Busting the Gauchos Bracket
After outlasting the Montana Tech Orediggers at home Tuesday, the USU men’s basketball team gears up for the University of California, Santa Barbara Gauchos as part of the ESPN BracketBusters Saturday.
Head coach Stew Morrill and the men’s basketball program have a long history with UC Santa Barbara, dating back to USU’s membership in the Big West Conference.
“It’s a renewal of an old rivalry that was a good rivalry,” Morrill said. “We have tons of respect for UC Santa Barbara, and Bob Williams is a really good coach and a really good guy. We may not have got the featured televised game, but we got a really good opponent, and we have a ton of respect for them.”
USU has already hosted Santa Barbara in a BracketBuster game, and the Aggies defeated the Gauchos 72-59 during the 2007-08 season.
Santa Barbara is currently tied for second place in the Big West with California State University, Fullerton. USU is 0-1 on the season against the Big West, as it suffered a 65-57 loss on the road to Pacifc.
Morrill said the matchup should be fairly equal based on similar schedule strengths, in reference to rating percentage index, between USU and UC Santa Barbara.
“The fact that we’re not in one of the marquee games and we’re still drawing a really good opponent who’s right at the top of their league — right behind Long Beach State — tells you that they look at a lot of comparative RPI’s,” Morrill said. “I thought we got a tough draw. They probably think the same thing because we are at home. That’s the nature of BracketBuster, you’re going to get a pretty good opponent.”
USU struggled to get the victory over Montana Tech, and Morrill was not pleased.
“We have to be tougher physically and mentally,” he said. “That’s about what it boils down to.”
The Gauchos may also prove to be a tougher team than the Orediggers.
“I think we just need to come out with a lot more energy and come out prepared,” said USU sophomore guard Preston Medlin.
Medlin currently leads the Aggies in scoring with 15 points per game, and senior guard Brockieth Pane averages 12 points and four assists per game.
UC Santa Barbara’s back court carries most of the scoring responsibilities. Senior guard Orlando Johnson leads the Gauchos at just under 20 points per game, and fellow senior James Nunnally averages 15 points per game.
– ty.d.hus@aggiemail.usu.edu