Utah State's Isaac Johnson built confidence with career night. Now Zach Edey, Purdue await

INDIANAPOLIS — Shoot the ball and be confident. Those were the final instructions from Utah State coach Danny Sprinkle to Isaac Johnson ahead of Friday's first-round NCAA Tournament game vs. TCU. "I took his advice," the 7-0 redshirt sophomore said as a grin swept across his face.

That advice resulted in a career night for Johnson, who registered a career-high 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting with a couple 3s and five free throws to lead No. 8-seed Utah State to an 88-72 win over ninth-seeded TCU.

More:Utah State ends NCAA Tournament losing streak behind Isaac Johnson's career night

The victory snapped a 10-game NCAA Tournament losing streak for the Aggies, who had not won a tournament game since 2001 when they upset fifth-seeded Ohio State.

"This coaching staff has done a really good job of being confident in all of us," Johnson said. "We all have some special abilities and special talents on this team and it's been showcased throughout the year. That's a big kudos to our coaches."

Johnson's journey is an unconventional one, with him opting to redshirt last season after transferring from Oregon in order to work on his mindset and build confidence. It was a selfless gesture, Sprinkle said, crediting the center with growing more over the past seven months than anyone he's ever coached.

"Isaac is a weapon. He has a pure stroke and there aren't many guys his size who can shoot like that," Sprinkle continued. "But I'm more proud of his progress mentally and being a great teammate. … He just kept fighting."

It's been an ongoing battle, Johnson added, but this season has taught him how to believe in himself and have that confidence. And when he has performances like the one Friday night, it reinforces to him the player he can be.

That was the backdrop to what was an unforgettable night for the Utah native, who did most of his damage over the final 20 minutes: Three of his career-high four blocks and 14 points, including a critical second-half stretch wherein he scored 12 straight points (14 of 16 overall) to stretch USU's lead to 10 with 13:04 remaining.

The Horned Frogs simply did not have an answer for the 7-0, 227-pound center, who arrived in Indianapolis averaging 6.4 points.

March Madness:These teams will be in Indianapolis for NCAA tournament first, second rounds

It was a stellar performance. One worth celebrating amidst the Madness. But Johnson didn't even need to be asked about the 7-4 elephant in the room and the challenge that awaits these plucky Aggies on Sunday. He brought it up on his own.

"Zach Edey — he's getting national attention for a reason," Johnson said of top-seeded Purdue's star center, who had 30 points and 21 rebounds in a 28-point shellacking of No. 16 Grambling State.

"He's not just a big body. He's a really good player," Johnson continued. "So we have to continue to be physical like we were tonight against TCU and take care of the ball. And I guess I can continue shooting the ball well and be confident." 

Indeed, shredding TCU is one thing. But Edey and the Boilermakers? They're a different animal entirely.

"They're a tremendous team and we know how physical they are," Sprinkle said. "We're going to have to play like we did tonight and play with a little bit of a chip on our shoulder. … This place is going to be rocking. We have to be really good on both ends of the floor in order to have a chance to win."

Doyel:Zach Edey's show vs. Grambling was 'kind of unreal.' And it sent a message to everyone.

Whether or not the Aggies double Edey in the post is a conundrum ripe for analysis. Should they go that route, they have a couple posts available in Johnson and 6-11 junior Kalifa Sahko, who logged 14 minutes against TCU, plus a physical wing in 6-8 junior Great Osobor. And, for what it's worth, USU ranks third nationally against the 3 (28.6%).

Sprinkle didn't address any specifics early Saturday morning, but expressed his sincere admiration of coach Matt Painter — "He feeds the post guys and we like to do that, too," he said  — and pointed out a connection to Purdue through assistant coach Johnny Hill, who played there in 2015-16. "I know how crazy Indiana is, so we have to be very, very careful in our scout the next 48 hours," Sprinkle joked.

When asked if Edey is comparable to anyone he's faced previously, Johnson referred back to his high school career and playing against the 7-4 Matt Van Komen.

"He wasn't as big as (Edey), but he was a very unique presence in the paint that you couldn't ignore," Johnson said. "It's hard to compete with him up high, so you have to compete with him down low as best you can and do as best you can on the perimeter to stop the entry feeds. We'll see."

No. 8 Utah State will play top-seeded Purdue at approximately 2:40 p.m. Sunday.

Follow Brian Haenchen on Twitter at @Brian_Haenchen.