Lindsay Patterson and Pat Brennan discuss the upcoming FC Cincinnati match against New England Revolution. Cincinnati Enquirer


Forrest Lasso didn't even blink.

Asked back in February what his expectations were in the NCAA Tournament for Wofford College men's basketball, Lasso reflexively said, "Oh, Elite Eight. Easy." 

Lasso was a four-year starter for the men's soccer team at Wofford, a small college located in Spartanburg, South Carolina, through 2014.

He scored 14 career goals for the Terriers and started 71 matches. 

"This is the first time we've ever been nationally ranked," Lasso said during FC Cincinnati's media day. "That's never happened to us. So, we'll see. Gotta take it one game at a time. The last couple of years in the tournament, we lost to Arkansas, we've lost to Wisconsin, we've lost to some big names."

So far, so good for Lasso's Elite Eight projection as Wofford men's basketball defeated Seton Hall in the first round of the NCAA Tournament late Thursday night. 

Terriers guard Fletcher McGee, who became the all-time leader in NCAA 3-point shooting in the game, went for 24 points against Seton Hall. Cam Jackson added 14 points in the victory.

Few can understand the impact of an NCAA Tournament win for Wofford, one of the smallest Division I schools, better than Lasso.

Lasso's intensely proud of his Wofford pedigree, but he also acknowledges that the school he loves isn't highly thought of when it comes to athletics. 

Consequently, Lasso's had to work a little harder for things that came naturally to players at bigger soccer programs – things like earning exposure for himself, and even just getting respect for his play.

That's something Lasso said he has in common with the basketball team. 

"We've got guys that can play. I don't want to compare myself to guys on the basketball team or March Madness, but I'm the only former Wofford men's soccer player to play in MLS. Only the second to play professionally, and I got overlooked my entire career for coming from Wofford," Lasso said. "For coming from a school that, for a lack of better words, nobody knew. I think I can speak for the Wofford guys that we use that to our advantage. It's like, 'you want to look past us? Great. We'll show up and we'll beat you.'"

Wofford, a No. 7 seed in the tournament, continues its NCAA run against second-seeded Kentucky.