Tim Miles (Photo by Max Bechtoldt)
By Matt Weiner (@MattWeiner20) – MBB Beat Reporter
There was a piercing focus radiating from the pupils of SJSU head coach Tim Miles.
A focus that can only come from sheer heart break from having a historical victory on the tip of your tongue all for it to disappear in the blink of an eye.
The Spartans led the Bulldogs 67-66 with 1:02 left in overtime.
This would be their last lead of the season.
Following the bucket, SJSU gave up back-to-back offensive rebounds and turned the ball over on an inbound pass with 33 seconds left, setting up Bulldogs’ guard Jordan Campbell to sink a gut-twisting floater to seal the game with 0.6 seconds left.
Campbell had the height advantage over the 6-foot-1 Alvaro Cardenas and used it to his advantage.
A monumental-upset went up in a gust of smoke.
When there’s smoke there’s fire and the orange flames were gushing through Miles in his post game press conference.
His final words sounded like The Rock calling out Vince McMahon on a pay per view.
In my two months of hearing Miles express his thoughts after a game, this was the first time I’ve ever heard him say a phrase three times in-a-row.
“Enjoy it while it lasts. We are going to get bigger, stronger and better.”
The first half is a direct provocation on the entire Mountain West and the second half is the general blueprint for the operation.
Miles came into his first season knowing it was going to be the first step in rebuilding a team who proudly hangs CBI tournament appearances from over a decade ago.
He was also coaching an extremely young team who had four freshmen on the court during some games in the middle of conference play.
Trey Smith was the team’s most impactful senior and he didn’t play the last handful of games due to an injured foot.
On Wednesday night, at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Miles witnessed evidence that the Spartans won’t be an afterthought in a phenomenal Mountain West conference.
Transfer Tibet Gorener had a crucial three to give the Spartans a lead in overtime.
Junior Omari Moore had an out-of-this-world finish at the rim to push the game to overtime over Mountain West All First-Team Orlando Robinson.
“Enjoy it while it lasts.”
Can you smell what Miles and the Spartans are cooking?
