Basketball kicks off preseason against EA Sports
With only six returning players with game experience last year and only one returning starter, the 2001-2002 Utah State University men’s basketball team looks eerily similar to the 1999-2000 squad – at least on paper.
Though inexperienced to start the season, the 1999-2000 Aggies enjoyed one of the best seasons in school history, going a perfect 19-0 in Big West Conference play and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
Like the 1999-2000 team, this season’s team will find out a lot about themselves when they take the floor for the first time as the Aggies host EA Sports in an exhibition game tonight at 7 p.m. in the Spectrum.
When asked if the two squads are similar, assistant coach Randy Rahe said it feels that way, but it’s an unfair comparison.
“It’s really not fair to compare this team to two years ago,” Rahe said. “Until you turn the lights on, you don’t know how the kids will react and play.”
USU’s first chance to play against someone other than itself will come tonight against a team that features a collection of former collegiate players, including former Aggies Bernard Rock and Maurice Spillers. Both players earned all-conference honors with the Aggies and Rock was the MVP of the Big West Tournament last
season.
“It will be great for the fans to see Bernard playing in the building again,” Rahe said. “It’s good for our kids to play against him.
“I hope Bernard plays well as long as we win,” he said.
Tonight’s game will give the coaching staff a good idea, Rahe said, as to USU’s progress in two areas they have always stressed – defense and rebounding.
“Defensively, we’re not close to where we need to be,” Rahe said. “We haven’t established a mental or physical toughness we need for our schedule, I think the No. 1 thing we want to see [on Friday] is good defense and rebounding.”
If the Aggies want to achieve the success they have over the past two seasons, they need to look no further than defensive commitment. Last year’s squad allowed a nation-low 56.8 points per game.
For the Aggies, shooting guard Tony Brown is the only returning player who averaged more than 10 points a game (11.7 ) last year. In addition to Brown, probable starters for the Aggies are point guard Ronnie Ross, small forward Toraino Johnson, power forward Desmond Penigar and center Mike Ahmad.
EA Sports will be playing it’s second game of the preseason as they played the University of Utah in the Huntsman Center last night. In all, EA Sports will play a taxing schedule of 11 games in 13 days.
“The way you find out more about yourself is by playing these exhibition games,” Rahe said.”