SPOKANE, Wash. — Utah State's 2009-10 basketball season ended much the same as the previous 10 seasons had. The Aggies had oodles of regular-season success but (with the exception of a win over Ohio State in 2001) fizzled with a first-round postseason flameout.
This time, however, there was a little more disappointment than many of the past tournament losses had brought.
Instead of playing a competitive team closely, Utah State was never really in it against Texas A&M before the clock hit 0:00 and the scoreboard read 69-53.
USU's lack of competitiveness in this game aside, the Aggies were left wondering what it will take to become the postseason team they believe they are capable of being.
"Get a better draw," USU coach Stew Morrill said. "Don't play a team as good as Texas A&M. Get a better seed, maybe, who knows? I think we're searching for this and that and we're just not giving Texas A&M the credit that they deserve."
The Aggies thought given their close game against Marquette a year ago and having four starters back from that team, they'd have the a much better game than they did.
But going long stretches without a basket and seeing their post players get in foul trouble left USU behind early, and the Aggies never recovered.
"We felt we matched up with them doing our prep and going through stuff before the game," Aggie center Nate Bendall said. "Overall, you have to hand it to them; they are a tremendous team. They're hard to guard and they play great defense. That is the unfortunate nature of sports. (Your season) comes down to one game and you have to prepare for next year and make sure you are prepared right."
Being prepared right was something everyone on the team thought they were Friday.
But another slow start doomed the Aggies.
"We had some (lapses) on defense in the first half that got us behind," USU guard Pooh Williams said. "That just hurt us for the rest of the game."
USU ended up shooting less than 40 percent from the floor and was a lousy 25 percent from 3-point range after leading the nation in 3-point shooting for much of the season.
Whatever the reason, or reasons, for Utah State's poor performance, it left a little bit of a bad taste — again — in the players' mouths after the game.
"I'm saddened about this season being over and definitely optimistic about next season," USU's Tai Wesley said.
The Aggies will again have four starters returning to next year's team.
Jared Quayle is the lone senior and the only expected — at this stage — departure from the roster.
The stat-sheet stuffer will certainly be missed.
"I definitely think we have the experience and we're only losing Jared, but Jared's been a big part of this team," Wesley said. "We will miss Jared. We're going to need guys to step up and fill those shoes that Jared will leave for them."
The Aggies have signed Los Angeles-area prep star James Walker and Midland, Texas, JC guard Brockeith Pane.
The talent may be in place. But Morrill said it may take more than another regular-season WAC title to get USU where he'd like it to be.
"I guess it would help if we could get Duke to play us home and home; that would be good," Morrill said, addressing the ever-present criticism about Utah State's scheduling woes. "You schedule the best people you can. We work constantly at scheduling.
"I get a bad rap sometimes for scheduling and I'm not nearly as stubborn or inflexible as people think," Morrill said. "We try and get as good opponents as we can."
A schedule with tougher non-conference opponents, many national bracket experts say, would result in a better seed — even if those games result in an extra loss or two.
With a better seed, the Aggies believe, they'll have a better chance at breaking through.
"I think that it's definitely our goal to get back here," Wesley said, "and have this experience under our belt where we will come out and start well and have a good game."
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