Here are a few thoughts on what Utah State (28-5) is up against as it takes on University of Connecticut (24-9) in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Friday, in Birmingham, Ala.:UConn's media guide outweighs Utah State point guard Bernard Rock. It is as thick as the Yellow Pages. The Huskies' NCAA Tournament guide is bigger than the Aggies' regular-season media guide.
The party of sports media that regularly travels with the Huskies numbers more than the total of all sports writers in Salt Lake City, Ogden and Logan.
Utah State's Stew Morrill recently coached his 400th game. UConn's Jim Calhoun has won 578 games. Calhoun is 23-11 in NCAA Tourney play. Morrill is 0-1. Calhoun won the 1999 national championship. Morrill won the 2000 Big West championship.
Utah State has been to the NCAAs twice in the past three years. UConn has been to the NCAA Sweet 16 or better five of the past six years and was in the NIT semifinals the other year.
The Big West Conference has New Mexico State and Long Beach State. The Big East Conference has Syracuse, Georgetown, St. John's, Villanova, Providence, Seton Hall . . .
Utah State was upset it didn't get better than a 12th seed. UConn is upset that junior guard Khalid El-Amin wasn't named to the 2000 AP All-America team.
Morrill and guard Tony Brown have been on KSL-TV's SportsBeat Sunday. Calhoun and El-Amin have been on Letterman.
Two UConn recruits for next season are McDonald's All-Americans. Logan has a McDonald's.
WELL, OH, YEAH? Stew Morrill is 6-foot-8. Jim Calhoun isn't. USU has won its last 19 games, the longest win streak in the nation this year. UConn lost its last game. UConn has Beau Archibald, son of late coach Lynn Archibald, from Utah Valley State College. The Aggies have Brad Willden from UVSC.