Evan Faulkner Discusses the Duke Blue Devil Experience

AllKYHoops.com is going to give you an All-Access pass into the locker room of a good mid-major team as it prepares for a game at Cameron Indoor Stadium against the powerful Duke Blue Devils. I will be talking to Radford University freshman guard Evan Faulkner, a Kentucky kid that played high school basketball for the Elliott County Lions.

- Evan Faulkner has started the first two games for the Highlanders (2-0). He is averaging 32.5 minutes per game and is tied for the team lead with 7 assists. He is averaging 4.0 points per game.

- The Radford Highlanders are an NCAA Division I basketball program that competes in the Big South Conference (Kentucky fans may recall that Gardner-Webb competes in the Big South Conference). The Highlanders are coming off a winning season and are expected to compete for the Big South championship in 2009-10. The university sits just off of I-81 in southwestern Virginia (near Blacksburg).

Duke 104 Radford 67

The game obviously didn't end the way Evan would have liked, but it was still a tremendous experience. Here are some thoughts on the game:

On Duke:

"They played really well. They actually hit 18 three-pointers."

"With about four minutes left in the first half, they just started hitting like crazy."

On the experience of playing at Cameron Indoor Stadium:

"It is one of the most famous arenas in college basketball."

"The house was packed before we even started to warm up."

On his feelings before the game:

"I was excited. It wasn't so much intimidating as it was fun."

On the Duke fans:

"The fans prepare for the game just like the team does. They put a lot of work into preparation for a game. They are like a team."

"Heck, before we even came out for pre-game, the place was packed and they were chanting, 'Where is Radford? Where is Radford?'"

Did the crowd play a part in the outcome?

"Definitely the crowd gave them some momentum. We tried to stop the bleeding, but they fed off the crowd and kept it going. Our defense wasn't really that bad, they just hit a lot of really tough shots."

Evan's favorite memory:

"I guess just being there and being a part of that history. Obviously, we would've like to play a little better but it was a great learning experience."

"It definitely will make us better to go through this experience. It was a tough game, but it was very important to help us prepare for the rest of our games. We still go to Kansas and Louisville."

Final thoughts on Cameron Indoor Stadium:

"It is the most unique place I have ever played."

The fans of Kentucky are just as crazy, but not quite as unique. It's just a little different when the fans are literally 8-10' off the floor."

The fans?

"They said a lot of funny stuff. For the most party, they kept it really classy, but we were able to hear everything they said because they were so close. I would call them classy and funny."