March 16, 2016
SAN DIEGO -
By Mick McGrane, GoAztecs.com Senior Writer
(@MickOnTheMesa)
Indiana Purdue Fort Wayne coach Jon Coffman had nearly exhausted a stockpile of superlatives regarding San Diego State when at last he offered the consummate comment:
"They smoked us like a salmon."
With Winston Shepard stoking an ample fire.
During a season with a number of forgettable firsts, Shepard put a shine on a new one Tuesday as he became the first player in SDSU history to post a triple-double in the Aztecs' 79-55 rout of the visiting Mastodons in the first round of the National Invitation Tournament.
If there was a lingering hangover of despondency or disconsolation in the wake of Sunday's NCAA tournament snub, Shepard wiped it away when he grabbed his 10th and final rebound of the contest with 45 seconds left. He added 10 points and was responsible for 12 of the team's 18 assists in becoming just the fourth player in Mountain West history to finish with a triple-double.
"When I came here, I really believed that I could do it," said Shepard, who posted the most assists by an Aztec since Creon Dorsey had 12 against Hawaii on Feb. 15, 1986. "I have the ability to do that and affect the game in multiple facets. To be honest, this isn't possible if my teammates don't make shots and even more so if Coach Fisher doesn't leave me in for the whole second half. Part of a triple-double is not only getting assists and rebounds, but also the amount of minutes (36) you play and the style of game it is. Today was an up-and-down game and I'm just happy to get it.
"But I don't want the focus to just be about that. We won the game, you know, we played a very good basketball team and we took care of the first step. I feel good tonight, but tomorrow it will be time to move on."
But not without an apparent grudge of some magnitude. Whatever perceived injustices were parceled out by an NCAA Committee that omitted the Aztecs from the tournament for the first time in six years, they were gone in less than 15 minutes when Coffman called timeout to assess the damage of a 31-15 deficit.
It was 40-22 at intermission, and an IPFW team that had been averaging 80.2 points per game and ranked fourth in the nation in made three-point field goals (347) was clearly aware it was no longer doing business in the Summit League.
"We're one of the best offensive teams in the country when we're playing in flow, but that was a great showing from San Diego State's defense," Coffman said. "Steve Fisher has done a phenomenal job. He's recruited good players that really defend, that have fight and obviously like to play the game of basketball and hate to lose. I know (they) were disappointed in not making the NCAA tournament, but it didn't take them long to transition and play the game, because they played really well.
"You guys have no idea (about how good we can be) offensively," Coffman continued. "We didn't have a good flow tonight and that's a credit to what (SDSU) did on short prep. (Guard) Max Landis has been literally unstoppable this year. This is a kid who had 44 points (against South Dakota), and an efficient 44, with 11 threes. He bounces from first to fifth in the country in three-point percentage and makes and (SDSU) did a phenomenal job and made him inefficient (5-for-15, 14 points). (Guard) Mike Calder has been phenomenal for us this year and he (finishes) 0-for-10. With (SDSU's) length and size, I can't believe that there are 68 better teams than that."
Perhaps not, although four of the teams IPFW faced this season --- Austin Peay, Utah, Indiana and South Dakota State --- are in the NCAA tournament, while a fourth, Valparaiso, is a No. 1 seed in the NIT. And while the Aztecs can't lay claim any of those accomplishments, perhaps it's simply more fuel for the fire, er, salmon.
SDSU, which turned 14 IPFW turnovers into 24 points and got 36 points from its bench, also benefitted from another standout performance from Malik Pope, who led the Aztecs with 15 points and collected eight rebounds. Pope has scored at least 10 points in five of his last six games. Dakarai Allen also reached double figures the second straight game, finishing with 10 points.
But it was Shepard who shoved aside any remaining NCAA tournament remorse and made it clear that the only available goal is still very much worth pursuing.
"In my mind, there was no doubt that we were going to come out fired up," said Shepard, whose team will host Washington in the second round on Monday. "I was down initially, probably about an hour or two when I saw we didn't get in (to the NCAA tournament). It was just really for personal reasons. I really wanted to be able to go to Houston to the Final Four, my hometown. But then quickly I remembered, I trust God and I know that things will only happen that are supposed to happen.
"So for whatever reason, we're supposed to be here in the NIT and we're going to make the best of it. I just try to be myself and continue to be a leader. I try to give the guys some energy. The guys do a great job and for the most part they're usually ready. It's not like I have to come in and say, ‘Lets go! lets go!' These guys are pros in our locker room. Everyone was a little down at first, but now we see the opportunity that we have here."