Ags ready for WAC
After winning its final Big West Tournament and playing in the NCAA tournament last season, the Utah State men’s basketball team is not expecting to lose a step by moving to the Western Athletic Conference.
Assistant coach Don Verlin said the WAC is a much more viable conference than the BWC.
“We’re excited for the challenge,” he said. “Every night you play in front of great crowds and against great traditions.”
A huge smile came to the face of newcomer Chris Session when talked about playing in the WAC.
“I’m real excited to play in the WAC,” he said. “Every night and every team will be tough.”
Verlin said this year’s schedule might not look that intimidating at first glance, but it is actually one of the toughest schedules the Aggies have had for a while.
USU will play home-and-home series with Oral Roberts and Middle Tennessee State.
“Those are solid mid-major programs,” Verlin said. “Oral Roberts should have been in the NCAA tournament last year and MTSU thinks it has its best team in years. We might have a better team, but not a better record this year.”
Verlin said the team’s goal this year is to take the season one game at a time.
“I know that’s a cliche,” he said. “We just want to win as many games as we can and hopefully we’ll be fortunate enough to win the league.”
Aggie Nate Harris said the team will not have any growing pains from moving to a better conference.
“You never want a rebuilding year,” he said.
USU has 10 new payers on the team this season. Session said the team is playing well together.
“Now that we’ve been practicing, we’re adjusting real nice,” he said. “We’re hanging out both on and off the court.”
He said none of the new players have really stood out thus far.
“Some are good at one thing and some are good at others,” he said. “Everybody’s good at one thing or another.”
Harris said the first exhibition game was good for the team.
“The new guys got some of their jitters out,” he said. “Now they can relax and play. They’re still settling in and finding their roles. We were pleased with it.”
Session said he already loves playing for head coach Stew Morrill.
“He’s everything I expected,” he said. “He gets us to hustle, dive for those loose balls and do all the dirty work.”
Verlin said the coaching staff has yet to see one player emerge as a go-to point guard.
“That’s still wide open,” he said. “It’s taken longer than anticipated.”
He said there are four players in the running: last year’s starter David Pak, Chris Huber, Mike Daniels and Everett Morgan.
“Nobody is ahead right now,” Verlin said. “They’re all neck and neck.”
Verlin said while the team will do fine this season, they will miss Spencer Nelson, who is now playing professional basketball in Europe.
“Anytime you lose a guy the caliber of Nelson, you miss him,” he said. “You always miss the all-league type players. But we’re going to be fine. I really like our guys this season.”
Nate Harris, who has started at forward next to Nelson for the past three seasons, is expected to help fill the void left him.
“Every year I progress,” Harris said. “I hope to contribute in different ways.”
He said he is trying to be more of a vocal leader this season.
“I’ve always had the luxury of sitting back,” Harris said.
The Aggies will play another exhibition game Saturday against EA Sports – a team with former USU players Bernard Rock (2001) and Cardell Butler (2004). The game will start at 7 p.m. at the Spectrum.
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Jaycee Carroll tries to get around an Occidental player Friday in the Spectrum.
Spectrum. USU will play EA Sports Saturday at 7 p.m.