DENVER — In practice, elbows have flown, lips have been bloodied. That's where it's been all business for the St. Mary's men's basketball team in the days leading up to the NCAA Division II South Central Regional.
But on the team bus? That's where the guys let loose from time to time.
Which explains the pirate hat senior
Brad Hubenak was donning Thursday night.
“We're super serious all the time,” said Hubenak (Sr., Kennedale, Texas), one of three five-year seniors on the team. “But there have to be moments here and there where we relax and have fun with each other. When we're in close situations in games, I know I can rely on them because of times like those.”
It's a formula that has been working for the Rattlers (21-7), winners of nine of their last 10. No. 2-seed St. Mary's will take on No. 7-seed Cameron at 3:30 p.m. (CDT) today at the Auraria Event Center.
“Yesterday was chippy at practice,” Hubenak said. “Busted lips and stuff. We were just going at it. We know that these guys (on Cameron) are huge in the paint. We have to be able to play like that. We have to play physical.”
Like Hubenak, guard
John Roberts (Sr., San Antonio) is a fifth-senior who isn't ready to see his Rattler career end.
“This trip means everything for us,” said Roberts, who is joined by Hubenak and
Kevin Kotzur (Sr., La Vernia, Texas) as Rattlers who have put in five years for the program. “We've worked for five years as hard as we can. We've dedicated ourselves, our bodies, our heart — everything. Winning it (the regional tournament) would be awesome.”
Back in the regional tournament for the second straight year, Roberts thinks his Rattlers have found the perfect mental approach after being eliminated by top-seeded Midwestern State in the opening round a year ago.
“We know we're one of the best teams in it,” Roberts said. “Just having that confidence gives us a more relaxed feeling. We're not as tight or as timid as last year. I think we're ready to play.”
St. Mary's University, as a Catholic Marianist University, fosters the formation of people in faith and educates leaders for the common good through community service, integrated liberal arts and professional education, and academic excellence. The University has six athletic national titles: men's basketball (1989–NAIA), baseball (2001–NCAA Div. II), softball (1986–NAIA and 2002–NCAA Div. II) and an individual national champion in men's golf (2006–NCAA Div. II) and a national academic championship in men's golf (2009–NCAA Div. II). St. Mary's also had more than 40 percent of its athletes named to conference, regional and/or national honor rolls this past year. St. Mary's student–athletes graduation rate is 65 percent, higher than the NCAA Division II average of 55 percent. To learn more about St. Mary's, visit www.rattlerathletics.com.
