Daniels takes home USU, Big West Athlete of the Week
Utah Statesman: What are some of your reflections of this season, good and bad?
Shawn Daniels: The team working and everyone sticking together – playing team basketball. Some of the bad – losing the close games that we lost – Irvine, BYU and Austin Peay.
US: How do you feel the competition is in the Big West this year – as good or better than last year?
SD: It’s pretty good. Irvine’s got a lot better than last year. [There are] a lot of teams playing real well this year. Everybody’s pretty tough. Everybody plays in different ways. It’s a lot different than earlier in the season when we play teams twice. By the time you play them the second time they really know what you’re doing.
US: What is going through your mind now that you’ve got five games left in the regular season of your senior year?
SD: Just make the best of every game. Take it one game at a time – try to come out and play my hardest. After the game I’m not going to [think] ‘I could have done that, I could have done this.’ I’m going to play as hard as I can.
US: What has been your most memorable moment playing USU basketball so far?
SD: Probably whenever we take a trip to Cal Poly. I seem to play pretty good there. That’s probably the most memorable.
US: How do you feel the loss to UC Irvine was good for you?
SD: I think a lot of games you have to take the good with the bad. I think that game kind of woke us up a little bit. We were on such a roll, and that kind of got us focused more knowing that we can lose a game.
US: How does having family members in the crowd affect your play?
SD: I don’t know. Sometimes before the games I talk to my mom and she always has a lot of encouraging words for me. I think that’s one good thing. We have a really good relationship. My mom is like my best friend.
US: What’s been your favorite part about attending USU?
SD: The people. Everybody out here is friendly. They see you walking through school a lot of times people will just say ‘hi’ even though I don’t know who they are. I think that’s one of the best things about it. The professors also – everything about it I like.
US: How do you want fans to remember you when you’ve left USU?
SD: That I was a good guy on and off the court [and] my smile on the court.
US: When you graduate, what do you think you’re ideal career (other than basketball) would be and why?
SD: Sitting in an office telling people what to do and making a lot of money. Anything that I’m having fun doing.
US: What advice would you give an incoming freshman about to play Division I basketball knowing what you know now?
SD: Don’t get frustrated early in the season. Stick with it. As a freshman, most of the time coaches don’t expect too much. They just try to bring them along.