Just Relax, Aztecs Basketball Fans
Sam Merrill hits the game-winner with 2.5 seconds left in the 2020 Mountain West Conference Championship game. (Photo:©Isaac Brekken/Associated Press)
San Diego sports fans, we live in times of despair as our San Diego State Aztecs lost a well-played Mountain West Conference tournament final to Utah State 59-56. Moving forward this week, the great debate will be if the 30-2 Aztecs are a 1-seed or 2-seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament as March Madness will take over our lives for the next month.
…at times, SDSU has made it look quite easy.
Also, the off week give us time to dissect and critique this memorable season. One thing we must come to grips with is the realization that the loss to the Aggies might be a blessing in disguise. Especially in the area of achieving our ultimate goal of winning a national championship. Having the best record in school history doesn’t guarantee success for the Aztecs in the postseason, but it does provide unwarranted anxiety for the loyal fanbase.
The Aztecs have been a pleasant surprise, but running the table and going undefeated from early November until the first Monday in April is a difficult task. Yet at times, SDSU has made it look quite easy. However on Saturday, the Aztecs learned a valuable lesson that the ball doesn’t always bounce your way in close games.
The advent of the three-point shot has been a great equalizer in college basketball. The Aztecs can shoot well (38 percent) from beyond the arc, but that was not the case in the conference title game as they made only 5 of the 19 three-point field goals they attempted. What was a distinct advantage over opponents throughout the season failed them on this night.
As we embark on the Big Dance, the Aztecs are looking at a 2-seed in the West Region. In my humble opinion, traveling to Sacramento and Los Angeles is the best course in punching their ticket to the Final Four. Playing in familiar surroundings such as their home state will eliminate any threat of them crumbling under the pressure of such an incredible task at hand. Attempting to win the school’s first collegiate national championship since 1973 (men’s volleyball) is no small feat. Now, all it takes is to have two great getaway weekends in California to earn the right to play in Atlanta, the site of the 2020 Final Four.
Having a true collegiate star in Malachi Flynn running an offense from the point guard position makes SDSU a tough out in any potential matchup.
In the days prior to Selection Sunday, the debate will be about “how beatable” the Aztecs have become of late. The discussion will go back-and-forth on if the conference schedule is tough enough to prepare SDSU for the grind expected in a long tournament run.
Hogwash!!!
The outcome of this year’s NCAA tournament is still very much a mystery. Every projected top-seeded team still has questions with their lineup, which is exceptionally rare this late in the season. Why? Well, the majority of the players are talented, but still young and inconsistent at this level. Thus, those teams become likely candidates to be upset at some point in the tourney.
The Aztecs have a very experienced starting unit (three juniors and two seniors) who understand how to play through adversity. Plus, having a true collegiate star in Malachi Flynn running an offense from the point guard position makes SDSU a tough out in any potential matchup. Still, advancing or being eliminated will come down to capitalizing on each offensive possession.
Aztecs fans, enjoy the ride, and don’t let your anxiety outpace the reality of the situation.