Harris helps Ags past in-state rivals

There is something about in-state players and in-state basketball games – they both seem to shine. Such was the case with Smithfield native Nate Harris last Tuesday at Weber State.

The sophomore recorded 12 points en route to a 66-60 victory.

After redshirting his first year at USU and coming off the bench last season, Harris has been showing he deserves to be on the court.

He came off the bench against the Wildcats and had two dunks in less than four minutes of action to keep the Aggies in the game early.

“Nate-O was filthy,” said Aggie forward Spencer Nelson. “I was proud as heck of him.”

And USU Head Coach Stew Morrill was pleased as well.

He said Harris played the way he expected to since he is a veteran on the team.

“He just gave us an awfully big lift off the bench and we expect that from him,” Morrill said. “He’s been playing awfully well in the preseason.”

But to Harris, he was just doing his job. He said that when the team gets big defensive stops early, it gets them going.

Not only was he working on the defensive end, coming up with eight rebounds, he was also being productive offensively.

Harris drained a three-pointer early in the second half, hit a bank-shot from the corner and completed an alley-oop from Nelson.

The former Sky View High School star was a nice spark off the bench to say the least.

But it hasn’t been the role he is locked in to. He started the first game against Fort Lewis and Morrill said he will continue to use the forward in both roles.

Whomever Morrill may pick for a particular game, Harris doesn’t care.

“Either way, whether I start or come off the bench, it doesn’t matter,” he said. “When I come off the bench I look to give a spark to the team, and if I start, I look to get going from the beginning.”

Working for a sea of blue

Associated Students of Utah State University Athletics Vice President Tyler Olsen is working to take another step toward filling the Spectrum with a sea of blue at Aggie basketball games.

He has ordered 400 shirts that he plans to have on sale before the Utah game Wednesday in Salt Lake City.

The design has a No. 1 on the front, which Olsen said represents that the fans and teams are the best. On the back there is a bull and the saying, “Show them your A game.”

The objective is to have fans turn their backs to the opposing team during introductions and when they take the court.

“We are really excited,” Olsen said at the Weber State game in Ogden.

About 30 fans were wearing the shirts to see the reaction and to get other fans to see them.

“We want every person who comes to the Spectrum to wear one. We think it is going to be a huge hit,” Olsen said.

Olsen said by selling the shirts for $5 in his office and the card office he is making no profit, but he simply wants the fans to feel like they are part of the team – similar to a sixth man.

By the Numbers

8,086 – attendance at the Dee Events Center in Ogden. About 1,500 Utah State fans made the journey south for the contest.

30 – bench points for Utah State. Harris led all-bench scorers with 12.

22 – points by Weber State starting forward Slobodan Ocokoljic. Last season at the Spectrum Ocokoljic scored eight points, all of which came from the free-throw line.

20 – Aggie points in the paint. The Wildcats had 12.

12 – Weber State points off turnovers. USU had six.

-juag@cc.usu.edu