ALBANY - Tay Fisher didn't even need to be back on the floor to inspire his former Siena teammates. 

"We all love Tay to death," senior captain Kenny Hasbrouck said following his 20-point performance on Monday night in the Saints 30-point victory. "It gave us energy when we saw him."

In fact, Fisher, who was back on Monday night to help unveil the 2007-08 championship banner, sent text messages to a couple of his teammates earlier in the day. 

"It felt like last year when he would give us those pre-game speeches," junior forward Alex Franklin said. 

I got to catch up with Fisher during halftime and he said he was impressed with this year's club. 

"This is the year," Fisher said. "You can just tell by how that first half went."

He went on about what he like while apparently he was waving a Siena finger in the crowd. 

"Everything looks good about them right now," Fisher said. "I'm really excited to be watching them. They really worked hard and you can tell by they way they look. They look quicker, look more confident. I'm real happy that the freshmen are looking good and Clarence is out there looking good."

Fisher said he was unsure of how to act, since he was in the crowd and not on the court or on the bench. 

"Should I go crazy like I would be on the bench or just stay chill, act like a normal person" Fisher said. "This is only my first game, so hopefully next time I come I'll know how to act."

Fisher was happy to be invited back, especially after the crowd serenaded him with "Tay Fisher, Tay Fisher." 

"It still shows that Siena is there for you no matter what," Fisher said. "It really doesn't matter how long it is."

Fisher still would like to play professionally, but he's still hearing he's not tall enough. 

"It's 2008, that height stuff (should be) over with," Fisher said. "If you can play, you can play."

Fisher might begin graduate school coming up in January and he's had some interviews in Troy and Albany for student teaching and teacher's assistant positions.

He also said he will continue with his basketball camps and just finished his website www.tayfisherfbc.com 

Fisher did get into the locker room after the game, I'm sure to provide some words of encouragement. 

They had some words for him too. 

"We told he needs to suit up," Franklin said. "Put that No. 4 jersey on, we've got the headband and shoot some three's for us."

In today's paper I mentioned how Hasbrouck's miss of a lay-up, six seconds in to the game was about the only thing Siena did wrong on Monday night. 

He tried to explain what happened on that play. 

I'm going to tell you honestly what happened," Hasbrouck said. "I'm open and I was going to try and dunk it. I wasn't warmed up yet and I'm not that athletic, so I'm going to try and lay it up and I messed up. Whatever I got another lay-up right after."

I also have to say I was shocked with how dominant Siena was on Monday night. They dominated for the opening tip until the final buzzer.   

Another side note is that Boise State coach Greg Graham revealed that he was one of the coaches who voted for the Saints in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' Poll.