In a Year Full of Cinderellas, the Aggies can't Dance with Their Two Left Feet

It has taken me nearly a week to write this blog. I have been just so distraught about our loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Texas A&M that I haven't really wanted to think about it since then. Not so much that we lost, all but one team will eventually lose, I'm more upset about how we lost. I honestly believed this year would be the year that we would break through to at least the second round.

Maybe I am just getting too greedy though. I love my school and I love our basketball team and they had a great season and one loss isn't going weaken my affection for them one bit. Besides I spent my childhood years rooting for Idaho State who never came close to even making the Big Dance, much less winning a game if they ever got there. We had a good season and a good team, we beat BYU, who won a first round game, had a heartbreaking five point loss to St. Mary's, who is in the Sweet 16, and dominated a Witchita State team who was competitive all season long with Northern Iowa, a team who knocked off overall #1 seed Kansas last weekend.

It has been a year completed dominated with story lines of upsets and Cinderella teams such as the aforementioned St. Mary's and Northern Iowa. The Ivy League's Cornell even made it to the Sweet 16. Murray St., Ohio, and Old Dominion each pulled off first round upsets as well. The little guys are putting there mark on this years tournament, showing they can play with the teams from the six power conferences.

So whats missing for the Aggies? Coach Morril said that our team hadn't played anyone as good as Texas A&M. Maybe it's time to swallow some of that "not playing anybody unless they play home and home" pride. If we go on the road and get beat but get the experience necessary to win a tournament game, wouldn't the loss be worth it? I think so. I would love to see us play at least two schools from power conferences in the preseason every year. Be it we play them away, in a holiday tournament, or even in the friendly confines of the Spectrum. Us playing the teams could be the missing link to a NCAA Tournament victory. Look at Cornell, they played Syracuse and Kansas in the preseason. Northern Iowa plays in-state rivals from power six conferences in Iowa and Iowa State. As I was looking at the schedules of these "Cinderella" teams, all had played at least one "big" school prior to the tournament. It's time for the Aggies to do the same!

My preseason predictions for the Ag's were not too far off. We had 27 wins, were regular season champions once again, and I DID get to sing the Scotsman after we beat BYU on my birthday! Not to bad of a season. With four returning starters in their senior season next year, I'm already ready for the next edition of Utah State Aggie Basketball!

Battle of the Aggies: March Madness Style

For the third time in the last five games and the fourth time this season the Utah State Aggies will take on another Aggie team. Here are some facts and figures breaking down tomorrows matchup.

#12 Utah State (27-7) vs. #5 Texas A&M (23-9)
Friday, Mar. 19, 2010 • 2:45 p.m. (MT) • Spokane, Wash.
Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena (12,210) • Aggie Radio Network • CBS

SCOUTING TEXAS A&M
Texas A&M is 23-9 on the season and finished in a tie for second-place in the Big 12 Conference with a 11-5 league mark. The Aggies, who are 5-5 on the road and 8-8 away from home, defeated Nebraska (70-64) and lost to No. 1 Kansas (79-66) in the Big 12 Tournament and are currently ranked 23rd in the nation. TAMU is led by senior guard Donald Sloan who is averaging 18.2 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game, while senior forward Bryan Davis is averaging 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. As a team, Texas A&M averages 71.8 points and is shooting 44.2 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from three-point range and 66.1 percent at the free throw line. Defensively, the Aggies allow 64.9 points and its opponents are shooting 41.1 percent from the field, 33.6 percent from three-point range and 70.6 percent at the free throw line. Texas A&M returns two starters and 13 letterwinners from last year's team that went 24-10 on the season and finished tied for fourth-place in the Big 12 Conference with a 9-7 record. The Aggies defeated Brigham Young, 79-66, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing to Connecticut, 92-66, in the second round. Mark Turgeon is 72-30 in his third year at Texas A&M and 225-149 in 12 years as a collegiate head coach.

UTAH STATE VERSUS TEXAS A&M SERIES HISTORY
Utah State is 1-1 all-time against Texas A&M as it defeated the Aggies at home, 94-71, on Dec. 10, 1963 and lost to TAMU, 78-73, on Dec. 14, 1983 at the Indiana Classic in Indianapolis, Ind.

OTHER GAMES AGAINST TEXAS A&M THIS YEAR
Utah State Football played against the Aggies of Texas A&M in College Station, Tex. on Sept. 19, 2009. Utah State lost 30-38 in the first meeting between the schools football programs.

VERSUS THE NCAA TOURNAMENT FIELD
Utah State is 2-3 versus teams in the 2010 NCAA Tournament as it defeated Brigham Young (71-61) and New Mexico State (81-63), and lost to Saint Mary's (68-63) and New Mexico State twice (55-52, 69-63).

THE WAC IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
The Western Athletic Conference has had a team advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament 10 times in the last 13 years. The WAC has also had at least two teams participate in the NCAA Tournament 20 times in the last 24 years. Overall, WAC teams are a combined 35-68 (.340) in the NCAA Tournament. The last time the WAC had two teams in the NCAA Tournament was in 2008 with Nevada and New Mexico State.

12TH SEEDS IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Since the NCAA Tournament went to a 64-team format in 1985, 12th seeds in the tournament have an overall record of 52-100 (.342), which includes a 34-66 (.340) record in the first round. Since 1985, at least one 12th-seed has defeated a fifth-seed in the NCAA Tournament every year except 1988, 2000 and 2007. Last season, the No. 12 seed went 3-1 vs. the No. 5 seed, finishing 4-4 overall in the tournament, the second year in a row that the 12th-seed had a 4-4 record.

UTAH STATE AS A 12TH SEED IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Utah State is a 12th-seed in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time since seedings began in 1980 and is 1-4 all-time as the 12th-seed. In fact, the last time USU won a game in the NCAA Tournament was in 2001 when it was a 12th-seed and defeated fifth-seeded Ohio State, 77-68, in overtime in the East Region in Greensboro, N.C.

UTAH STATE IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON
Although Utah State travels in and out of Spokane every year to play the University of Idaho, Utah State hasn't played a game in the state of Washington since Nov. 28, 1986 when it won at Washington, 81-72.

UTAH STATE IN MARCH
Utah State is 41-20 (.672) in the month of March under Morrill, which includes a 23-8 (.742) record on neutral courts. Utah State is also 0-1 in known games played on Mar. 19 and 77-15 (.837) in games played on Friday under Morrill.

UTAH STATE ON NEUTRAL COURTS
Utah State is 2-1 this year and 34-17 (.667) on neutral courts under Morrill. During the last three years, Utah State is 19-8 (.704) on the road and 23-11 (.676) away from home.

AGGIES AND THE NCAA TOURNAMENT
Utah State is making its second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, its seventh in the last 11 years under head coach Stew Morrill and the school's eighth in its last 13 years. USU has gone to the NCAA Tournament (1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010) or the NIT (2002, 2004,2007, 2008) 12 times in the last 13 years. Overall, it is USU's 19 NCAA Tournament appearance in school history (1939, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1970, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1988, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009 and 2010). Utah State has played in the NCAA Tournament 10 previous times since seedings started in 1980 and the Aggies were listed as the 11th seed in the West in 1980, 10th in the Midwest in 1983, 10th in the Midwest in 1988, 12th in the West in 1998, 12th in the South in 2000, 12th in the East in 2002, 15th in the West in 2003, 14th in the Chicago region in 2005, 12th in the Washington, D.C. region in 2006, 11th in the West in 2009, and 12th in the South in 2010.

Bracketology

My Actual Picks
Kansas, Syracuse, Kentucky, Villanoca
Kentucky over Syracuse in the Championship

These are my official picks out for the bracket that I actually have money on. Kansas, Kentucky, and Syracuse have been consistent all year. I'm looking for Villanova to upset Duke in what I believe is the easiest region, the south. Syracuse will be able to take down overall number seed Kansas before falling to Kentucky and John Wall in the Championship.

Mascot Bracket
Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Kentucky, Duke
Duke over Georgetown in the Championship

A Hoya, Panther, Wildcat, and Blue Devil. The Blue Devil's have the most power being a spirit creature.

Wouldn't it Be Nice If
Kansas, Syracuse, West Virginia, Utah State
Utah State over Syracuse in the Championship

Ah... I've got to be true to my school! Vegas has the Aggies odds at 500/1 to win it all, but how sweet it would be to raise the National Championship banner in Logan! The other three teams are my favorites out of there respected regions, I like these teams and would be happy to see any of them win a National Championship.

And we wait...

It was tough, it was bloody, and in the end it was a loss.

The WAC Championship was the rubber match in this seasons Battle of the Aggies. This time, our foes from New Mexico State came out on top. It was last week at this time when we beat this same team by 18 points and were cutting down the cuts nets at the Spectrum to celebrate a third straight regular season title. Now that team has ended our 17 game winning streak and will cause us to wait an agonizing 16 hours to see if the selection committee chooses us as a member of the "Big Dance."

All in all we should be in the field. We have an RPI of 31, had the nations second longest winning streak prior to tonight, the ESPN Bracketologists had us as lock after the win over Boise State on Thursday, and the man who knows the team best, Coach Morrill, said that we should be in!

The Aggies are still considered a team that "should be in" but no longer a "lock" after tonight's loss according ESPN's Joe Lunadri. However, teams like Mississippi St., who plays for the SEC Championship tomorrow, and Illinois, who took #7 Ohio State to two overtimes tonight, are considered out. A few years back the Aggies were a top-25 team and left out on Selection Sunday, be it they still playing their conference ball in the less prestigious Big West. More disheartening news, in the last two years, three teams with 26+ wins have been left out of the tourny.

So for now, Aggie Nation patiently waits. Going over stats and ratings and maybe praying a little in hopes that our name will be called tomorrow afternoon!

Threepeat WAC Regular Season Champions!

Last night the Utah State Aggies finished out the regular season and capped off their third straight WAC Regular Season Championship with an impressive 81-63 win over New Mexico State.

The crowd rushed the court, the nets were cut down, Coach Stew riled everyone up by saying "we should be in!" the NCAA Tournament.

It was truly a memorable night, as all senior nights should be. It was probably the last time I'll ever see Jared Quayle play live in person. I remember at the start of last year the first time I saw him play, I wrote letters to my friends on missions saying how impressive I thought he was. This afternoon he got his proper honors when he and Tai Wesley were named to the All-WAC First Team.


But the season isn't over. Thursday the team heads to Reno to play Boise State in the WAC Tournament, hopefully to remind them to stick to football. Most likely we will then be matched up with a dangerous Louisiana Tech team in the semi-final followed by Nevada in the championship game. But I, I believe that we will win them all and be no doubt headed to the NCAA Tournament.

Winter Olympic Chills

Watching the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games last night, I got chills. The stories and the nostalgia that surround the games make them so great for me. The amazing things people do and overcome to compete at the games make them so special!

The first day of competition is now done and I can tell you this: 1) Short track speed skating is one of the most exciting sports out there! Go Apolo! 2) The women who compete on the moguls are amazing, I was memorized by their form going down the hill and their tricks! 3) Those lugers have alotta guts! A day after a fellow competitor died, they are back on the "safer" track. Still today one luger crashed but amazing held on and was able to get back on his sled while going down the track!

Other events I am really looking forward to are skier-cross and boarder-cross and Lindsey Vonn and Bode Miller in downhill skiing. Go USA! Go World!

You Like Bill, We Love Bill!

Check this out! As we wait to get back in the top 25 basketball polls, our local celebritiy Bill is #1 this week on ESPN's Not Top Plays February 12, 2010!

Lucky Numbers Seven

My two favorite basketball teams are both riding seven game winning streaks!

The Utah State Aggies (17-6, 7-2) have won seven conference games in a row to put them back on top of the WAC standings after dropping their first two games. It looks like this team is firing on all cylinders! I, and probably all other Aggie fans, have been really impressed by the play of the sharpshooting, hustler #12 Brian Green. Green has been giving the team a huge boost off the bench, coming in diving for loose balls and knocking down clutch threes. He rarely misses! But when he does another bench player in Brady Jardine has been there to put the ball in the hoop. Stew has definitely figured out a good rotation for this team and hopes of making the NCAA Tournament have been refounded.

The Jazz also have been hot as of late. They've won 11 of the last 12 with wins over teams like the Mavericks, Spurs, Suns, Blazers and Cavilers! This could be called the "Gaines" effect, because ever since Sundiata was called up, the team has been nearly unstoppable. The smile must be contagious.

Intramural B-Ball

As the basketball season ended for Franklin Junior Highs B-Team, I thought I had played my last competitive basketball game. It was time to hang up my shoes and call it a career.

Five years later at Utah State University, I found a little thing call intramural basketball and this years intramural season starts tonight! I am definitely excited, we have a good group of guys playing including two that tower around 6' 7"! It should be a good season, one where I'll finally make it into the second round of the playoffs!

Nine Things I'll Remember About 2009

If you know me at all, you know that I love lists and being sentimental! The following are not necessarily the biggest sports stories of the year but more of the stories that I will remember from year 2009!

9. Six Overtimes! Syracuse vs. Connecticut in the Big East Tournament

Quite simply a basketball fans dream; six overtimes between two rivals in a meaningful game on basketballs biggest stage at Madison Square Garden!

8. Y.E. Yang beats Tiger Woods in the PGA Championship

Y.E. Beat Tiger in the 2009 PGA Championship. Tiger appeared human for the first time here. It was the first time Tiger ever has lost a major golf tournament when leading going into the final round. Tiger was 14-0 before little known South Korean Yang beat him!

7. Highland High School Wins The Boys Golf State Championship

Twenty-seven years since my school had last won the Championship! Oh how I wish it could have happened two years prior while I was still playing. None the less it is an awesome accomplishment for my friends and former teammates!

6. February 26- Utah State Basketball vs. Hawaii

The Aggies win their first outright regular season WAC Conference Championship! Front row seats, the team cutting down the nuts, and storming the court for my first time ever!

5. Phillies Return to the World Series

My favorite baseball team back competing for the world championship! Just a few mistakes away from being back-to-back world champions and probably a little higher on this list. It was really fun to watch them throughout the season.

4. Tom Watson in the British Open

It was a missed eight-footer on the final hole of regulation that separated 59-year-old Tom Watson from golf immortality. If he had made the putt he would be the oldest person ever to win a major but old Tom missed the putt and eventually lost the four hole playoff to first time major winner, Stewart Cink. This story has inspired hope in all of us who think it may be impossible to do something, that it is possible.

3. Utah State Basketball vs. Nevada & Being Ranked

On January 29 the Aggies were in the midst of a long winning streak when they welcomed rival Nevada into Logan. The game was close until Stavon Willams did this. Quite possibly the loudest I have ever heard an arena. Period. It gave me chills, and still does! The next week, when the top 25 polls came out the Aggies were ranked and gaining respect from the nation. To me, it is one of the coolest things to see your schools name with a number beside it. I can't wait till it happens again!

2. Tiger Woods Scandal

Simply amazing on the golf course, simply a terrible person. In my last post on this topic I said I thought I could support Tiger again, once he got his life turned around. Now, after thinking about it, I'm not so sure. I am much more likely to root for a good family man such as Phil Mickelson over Tiger. Tiger did amazing things throughout the past ten years and was rightly named AP Athlete of Decade. Being such a big player, how could he not.

1. December 2- Utah State Basketball vs. BYU

Ah.. Beating our arch rival on my birthday.. Definitely something I will always remember. Winning team, losing team, winning team, losing team. In the end it was bitter sweet as this was the last win of the Aggies 37-game home winning streak. If the streak had to end I'm sure glad that this win was a part of it.

Bowling? Next Year!

It's that time of the year again. The Holidays. A time for family, friends, and meaningless college football games! As much as I hate the current system in place for the college football post-season, I would like to see the system continue (and I'm sure it will) for at least one more year. Why? Because I'd love to go watch a bowl game that the Aggies are playing in! (more on how I think the BCS should change in a later post)

The Aggies this last year finished with a 4-8 record, their best record since 2002. The Aggies were a mere two games away from a bowl qualifying record this year. Three times this year the Aggies lost by four points or less. Two of those three losses coming at the hands of bowl-bound teams, Nevada(32-35) and Fresno State(27-31). In all the Aggies played seven bowl teams this past year. They played respectably in each of those games.

There is no reason the Aggies can't be in a bowl next year. It is clear that Coach Gary Anderson has his team on the right track and with many star skill players returning, such as quarterback Diondre Borel and 1000+ yard, running back Robert Turbin, the Aggies should be a legitimate WAC contender.

It has been years since the program has been truly respectable; next year with the talent and coaching in place, the 2010 season should be a program changing year leading to a great decade of Aggie Football! See you in Albuquerque, Boise or maybe even Honolulu for the bowl game!