Perhaps it was a good thing that the University of the Pacific
Tigers didn
’t have much time to dwell on Saturday’s disappointing loss to
rival Utah State in the Big West Conference finals. Freshman
forward Drew Pearson, a Morgan Hill resident and Live Oak High
product, seems to think so. Less than 24 hours after UOP’s 65-52
upset loss to Utah State in the conference
finale in Anaheim stuck a thumb in the Tigers’ eye, Pearson and
his teammates learned that they had earned a No. 8 seed in the West
Regional.
Perhaps it was a good thing that the University of the Pacific Tigers didn’t have much time to dwell on Saturday’s disappointing loss to rival Utah State in the Big West Conference finals.
Freshman forward Drew Pearson, a Morgan Hill resident and Live Oak High product, seems to think so.
Less than 24 hours after UOP’s 65-52 upset loss to Utah State in the conference finale in Anaheim stuck a thumb in the Tigers’ eye, Pearson and his teammates learned that they had earned a No. 8 seed in the West Regional.
“We didn’t play well this weekend,” Pearson said on Sunday. “But we’re happy we’re in the NCAA Tournament and our seed is pretty good considering we lost in our tournament. Everyone’s trying to move on. It was a tough loss but we can’t dwell on that.”
UOP (26-3) will play No. 9 seed Pittsburgh (20-8) of the Big East in its first-round match-up on Thursday in Boise, Id.
This is the second straight NCAA tourney appearance for the Tigers, the first time the program has pulled off the feat since 1966-67.
And, Pearson has been along for the ride both times.
Last year, the 6-9 freshman sat on the end of the bench in street clothes as a redshirt while his team made the Sweet 16.
This year, Pearson made the active roster and has been a part of the team’s remarkable regular season that saw UOP rise into the Top 20 national college basketball rankings.
In fact, the loss to Utah State in the Big West finale busted up the nation’s longest active winning streak, a 22-game skein.
If Pearson and the Tigers can beat Pitt, they would advance to a probable match-up against top seed Washington, the Pac-10 champion, in the second round.
That would be just fine with the local standout.
“(Pitt) is a real tough team,” Pearson said. “We can’t look past them. As far as Washington goes, they’re the weakest No. 1 seed of all of them, supposedly. So we’re excited.
“If we play well, you never know what could happen.”
