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Sports Goodbye, Johnny Lobos Conquer MWC, Set Sights on the NCAA Some Ex Lobos Put the ‘New Mexico’ in N.M. Games ‘He’s Going To Do What It Takes’ |
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Utah State Has Won 16 Straight
Journal Staff and Wire
LOGAN, Utah — Utah State coach Stew Morrill had a blunt message for his players about their first appearance in the Top 25 in five years.
The No. 25 UtAgs can slip back into obscurity much more quickly than it took to be ranked again.
"It's great. Feel good about it. Get over it. We've got work to do," Morrill said. "They all understand that when you're in our situation, one loss pretty much knocks you out of the national rankings picture."
Utah State (21-1 overall, 9-0 Western Athletic Conference), which hosts New Mexico State (11-11, 5-4) Thursday night, has won 16 consecutive games and is off to the best start in school history. The 2003-04 team that opened 20-1 was also the last one to be ranked, ending the school's 33-year absence from the AP poll.
"It's good for us that we get to play them after their ranking," said Aggies coach Marvin Menzies. "It's exciting for our conference. They're not just in the Top 25 because of their record. They're good enough."
Utah State won the first matchup with New Mexico State 77-67 on Jan. 10 in Las Cruces. The UtAgs got 22 points and 14 rebounds from forward Gary Wilkinson and shot 54 percent from the field.
Tucked in the mountains about 85 miles north of Salt Lake City, Utah State doesn't get a lot of attention. And after losing guard Jaycee Carroll, an AP honorable mention All-American, the UtAgs weren't expected to be here, let alone in position for the best season in school history.
"I'm more excited about that than even being ranked in the Top 25," said Wilkinson, the only senior on the team. There are only three juniors on the roster, and three of the starters are sophomores, though Menzies is quick to point out that the UtAgs' three returning starters make them one of the league's most experienced squads.
Though often overshadowed in the state by BYU and Utah, Utah State has had much more consistency than the Cougars or Utes over the last 10 years. The UtAgs already have clinched their 10th straight 20-win season, reaching 21 before February.
The school record of 28 and even reaching 30 wins are possibilities with nine-regular season games remaining, followed by the WAC tournament and, barring a major collapse, the NCAA Tournament.
Morrill, who last season became the winningest coach in school history, said so far his team has played just well enough to win, even during its most unlucky moments. Fresno State's Sylvester Seay hit a 75-foot shot at the buzzer to force overtime on Saturday, but the UtAgs overcame the shock and won 83-77.
Utah State's only loss this season was to BYU, 68-63 on Dec. 6 in Salt Lake City.
Morrill said his team has avoided looking ahead throughout the streak, which is the third-longest in school history. He wants that to continue through March, or the great start could become a disappointing finish.
"What I expect from every team is to bust their tail, get better and be coachable," Morrill said. "The players say that I keep them grounded. That's good to know. That's my job."
Wilkinson, who leads his team in scoring and rebounding, said Morrill's "get over it" message was typical and expected. The UtAgs haven't had a lot of blowouts during the winning streak and are averaging a modest 73 points per game.
"I expect that from us as a team," Wilkinson said. "It's great, but what difference does it make if we lose the next two to three games or we don't win a WAC title?"
Utah State has won 29 straight at the Dee Glenn Smith Spectrum, which will be packed with rowdy blue-and-white-clad fans. The hostile environment will challenge an NMSU team whose scholarship players are all freshmen and sophomores except one — junior guard Jonathan Gibson.
Menzies hopes the road experience in nonconference games — not only at then No. 19-Southern Cal and defending national champion Kansas but also at UTEP and New Mexico — will pay off Thursday.
"It's a common trait for young kids to have rabbit ears," he said. "It's important for us not to get too rattled."
Utah State leads the nation in field goal shooting at 50.7 percent and is holding opponents to about 60 points per game. It has been outrebounded in only five games this season and still won each of them.
"It's weird. We just seem to always find a way to win," forward Tai Wesley said.nmsu basketball
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