USU-OSU game the runaway choice for ‘Event of the Year’
The voting was nearly unanimous. The Statesman sports staff chose the Utah State basketball team’s victory over Ohio State University as its pick for “Event of the Year.”
“I think it was terrific for the University, the program, the community, and the valley,” assistant basketball coach Randy Rahe said of the basketball team’s win over the Buckeyes in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
March 15, the men’s basketball team competed in its second NCAA Tournament game in two years, and earned its first tournament victory in 31 years. In the first-round game, held in Greensboro, NC, the Aggies defeated Ohio State, 77-68, in overtime for the win.
USU was given 12th seed in the tournament for the second year in a row, while OSU received a fifth seed. The game was close during the first half and USU was down 29-24 at halftime. The Aggies played tough in the second half, with eight lead changes during the game, and kept the game close at the end.
With 50.5 seconds left, guard Tony Brown sunk two free throws for the Aggies to put them within two at 60-58. Utah State got the ball back with 8.8 seconds and Tony Brown was able to hit a double pump-fake jumper over OSU center Ken Johnson to tie the game.
“It was pretty cool [to hit the shot],” Brown said. “Anyone on the team could have made it, but I was the one with the ball.”
In overtime, Utah State broke the game open. Behind an explosive overtime effort by Curtis Bobb, the Aggies pulled 64-62 and didn’t lose the lead after that. The Aggies finished strong and earned a 77-68 victory.
Both Rahe and Brown said the Aggies really had the momentum going into overtime.
“Momentum changed when Curtis [Bobb] hit some threes,” Brown said. “He took over in overtime.”
“Our kids felt we were going to win, and Ohio State looked stunned,” Rahe said. “They [OSU] were tight, and we played loose.”
The team had a lot of motivation to return to the tournament after participating last year. Rahe said every college player should experience the tournament because it’s such a special event and gives the players motivation. The team will also have motivation to return next year.
“Returning players pass motivation and hard work on to the new players; it keeps building,” Rahe said.
Brown said the team had a lot of motivation to get back and meet or exceed everyone’s expectations.
A victory for the team does a lot for the university and the conference, Rahe said.
“[A victory] results in more respect for the conference and notoriety for the university,” he said. “It helps everybody and gets us some name recognition.”
The added recognition helps recruiting for the team, he said.
“Games on TV, especially tournament games, make people want to come,” Brown said.
Aggie fans had limited opportunity to watch the tournament because it was in North Carolina and occurred over Spring Break, but Rahe said it was good for the players not to miss class. The team was hoping to play closer to Utah, but being in North Carolina, Rahe said, he didn’t expect many fans to be able to make the trip.
Aggie fans still had the opportunity to watch the tournament on television. Sophomore Weston Groll, from Highland, said he watched the game at home. Groll said he had been to all the home games for the year and the tournament win was without question the best game and the event of the year.
Sophomore Richard Catoni of Park City watched the game on a layover between flights in the Los Angeles Airport. Catoni also attended all the games this season and said he especially liked Tony Brown’s pump fake.
“I feel it was the biggest sporting event, it brought much needed recognition,” Catoni said.
“It showed that USU could produce under pressure.”
“After seeing the Aggies win in the NCAA tournament, my life is complete,” Groll said. “I can die a happy man.”