Ex-UMBC coach back in NCAAs in underdog function
SACRAMENTO, Calif.– On the eve of the five-year anniversary of UMBC’s historical upset of Virginia, ending up being the first No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1 seed in the males’s NCAA basketball tournament, former UMBC coach Ryan Odom is back in the Huge Dance.In his 2nd year as the head coach at Utah State, Odom returns in an underdog role– 10th-seeded Utah State plays 7-seed Missouri– however he understands it’s absolutely nothing like the situations in 2018.” Will a 16 ever beat a 1 once again
? I have no concept,”Odom said. “It takes an unique group. It takes a great deal of luck in order to have an opportunity to win any game in the NCAA competition.”
And, in some cases, simply to reach the tournament. That’s why, Odom said, that as special as the 74-54 win against Virginia was, it was the team’s win versus Vermont in the conference tournament final to reach the NCAA competition that was “much more unique.”
“A moment that I’ll keep in mind forever with that group of individuals that I was lucky enough to be able to coach with and coach in terms of the players,” Odom said.Editor’s Picks
1 Associated After beating New Mexico last week in the Mountain West competition, Odom got to bed after midnight and woke to a storm of text beginning at 5 a.m. It was a group text started by a former UMBC assistant coach to remind everybody that it was the five-year anniversary of the minute UMBC punched its ticket to the tournament.
“Literally I couldn’t go back to sleep,” Odom stated. “This time of year, it’s truly all year to be sincere, when you’re a coach in college basketball, it’s tough to sleep. I started taking a look at my phone. I literally was in tears not from a psychological standpoint, simply laughing.
“… It was so enjoyable because it reminded me of why we do this and why we coach. It’s to have those interactions, to have those special memories.”
At Utah State, the expectations are different. The Aggies are playing in their 23rd NCAA tournament– the most of any group in the Mountain West– and are doing so as an at-large team for the 4th time.Two previous UMBC players now play for Utah State, including Dan Akin, who began for the Terriers versus Virginia. 2 others, Steven Ashworth and Max Shulga, bet Utah State in the competition versus Texas Tech in 2021.