Butler lights up Ags
Former Aggie Cardell Butler exploded with 20 points in the second half to lead EA Sports to an exhibition win over the Utah State men’s basketball team.
Butler hit four three-pointers in the second half and shot 66 percent from the field in his return to the Spectrum.
“I was excited about this game from the first game of our tour,” he said. “It was weird. I’m not used to the other side of the bench.”
Butler said he forgot how tough it is to play in Utah.
“I had to get used to the elevation and the thin air,” he said. “The fans still showed me love.”
Butler said he felt he had a slight advantage because he knew what kind of plays USU runs.
“I didn’t want to cheat,” he said. “We’re trying to get [USU] ready for the season. But just because I know it doesn’t mean I’m not playing hard.”
Butler said his EA Sports tour is over, but he has other options.
“I’ve got a couple offers from the National Basketball Development League,” he said. “The Knicks are also looking at me.”
Former Aggie Bernard Rock was also on the EA Sports team. He finished with five points, five rebounds and three assists.
Chaz Spicer led USU with 17 points and David Pak had nine assists, but the Aggies allowed EA Sports to shoot nearly 74 percent from the field in the second half.
Cass Matheus scored 11 points and Nate Harris added 10 points and a game-high six rebounds.
Michael Joiner and Abdul Mills joined Butler with double-digit scoring performances for EA Sports. Joiner had 14 points and Mills had ten with another seven rebounds.
“We didn’t do a good job defending anyone,” head coach Stew Morrill said. “Cardell got on a roll.”
Spicer said his 17 points don’t matter if the team loses.
“It’s a team thing, not individuals,” he said. “I don’t know what happened. We did not have the intensity we need. Our defense needs to be better.”
Morrill said he was pleased with the way his point guard played.
“Pak played real well,” he said. “He had a tough outing against Occidental.”
Morrill said EA Sports had the advantage of experience over the Aggies.
“That’s a team full of veteran, confident players,” he said. “We have a bunch of new guys trying to find themselves.”
Morrill said he is not concerned that his team lost an exhibition game.
“The good news is it doesn’t count,” he said. “The bad news is we have to get a lot better.”
The Aggies hosted EA Sports last season for an exhibition game and won 63-50.
USU will start its regular season Saturday when it travels to Tulsa, Okla. to face Oral Roberts.
The Aggies will not play at the Spectrum again until Saturday, Nov. 26 when they host lower-division Lewis and Clark College.
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Former Aggie Cardell Butler shoots over current Aggie Nate Harris during Saturday’s game at the Spectrum. Butler finished with 24 points.