Upstart USF joins big-name WCC rivals in NCAA Tournament

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At his core, Todd Golden knew his University of San Francisco team had done enough to earn an NCAA Tournament berth. It's just that the coach had counted on a No. 9 seed and those were all gone with just four spots in the bracket remaining when the Dons were finally called.

"We made history," the elated third-year coach said, "something I’ll remember for the rest of my life."

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Tiny USF, from the same talented mid-major conference as tournament-bound rivals Gonzaga and Saint Mary's, is headed back to college basketball's big stage for the first time since 1998 after a fantastic run through the West Coast Conference. The Dons (24-9) are a 10th seed in the East Regional and set to face No. 7 Murray State (30-2) on Thursday in Indianapolis seeking their first NCAA victory since 1979. USF’s storied program dates way back to the days of winning back-to-back NCAA titles in 1955 and 1956 behind star Bill Russell.

"It’s unexplainable, just seeing our name up there it’s something I always dreamed about," senior Khalil Shabazz said shortly after the Dons punched their ticket. "Literally seeing it become a reality, it’s still unexplainable and I’m still in shock. My hands are shaky and my heart is beating fast. It’s crazy. I'm just really happy that we made it. We're not finished."

Everyone involved knew the kind of special season the Dons would need in order to get this far and secure an at-large bid in a conference featuring No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga and Bay Area neighbor Saint Mary's. This marks the third time in conference history the WCC has sent three teams to the NCAA Tournament, also done in