Utah State Aggies Draws TCU Horned Frogs In 2024 NCAA Tournament
Mar 17, 2024, 4:29 PM | Updated: 4:35 pm
LOGAN, Utah— In a season that surpassed all expectations, Utah State (27-5) earned the right to wear its home whites as an eight-seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Eighth-seeded USU will travel to Indianapolis, Indiana, on Friday, March 22, for a first-round matchup with TCU. This is the fifth time in program history that the Aggies have received an at-large bid.
The Aggies learned their fate along with the rest of the world during the NCAA Tournament Selection Show on Sunday, March 17.
𝐋𝐄𝐓'𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄!
🆚 TCU
➡️ March 22 | Indianapolis, IN#AggiesAllTheWay | #UBUNTU pic.twitter.com/1lZqGlYhHS— USU Men's Hoops (@USUBasketball) March 17, 2024
RELATED: Javon Jackson Lifts No. 18 Utah State To Overtime Win
After rising to its highest AP ranking (16th) since 2019-20, No. 18 Utah State matches the eight-seed it received in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. The Washington Huskies blew out that Aggie team 78-61.
The Aggies are 6-25 overall and have lost ten straight NCAA tournament games dating back to 2001.
USU won its first outright Mountain West regular season title and finished the year with a 14-4 record in conference play.
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Utah State Falls In MW Semifinals
The Aggies had a 17-point lead and all the momentum in the first half, but a careless backcourt foul from Great Osobor shifted the energy in San Diego State’s favor. USU never recovered, suffering a 33-point turnaround in the 86-70 loss.
RELATED: USU Loses Big First Half Lead, Falls In Mountain Semifinals
"What this group has accomplished this year is remarkable: to return nobody that started a game. In mid-April to put together a team that could play at the Mountain West level, I don't know if that will ever be done again."
It's been quite a journey for @USUBasketball. pic.twitter.com/A90LrvGXdG
— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 16, 2024
Great Osobor led USU with 19 points, Ian Martinez added 16, and Isaac Johnson added 11. Utah State shot 22-55 (40 percent) and 5-20 (25 percent) from deep.
Jaeden LeDee led all scorers with 22 points and eight rebounds despite fouling out late and playing with foul trouble most of the night.
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The Aggies and Horned Frogs will tangle at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, March 22. Tip-off time is TBD. Utah State is 2-0 all-time against TCU, with the last matchup in 1982.
Listen to USU basketball games on KSL Sports Zone with Scott Garrard on the call.
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Brian Preece is a KSLsports.com insider covering the Utah State Aggies, Locals in MLB, and Salt Lake Bees. Follow Brian’s Bees, Beehive baseball, and Aggie athletics coverage here.