Q&A: Gonzaga Guard Matt Bouldin

Mike DeCourcy - SportingNews.com

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Gonzaga senior guard Matt Bouldin scored 15 points and passed for four assists in a 75-71 loss to Michigan State. It was not an unpleasant night for the Zags, who competed with such tenacity in a tough road game they probably picked up Top 25 votes in defeat. Afterward, Bouldin spoke with Sporting News' Mike DeCourcy.

Sporting News: Obviously the loss is fresh, but are you pleased with how well the team played?
Matt Bouldin: Yeah, definitely. A loss is a loss. We don't have any expectations to lose, but we definitely are happy with the way we competed tonight. We knew we were capable of it. It's just nice to get out there and show some people.

SN: How happy were you with the freshmen, and Robert Sacre as well coming off the redshirt year, in such a tough road atmosphere?
Bouldin: Oh, really happy. We see them every day in practice. We know what they're capable of. It's nice to see them go up against big-time competition and deliver. They were fearless. That's what we need out of our freshmen.

SN: You guys lost so much off of last year's team that it was hard for people to expect you to continue at that level. You convinced some people tonight, but when were you convinced?
Bouldin: Probably in the preseason. I wasn't sure how the freshmen would come in, how they'd deliver. I hadn't seen Elias (Harris) play, and Rob was just getting better and better. I knew Steven (Gray) was capable and I knew Meech (Demetri Goodson) was capable, so I knew our backcourt was good. To see our frontcourt go out there and play the way they did in preseason, I really started to believe.

SN: What did you think when you first saw Elias?
Bouldin: What an athlete. I think he dunked the first eight times he touched the ball.

SN: Other than you, the other veterans are young players. Do you have to be kind of an elder statesman?
Bouldin: I am the only one who's played any minutes consistently. So I do feel like the elder out there, despite me being the same age as all of them. I love taking that role. I'm developing and getting better at it.

SN: How tough is it for you with the way your schedule is flip-flopped? You've got so many of your toughest games in the first two months.
Bouldin: Well, I'm used to it. That's how we've been doing it my four years here. This is the best time of year for us. Not saying conference play isn't good, because our conference is getting a lot better, but these are the best games. We play in these sold-out arenas all across the country, get to play against the best competition. I'm used to it. I'm just trying to acclimate some of these freshmen.

SN: Have you ever been to Maui?
Bouldin: I've been to Maui several times for vacations.

SN: So maybe you can go out there and concentrate on basketball?
Bouldin: I hope so. I've played at some pretty sweet resorts. So I'm just going out there to play basketball. Plus we play my home school, Colorado, in the first game. I know a bunch of those guys, so I'm just trying to get out there and win some games.

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