Johnson, Martinez help Utah State beat TCU 88-72 and halt 10-game March Madness slide
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Utah State was determined to do more than just make another NCAA Tournament. This time, the Aggies wanted to stick around.
Isaac Johnson made sure they would.
Johnson scored 19 points, including 12 straight early in the second half, and eighth-seeded Utah State shot 55% to pull away and beat No. 9 seed TCU 88-72 on Friday night and end a 10-game NCAA Tournament losing streak.
The Aggies (28-6) hadn't earned a March Madness victory since beating Ohio State 77-68 in overtime in 2001, and had endured opening-game losses four of the past six seasons. Players and coach Danny Sprinkle have heard more than their share of questions about their March futility and were determined to have something to show for this appearance.
“Coach came to me before the game and said ‘Shoot the ball, and be confident,’ so I took his advice,” Johnson said.
Ian Martinez scored 21 points to lead the Aggies, who will face top-seeded Purdue on Sunday in the second round of the Midwest Region.
“We have to continue to be physical (against Purdue) like were with this TCU team and then take care of the ball," Johnson added, "and, I guess, I can continue to shoot the ball and we’re confident in that.”
TCU (21-13) led most of the first half before the Aggies took the lead for good at 37-35 on Martinez’s 3-pointer with 3:22 left before halftime. Leading 43-37 at the break, the 7-foot Johnson took charge from there, making two 3-pointers along with two other baskets and a pair of free throws for a double-digit lead the Aggies steadily increased.
JaKobe Coles had 19 points and Emanuel Miller 13 for the Horned Frogs, who were trying for their third consecutive NCAA first-round win. TCU outrebounded Utah State 41-30 but shot just 36%, including just 29% in the second half.
“Tonight just wasn’t our night," TCU coach Jamie Dixon said. "We got off to a good start but still didn’t feel like we were doing what we need to do defensively. And as it went on, it’s (Utah State) continuing to get layups, continuing to out-execute us and simply put, we were outplayed.”
The Aggies shot well throughout but made 16 of 28 after halftime (57%), including five of their 10 second-half 3s. They were 8 of 19 from behind the arc and converted 14 of 15 free throws.
The Aggies also scored 19 points off 14 TCU turnovers and owned the paint 46-26.
Great Osobor added 13 points and seven rebounds.
But Johnson provided the key spark by scoring inside and out. He converted high lobs into easy layups, confidently fired consecutive 3s that fell and made all five free throws. Martinez made three 3s and 5 of 9 shots overall for his second 20-point effort in four contests.
BASKETS IN BUNCHES
Utah State started 4 of 13 shooting before making its next five and getting even hotter after that. The Aggies converted seven consecutive shots during another first-half stretch, following by several other points of multiple makes. Only twice in the second half did they miss consecutive attempts.
---
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Ernest Udeh Jr. vs. Isaac Johnson (Horned Frogs gains possession) | |||
19:41 | +3 | Jameer Nelson Jr. makes three point jump shot (Micah Peavy assists) | 3-0 | |
19:14 | Isaac Johnson misses two point layup | |||
19:12 | Emanuel Miller defensive rebound | |||
19:12 | Emanuel Miller turnover (lost ball) | |||
19:11 | Micah Peavy personal foul | |||
19:04 | Mason Falslev turnover (lost ball) (Emanuel Miller steals) | |||
18:54 | Mason Falslev personal foul | |||
18:50 | Micah Peavy misses two point jump shot | |||
18:48 | Emanuel Miller offensive rebound | |||
18:42 | +2 | Emanuel Miller makes two point jump shot | 5-0 | |
18:36 | Mason Falslev misses two point layup | |||
18:34 | Ernest Udeh Jr. defensive rebound | |||
18:28 | Isaac Johnson blocks Jameer Nelson Jr.'s two point layup | |||
18:27 | Ian Martinez defensive rebound | |||
18:25 | Emanuel Miller shooting foul (Ian Martinez draws the foul) | |||
18:25 | +1 | Ian Martinez makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-1 | |
18:25 | +1 | Ian Martinez makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 5-2 | |
18:02 | Jameer Nelson Jr. turnover (lost ball) (Darius Brown II steals) | |||
17:56 | +2 | Mason Falslev makes two point layup (Darius Brown II assists) | 5-4 | |
17:41 | +2 | Chuck O'Bannon Jr. makes two point jump shot | 7-4 | |
17:33 | +2 | Mason Falslev makes two point layup (Darius Brown II assists) | 7-6 | |
17:13 | +3 | Emanuel Miller makes three point jump shot (Jameer Nelson Jr. assists) | 10-6 | |
17:00 | Ian Martinez misses three point jump shot | |||
16:56 | Horned Frogs defensive rebound | |||
16:38 | Emanuel Miller misses three point jump shot | |||
16:36 | Mason Falslev defensive rebound | |||
16:24 | Isaac Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
16:22 | Micah Peavy defensive rebound | |||
16:14 | Chuck O'Bannon Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
16:12 | Great Osobor defensive rebound | |||
16:06 | Darius Brown II turnover (bad pass) (Micah Peavy steals) | |||
16:04 | Great Osobor shooting foul (Emanuel Miller draws the foul) | |||
16:04 | Emanuel Miller misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
16:04 | +1 | Emanuel Miller makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-6 | |
15:50 | Xavier Cork blocks Great Osobor's two point layup | |||
15:48 | Great Osobor offensive rebound | |||
15:48 | +2 | Great Osobor makes two point layup | 11-8 | |
15:33 | Emanuel Miller turnover (bad pass) (Mason Falslev steals) | |||
15:18 | Darius Brown II misses three point jump shot | |||
15:16 | Xavier Cork defensive rebound | |||
15:12 | Kalifa Sakho shooting foul (Avery Anderson III draws the foul) | |||
15:12 | TV timeout | |||
15:12 | +1 | Avery Anderson III makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 12-8 | |
15:12 | Avery Anderson III misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
15:12 | Xavier Cork offensive rebound | |||
15:10 | +2 | Xavier Cork makes two point layup | 14-8 | |
14:40 | Kalifa Sakho misses two point dunk | |||
14:38 | Emanuel Miller defensive rebound | |||
14:32 | +2 | Avery Anderson III makes two point layup (Trevian Tennyson assists) | 16-8 | |
14:15 | +2 | Kalifa Sakho makes two point dunk (Ian Martinez assists) | 16-10 | |
13:52 | Avery Anderson III misses three point jump shot | |||
13:50 | Mason Falslev defensive rebound | |||
13:45 | Mason Falslev misses two point layup | |||
13:43 | Emanuel Miller defensive rebound | |||
13:37 | +2 | Trevian Tennyson makes two point layup (Avery Anderson III assists) | 18-10 | |
13:14 | Great Osobor misses three point jump shot | |||
13:12 | Kalifa Sakho offensive rebound | |||
13:08 | +2 | Great Osobor makes two point layup (Mason Falslev assists) | 18-12 | |
13:08 | Xavier Cork shooting foul (Great Osobor draws the foul) | |||
13:08 | Great Osobor misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | |||
13:08 | JaKobe Coles defensive rebound | |||
12:56 | Avery Anderson III misses three point jump shot | |||
12:54 | Micah Peavy offensive rebound | |||
12:47 | Trevian Tennyson misses two point layup | |||
12:45 | Mason Falslev defensive rebound | |||
12:36 | +2 | Great Osobor makes two point layup | 18-14 | |
12:36 | Avery Anderson III shooting foul (Great Osobor draws the foul) | |||
12:36 | +1 | Great Osobor makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 18-15 | |
12:14 | +2 | Micah Peavy makes two point layup | 20-15 | |
11:47 | +3 | Javon Jackson makes three point jump shot (Great Osobor assists) | 20-18 | |
11:22 | Micah Peavy turnover (traveling) | |||
11:22 | TV timeout | |||
11:18 | +2 | Kalifa Sakho makes two point dunk (Great Osobor assists) | 20-20 | |
11:01 | +3 | Micah Peavy makes three point jump shot (Chuck O'Bannon Jr. assists) | 23-20 | |
10:35 | +2 | Kalifa Sakho makes two point dunk (Great Osobor assists) | 23-22 | |
10:15 | Jameer Nelson Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
10:13 | Great Osobor defensive rebound | |||
10:07 | Great Osobor turnover (bad pass) | |||
9:52 | Chuck O'Bannon Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
9:50 | Aggies defensive rebound | |||
9:23 | Darius Brown II misses two point jump shot | |||
9:21 | Micah Peavy defensive rebound | |||
9:02 | Chuck O'Bannon Jr. misses two point jump shot | |||
9:00 | Josh Uduje defensive rebound | |||
8:51 | Javon Jackson misses two point layup | |||
8:50 | Horned Frogs defensive rebound | |||
8:32 | Trevian Tennyson misses two point jump shot | |||
8:30 | Great Osobor defensive rebound | |||
8:16 | Great Osobor misses two point hook shot | |||
8:14 | Chuck O'Bannon Jr. defensive rebound | |||
8:00 | Jameer Nelson Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
7:58 | Aggies defensive rebound | |||
7:58 | TV timeout | |||
7:40 | Jameer Nelson Jr. blocks Mason Falslev's two point layup | |||
7:38 | Essam Mostafa defensive rebound | |||
7:34 | Jameer Nelson Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Darius Brown II steals) | |||
7:30 | +2 | Darius Brown II makes two point layup | 23-24 | |
7:04 | Jameer Nelson Jr. misses three point jump shot | |||
7:02 | Emanuel Miller offensive rebound | |||
6:56 | +3 | Emanuel Miller makes three point jump shot (Trevian Tennyson assists) | 26-24 | |
6:34 | +2 | Great Osobor makes two point layup | 26-26 | |
6:17 | +2 | Emanuel Miller makes two point jump shot (Trevian Tennyson assists) | 28-26 | |
5:53 | +2 | Ian Martinez makes two point jump shot | 28-28 | |
5:38 | Chuck O'Bannon Jr. turnover (bad pass) (Mason Falslev steals) | |||
5:31 | +2 | Isaac Johnson makes two point layup (Mason Falslev assists) | 28-30 | |
5:30 | Horned Frogs 30 second timeout | |||
5:30 | TV timeout | |||
5:04 | Mason Falslev personal foul (Trevian Tennyson draws the foul) | |||
4:54 | JaKobe Coles misses two point layup | |||
4:52 | Ernest Udeh Jr. offensive rebound | |||
4:52 | +2 | Ernest Udeh Jr. makes two point dunk | 30-30 | |
4:37 | +2 | Josh Uduje makes two point layup (Ian Martinez assists) | 30-32 | |
4:15 | Kalifa Sakho shooting foul (JaKobe Coles draws the foul) | |||
4:15 | +1 | JaKobe Coles makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 31-32 | |
4:15 | +1 | JaKobe Coles makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 32-32 | |
3:50 | +2 | Ian Martinez makes two point layup | 32-34 | |
3:33 | +3 | JaKobe Coles makes three point jump shot (Avery Anderson III assists) | 35-34 | |
3:22 | +3 | Ian Martinez makes three point jump shot (Darius Brown II assists) | 35-37 | |
3:05 | Avery Anderson III misses two point layup | |||
3:03 | Avery Anderson III offensive rebound | |||
2:56 | JaKobe Coles misses two point hook shot | |||
2:54 | Great Osobor defensive rebound | |||
2:38 | Ernest Udeh Jr. shooting foul (Isaac Johnson draws the foul) | |||
2:38 | TV timeout | |||
2:38 | +1 | Isaac Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 35-38 | |
2:38 | +1 | Isaac Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 3 | 35-39 | |
2:38 | +1 | Isaac Johnson makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 35-40 | |
2:19 | Emanuel Miller misses two point jump shot | |||
2:17 | Darius Brown II defensive rebound | |||
1:53 | Ian Martinez misses three point jump shot | |||
1:51 | Horned Frogs defensive rebound | |||
1:20 | Jump ball. (Aggies gains possession) | |||
1:20 | Emanuel Miller turnover (lost ball) (Josh Uduje steals) | |||
1:02 | +3 | Darius Brown II makes three point jump shot (Josh Uduje assists) | 35-43 | |
0:39 | Micah Peavy misses three point jump shot | |||
0:37 | Micah Peavy offensive rebound | |||
0:31 | JaKobe Coles misses two point jump shot | |||
0:30 | Micah Peavy offensive rebound | |||
0:30 | +2 | Micah Peavy makes two point layup | 37-43 | |
0:30 | Aggies 30 second timeout | |||
0:01 | Ian Martinez misses three point jump shot | |||
0:00 | End of period |