Aggies strut into the top 25
For the second time in the past three seasons, Utah State’s men’s basketball team has found itself ranked among the top 25 teams in the nation. Monday’s release of the latest rankings in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches’ poll saw Utah State ascend to a No. 25 ranking after four weeks of receiving votes.
A week ago the Aggies found themselves with the 31st highest vote total in the coaches’ poll only to see nine out of 10 teams ahead of USU in the rankings suffer losses over the course of the week, leaving the Aggies to jump ahead six spots in the polls while Michigan State, Kansas State and Arizona all dropped from the rankings. Several teams with losses held their ground in the top 25 and others managed to propel ahead of Utah State after being ranked behind the Aggies in last week’s polls.
One team in particular who leapfrogged USU in the rankings was the University of Florida, who prior to this week’s rankings have won seven of its last eight games, including road wins at Xavier and at Tennessee. The Gators were previously locked into a five-way tie for 34th a week ago.
Despite a blowout loss on the road Saturday to Vanderbilt, West Coast Conference power and recent USU nemesis Saint Mary’s College held onto its top 25 ranking, checking in just one spot ahead of Utah State at No. 24. That ranking could prove to be particularly intriguing in the coming weeks should the two school be paired against each other again in the annual Bracketbuster weekend.
The Aggies and Gaels squared off as Bracketbuster opponents during the 2008-09 season, the last time Utah State cracked the top 25, in a game that Saint Mary’s held off Utah State by a score of 75-64.
That 2009 season saw the Aggies climb as high as No. 17 in the rankings before a road loss to Boise State stalled USU’s climb up the rankings that season.
Prior to 2009, Utah State’s next most recent trip to the top 25 occurred during the 2003-04 season, when the Aggies landed as high as No. 21 in the coaches’ poll on the strength of a 25-2 record.
While the Aggies have not amassed any marquee victories during this most recent climb to the top 25, they also have not suffered a single bad loss in that span. It is something that players are well aware of in earning this ranking and something with which they are are taking a sense of accomplishment.
“It is nice to finally get some national recognition and I feel like we deserve it,” senior forward Tai Wesley said. “The two teams we lost to this year are nationally ranked teams that are having successful seasons.”
The Aggies losses to No. 9 BYU and No. 20 Georgetown do not appear to be haunting the team at all as USU has entered the top 25 with a record of 18-2, compared to a 21-1 record that it took for the Aggies to crack the polls two years ago. BYU and Georgetown’s rankings in the RPI ratings also speak to the quality of opponents that the Aggies faced in those two losses. The Cougars currently rank No. 1 in the nation in RPI, while the Hoyas sit at No. 9.
Utah State’s RPI rating is a bit of a different story considering the weaker caliber of opponents that USU has been stuck playing outside of BYU and Georgetown. The Aggies rank No. 41 in RPI, and will likely have a prime opportunity to gain a high-quality win with what will likely be one of, if not the premier match-up of Bracketbuster weekend.
Much like in the polls, Saint Mary’s sits exactly one spot ahead of Utah State in the RPI rankings, lending more intrigue to a possible Bracketbuster collision course for the two programs. It also could potentially pose an opportunity for USU to exact revenge on the one team that has beaten the Aggies at home since 2007.
The Aggies’ top 25 prowess will immediately be put to the test this week as they travel to play San Jose State and Hawaii. While the ranking is nice, USU head coach Stew Morrill is not taking anything for granted in preparation for a pair of tough road games.
“We appreciate the recognition that a top 25 ranking gives to Utah State University and the basketball program,” Morrill said. “Our focus remains on trying to prepare ourselves for our next opponent and trying to get better day by day.”
– matt.sonn@aggiemail.usu.edu