Utah State slips into the field, now poised to bust brackets
The Utah State Aggies were one of the last teams annouced in the bracket of 65 on Sunday. For a mid-major squarely on the bubble following an uspet loss in its conference tournament title game, the suspense had to be killer.
But now that they’re in, the Aggies face a similarly daunting prospect: Trying to beat the Big 12 powerhouse Texas A&M Aggies.
Few experts are giving Stew Morrill’s club much of a chance at knocking off Texas A&M, despite sporting one of the most efficient offenses in the nation that helped build a 17-game winning streak this season. And while it’s true that A&M isn’t an ideal matchup for the WAC regular season champs because of its size and athleticism (not to mention star guard Donald Sloan), Utah State is being sold far too short here.
The Aggies clean up the glass defensively and are one of the best shooting teams in the nation, hitting at a high clip from everywhere on the floor. Additionally, they refuse to let opponents dictate tempo, instead grinding games to a halt and forcing them to maximize possessions, something they can rarely do.
Some critics question whether Utah State belonged in the field at all. But expect them to be silenced after a good showing on Friday, and possibly even one of the first round’s biggest upsets.
