Utah State battling for NCAA Event bid beneath Ryan Odom, who coached UMBC to historic March Insanity upset

Ryan Odom’s plan is falling aside.

It is August 2000 and Odom is in Jackson Gap, Wyoming, along with his then-girlfriend, Lucia. They’re about to take the famed Grand Teton Nationwide Park gondola up the mountains. They will depart the valley boyfriend and girlfriend; they’re going to return engaged. She has no clue.

Then a storm rolls in, and so they come up one cabin brief when the journey shuts down. Odom is irritated, however what can he do? He cannot management what he cannot management — the climate particularly. It is a lesson that can assist all through his teaching profession.

The couple’s journey continues. As they head towards their subsequent vacation spot, Odom pulls over — “some spot alongside the way in which” whereas driving in Utah as he tells it — and proposes. She says sure.

Greater than 20 years later, Odom nonetheless cannot discover the placement on a map. However he is again within the Beehive State, now in his second 12 months because the coach at Utah State. He is centered on placing the Aggies on the map, similar to he did 5 years in the past with the Retrievers of Maryland-Baltimore County.

Steven Ashworth did not know the title Ryan Odom, however when he heard these magical 4 letters — UMBC — he was ecstatic. The Aggies level guard had a transparent recollection of the Retrievers’ monumental upset of Virginia in 2018, the primary time in NCAA Event historical past a No. 16 seed beat a No. 1 seed, and UMBC’s quick tempo and 3-point capturing that match his fashion effectively.

“After we first received launched, numerous these conversations have been about that and about how I performed in a manner that will enable for lots of freedom inside his methods and offense and recreation plans,” Ashworth recalled. 

Odom’s teaching profession spans greater than a quarter-century, however he has been within the recreation his complete life. The son of former East Carolina, Wake Forest and South Carolina coach Dave Odom, Ryan performed at Division III Hampden-Sydney School from 1992-96 and went into teaching instantly as an administrative assistant on Seth Greenberg’s workers at South Florida. Then got here stops at Furman, UNC Asheville, American, Virginia Tech and Charlotte earlier than his first full-time head-coaching alternative at Lenoir-Rhyne, a Division II program in Hickory, North Carolina, in 2015.

One 12 months faraway from ending 8-18 and averaging a paltry 65.3 factors, the Bears completed 21-10 whereas averaging 90.1 factors in Odom’s debut season, making the regional last of the Division II NCAA Event. They led Division II in 3-pointers per recreation.

His first 12 months with Lenoir-Rhyne was additionally his final. The younger coach with the explosive offense was off to a different program in want of a brand new course: UMBC. 

The rebuild at UMBC was daunting. The Retrievers had made one NCAA Event — in 2007-08 — and had suffered eight straight shedding seasons instantly afterward, seven straight with single-digit wins. Inheriting a crew that went 7-25 in 2015-16, Odom produced a 21-13 turnaround his first 12 months in Baltimore and the historic March Insanity win his second 12 months.

That was so far as the Retrievers received beneath Odom. He had obtained loads of curiosity for the reason that win over Virginia, however after an America East regular-season title in 2020-21, he lastly discovered the job that suited him at Utah State.

The problem in Logan, Utah, was very completely different from his first two full-time head-coaching gigs. The Aggies made the NCAA Event in 2021 beneath Craig Smith, who took the Utah job. Not like at Lenoir-Rhyne and UMBC, Odom was trying to construct upon success, fairly than overhaul a struggling program.

“He talked lots concerning the tradition and the environment and the atmosphere that Utah State had and that he wished to proceed to construct on,” Ashworth mentioned.

Add in that he was leaving the East Coast for the primary time, and an outsider would suppose there was a number of strain. Odom noticed it in another way.

“There’s 300 and nevertheless many roles within the nation, and so they all have strain,” Odom mentioned. “Is it precisely equal at every one? I do not know. In all probability not, proper? However strain is one thing that you would be able to placed on your self, too. So we attempt not to try this. I attempt not to try this. Coming right here, it was a spot that had skilled large, large success over the course of its basketball historical past.

“In order that’s actually what this program is all about. It is about all of the people which have paved the way in which for future groups. And that is all we’re attempting to do proper now, too: do our greatest whereas we now have this second collectively and never put any unneeded strain on ourselves however on the similar time pave new roads for future groups and revel in every second that we now have collectively.”

Bringing that group collectively was a puzzle of types. The COVID-19 12 months threw a wrench into gamers’ eligibility, and the brand new switch rule allowed gamers to vary colleges with out sitting out a 12 months. That left rosters across the nation in disarray, particularly for first-year coaches who had groups full of gamers recruited by earlier regimes. Two Utah State gamers joined Smith at Utah and star heart Neemias Queta went to the NBA and was picked thirty ninth general with the Kings.

Odom maintained a message of belief and empowerment. In his first Zoom assembly with the crew, his central message was, “You did not select me. I selected you. Now it is my job to earn [your] belief. It is my job to be there for [you].”

Credit score his gamers for listening — and believing. Odom retained a powerful core led by Ashworth, Brock Miller and all-conference ahead Justin Bean whereas additionally bringing in UMBC transfers Brandon Horvath and RJ Eytle-Rock and Utah switch Rylan Jones. It required persistence and belief from either side.

“I did take into consideration transferring — I used to be within the switch portal for a few days, even,” now-junior Max Shulga mentioned. “My dialog with Coach O was nearly the way in which he performs, the way in which his groups play, stuff like that. So I actually preferred that. A brand-new teaching workers coming in was just about like me transferring.”

Shulga, a Ukraine native who attended highschool in Spain, was initially noticed by Eric Peterson — a former Smith assistant — whereas enjoying for Ukraine on the U18 FIBA European Championships. Shulga dedicated with out ever visiting campus, selecting the Aggies over a handful of low-major affords.

He is considered one of six Aggies from exterior the US. One other, Australia native Sean Bairstow, related with the Aggies’ earlier workers throughout a tour of the US with Australian AAU crew AUSA Hoops, however he knew of Utah State effectively earlier than that. His older brother Cam starred at Mountain West rival New Mexico, incomes All-America honorable point out his senior 12 months earlier than being drafted by the Bulls. Like Shulga, Sean Bairstow weighed transferring. Like Shulga, he stayed regardless of having no prior connection to Odom.

“I used to be simply on the lookout for a contemporary begin, and the contemporary begin got here to me,” Bairstow, now a senior, mentioned. “He simply informed me, ‘I believe you are gonna have a breakout 12 months,’ and that was actually all I wanted to listen to after that. I type of knew that he had that perception in me that I may do the issues that I knew I may do.”

That breakout needed to wait. After a powerful offseason, Bairstow broke his wrist within the annual intrasquad Blue-White Scrimmage and likewise suffered a lacerated kidney. He missed a number of weeks and by no means received again on observe. Miller’s again points value him primarily your complete Mountain West slate.

Utah State nonetheless completed 18-16 with an NIT look. Odom’s impression was clear: The Aggies led the nation in help charge. Greater than 40% of their pictures have been from 3-point vary, drastically up from the 32.6% in Smith’s last season. However the items have been in place, even when nobody may have projected this form of enchancment.

A coach’s second 12 months on the job is usually a greater indicator than his first. He has extra management of the roster and has had longer to implement his fashion. Over the offseason, Horvath and Bean moved on, and Odom introduced in two key transfers which have performed main roles.

Odom had recruited Taylor Funk whereas at UMBC, however the proficient ahead was centered on greater conferences, in the end selecting Atlantic 10 program Saint Joseph’s. After 5 years with the Hawks, he was on the lookout for extra success — each crew and particular person — particularly after lacking the ultimate two video games of his redshirt senior season with a thumb damage.

“I dedicated on my go to after which by no means as soon as regretted my resolution,” Funk mentioned. “I believe [Odom] knew me greater than I knew him, which was spectacular. So when it got here again to him recruiting me once more, he knew precisely what he was getting.”

The returns have seemingly been even higher than Odom anticipated. Funk’s 13.4 factors per recreation are second on the crew. He is capturing 37.5% from 3-point vary — the perfect mark since his freshman marketing campaign — and connecting on practically 90% of his free throws. At 6-foot-9 with the power to shoot and drive, he is a matchup nightmare for opposing bigs.

“Taylor’s superior,” Odom mentioned. “Taylor simply suits us. He suits the way in which that we do issues, the way in which that we play, the kind of program that we aspire to be. He’s only a nice individual, he is received nice mother and father and a fantastic household. He is discovered a house right here that will probably be his second house endlessly in such a short while. … It has been a extremely constructive expertise for either side.”

Additionally transferring in was Dan Akin, a former teammate of Eytle-Rock’s not solely at UMBC but in addition at Barking Abbey in London, England. Akin, who scored UMBC’s first basket within the Virginia upset, is in his sixth 12 months of faculty after 4 seasons at UMBC and one at Cal Baptist. Each Eytle-Rock and Akin have develop into key gamers for the Aggies.

“RJ had a fantastic profession at UMBC,” Odom mentioned. “He was the traditional man who you need to coach that begins out a little bit bit gradual and isn’t actually within the combine after which simply retains working after which all the sudden enters the combination, has success as soon as he enters, after which turns into to in all probability the perfect and best participant we had in his final 12 months. It is actually cool to see a man do this. For him, it was about ‘What’s subsequent? Let’s go show ourselves at one other stage, a little bit bit greater stage.'”

The message was comparable for Akin, who’s averaging a career-high 12.1 factors regardless of largely coming off the bench.

“He wanted that problem previous to shifting on and going to pursue knowledgeable profession,” Odom mentioned. “I have been actually pleased with what he is been in a position to do.”

A couple of transfers do not make a full crew, although. The core Odom saved collectively has led the way in which. The Bairstow breakout Odom foresaw of their first assembly has lastly occurred. He is capturing 43.6% from 3-point vary, a exceptional soar from the 12.5% from his injury-disrupted 2021-22 season.

“It is a confidence factor for positive, however I additionally grew to become a significantly better shooter over the summer season,” Bairstow mentioned. “I may positively shoot final 12 months. I used to be removed from a 12% shooter, however that is what the numbers will present you.

“In the summertime, it is simple to trust. While you’re simply enjoying pick-up, not one of the pictures you are making or lacking matter. However it was focusing lots on the psychological aspect, figuring out that after I was capturing or understanding, I used to be placing myself in recreation conditions, imagining them sagging off me and having to step up and knock it down.”

That is the place Funk’s presence would not present up in his personal stats however has had a significant impression. He and Funk — of comparable peak and construct — labored out collectively all through the summer season, with Bairstow attempting to emulate Funk whereas constructing a bond along with his new teammate as effectively.

“He labored his tail off in the summertime,” Odom mentioned. “The bottom line is taking the appropriate pictures, and Sean is dedicated to taking the appropriate threes for our crew, and he is been in a position to knock them down for almost all of the season. I am actually proud that he is elevated his stage of confidence in his capturing.”

The breakout has additionally come for Shulga, and it is come at the perfect time. On Valentine’s Day, Shulga poured in a career-high 29 factors in a win over Air Pressure to halt a two-game shedding streak. He then posted 13 factors and 10 rebounds in a 21-point comeback win over Nevada, a recreation essential for the Aggies’ NCAA Event hopes. He earned Mountain West Participant of the Week honors.

“I by no means play like, ‘Oh, I am about to have an enormous recreation,’ or like I am anticipating to have an enormous recreation subsequent recreation,” Shulga mentioned after the Air Pressure win. “I similar to to type of keep within the second and simply make the appropriate reads, make the appropriate performs all through the sport, after which the work exhibits on the courtroom. Simply making the appropriate reads and making the appropriate performs will take us a good distance.”

Nobody has to make extra reads than Ashworth, the Aggies’ ground normal. So this summer season, he crunched tape of fellow undersized guards with deep vary — Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving and Trae Younger specifically — to see what he may add to his repertoire.

“I bear in mind final season, after the season was over, actually trying deep into what sort of metrics and numbers may I actually enhance on, whether or not it is small margins that can make an enormous distinction in the long run, or perhaps issues that I want numerous work on, and a type of issues was actually my ball dealing with,” Ashworth mentioned. “The exhausting half for me was I actually struggled at instances getting precisely to the spot that I wished to, whether or not it was organising my defender so I may come off the display simpler and even simply navigating my manner as soon as coming off of the ball display.”

The outcomes, once more, have been excellent. Ashworth is up from 8.7 factors per recreation to fifteen.8. He is capturing 46.4% this 12 months in comparison with 40.4% final 12 months. Ashworth’s 45.7% mark from deep is fourth in Division I this season. Moreover, his help charge is manner up and his turnover charge is manner down. The Aggies, in flip, lead Division I in 3-point share (40.5%) and rank 14th in offensive effectivity, in accordance with KenPom.com.

“It allowed me to have much more confidence coming into the season,” Ashworth mentioned. “We have positively seen the advantages of that with my effectivity, growing my alternatives to attain and facilitate out of the pick-and-roll. As considerably of an undersized guard that is actually fast and quick, I believe that is one of many issues that can assist me turn into the participant I need to be.”

There are some widespread threads you hear from Odom and his gamers. Confidence. Proud. Benefiting from the second. Odom instills these in his gamers, and it is useful to have an skilled bunch listening. The Aggies have 11 gamers listed as upperclassmen or graduate college students. They rank twenty eighth in Kenpom’s “expertise” metric. And that does not inform the total story, both. Ashworth is “solely” a junior however is already 22 after taking a mission journey following highschool — considered one of 5 Aggies to take action. Ashworth says that have has helped the crew keep heading in the right direction all through the season. After two four-game shedding streaks final 12 months, the Aggies have not misplaced greater than two straight this 12 months, and so they’ve solely carried out that after.

“It is simply the way in which that we’re in a position to study from issues that occur in video games or issues that occur in observe, and simply the maturity stage,” Funk mentioned a day after a slim loss to Mountain West chief San Diego State. “Nobody got here in right here making any excuses or hanging their heads or having low power. That is type of exhausting to seek out with a youthful crew. I might say we worth the alternatives we now have and do not let issues get to us.”

There isn’t any higher time for the Aggies to worth their alternatives than now. One of many “Subsequent 4 Out” in CBS Sports activities Bracketology Skilled Jerry Palm’s subject of 68, they seem to be a sturdy thirty fourth within the NET Rating however 0-4 in Quad 1 video games. Utah State seemingly will get another regular-season likelihood at a Quad 1 victory towards Boise State within the finale. Then will come the Mountain West Event, which is able to characteristic at the very least 5 groups with at-large bid instances. There’s work to do for an NCAA Event berth, however given the Aggies’ expertise, explosive offense and coach, nobody will need to see them — if they’ll get there. For now, they don’t seem to be overlooking anybody.

“One of many mottos we attempt to reside by is ‘Each recreation’s an enormous recreation as a result of the Aggies are enjoying,'” Ashworth mentioned.

There are massive video games on the horizon, together with Tuesday’s recreation at Wyoming on CBS Sports activities Community. Take it from their coach and their veteran leaders: The Aggies will probably be prepared for them.