USU reaches No. 19 in AP poll; enters Coaches poll
A week after breaking into the Top 25 of the AP writer’s poll for the first time in 33 years, the Utah State men’s basketball team improved to No. 19 in Monday’s poll.
With 349 votes, the Ags jumped up five spots in the poll from last week’s No. 24 ranking. USU also received 98 votes and entered the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll at No. 23. Last week they were ranked No. 30.
Despite beating Cal Poly 57-43 Thursday night and then capturing 63-54 victory over UC Santa Barbara Saturday, Utah State Head Coach Stew Morrill said he was surprised to see his team jump in the polls.
“I think people just became aware of us a little bit,” Morrill said. “Because we certainly didn’t dominate at home. We won, but we didn’t dominate.”
Morrill attributed the Aggies’ rise to the increased amount of national attention they have been receiving.
“I have never in my coaching career remembered talking to as many national media,” Morrill said. “I think Utah State was just kind of out there as far as media and coaches hearing about us and becoming more aware of us.”
The upset losses of Wake Forest and Providence last week also helped the Aggies move up in this week’s polls.
With a 19-1 overall record and an undefeated 11-0 record in Big West Conference play, the Ags are off to the best start in school history and are currently riding a 16-game winning streak, the second longest for a USU team.
“If you are a mid-major team and you are ranked then you are supposed to dominate your league,” Morrill said. “I’m not sure why that is, but to get ranked you have to do something special as far as your record.”
Morrill also said that a single loss would likely mean that the Aggies would be dropped from the Top 25 of all national polls, but national rankings are not the Ags’ driving force.
“The last thing we need to do is feel pressure about being ranked and I don’t think we do,” Morrill said. “I think we feel a sense of accomplishment. We are well aware that when we lose a game it will probably disappear, as far as the rankings, so enjoy it while it lasts.”
The Ags now travel to California for their first road games in over two weeks. On Thursday USU will face off with Cal State Northridge in a rematch of a game the Ags won handily 83-57 earlier this season in the Spectrum.
“Northridge is not the team that we saw in Logan,” Morrill said. “They had just suspended a couple of guys and I think they were reeling when we played them. They’re playing a lot better basketball [now].”
USU will then travel to Stockton, Calif. on Saturday for their second game of the season against Pacific. The Tigers are currently in second place in the Big West with a record of 15-7, 10-1.
“We are excited about where we’re at,” Morrill said. “But at the same time we are at the point in the season where we’re worried about guys getting worn down and the energy level of your players. We just can’t afford to give into, as I call them, the dog days of February.”
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