Aggies to face Kansas State in NCAA Tournament
Following a Western Athletic Conference tournament championship win Saturday, the Utah State men’s basketball team eagerly awaited its eventual seeding in the NCAA Tournament during Selection Sunday.
When Utah State’s name appeared on screen as a No. 12 seed facing the Kansas State Wildcats during the selection show, the response was met with a mixture of excitement, confusion and even some disappointment for the 30-3 Aggies.
“I was kind of thinking eight or nine, something in there. Ten at worst,” USU head coach Stew Morrill said.
Senior forward Tai Wesley didn’t beat around the bush with his initial reaction to the 12-seed, calling it “a slap in the face” after earning an automatic bid to the tournament to cap off a season in which Utah State tied the school record for wins with 30, went 15-1 in conference play and had an RPI of 15 the morning of Selection Sunday.
“We were almost confused a little bit,” Wesley said. “But you know, that’s how it goes on Selection Sunday. We’re going to the NCAA Tournament, we’re looking to win and take care of business and that’s what we’ll have to do.”
One thing USU will have on its side this time around is NCAA Tournament experience, more so than any other Aggie team in the past. This year’s Utah State features six different players who will be making their third career appearances at the NCAA Tournament in seniors Nate Bendall, Matt Formisano, Tyler Newbold, Tai Wesley and Pooh Williams and junior Brady Jardine. Prior to those six players, former Aggie forward Nate Harris was the only Utah State player to advance to three NCAA tournaments.
“I think our experience will show through,” Wesley said of what he and his teammates have learned from losses each of the past two seasons in the big dance. “We’ve got a little chip on our shoulders now and we’ll go play like that.”
The 12-seed only seems to be adding to that chip on the shoulder, as members of the team and coaching staff each have their own takes on if or how they believe the tournament selection committee wronged the Aggies.
“Hopefully our guys will feel a little motivated like they were slighted a little bit in terms of the seed and be ready to go.” Morrill said. “The last thing we need to do at 30-3 with the year we’ve had is be disappointed. I’m not disappointed. I’m a little surprised.”
Wesley said, “I was excited about wearing white and I thought we’d get and eight or a seven seed. This just gives fuel to the fire I think, to go prove them wrong. Show them that they messed up with this seed.”
Senior swingman Tyler Newbold is hopeful that the seeding will end up as a positive factor for the team.
“Anything that can help us and motivate us even a little more is good, and if that can help us to be a little more on edge and more determined to do what it takes to get a victory, great.”
Looking ahead to the Aggies’ opponent, Morrill is confident that his team is up to the challenge facing a Wildcats team that made it all the way to the elite eight in last year’s NCAA Tournament.
“One thing I do know about them is they rebound the basketball, and they are physical, and they have a premier guard,” Morrill said. “Hopefully the Georgetown experience helped our guys with what they’re going to see with Kansas State in terms of the type of athletes we’ll see.”
Utah State and Kansas State are the final game of the first full day of tournament action Thursday, with tip-off scheduled for 7:57 p.m. (MST) in Tucson, Ariz.
– matt.sonn@aggiemail.usu.edu