Hoopsters hungry to rebound from UCR loss, host UI
One game. Usually it’s not the likely situation for a college basketball team — the single meeting can take a squad out of its routine, both mentally and physically.
But for the Utah State hoops team, its game against travel-partner Idaho could not have come at a better time. USU will host the Vandals Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
“It’s a good thing we have some time this week to regroup,” said Aggie Head Coach Stew Morrill. “My message to them last week was that we want to get better and get through [the loss at UC Riverside]. That’s what every coach in America wonders late February and early March, ‘Where is my team at, in terms of practice, and what they want to get done?'”
But the 72-65 defeat at Riverside on Feb. 21 left Morrill pondering more than just that.
Was this the same team that took it to the now No. 22 University of Utah, which has won 10 straight games?
Was this the same team that took it to Weber State, who has currently won 13 consecutive games, capturing the Big Sky Conference title?
Or was it even the same team that took it to Long Beach State (95-61) and Cal State Fullerton (62-41) prior to the debacle against the Highlanders?
“It’s disappointing that we can’t string together a bunch of good games,” Morrill said. “When we get beat, we get on edge a little bit and figure out what we need to do to get better. Then, if we win a couple, we tend to relax.”
Example No. 1: After the impressive sweep of the Hawaii Tournament, the Aggies fell to Jackson State 63-57 on Dec. 7. It was Jackson State’s first victory of the season.
Example No. 2: The Aggies knocked off in-state rivals Utah and WSU, then dropped the second game in league play to Pacific, 66-54.
Example No. 3: After a heartbreaking loss to UC Irvine in the Spectrum, the Aggies bounced back a couple of games later to pound LBSU and CSF, only to falter again at UCR.
The point to Morrill isn’t the somewhat confusing inconsistency though. It’s the fact that his squad holds a 19-7 overall record — nothing to hang its heads about.
“[We are] a game out of first place, and we have three straight games at home, [so] let’s get better,” Morrill said. “Let’s not feel sorry, let’s just see why we got beat.”
Morrill said the Aggies will need to play better defense and believe they can make their outside shots in order to close the regular season in style against Idaho, Cal State Northridge (March 6) and Pacific (March 8).
While Utah State is trying to make strides toward a run at the Big West Conference title, Idaho is simply making baby steps at a .500 record.
“They have a lot of good athletes, and they primarily play zone,” Morrill said of the Vandals. “They will play some man though, and they have been doing a good job defensively. They are quick and they play hard.”
Idaho, which is currently in fifth place in the BWC (7-8, 11-13), comes into the game with a 68-64 win at UC Riverside, and a 62-59 double-overtime loss at Cal State Fullerton last weekend.
Junior Tyrone Hayes leads the team in scoring with 12.9 points per game, while Dwayne Williams is second with 10.4.
“He’s pure,” Morrill said of Williams. “He’s like a lot of guys in our league: Give him open shots and he’ll make them.”
Not only is Morrill concerned about Williams, and the Vandals in general, knocking down the open shot, he said he is worried about the three-ball.
Utah State gave up five treys against Riverside, most uncontested, which Morrill contributed to a defensive breakdown.
Depending on the defense the Aggies play, Morrill said he expects Idaho to go to Williams in the zone and Hayes in a man-to-man set.
–juag@cc.usu.edu