For those that have not been out to Provo for a game, what is that environment like and what can fans of opposing teams expect from BYU?
I'm happy for every team in the Big 12 and every player and every fan base because, like so many venues in the Big 12, Provo, and the Marriott Center in particular, are incredible places.
Playing a much different schedule, a much less nationwide league in the WCC, a great basketball league. We're still 16,000 strong every single game, and we expect that to bump up to 18 or 19 a game this year. Just as an example, season tickets sold out before they were ever available to the public.
We have an unbelievable student section in The ROC that is legendary. The Marriott Center is an incredible venue to watch a game, and we have passionate fans.
You're going from a conference where you were annually picked second or third to a conference now where you've been picked 13th. Much harder conference, obviously. But in a way, does that kind of take some pressure off you guys? Does it allow you to get your footing a little bit?
You know, I mentioned this earlier, but I was super excited about the 13th pick. I have four daughters, and we managed to make it to a couple of the Taylor Swift concerts this year, and her favorite number is 13, and I think that bodes well for BYU basketball this season. We're really excited about that.
I think the pressure is always there. If you're running from pressure, you shouldn't be in athletics. Actually we love it.
I think you're pressured picked at 13 and pressured picked at No. 1 and pressured picked everywhere, but certainly we are very humble moving in this league, but we're very confident, also, and we're coming in here to compete and grow into winning, and we're really excited to do that. I don't know if anybody puts a lot of stock in the preseason picks, but we're excited to come compete.
What do you feel like this conference can do to lift up the BYU basketball brand?
Well, listen, everybody that plays in this conference has the opportunity to go against the best teams in the country every single night, for 18 straight games. You're given the opportunity, and it's just a matter of taking advantage of it.
You don't have to go hunt for Quad 1 games or great opponents or great venues or exposure. It's all here, ever present for you, and you just have to perform.