going to try and do the best."
On Entering the NCAA Tournament after Losing to Kansas State in the Big 12 Tourney: "We lost early in the season and played well after our loss, so hopefully it will roll over and we can make some noise in the tournament."
SENIOR MONTE HARDGE
On Receiving the NCAA Bid: "It feels great. I really don't event have words to explain it right now. We sitting there sweating it for awhile and got a little nervous and finally the name came up and I'm just ready to get out there and play, get started, get prepared and go out there and try and win one."
On NCAA Opponents: "There are all good teams in the tournament. In order to get far in the tournament you are going to have to play the best teams anyway, so really, where you start off doesn't matter. It matters where you finish."
SOPHOMORE BRIAN GRAWER
On having to wait until the last bracket was placed to see Missouri was in the NCAA Tourney and getting in: "It feels great. It was tough watching the three brackets unveiled and us not being shown, it was kind of nerve racking. We felt we were going to be in the whole time, but then when it gets closer and closer to it you can't help but question."
"We are just happy to be in it and now that we know we are playing New Mexico we just have to focus on that and get prepared for them."
"It is kind of special knowing Missouri hasn't been in the big tournament for awhile, to be a part of a team that brings it back and gets back in the tournament is a very special feeling."
SENIOR JOHN WOODS
On the bid to the NCAA: "We weren't happy with the NIT last year and I predicted that we would go to the NCAA this year because we work to hard not to and we had something to do coming in this year and it paid off. The new guys came in and helped us out and the old guys pick up where they left off last year."
On the #8 seed: "It doesn't matter what seed. Every game there is no tomorrow so you just have to go out and work hard and focus on the team you play that night."
On the NCAA Tournament: "This is the time of year when you really have to step it up. There's no tomorrow so you've got to step it up and give all you got the night that you play. Anything can happen."