Long Beach State head coach Don Monson has routinely scheduled big-time schools and it finally paid off this year with a win at No. 9 Pitt.

Monson's philosophy is it is better to be ambitious and lose occasionally than to play it safe.

"I think every mid-major, your goal is to elevate into some recognition and up with the upper levels, so to speak," Monson said. "Being able to do that at Gonzaga, I just felt that here, the players in this area that can't go to those schools want to play against them. So I thought it would help recruiting.

"I also felt like people wanted a program at that level and that in order for them to see what that is you have to play against them and show the kids and everybody that hey, we're not there yet, or we're getting there, or whatever."

Monson wants the Long Beach State program to be in the same category as mid-majors such as Gonzaga, Butler, VCU and George Mason.

"We have all the ingredients here. We have a great facility, we have administrative support. We've got great players in the area. So those are a great start," he said.

"My job isn't to say, 'It can't be done.' It's to try and go do it."

Casper Ware of Long Beach State has been named the College Sports Madness Mid-Major Player of the Week after leading Long Beach State to an upset of No. 9 Pittsburgh last Wednesday.

Ware averaged 27 points, six assists and three rebounds per game in the 49ers’ two games last week.

Casper Ware, the only returning player in the nation to win his conference's Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year honors last season, had a breakout performance in Long Beach State's 86-76 win over No. 9 Pittsburgh.

Ware had 28 points on 18 shots to go with six assists.

"I wouldn't trade Casper Ware for any point guard in the country," Long Beach State coach Dan Monson said before the game. "He's going to go down, for me, as one of my favorite players I've ever coached."

Pitt coach Jamie Dixon recalls Ware's father Casper Ware Sr.

"I remember his dad," Dixon said. "He was legendary player in L.A. back in the day, when I was growing up."

Ware Sr. combined excellent quickness with deep range.

"His kid," Dixon said, "is very similar to him."