10 Minutes with...Blake Ahearn

The Springfield Cardinals have made a dent, but any true-blue Springfield resident will tell you that when it comes to sports, Missouri State basketball rules. This year's men's squad is possibly the best since 1999's Sweet Sixteen team, and it's led by 6'2" senior Blake Ahearn. He's one of the most accurate three-point and free-throw shooters in the nation, and was a preseason all-Missouri Valley Conference selection. He's number 15 in our programs, but number one in our hearts-and number one in line for our new "10 minutes with..." profile.

Why did you pick MSU? What other schools were you considering to play basketball?
"I had actually committed to Southern Illinois. I gave an oral commitment to SIU and I still hadn't come here yet, and my dad was telling me we should take a visit to [then] SMS just to look at it, and I liked it so much I had to call back Southern Illinois to take back my oral commitment [...] I really just liked the whole atmosphere down here."

You mean the city?
"The city was good. It was like a smaller version of St. Louis."

What about the city brought you in besides that? Is there anything in particular you liked about Springfield?
"When I came, we went to Lambert's..."

Oh yeah.
...we went to McAlister's I had a good time with the players, they took me around and showed me what they could in the time I was here. I had a good feeling about it."

Obviously, basketball is what you're known for. What do you do for fun?
"I love playing golf. Golf is kind of like my thing I do when I get away from basketball. During the summer, I play golf. I hang out with my teammates as much as I can. I'm big into...not reality shows, but series, TV series?"

I'm into that, too. Do you get the giant DVD blocks and watch 'em, one after the other?
"Oh yeah. Me and my roommate Sky and a couple other guys on the team just finished all the episodes of 24 and The Sopranos. We watch Nip/Tuck every Tuesday night."

I tried to watch Nip/Tuck, but man those guys are such slimeballs.
"It's so off the wall, so crazy, it's interesting to watch."

I understand you don't like flying. Have you ever been on an airplane?
"Oh yeah, we fly to all of our games. It's not necessarily that I dislike flying. There's just something about going up in the air. I think a car's safer, everyone says you're safer in a plane."

Statistically, you're more likely to be killed on your way to the airport.
"It's just the whole deal; if something would happen, at least I'd be on the ground."

Yeah, if you're in an airplane crash you're probably going to die.
"They say it's not the fall that kills you, it's the sudden stop at the end."

What's your favorite place to go eat in town?
"Cheddar's."

Cheddar's?
"Cheddar's."

I love Cheddar's too, man.
"When I go there, it's pretty much the same thing. Buffalo chicken tenders, and I always get the chocolate fudge cake. I just love it. I could eat there once a day."