Everyone’s favorite Aggie: Sam Merrill’s weekend that won the MW
Saturday night in Las Vegas, as the scoreboard showed zero seconds left on the clock, the Thomas and Mack Center was left in complete disarray. Thousands of black and red laden San Diego State fans had their heads in their hands, completely stunned by what had just occurred. The smaller section of Utah State fans, clad in the blue and white, had lost their collective minds. There was screaming, hugging, and in the case of several Aggies — including shooting guard Diogo Brito — crying. In the center of the chaos was senior guard Sam Merrill, who while having one of the most dominant weeks of his life, had just made the shot of his life, a game-winning pull up three to win 59-56 and lift Utah State to back-to-back Mountain West Tournament Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances.
The magnitude of that shot can’t be fully appreciated without understanding the urgency of the moment. When the Aggies got to Vegas, the odds were stacked against them. A roller-coaster season, several injuries and a trio of quad three losses had Utah State on the outside looking in on several NCAA tournament bracket projections. This created a “do or die” sense of urgency within the team. Merrill said, “I did not want to play in the NIT,” which was where a loss would possibly have put the Aggies if they failed to win 3 games in Vegas. But winning the conference title would erase all doubt, earning USU an automatic bid to the madness that is March.
Photo by: Chantelle McCall
In the final collegiate season for Merrill, fellow graduates Abel Porter and Diogo Brito — and likely Neemias Queta, who is likely to leave after his sophomore year for a pro career — they were were part of what could quite possibly be the best team Utah State will have for a long time. A failure to make the NCAA tournament would have been devastating. But they accomplished the task, in the most dramatic way possible.
The Aggies won two nailbiters in the quarterfinals against New Mexico and semifinals against Wyoming just to get to the championships game. Merrill scored 29 and 27 points in those contests, respectively.
This set them up for the title bout against the 30-1 and No. 5 San Diego State Aztecs. All cards on the table.
Things did not go well initially, as the Aggies were down 27-11 with just two minutes to go in the first half. But once again, Merrill stepped up. He scored seven points to close the half and the Aggies went on a 10-2 run to steal momentum going into the half. A 7-0 run at the start of the 2nd half made it a one-point game. Soon after, the Aggies and Aztecs traded blows, with the whole Aggie team stepping up and making big plays. Queta’s and-one dunk, sophomore Justin Bean’s countless rebounds and junior Alphonso Anderson’s consecutive three-pointers helped the Aggies keep pace.
After several lead changes and momentum swings, and a missed three-point try by Aztec Malachi Flynn, it all came down to one play. Merrill’s relentless desire to win and perform in clutch situations throughout the season had kept Utah State’s post-season aspirations intact, and helped him get to this moment. Game tied, 10 seconds left, ball in his hands.
The other four Aggies on the court went straight to the baseline, giving Sam all the space he needed to work his magic. Everybody on the floor, in the arena, and on TV knew what was going to happen. Sam Merrill was going to shoot the basketball. He went to work on Aztec guard KJ Feagin, dribbling it through his legs repeatedly and looking for some separation. And then, according to Merrill, “I just threw it up.” Splash. Dagger. Ball game.
Utah State radio play by play man Scott Gerrard exclaimed to the listeners, “Sam Merrill is a freaking stud.”
BEST OF THE BEST – 🏀
Merrill punched @USUBasketball’s 🎟 to the dance with this cold-blooded 🔪 to win back-to-back @MountainWest 🏆 #AggiesAllTheWay pic.twitter.com/lzLjdVtYz0
— Learfield IMG College Audio (@LearfieldAudio) March 9, 2020
San Diego State missed one final, half court heave, and the game was over. The Aggies had won.
Still unconvinced about how epic Sam Merrill’s weekend in Vegas was? Just ask the coaches from schools Sam played against this weekend. After the New Mexico game, Lobo head coach Paul Weir said, “He kicked our ass…he was exceptional tonight.” This was proceeded by Weir having interrupted a journalist with frustration and exclaiming,” Sam Merrill, Sam Merrill, Sam Merrill, I’m going to see this kid in my nightmares for a long time.
Wyoming coach Allen Edwards said, “I thought Sam Merrill made some really big, timely, tough shots down the stretch.” And San Diego State coach Brian Dutcher said, “Sam Merrill decided to take the gave over, that’s it.”
Or take it from the media.
Utah radio personality David James called Merrill, “The greatest shooting guard in Utah since Danny Ainge.” College basketball expert Andy Katz named his Sam Merrill his “National player of the week.” NBA draft analyst Mike Schmitz said, “Merrill just made himself a lot of money these last few days. What a performance.”
Even Utah Jazz star Donavan Mitchell chimed in, retweeting a video of the final shot.
Tough! @smerrill05 🔥🔥🔥 https://t.co/fftbxQGvVs
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) March 8, 2020
Merrill had a weekend for the ages, highlighted by a shot for the ages, and has solidified himself as, according to Gerrard, “The greatest Aggie to ever dawn a uniform at Utah State.” Merrill told media after the game about the experience, “it’s unlike anything I could have imagined,” he said.
But there is still work to do. Merrill and the team are determined to win in the tournament something the Aggies have not done since 2001. “I hope there’s a few more (big moments),” Merrill said. And you’d expect nothing less from the “freaking stud.”
Twitter: @jacobnielson12